How the Monsters Have Changed in the 2025 Monster Manual: Arcanaloth

With a new Monster Manual on its way, how much has each classic D&D monster actually changed? We're examining some of the key differences of each monster, with today's focus on the Arcanaloth.

The arcanaloth (a spellcasting yugoloth) has jumped ahead in the 2025 Monster Manual, with its entry now appearing in the "A" chapter instead of "Y" for yugoloth. One downside to spreading out the yugoloths is that there's no longer an explanation for what exactly a yugoloth is in the Monster Manual. Demons and devils are somewhat easy to explain, but yugoloths can be a bit more difficult and are tied more closely to D&D lore than their other fiendish counterparts. However, the arcanaloth did receive a notable visual upgrade, which a cooler set of duds and a nifty soul tome (which we'll discuss more in a bit.)

In terms of statistics, the arcanaloth's AC increases by 1 to 18, its HP is significantly higher (175 compared to 104), and its Initiative bonus is now a +5 instead of a +1. It also now has proficiency in Constitution saving throws instead of Charisma saving throws, although all of its underlying stats remain the same. Oddly, the Arcanaloth's Arcana skill modifier has been given a decrease (+9 instead of +13) along with its Deception and Insight bonuses (both are now +7 instead of +9). The arcanaloth also no longer has resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical attacks. Its weapon attacks are also no longer classified as being magical, although that's likely because no longer has weapon attacks in its arsenal.

Like the aboleth, the arcanaloth's ability to be reborn on its home plane when killed is now built into its statblock. It also has a new soul tome trait, which gives him a soul tome with distinct stats and access to a unique banishing claw attack. When using the banishing claw attack, the arcanaloth can force its target to make a Charisma saving throw or be sucked into the soul tome. If the creature fails three additional saving throws while in the tome, they become permanently trapped inside the book until its destroyed. This is one of the few examples of a creature ability requiring BOTH a successful attack and a failed saving throw to activate.

In terms of other attacks, the arcanaloth's claw attack has been upgraded to a fiendish burst which deals much more damage. (31 necrotic damage versus 18 slashing/poison damage). The fiendish burst can be used as either a melee or ranged attack and can be used as part of a multiattack action that the arcanaloth didn't have before. Functionally, the arcanaloth can deal 93 points of damage on a turn instead of 18 damage, making it much more powerful.

Keep in mind that the 2014 arcanaloth was focused on spellcasting every turn and had a range of damaging spells meant to balance this out. Almost all of those damaging spells were removed from the 2025 version of the arcanaloth, although it can still teleport as a bonus action and cast counterspell as a reaction without any limits.

All in all, the arcanaloth is much easier to run and is less dependent on spellcasting to threaten foes. It also has a new unique mechanic that helps it stand out.

The full statblocks of both versions of the arcanaloth can be seen below:

2025 Monster Manual

2014 Monster Manual

 

[Jerrythepimp]

I don't care how "easy to run" the new statblocks are, they're downright horrid. More hp? Artificially inflated initiative? Fiendish burst??? It's obvious not a single thought went into this redesign...

 

[Devilbass]

I would use an Ultroloth in that case. They already have Wall of Fire and they can teleport people they hit a short distance.

Fair point, I hadn't looked at the Ultroloth in any detail, so didn't clock that.

I mean, if you have to give them new abilities to fit the idea in your head...

Mind you I'm not big on spellcaster monsters in general, but they are heavily spellcaster coded historically and this version pushes them into a very different niche than a 60' teleport, mediocre melee, and chain lightning.

Adding one spell isn't any kind of major overhaul, especially on a statblock that already has spellcasting but your point isn't without merit. It's a "fix" to make it do something it doesn't inherently excel at.

I've never actually used any Yugoloth before, so their historical roles or abilities aren't something I know well. This does seem like a departure though, comparing the two blocks.

 

[Parmandur]

I don't care how "easy to run" the new statblocks are, they're downright horrid. More hp? Artificially inflated initiative? Fiendish burst??? It's obvious not a single thought went into this redesign...

