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​

 

[Scribe]

Why do snake demons need breasts?
Just asking?

If they wanted to make a new snake demon, they could, and it wouldnt require a female upper half.

A Marilith however? Does.

 

[Demetrios1453]

Let’s not mince words: is all this because the new Marilith is no longer sexy?

It does appear to be a subtext in some posts.

 

[dave2008]

If they wanted to make a new snake demon, they could, and it wouldnt require a female upper half.

A Marilith however? Does.

Well by my eye we still have a female upper half, we just don't have breasts. What it really seems to get down to is that marilith = breasts for a lot of people.

 

[Bae'zel]

If they wanted to make a new snake demon, they could, and it wouldnt require a female upper half.

A Marilith however? Does.

Mariliths no longer have boobs = the last straw regarding D&D 5e.

LMAO

 

[dave2008]

No. This is because WoTC decided to reinvent their looks for reasons known only to them. We're just doing Insight checks again.

That is true, but if you read between the lines I think you can get a pretty good idea. I posted my thoughts earlier, but this thread has gotten to big for me to go back and find it!

 

[dave2008]

I love how some people think this is about the marilith being sexy. The marilith has never been sexy. Ever. There's nothing sexy about the lower torso of a snake, six arms, or a bunch of swords to slice you up, and at least two pictures that I've seen are downright ugly.

That is not entirely true. It may be true for you, but I lot people find different things sexy. There is a whole genre of erotica that is about snake-woman eating people. I don't get it, but everyone is different!

 

[Scribe]

Mariliths no longer have boobs = the last straw regarding D&D 5e.

LMAO

No, but a thing is a thing. It has decades of definition behind it.

If you want to jump to 'the last straw' hyperbole thats fine, but honestly its simply one of many many annoying changes that all started with Tashas.

Either way you've demonstrated exactly what level of discussion you are looking for, so take it easy.

 

[dave2008]

I wasn't one of the two, but I can guess that it's because there aren't any male dryads(being mythological wood nymphs) or male hags(hags being female). The changes are indicative of a direction WotC is going that is disappointing to those of us who view the changes as an overreaction.

As I said earlier in the thread, there's zero wrong with having monsters that are all male or all female. There are wrong ways to depict all male or all female monsters, but if you don't engage in those ways, it's perfectly fine.

There is also nothing wrong with portraying male hags, dryads, and medusa. It is just that some people don't like it.

 

[Scribe]

Well by my eye we still have a female upper half, we just don't have breasts. What it really seems to get down to is that marilith = breasts for a lot of people.

Sure.

 

[dave2008]

Since when is a marilith a "snake demon"?

Every since its lower body was a snake.