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​

 

[Incenjucar]

Because they are the incarnation of chaos and evil. They are domination through power.

Also because virtually every other demon is brutish and undignified. That’s what differentiates demons from devils.

Are you under the impression that chaos is just brutishness? Are you against the idea of contrast?

Are you working under the "chaotic evil are the stupid minions and lawful evil are the smart bosses" version of alignment?

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

"Seems like" indeed. It's been pages of gaslighting and people seeing the argument they want to argue against.

Who is or where do you see gaslighting? I haven’t gone through all these pages and pages, but I haven’t seen any gaslighting. People having different opinions on the same thing is not gaslighting

 

[Incenjucar]

Who is or where do you see gaslighting? I haven’t gone through all these pages and pages, but I haven’t seen any gaslighting. People having different opinions on the same thing is not gaslighting

People making claims about what other people think despite them stating that no they do not think that. "You don't really mean that" is a classic gaslighting response.

 

[Hussar]

No need to struggle given this information is available online in wikis.

Hellbound: The Blood War heavily features a cambion/marilith story. Tara Strong voiced the Marilith Yxunomei in Icewind Dale.

Incidentally they're they're also in some Final Fantasy games.

Yeah. So a twenty plus year old video game and a thirty year old book. Yeah that’s some really major game lore. oh and featuring in games that aren’t even DnD.

 

[Hussar]

Are you under the impression that chaos is just brutishness? Are you against the idea of contrast?

Are you working under the "chaotic evil are the stupid minions and lawful evil are the smart bosses" version of alignment?

No. I’m working under the fact that every other demon is brutish. It’s kind of a thing.

it’s not a contrast. It just sticks out like a sore thumb. We don’t give dragons feathers. Why not? Because big lizards is what dragons in dnd look like.

Same with demons. Demons should always be horrific.

 

[Incenjucar]

Yeah. So a twenty plus year old video game and a thirty year old book. Yeah that’s some really major game lore. oh and featuring in games that aren’t even DnD.

That's how time works. Final Fantasy 7 and Harry Potter came out in 1997 and people are still gaga for them. If things are only relevant to you for six months, well no there probably haven't been 20 marilith stories since last fall.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

It's about taking a monster with an interesting design that has endured and inspired several official stories since 1E and replacing it with a muddy and generic design that doesn't do anything new and interesting relative to what it replaced.

Is the classic marilith really an interesting design? Snake women have been around for centuries, I don’t think adding two pairs of arms is that innovative or interesting. I’m not suggesting the new design is better, but let’s be honest the marilith is not an innovative monster design.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

People making claims about what other people think despite them stating that no they do not think that. "You don't really mean that" is a classic gaslighting response.

Ok, I’ve seen scribe doing that, but that is not technically gaslighting is it?

Edit: I’ve seen more posts now and kinda is see what your saying, but a lot of people are not explaining themselves, they are just say no that is not what I mean. So it does seem disingenuous

 

[Maxperson]

This one theme I actually do like with how demons and devils have been shifting over the years. Demons shouldn't be "tactical geniuses". That's not what a demon does. Demons are engines of destruction, overwhelming with power and brute force. "Tactical genius" is the realm of devils (or possibly Yugoloths). Advanced planning, tactics, strategy, that sort of thing.

Why do you need a tactical genius demon to tell this wave of demons to charge forward? Demons don't really use much in the way of tactics besides, "Overwhelm with force". If the important element of a marilith is it's ability to long term strategize, then it shouldn't be a demon at all. It should be a devil.

While I still do not like the image and lore changes to mariliths, you make a very good point here. Demons really should not be tactical geniuses.

 

[Maxperson]

I dunno, kinda seems like it’s about boobs, cause this marilith still has six arms and looks female.

Not to me. I don't see it.