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​

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Armanites and Goristoi have explicit references about being able to breed with others of their kind, and that's not including other 2e sources about Tanar'ri Demons in general. I'd still use the 2e sources especially if 5e is generally silent on an issue due to lack of elaboration.

3e sort of implies that Obyrith Demon Lord Pale Night got pregnant from Nyarlathotep and gave birth to Graz'zt as a result.

It's quite clearly stated that Shadow Demons aren't like other Demons. 5e treats them as being unofficially undead with it's lore.

And sure with Armanites being the special case of a Demon type that was once perhaps a biological species, maybe now they're offshoots of some nomadic species from the First World that eventually became Centaurs, Wemics, Bariaur and more.

 

[DragonLancer]

Succubi and incubi are not demons.

Not now (although they will remain so in my games) but in traditional D&D lore the Succubus was a CE Demon.

 

[Sulicius]

Poor Marilith. She doesn't wear her makeup one day and people are upset.

 

[Hussar]

Me, I'm still mulling over the implications of the notion that demons have biology. Does that mean there are vast, infinite farms in the Abyss? What happens to demon armies? They must have MASSIVE supply trains. What happens to a demon that starves to death or gets dehydrated? Isn't that rather an easy out for pretty much every larvae and mane? Why undergo millenia of horrific torture when all you have to do is just not eat. It's not like other demons are going to feed you.

Funny how Descent into Avernus lacked anything even remotely resembling any source of food or water.

 

[Sulicius]

Yeah, to me, it's just one artists interpretation. We have dozens more we can use. It's such a shame that so many on the forums are so entrenched in the idea of a singular representation of a single monster.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Yeah, to me, it's just one artists interpretation. We have dozens more we can use. It's such a shame that so many on the forums are so entrenched in the idea of a singular representation of a single monster.

When there are threads about art, people will express preferences. The reason it matters at all is that the depictions will become the standard depiction we see ostensibly for years.

I don’t like this new art myself. It is fine but I think the old depictions are superior. As I said up thread, I think the juxtaposition of human (e.g face) with demon body is creepier. Likewise a centipede with human hands is unsettling.

If you are going to depart from decades of a certain depiction, it’s incumbent upon creators and directors to do something better.

I feel about this like I do 5.5 generally. It’s a change. It’s “fine.” But why?

(I won’t cry into my pillow about either one…have too many d20s that need rolling).

As to how demons hump…I don’t ask many questions unless I feel something wrapped around my leg and gyrating. “Back type III! I already told you I am not interested!”

 

[pemerton]

Demons are immune to poison in 5e, so I’m not sure what gas attacks would affect them.

But yeah, this is not going to go anywhere. If were to the point where we’re actually arguing that demons have a functional biology, this is a train I’m getting off of.

Well, like I said it's complicated - they can talk, but do they breathe? (Ghosts can talk, at least sometimes; presumably they don't breathe. Vampires likewise?)

I personally don't think the game supports trying to reason about this sort of thing.

 

[pemerton]

Succubi and incubi are not demons.

Fighting words, surely - I mean, just because WotC has said so for two editions . . .

 

[Maxperson]

Succubi and incubi are not demons.

I know that, which is why I said fiend. Fiends are demons, devils, succubi, etc. You still didn't answer the questions, though.

Why would demons have the biology, both male and female, to have babies with mortals, but not each other? What sense does that make?

 

[dave2008]

I don’t like this new art myself. It is fine but I think the old depictions are superior. As I said up thread, I think the juxtaposition of human (e.g face) with demon body is creepier. Likewise a centipede with human hands is unsettling.

While I don't find the juxtaposition of human and animal creepy (maybe I am desensitized , we have had centaurs, satyrs, sphinxes, etc. for centuries afterall). So the new art is definitely creepier for me, but not sure that is good or bad. I personally prefer the older art too, but think the new art captures the creepy/monsters aspect of demons better IMO.