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]

Sure.

To me the face still looks feminine, so it looks female to me. I am not saying that is the case, IDK, but that is how it looks to me. I thought I was the only one, but one other poster agreed with me.

If you don't see it, you don't see it and that is fine. I am not trying to change your mind, I am just trying to get some to understand that people see things differently - and that is OK. I'm not trying to prove some point, I am just telling what I see.

So I don't get the "eye roll." Is honesty something so easily dismissed?

 

[Scribe]

So I don't get the "eye roll." Is honesty something so easily dismissed?

I'm going to just disengage here. Take it easy.

 

[SkidAce]

Cons = shysters
Cons = convention goers
Cons = connoisseurs
Cons = Kirk haters
Cons = Stats representing health
Cons = ex-criminals
Cons = spells requiring concentration

It's a very versatile word.

It...has its pros and cons...

 

[Corinnguard]

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!

Ditto. We're already onto page 69.

Does it really? Why not just put the two together as a group in the 5.5e MM and reference them as being counterparts in the lore?

I had to look it up. Satyrs are indeed the male counterparts of nymphs. Good question. It's all faun and games until someone fails their acrobatics check and becomes prone.

 

[Jensaarai]

I don't see why there should need to be such a close hewing to real-life mythology and folklore; especially given how unique D&D's interpretations of such have been in the past.

What does it matter if there are female satyrs or male dryads or monstrous mariliths or whatever else? It's all fiction. Mix things around and come up with something fun and interesting.

 

[dave2008]

I'm going to just disengage here. Take it easy.

You do you obviously, but I am honestly trying to give my perspective and understand yours. That is hard to do when you just say sure, ok, and paste dismissive gifs. Is it that you don't understand my perspective, disagree with my perspective, or think I am lying? I am honestly not sure.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Ditto. We're already onto page 69.

I had to look it up. Satyrs are indeed the male counterparts of nymphs. Good question. It's all faun and games until someone fails their acrobatics check and becomes prone.

Perhaps there's a perceived issue with sexual dimorphism in sapient creatures?

 

[Charlaquin]

There's nothing sexy about the lower torso of a snake, six arms, or a bunch of swords to slice you up,

I disagree

 

[Charlaquin]

To me the face still looks feminine, so it looks female to me.

I think it’s in the eyelids. They’re purple, and form an upturned teardrop shape, which creates the illusion of eye shadow - a common feminine gender signifier.

 

[Incenjucar]

Every since its lower body was a snake.

So a succubus is a bat demon?

A marilith's theme is being strategic geniuses able to coordinate the chaotic hordes. The snake butt is just a feature, equal to its six-armed human top.