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​

 

[dave2008]

Sigh.

The point is, that yes, its a game. Its just a game. Its always been just a game.

Its been a long year, and the day has gone on for far too long, so my apologies.

Enjoy 5.5 if thats what makes you happy.

Not understanding your statement has nothing to do with whether or not one enjoys 5e24. You are not as clear in your statements as you seem to think you are. Is there a particular reason you rarely feel the need to clarify your statements when people have questions? I know you have been routinely dismissive of my queries for clarification. I assume you think I, and perhaps others, am trolling, but I can assure I am not. I really just want to have a conversation, discuss ideas, and try to understand people better. I know that doesn't always come across in these types of communication though.

 

[Maxperson]

I know, I just read them. I find it very interesting the immediately (2e on) stopped calling them "female demons" and instead simply describe there upper body as looking like female humanoid. I sense you think that is minor, but to my eye it is important. It tells me TSR, and then WotC realized having a torso look like a human female doesn't make you female. I imagine that actually see them as sexless or whatever sex they want to be.

It's just a figure of speech. This is from Planescape.

"Pesci Towns. One of the largest strongholds of the plane is Gallowsgate, the home of Jaranda (PI/2 fd (marilith)/Dg/CE). Jaranda is a marilith with dreams of settling down, as barmy a cutter as ever there was. She commands a single goristroa"

You can't see it, but in the stat block bolded, in the text there is the symbol for female as her sex. They were female demons in 2e.

In Bastion of Lost Souls(3e) there is a half chain devil/half marilith that they call female and describe as a marilith, but with chains.

In 3e's Expedition to the Demonweb Pits, there is a marilith constantly referred to as she and her. Not it. Not him. She and her. A female demon.

They are female demons. TSR stated it in both editions. WotC at least in 3e stated it through pronoun use. I don't know if one appeared in 4e or 5e products.

 

[Charlaquin]

Yes there is. The art is an indication.

In what way? What about the art identifies the creature as not being female?

 

[Charlaquin]

I still think this marilith reads as female to me (it is in the face - but I am the only one that sees that apparently).

Nah, I see it too

 

[dave2008]

It's just a figure of speech. This is from Planescape.

"Pesci Towns. One of the largest strongholds of the plane is Gallowsgate, the home of Jaranda (PI/2 fd (marilith)/Dg/CE). Jaranda is a marilith with dreams of settling down, as barmy a cutter as ever there was. She commands a single goristroa"

You can't see it, but in the stat block bolded, in the text there is the symbol for female as her sex. They were female demons in 2e.

In Bastion of Lost Souls(3e) there is a half chain devil/half marilith that they call female and describe as a marilith, but with chains.

In 3e's Expedition to the Demonweb Pits, there is a marilith constantly referred to as she and her. Not it. Not him. She and her. A female demon.

They are female demons. TSR stated it in both editions. WotC at least in 3e stated it through pronoun use. I don't know if one appeared in 4e or 5e products.

Thanks for the clarifications! They are still wrong,* but it happens - that is why I say never assume what is written is correct!

*IMO of course! I think it is incorrect to call demons, devils, angels, gods, etc. with gendered pronouns. But even I slip at times and it can just be easier too.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I dont think this is true anymore. You can find 'D&D' elsewhere, and I would argue better versions of it.

The more Wizards makes a joke of themselves and their game, especially as their 'new playerbase' gets older and starts to open their eyes to the sheer variety on tap with very little effort involved?

People will continue to branch out.

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.

I would definitely like the market leader's dominance in the hobby to be...less dominant.

 

[dave2008]

I would definitely like the market leader's dominance in the hobby to be...less dominant.

Or you want them to be make the game more to your tastes! Which is true for me too, but that has never been the case. Always better to make the game my own as was always the intent IMO.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Thinking about other part snake beings that have been mostly depicted as female, I looked up the 2e entry for the Lillendi a Celestial that hasn't appeared with a creature statblock in 5e yet, despite appearing in some 5e art. It actually said that there are Lillendi male humanoid torsos, except that all Lillendi are biologically female even if they have a male upper body. It also mentions that all Lillendi are capable of reproducing through parthenogenesis.

 

[Corinnguard]

People will continue to branch out.

Especially now with 5e-adjacent RPGs like ToV and A5e, and RPG's like Shadowdark out there.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Or you want them to be make the game more to your tastes! Which is true for me too, but that has never been the case. Always better to make the game my own as was always the intent IMO.

Actually, even if they made the game more to my taste (far too late on both sides now), I'd prefer them to be less dominant. I really think too much centralization is bad for the hobby.