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]

Horror, disgust, revulsion, awe, a sense of the otherwordly, a sense of danger.

Well on that front I would say the 2024 art hits higher than all other edition marilith art, with the possible exception of the 3.5e MM.

Sensuality, if we wanted to follow the marilith blueprint.

2024 fails on the that front. Most, but not all, previous marilith art is better in this category.

Regality or imperiousness, to reflect their role as commanders of demons.

I can only think of one marilith artwork (cover of HotA) that does this better than the 2024 MM. I actually find the 2024 art fairly high on the regality and imperiousness list (but that is a matter of opinion).

So with your criteria, and by my measure, the 2024 art only lacks in sensuality. I could see the design being more sensual than it is, but I would sacrifice some sensuality for more monstrosity. I do whish mariliths in art and stat block would reflect the battlefield tacticians they are supposed to be

 

[npick03]

This is of course subjective, but the 2024 art definitely conveys those things to me much more strongly than the 2014 art does. Indeed, that’s what I like about it, it looks far more monstrous.

Oh, the 2014 art is not great either. I prefer the 2024 art if I had to choose between the two. Miss 2014 evokes nothing to me but earth tones and mild confusion, like she was asked to pose and but she didn't know what to do with all these arms.

The 2024 design is more monstrous, yes, but to me it feels monstrous in a generic way. I don't feel very compelled to put it in my campaign. At least 2014 art, I know who that is (or who it's supposed to be). I can embody her for my players. 2024 art, I don't how I would roleplay that. Maybe lots of growling and arm gesticulation.

That’s definitely something the 2024 design lacks, and I would guess that’s an intentional choice. The game is marketed for all ages.

But that isn't consistent across the other monsters in the book, as shown previously in the thread. Why is sensuality okay for some monsters, but not the marilith? I agree that it feels intentional, but the thought process isn't obvious to me.

The weapons, yeah, I agree look pretty silly. But I thought we were discussing the new design of the creature, not the specific art piece.

For me (and this is probably just me) the whole piece is part of the design, as least as far as the Monster Manual is concerned. We are seeing the creature in its element, illustrating how it might be used and why you might want to use it. This art will shape how DMs new to the hobby will interpret the marilith, and I don't think it does her very many favors.

 

[npick03]

So with your criteria,

They aren't really criteria, so much as things I would like to receive that I am not getting from the 2024 artwork. I would be happy if it made me feel any one of those things.

I feel like these mariliths better achieve the effect I would like to see (all taken from here)

 

[wizard71]

Thinking about it, I wish they had given us male, female and nonbinary representations of all the vaguely humanoid monsters in the MM. I want a thot balor and a seductively androgynous vrock, dammit.

That is funny because I never once look at a Brock, Glabrezu or Herzou and said what could make this creature better? Boobs!

 

[Reynard]

That is funny because I never once look at a Brock, Glabrezu or Herzou and said what could make this creature better? Boobs!

That's ridiculous. There isn't anything that bewbs can't make better.


Have you even seen Sausage Party?!?

 

[Micah Sweet]

That’s definitely something the 2024 design lacks, and I would guess that’s an intentional choice. The game is marketed for all ages.

To be fair, they didn't start marketing the game to all ages in 5.5. That's been the case for a while now.

 

[Parmandur]

Animal Lords in the new Monster Manual says they have "subtle animal-like feature" when they appear Humanoid. But the artist definitely didn't get that memo, and made them appear as full-on furries.

An example of an Animal Lord in 5e with more subtle animal-like features, is the Cat Lord that appears on the DM's Screen in the 5e Planescape Campaign set.

The Animal Lord's have three forms:

• Subtly animalistic Humanoids
• Furries
• Full on Animals

The art is of the middle form, not a missed memo.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

That’s definitely something the 2024 design lacks, and I would guess that’s an intentional choice. The game is marketed for all ages.

Not completely, the PHB says "12+" inside the cover, and it's roughly the age range of D&D for the last few decades as well. Though there's been non-core books directed for younger audiences.

 

[Incenjucar]

In general, I prefer the marilith to hew most closely to a queen of war feel. Bold, imperious, that kind of gaunt, high cheek boned look, and a constant struggle to not just mince all the idiots around them out of endless frustration. When they are working on a battle plan - and not having to put up appearances - they turn into a whirlwind academic, arms jotting notes and opening books and holding up maps all at the same time, their serpent half making it easy for them to slithering around piles of materials and to simply stretch up to the tops of book shelves. When leading they point orders in every direction, tail twitching in anticipation of getting to unsheath their own blades. And in battle they let it all go, their brilliance only surfacing when the shower of blood is not their own, at which point they seethe at having to let their mind take over again when they wish instead to dance in mindless gore.

 

[dave2008]

They aren't really criteria, so much as things I would like to receive that I am not getting from the 2024 artwork. I would be happy if it made me feel any one of those things.

I feel like these mariliths better achieve the effect I would like to see (all taken from here)View attachment 398188View attachment 398187View attachment 398186

Hey! I already posted 2 of those 3 in this thread!