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​

 

[Imaro]

Its not 5.0 release anymore. Wizards is not remotely top dog, in anything but market saturation, and a HUGE part of that is the name and budget for marketing.

Wait... what other ttrpg publisher is "top dog" and what, outside of market saturation (and I would argue toolsets to actually facilitate play) are they "top dog" of?

 

[Scribe]

Wait... what other ttrpg publisher is "top dog" and what, outside of market saturation (and I would argue toolsets to actually facilitate play) are they "top dog" of?

Quality. Pick one.

 

[Maxperson]

The art is not an indication really. It could easily still be female, just not a human female torso. I actually think the head still looks feminine, but I have a type .

This image could still represent a female of any non mammalian creature, which of course a demon is.

When you have 50 years of the female demon showing it very obviously, changing it like that, especially with other changes made to 5.5e monsters, is an indication that they have changed the Marilith. Indicators can be wrong, but it really is an indicator.

 

[Imaro]

Quality. Pick one.

You made the statement, so you tell me... whose the "top dog" of quality in the ttrpg market?

 

[dave2008]

I've always thought that they were female. The 1e MM says it straight out and nothing has deviated from that until now.

Technically they still haven't deviated from that stance. After a quick search, only the 1e MM calls them "female demons." The 2e, 3.5e, 4e, 5e, and 5e24 MM don't call them female or male demons. So if the idea is no change mean it is not changed, then technically they are still female demons.

 

[dave2008]

I still think concern about that is a real possibility for why the art was changed.

I find that more likely than being afraid of women as some on this thread have proposed. I think, like most things, it is probably a mixture of reasons.

 

[Scribe]

You made the statement, so you tell me... whose the "top dog" of quality in the ttrpg market?

I believe all of these are better in a number of ways.

PF2, DCC, Dragonbane, Shadowdark, Vaesen, any number of smaller or Indy level games are vastly more creative, any number have far more evocative art, design, anything you can think of.

Wizards is the middle of the pack, safe option that can be mass produced and consumed inoffensively, to some.

 

[Maxperson]

@dave2008 Here is lore from various editions.

1e: Another of the female demons with a multiarmed female torso atop the body of a great snake."

2e: "Terrible to behold, these creatures have the bodies of giant snakes, with huge, green, scaly coils. From the waist up, they are beautiful, comely females."

3e: "This large, otherworldly entity appears to be an attractive female human with six arms—at least from her head to her waist."

4e: "THIS SIX-ARMED, SERPENTINE TERROR delights in hacking enemies to pieces with its swords, doing so with horrifying ease and astonishing grace." - Does not use the word female, but the picture is very much female.

5e: "Terrible to behold, a marilith has the lower body of a great serpent and the upper torso of a humanoid female with six arms."

In 4 of the 5 editions, it uses the word female. In 4e, it shows female. In 5.5e it does not show female. Does it use the word? If both are gone, that is very telling.

 

[dave2008]

any number have far more evocative art, design, anything you can think of.

Wizards is the middle of the pack, safe option that can be mass produced and consumed inoffensively, to some.

I am going to disagree with you on the art part. Art is a big motivator for my buying an RPG book and I buy mostly WotC books because their art, IMO, is generally better. Everyone has their own opinion on this course

 

[Scribe]

In 5.5e it does not show female. Does it use the word? If both are gone, that is very telling.

Considering the obvious shift with the other monsters, why are we even torturing the point here?

None of this passes the eye test. Folks just want to (unbelievably) either give Wizards the benefit of the doubt, or agree with what they are obviously doing.