D&D (2024) D&D Marilith Is Far More Bestial In 2025

The new 2025 Monster Manual has all-new art, and one major change is the depiction of the marilith. Up until now, the marilith has been depicted as a six-armed humanish female from the waist up; while in the 2025 book, the picture is far more bestial in nature.

Not only is the imagery more demonic, it also features the creature in action, simultaneously beheading, stabbing, and entwining its foes with its six arms and snake-like tail.

Left 2025 Marilith / Right 2014 Marilith​

 

[RoughCoronet0]

I've always disliked the previous Marilith depictions because it's not a true snake demon, and having a "sexy" woman upper body is boring and uninteresting to me (not to mention there isn't even a reason for them needing to be "sexy" so it just feels tacky). The new art is more interesting to me, but I honestly just have the Marilith as demonic Yuan-ti Abominations with six arms because that is actually cool and scary.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I mean D&D has been doing that for decades, so I am not buying it.

Also, a variety of demon designs is much more on brand than all demons looking the same, IMO

The story that immediately jumped out to me is that Demons, much like Devils (and often Fey) like to hide their "true nature" behind disguises. They'll look pretty when they're pretending to be pretty. But we now have some art that it closer to their true nature. I say closer, because I would put their true nature at something much more horrible. Something that we wouldn't actually want to see art of. Nor could we.

 

[Corinnguard]

The story that immediately jumped out to me is that Demons, much like Devils (and often Fey) like to hide their "true nature" behind disguises. They'll look pretty when they're pretending to be pretty. But we now have some art that it closer to their true nature. I say closer, because I would put their true nature at something much more horrible. Something that we wouldn't actually want to see art of. Nor could we.

So, that pic of the Marilith could be its' true form when it's not to trying to be beautifully sinister.

 

[TiQuinn]

The story that immediately jumped out to me is that Demons, much like Devils (and often Fey) like to hide their "true nature" behind disguises. They'll look pretty when they're pretending to be pretty. But we now have some art that it closer to their true nature. I say closer, because I would put their true nature at something much more horrible. Something that we wouldn't actually want to see art of. Nor could we.

Dickfingers. They have dickfingers, don't they...that's why we don't want to see it.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

So, that pic of the Marilith could be its' true form when it's not to trying to be beautifully sinister.

Yes. You chould show a "traditional" marilith pic to your party while they're negotiating with her, but when they cross her and a fight breaks out, she comes at them looking like the new one.

 

[Corinnguard]

Yes. You chould show a "traditional" marilith pic to your party while they're negotiating with her, but when they cross her and a fight breaks out, she comes at them looking like the new one.

"Just about when I was about to like her..."

 

[dave2008]

All you have to do is see the art to determine if you like the art (or not). Not the whole book.

I think they are referring to the people making claims of art trends when it is clear the totality of the art in MM proves otherwise.

 

[dave2008]

Not my mental image of Kali, but YMMV.

Sure, Kali can have a different # of arms all joined at the shoulder (unlike any version of marilith) and of course has legs (unlike any version of a marilith). But the multi-armed "monster" theme is strong with both.

 

[dave2008]

This is somewhat tangential to the thread, but I found that getting early access to the Monster Manual on D&D Beyond resulted in the printed book being a slight disappointment. Don't get me wrong, it is still a gorgeous book, but I first saw all of the monster art on my PC screen—large, bright and generally not cropped. Perhaps because of the big stat blocks, the artwork in the printed book ends up feeling cramped in comparison.

I had the same thought, but I got the book first and then on Beyond.

 

[dave2008]

I started doing that in Twilight Fables, but have been doing it for subsequent books as well. I would have said "universal support for that lore inclusion", but apparently not

I do want to clarify that it is a fun read and great information. My designer side loves it. I want every monster entry to be several pages. Heck my Tiamat entry is 64 pages! However, the functioning DM side of me has determined that it is mostly information I generally ignore and don't use! It is a me issue - not a you issue! Though I do think there is something to be said about a monster book that is to be read vs on that is used at the table. I have stated before I would like 2 types of monster books, one by group with lots of lore, and another with basically just wall to wall stat blocks.