2025 Monster Manual Will Contain Over 85 New Monsters

Next year's new Monster Manual will include over 85 new monsters, a sizable increase over what was previously believed. In a D&D Beyond post made to celebrate the year end, Wizards of the Coast confirmed that the 2025 Monster Manual would contain 85 "brand new monsters." Considering that the new Monster Manual includes approximately 500 monsters, it's not a surprise that there are a significant amount of new monster statblocks, but this is further confirmation that nearly 20% of the statblocks will be brand new. A description of the Monster Manual also confirms that there will be over 300 new images in the book.

Many of these new statblocks will be to add either high CR or low CR variants of existing popular monsters, so that they can be used in a wider variety of scenarios. For instance, vampires will have several low CR variants (representing freshly turned vampires) along with a high CR vampire nightbringer. Also present in the game are arch-hags and a blob of annihilation, which are classified as titan-level creatures representing different kinds of monster types.

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

 

[Remathilis]

Question related to old and new monsters:

Once all 3 new core are out I plan to give it a spin with either the 5E Dragonlance or Spelljammer adventures and possibly continue into the Vecna adventure.

The heros in 5.5 are more powerful now and typically 5.0 PCs ran roughshod over the combats in the adventures so that would be exacerbated.

Is there a quick fix to updating old adventures to the new monsters? Replacing old Orc for new Orc is easy but some adventure only monster not found in a MManual...? Or just plan on using homebrew stuff like monsters always do max damage or something?

You should be fine just replacing Stat blocks, but if you are finding it too easy, it will be very easy to rebalance the encounters using the DMG encounter guidelines to add extra monsters until it meets the preferred difficulty level.

For example, you are looking at an encounter that seems too easy for a 6th level party. You tally up the XP and it only comes up to 900 XP (just until a medium) you can just add an extra 100 XP monster to get to medium or 500 XP worth to get it to hard.

 

[Stormonu]

Okay, this is weird ... I was trying to compare the new pirate to an "old" version, and on Beyond they have both the Pirate and Pirate Captain listed for a "book" called Scions of Elemental Evil. Yet, when I try to go to the marketplace to see/buy it, it comes up with nothing. Is this a forthcoming book?

PS: I got looking at Pirate because the charm ability (something Panache) caught my attention and wanted to see if it was explained why they have this ability, as it seems a little odd and out from left field.

 

[pukunui]

Okay, this is weird ... I was trying to compare the new pirate to an "old" version, and on Beyond they have both the Pirate and Pirate Captain listed for a "book" called Scions of Elemental Evil. Yet, when I try to go to the marketplace to see/buy it, it comes up with nothing. Is this a forthcoming book?

View attachment 390751

PS: I got looking at Pirate because the charm ability (something Panache) caught my attention and wanted to see if it was explained why they have this ability, as it seems a little odd and out from left field.

It’s a freebie adventure that was released recently. It uses 2024 monsters.

You could claim it for free when it first came out and then again during the Christmas giveaway but I’m not sure if it’s still claimable now or not.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It was a free product that came out in the fall and then I think was offered again in their 12 Days of Christmas thing. It's weird that it's no longer available.

 

[mamba]

It's weird that it's no longer available.

you can still get it for free as far as I can tell, incognito I get a 'sign in to claim' (logged in I already own it, so cannot tell)

 

[dave2008]

Okay, this is weird ... I was trying to compare the new pirate to an "old" version, and on Beyond they have both the Pirate and Pirate Captain listed for a "book" called Scions of Elemental Evil. Yet, when I try to go to the marketplace to see/buy it, it comes up with nothing. Is this a forthcoming book?

View attachment 390751

PS: I got looking at Pirate because the charm ability (something Panache) caught my attention and wanted to see if it was explained why they have this ability, as it seems a little odd and out from left field.

No both "Scions of Elemental Evil" and "Uni and the Hunt for the Horn" are free adventures that use the 2025 MM stat blocks. They were a one-time offer that was offered again as a perk during the Beyond's 12-days of Christmas event. I don't know if you can get them now or not.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

No both "Scions of Elemental Evil" and "Uni and the Hunt for the Horn" are free adventures that use the 2025 MM stat blocks. They were a one-time offer that was offered again as a perk during the Beyond's 12-days of Christmas event. I don't know if you can get them now or not.

Also to be correct they say the statblocks are placeholders and not necessarily final.

 

[dave2008]

Also to be correct they say the statblocks are placeholders and not necessarily final.

Didn't know that - thanks!

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Okay, this is weird ... I was trying to compare the new pirate to an "old" version, and on Beyond they have both the Pirate and Pirate Captain listed for a "book" called Scions of Elemental Evil. Yet, when I try to go to the marketplace to see/buy it, it comes up with nothing. Is this a forthcoming book?

View attachment 390751

PS: I got looking at Pirate because the charm ability (something Panache) caught my attention and wanted to see if it was explained why they have this ability, as it seems a little odd and out from left field.

The Pirate, Pirate Captain, Pirate Bosun and Pirate Deck Wizard are in Ghosts of Saltmarsh. They don’t have a charm ability though, instead they have “sea legs” that makes them hard to knock down.

 

[Stormonu]

you can still get it for free as far as I can tell, incognito I get a 'sign in to claim' (logged in I already own it, so cannot tell)

With a little bit of poking around on the Beyond website, I was able to locate it and claim it. Thanks!