2025 Monster Manual to Introduce Male Versions of Hags, Medusas, and Dryads

The upcoming Monster Manual will feature artwork depicting some creatures like hags and medusas in both genders, a first for Dungeons & Dragons. In the "Everything You Need to Know" video for the upcoming Monster Manual, designers Jeremy Crawford and Wesley Schneider revealed that the new book would feature artwork portraying both male and female versions of creatures like hags, dryads, satyrs, and medusas. While there was a male medusa named Marlos Urnrayle in Princes of the Apocalypse (who had a portrait in the book) and players could make satyr PCs of either gender, this marks the first time that D&D has explicitly shown off several of these creatures as being of both male and female within a rulebook. There is no mechanical difference between male creatures and female creatures, so this is solely a change in how some monsters are presented.

In other news that actually does impact D&D mechanics, goblins are now classified as fey creatures (similar to how hobgoblins were portrayed as fey creatures in Monsters of the Multiverse) and gnolls are now classified as fiends.

Additionally, monster statblocks include potential treasure and gear options, so that DMs can reward loot when a player character inevitably searches the dead body of a creature.

The new Monster Manual will be released on February 18th, 2025.

 

[dave2008]

I would have preferred that Gnoll became a core species before Orc.

Me too! But orcs seem to be more popular so I get it (damn WoW)

 

[Bagpuss]

I think we are discussing different things. I don't think animals are evil either (in truth I don't believe in the good or evil, but that is a different discussion); however, gnolls are not animals, so I don't get your point.

and orcs aren't people, and while not friends they were created by an evil god, but it didn't stop that being problematic.

But D&D's your game not theirs so if you want none fiendish gnolls that aren't inherently evil, and/or orcs that are, there is literally nothing to stop you doing that.

 

[MGibster]

I’m a little taken aback by all the gnoll love. I don’t know if I’ve ever used them in a campaign.

 

[Belen]

Me too! But orcs seem to be more popular so I get it (damn WoW)

I have never seen anyone want to play an Orc. The only times anyone has chosen half-orc was due to mechanics. They wanted the bonuses. This included the WoW fans that were in my games at the height of WoW.

I just do not get the Orc love. I think it will be interesting to see the stats on Orcs from DDB to see if they are at all popular.

 

[Charlaquin]

I don't really think any species that hasn't been stated yet is in line either. I don't think that is how it works. However, I don't think gnolls have any more or less chance of being the next new PC species we get either. Mostly, I don't think what you or I believe has any impact on the likelihood of getting an "official" gnoll species.

I agree it doesn’t really work that way. And it would be one thing if they were in the same boat as other species, just not having any particular prospect of getting a PC version unless some product happens to come out that they would be perfect for. But they aren’t in that boat. They’re in the boat where every time WotC talks about monsters, alignment, and creature types, they make a point of saying, “oh, and don’t worry, gnolls are going to be even more demonic, evil, irredeemable monsters than ever in 2024!”

 

[Belen]

I’m a little taken aback by all the gnoll love. I don’t know if I’ve ever used them in a campaign.

They were used a lot in older editions, especially 2e.

 

[Charlaquin]

It was really @Hussar that was asking that question. So the answer is in 2e, 3e, and 4e gnolls have been playable. However, only in more obscure supplements it would seem.

Obscure is still extant though

 

[Charlaquin]

100 pages on playable gnolls. The Internet is amazing

It’s almost like there’s demand for them that WotC is spurning for no real reason or something.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I have never seen anyone want to play an Orc. The only times anyone has chosen half-orc was due to mechanics. They wanted the bonuses. This included the WoW fans that were in my games at the height of WoW.

I just do not get the Orc love. I think it will be interesting to see the stats on Orcs from DDB to see if they are at all popular.

I like Tolkien orcs and 40k orks. Neither are particularly good PC options.

That being said, I'm have no strong feelings against PC orcs either. They can certainly work.

 

[dave2008]

Obscure is still extant though

I agree, I wasn't trying to suggest otherwise. The issue was more one of popularity rather if the exist or not.