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​

 

[Maxperson]

That is generally my thought as well. Though I do think that art, in general, as more impact than text.

Another saying springs to mind! A picture is worth a thousand words. We are a visual race, so pictures have a large impact on how we perceive the creatures in the game.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

They stuck with a mostly masculine representation of the Deva, even though they look more androgynous than before, a creature that was once explicitly described as appearing like a Human male in previous editions. The Planetar you could say is more non-binary in appearance as they do look like they have breasts with no nipples.

 

[dave2008]

They stuck with a mostly masculine representation of the Deva, even though they look more androgynous than before, a creature that was once explicitly described as appearing like a Human male in previous editions. The Planetar you could say is more non-binary in appearance as they do look like they have breasts with no nipples.

Hadn't really noticed the Planetar before, but you are correct:

 

[wizard71]

Really, let's compare:
Foreground Banshee

• very long hair
• slender arms
• skinny waist
• breasts
• long dress
• feminine facial features (IMO)

Background Banshee:

• long hair (but shorter than foreground)
• thick arms
• Thick waist
• no breast
• trench coat
• masculine facial features (IMO)

It seems clear to me the foreground one is code female and the background male (both elves it seems)

How can you tell it’s a male? It could be a very butch female. The banshee does not look masculine at all.

 

[TiQuinn]

Right, corebook lore has changed in specific ways at different points which causes frictions with people who have been using prior corebook lore.

We see this in most edition changes.

Yep. I got over lore and canon decades ago when Forgotten Realms got rid of monks and assassins because of rule changes, and killed off 3 gods for some reason.

 

[wizard71]

Hadn't really noticed the Planetar before, but you are correct:
View attachment 398182

The planetar has always appeared this way. The only difference from prior editions was less of a muscular build and much more toned. The solar definitely had a masculine look in all editions with the 2nd edition art being most masculine in my opinion.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The weird thing about Banshees is that somehow I associate them with some guy named Sean Cassidy...

 

[wizard71]

The weird thing about Banshees is that somehow I associate them with some guy named Sean Cassidy...

My reference point was Darby O’Gil and the Little People

 

[Maxperson]

It's a little known fact that banshees got their origin when a group meeting in Ireland misunderstood Liam O'Connor's request to ban sidhe from the meeting.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

The planetar has always appeared this way. The only difference from prior editions was less of a muscular build and much more toned. The solar definitely had a masculine look in all editions with the 2nd edition art being most masculine in my opinion.

DiTerlizzi drew them as very masculine, but every edition after they're more androgynous in appearance.