2025 Monster Manual to Introduce Male Versions of Hags, Medusas, and Dryads

The upcoming Monster Manual will feature artwork depicting some creatures like hags and medusas in both genders, a first for Dungeons & Dragons. In the "Everything You Need to Know" video for the upcoming Monster Manual, designers Jeremy Crawford and Wesley Schneider revealed that the new book would feature artwork portraying both male and female versions of creatures like hags, dryads, satyrs, and medusas. While there was a male medusa named Marlos Urnrayle in Princes of the Apocalypse (who had a portrait in the book) and players could make satyr PCs of either gender, this marks the first time that D&D has explicitly shown off several of these creatures as being of both male and female within a rulebook. There is no mechanical difference between male creatures and female creatures, so this is solely a change in how some monsters are presented.

In other news that actually does impact D&D mechanics, goblins are now classified as fey creatures (similar to how hobgoblins were portrayed as fey creatures in Monsters of the Multiverse) and gnolls are now classified as fiends.

Additionally, monster statblocks include potential treasure and gear options, so that DMs can reward loot when a player character inevitably searches the dead body of a creature.

The new Monster Manual will be released on February 18th, 2025.

 

[Sulicius]

I didn't really need it, but I'm not opposed to it. I think it might give some more interesting ways to build characters and encounters. Love the art!

 

[Voadam]

No more Maedar.

 

[Dire Bare]

If male medusae aren't completely different creatures known as maedar . . . . I guess I'll be OK.

I'm 100% for this change, although we'll see how it plays out for each creature.

The word "hag", outside of D&D, specifically refers to an old woman. So that one is weird. We've got both gender and ageist issues with the hag, so I'm interested to see if and how this is tackled.

 

[orial]

There is a ton of new info and art of the new MM and this is your highlight???
Can’t wait for all the WOTC haters on this ‘clickbait’ article.

 

[maceochaid]

I actually do like male ancient evil fey, and I think they are actually somewhat represented in folklore as strange old men with power, sometimes as gnomes, dwarves, or trolls but behaving differently than the way DnD versions act. Hag as a name might be confusing to my players though. Codger? Geezer?

 

[Zaukrie]

There is a ton of new info and art of the new MM and this is your highlight???
Can’t wait for all the WOTC haters on this ‘clickbait’ article.

Truth.

 

[Christian Hoffer]

There is a ton of new info and art of the new MM and this is your highlight???
Can’t wait for all the WOTC haters on this ‘clickbait’ article.

Tons of new art....not a lot of really "new" information in the video for those who have been following the rules revisions from the start.

 

[TwoSix]

The word "hag", outside of D&D, specifically refers to an old woman. So that one is weird. We've got both gender and ageist issues with the hag, so I'm interested to see if and how this is tackled.

A male hag is, of course, a "hog".

 

[dave2008]

Tons of new art....not a lot of really "new" information in the video for those who have been following the rules revisions from the start.

One new thing is that Legendary Actions are back after disappearing from legendary monster's from Bigby's forward. Heck, even the 2024 ancient green dragon preview removed legendary actions. So this was a surprise to me.

Not to mention the new high CR monsters, variant monsters, changes to monsters types, and stat block format changes (all also previously discussed though).