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​

 

[Parmandur]

IIRC WotC has said several times that previous depictions of some of the monsters, like dragons, are still perfectly valid.

The upcoming Dragon anthology is apparently going to have a lot of historical art in it.

 

[dave2008]

If you take the poster's idea of a war-form as personal speculation/lore they are making up themselves, then of course that's perfectly fine (although personally I would want mechanical back-up to model that concept in play). My issue is that it seems clear to me that WotC is not using this new art as an alternative, but instead as a replacement, which is supported by the lack of any other form for the marilith in 5.5 in the art or text. I am long on record for really disliking official lore being replaced in any franchise, only added to, and an art change this drastic qualifies as a lore change IMO. Certainly I don't like lore replacement within the supposedly same edition of the game. That D&D is a less passive form of media than film, TV, or literature is irrelevant to this issue for me. This is clearly (to me) not designed to be additive. From my perspective it is functionally the same as changing what a Star Wars rancor looks like from Return of the Jedi and not making any mention of the change, like it has always been that way.

Anyway, that's where I'm coming from. I actually like the idea of a war-form for the marilith, as personal lore for your own table, or as additive official lore that doesn't change the past. And of course none of this affects me or my game. I just find it interesting to discuss.

This answer is not a response to my point so I assume I did a poor job of explaining it! I don't really feel up to trying to dissect where I went wrong and how to improve it. However, if I get a moment of inspiration - I will try again!

 

[Jensaarai]

One thing I am really liking about the recent art in these books has been how they show the monster in a scene or moment, instead of just "poses menacingly" (though the medusas get a pass, because Jojo-posing is a scene ).

I'd always kinda wondered how a marilith fought, since it felt like all those arms and various weapons would get in the way of each other, but this shows how much of a whirlwind they are.

 

[Voadam]

I am really not sure what to make of the soldiers the marilith is fighting. The sort of wispy essence coming from the decapitated one leaves me thinking some sort of ectoplasmic outsider essence? The bloodlessness of the one being stabbed is indicative of something, presumably. Yet they look like fairly uniform mundane soldier warriors with mostly matching equipment (filigree on the back of some helmets is different, most have swords but one has a spear). Took me a little bit to figure out they are all wearing gloves and so you see no flesh at all.

Maybe Manual of the Planes/Planescape type einheriar? Something else?

 

[dave2008]

I am really not sure what to make of the soldiers the marilith is fighting. The sort of wispy essence coming from the decapitated one leaves me thinking some sort of ectoplasmic outsider essence? The bloodlessness of the one being stabbed is indicative of something, presumably. Yet they look like fairly uniform mundane soldier warriors with mostly matching equipment (filigree on the back of some helmets is different, most have swords but one has a spear). Took me a little bit to figure out they are all wearing gloves and so you see no flesh at all.

Maybe Manual of the Planes/Planescape type einheriar? Something else?

Maybe the artist just doesn't like painting blood? IDK

PS - are you sure they are wearing gloves? Someone else thought they were constructs (thus no blood), but to me it looked like the hands are gloveless so I didn't think that made sense. I could have been mistaken though.

 

[Jensaarai]

Maybe the artist just doesn't like painting blood? IDK

PS - are you sure they are wearing gloves? Someone else thought they were constructs (thus no blood), but to me it looked like the hands are gloveless so I didn't think that made sense. I could have been mistaken though.

There's a funny bit of leather or something over the back of Stabby's hand, which kinda lends to the idea of it being a glove.

It's certainly possible that this is a bloodless version, but I do see the idea of the marilith fighting something besides normal guards.

 

[Shadowdweller00]

I'm flabbergasted and honestly somewhat curious as to how this subject has somehow spawned 50+ pages?

I don't mind the bestial look the slightest little bit. Nor would I be terribly offended if there were now somehow male Mariliths. And even if I were - demons are the spiritual personification of chaos and evil. I would personally tend to expect some variation in form.

 

[dave2008]

There's a funny bit of leather or something over the back of Stabby's hand, which kinda lends to the idea of it being a glove.

It's certainly possible that this is a bloodless version, but I do see the idea of the marilith fighting something besides normal guards.

I see the leather, but it just looks like a hand beyond that to me.

 

[Incenjucar]

I'm flabbergasted and honestly somewhat curious as to how this subject has somehow spawned 50+ pages?

I don't mind the bestial look the slightest little bit. Nor would I be terribly offended if there were now somehow male Mariliths. And even if I were - demons are the spiritual personification of chaos and evil. I would personally tend to expect some variation in form.

There is no indication that the behirilith is a variation rather than a replacement. If there was information that this wasn't a design retcon, and was merely an expansion, the topic would be mostly "well even if they can still be the classic look they should still use that in the book art so new players can see it" etc.

 

[Hussar]

There is no indication that the behirilith is a variation rather than a replacement. If there was information that this wasn't a design retcon, and was merely an expansion, the topic would be mostly "well even if they can still be the classic look they should still use that in the book art so new players can see it" etc.

Give it time.

There most likely will be a marilith or three in future WotC modules and they will come with art. Considering we have WILDLY varying versions of the creature over the years, it's not really much of a stretch.

I mean, I look at this: (from Reddit)

and I realize that monsters can look like whatever da hell they want to look like. We should be celebrating new looks. Not pissing and moaning because something got changed.