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​

 

[Maxperson]

There probably haven’t been 20 Marilith stories ever.

I don't know how many stories there have been, but there are 18 named mariliths in various D&D books, one in Pools of Radiance, one in Baldurs Gate 2, and one in Icewind Dale, and then there's the one from Final Fantasy. I'm sure there have also been unnamed ones in various D&D products over the decades.

Not the most common bad guys, but not just a few, either.

 

[Charlaquin]

The lack of breasts makes it look not female,

A lot of females don’t have breasts, even if we are only talking about adult, cisgender, human females.

 

[Incenjucar]

I’m sorry, but what about this design marks it as brutish and undignified?

I was responding to someone saying that demons should be brutish and undignified. Context has been removed for reasons. I apologize that this is confusing!

 

[Charlaquin]

It's not just brutishness, but it's also not law and order like a master tactician would have in spades.

Chunky and with scales = not capable of being a master tactician. Apparently.

 

[Maxperson]

Chunky and with scales = not capable of being a master tactician. Apparently.

Nobody has argued that. At least not in the last few pages. I've seen plenty of chaotic evil demon =/= lawful master tactician. And I've seen other "They look brutish" comments unconnected to tactical ability. But not what you are saying there.

Like I said in my post, intuitive geniuses on the battlefield fits a demon much better than tactical genius, which doesn't fit a demon at all, ever could.

 

[Charlaquin]

I was responding to someone saying that demons should be brutish and undignified. Context has been removed for reasons. I apologize that this is confusing!

Well, I also quoted that person’s post. I’m not trying to weigh in on whether or not demons should be brutish and undignified, I’m calling into question the underlying assumption that anything about this art communicates brutishness or lack of dignity. This monster certainly could be brutish and undignified. It could also be graceful and precise. The design itself doesn’t really inform us one way or the other.

 

[Maxperson]

A lot of females don’t have breasts, even if we are only talking about adult, cisgender, human females.

I just looked at it again. I don't see female anywhere in the new art. Not even a little bit.

 

[Maxperson]

The impression that I've gotten is that mariliths are constantly ticked off because they have brilliant ideas and it's a constant struggle to get any of their minions or their superiors to listen. Like they would be constantly flipping tables every time they lose fifty vrocks because they wanted to land instead of strafe. Pathfinder does just give them a battle aura though.

I don't have an issue with that. My position is that their brilliant ideas should be intuitive genius, not tactical genius. The former is chaotic. The latter is lawful. Demons are not lawful.

 

[Charlaquin]

Nobody has argued that. At least not in the last few pages. I've seen plenty of chaotic evil demon =/= lawful master tactician. And I've seen other "They look brutish" comments unconnected to tactical ability. But not what you are saying there.

Like I said in my post, intuitive geniuses on the battlefield fits a demon much better than tactical genius, which doesn't fit a demon at all, ever could.

Ok, so this Marilith could be a tactical genius, right? So what’s the problem with its design again? It’s not the lack of boobs and it’s not the lack of grace or dignity. Is it just that it’s scaly instead of fleshy?

 

[Charlaquin]

I just looked at it again. I don't see female anywhere in the new art. Not even a little bit.

Do you see male in it?