....what?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

That just sounds like the perfect way to make a DM do too much work for little gain.

The whole reason they moved away from a long list of spells is that it just makes it harder to find the optimal play from turn to turn.

I ran a fight with one of these fairly recently (I'm still using 2014 rules). It didn't really feel any different from fighting any other high level caster, and it was a near TPK due to it unloading it's highest level spells first (Finger of Death and Chain Lightning).

Having it's spells split between two separate blocks with different saving throws was very inelegant.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't care how "easy to run" the new statblocks are, they're downright horrid. More hp? Artificially inflated initiative? Fiendish burst??? It's obvious not a single thought went into this redesign...

This is a very strange conclusion to reach. It's obvious the minimum amount of thought would be to leave it unchanged. It's obvious a lot of thought went into the changes, but it's perfectly reasonable to not like the direction of the changes. I'm conflicted myself. Whist I like an interesting and fun to run monster, I also like the fiction that the monsters are playing by the same rules as the PCs.

 

[Weiley31]

That just sounds like the perfect way to make a DM do too much work for little gain.

The whole reason they moved away from a long list of spells is that it just makes it harder to find the optimal play from turn to turn.

You like Tomatoes, I like Pizza.

 

[talien]

I ran a fight with one of these fairly recently (I'm still using 2014 rules). It didn't really feel any different from fighting any other high level caster, and it was a near TPK due to it unloading it's highest level spells first (Finger of Death and Chain Lightning).

Having it's spells split between two separate blocks with different saving throws was very inelegant.

I homebrew a lot, and finger of death is one of the most TPK spells. One failed save not only kills a low Con PC (likely a caster), it turns it into a zombie the next turn. PCs regularly pop up-and-down as the druid and life cleric revive them with a variety of spells. Finger of Death disrupts that chain HARD, and turns them into a zombie to boot so it's an additional combatant in the battlefield (and if it's on the cleric of the party, that's a triple insult: dead PC healer, PC is now zombie, and nobody else can turn/revive the zombied PC later).

It changed my mind about including it as a spell for most monsters when I realized just how devastating it can be. IMO, it significantly changes the arcanaloth by including/removing it.

 

[Incenjucar]

It's all quite the departure from 2E, where they were popularized (multiple major named NPCs, etc). In 2E they were full on 12th level wizards with much more potent and varied innate powers including Shape Change and Telekinesis and an unholy strictly defensive poison for surviving melee long enough to escape it.

There is barely anything in common between the two.

 

[occam]

I don't care how "easy to run" the new statblocks are, they're downright horrid. More hp? Artificially inflated initiative? Fiendish burst??? It's obvious not a single thought went into this redesign...

The arcanaloth's 2014 hit points were artifically low due to the design thinking at the time, in which weapon damage resistance would compensate. They've learned the (obvious, in hindsight) lesson that it doesn't, and brought HP up to where they should've been.

You're right on about the artificially inflated initiative, though. I mean, how dare they? It's not like PCs can get "artificial" initiative boosts--

Initiative Bonus. When you roll Initiative, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the roll.

OK, whatever, that's one Ranger subclass--

Initiative. You have Advantage on Initiative rolls.

Fine! And a Rogue subclass--

Level 7: Feral Instinct
Your instincts are so honed that you have Advantage on Initiative rolls.

Arrghh!! And an entire class! I'm feeling a rage coming on...

Level 6: Tandem Footwork
When you roll Initiative, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration if you don’t have the Incapacitated condition. When you do so, roll your Bardic Inspiration die; you and each ally within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you gains a bonus to Initiative equal to the number rolled.

And they can just hand that out to anybody!?

Fine! Fine!! But unlike the new arcanaloth, it's not like PCs ever get to add proficiency to their initiative--

Initiative Proficiency. When you roll Initiative, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to the roll.

An origin feat, that anyone can get at 1st level?!! Come on!

 

[Incenjucar]

2E Arcanaloths cannot be surprised in the lower planes, so that's at least a minor callback. It would be quite neat if that was a location-specific feature.