Monster Manual Previews Reveal New Empyrean, Half Dragon, Cyclops, and Animal Lords

Several D&D-themed YouTube channels have released new previews about new or revised monsters found in the 2025 Monster Manual. Over the course of this week, Dungeon Dad, d4: D&D Deep Dive, Pack Tactics, and the Dungeon Dudes all posted videos featuring previews of specific monsters from the 2025 Monster Manual, showcasing several new monsters or updated ones. Included in the previews were a handful of new cyclops statblocks, updated empyrean statblocks (including a lesser empyrean iota), a revised half-dragon that also showcases a new look for the draconic creature, and new Animal Lord statblocks, which bring back the iconic celestial creatures for 5th edition.

The videos are embedded below, but some highlights for those who don't want to watch the full videos:

Half-Dragons:

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Half-dragons were redesigned and now look like monsters instead of dragonborns. Instead of providing a template for converting creatures to half-dragons, there is now a more generalized statblock that gives them claw attacks and a breath weapon attack with a damage type that varies based on what dragon spawned it. The new half-dragon statblock gives it a CR of 5, which matches the Red Half-Dragon veteran, although the new Half-Dragon hits much harder. For instance, the new half-dragon deals an average of 29 points of damage when using its multiattack action (compared to 20 points of damage in the old Monster Manual) and its breath weapon deals an additional d6 of damage although the save DC is now 14 instead of 15.

Cyclops:

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The 2014 Monster Manual had a singular basic Cyclops statblock, while the 2025 Monster Manual has two new Cyclops statblocks. The first is a Cyclops Sentry, which appears to be an equivalent to the Cyclops seen in the 2014 statblock. The Cyclops Sentry has a CR of 6, but hits less hard (33 points of damage per round when attacking with its club versus 39 points of damage in the 2014 Monster Manual). However, the Cyclops Sentry's club attack now knocks a creature prone on a hit automatically. Additionally, the Cyclops Sentry has a Limited Foresight reaction that also allows it to give a creature attacking it disadvantage on that attack roll, while simultaneously giving the Cyclops advantage on attacks it makes on that creature until the end of the next turn. The reaction is rechargeable.

The new Cyclops Oracle has a CR of 10, and has a Radiant Strike melee attack that deals 3D6+10 Radiant damage on a hit, a Flash of Light ranged attack that deals 2D6+10 Radiant damage on a hit and imposes disadvantage on attacks. It also has the ability to cast several divination spells and can use a Portent reaction to functionally grant advantage on a d20 test made by the cyclops or an ally.

Empyreans:​

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Empyreans now have two statblocks in the Monster Manual, including a new Empyrean Iota that has a CR of 1 and basically are the stray thoughts of gods made manifest. The Empyrean proper still has a CR of 23, but now has more HP and has a Sacred Weapon attack that deals Force damage (instead of bludgeoning damage as in the 2014 Monster Manual) and the target can choose whether to be stunned or take additional Force damage. The Empyrean's legendary actions also received an upgrade with a new "Shockwave of Glory" option that has an area of effect and knocks surrounding creatures prone while also taking Force damage on a failed Constitution save.

Animal Lords:

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Animal Lords are new to 5E (although they've appeared in past versions of D&D) and are powerful Celestials that originated in the Beastlands. There are three Animal Lord variants in the Monster Manual - Forager, Hunter, or Sage. All three Animal Lord variants are CR 20 creatures, but have different effects when using its passive Lordly Presence ability and Animal Spirit attack. For example, an Animal Lord Forager's Lordly Presence causes those around it to be Charmed and Incapacitated when failing a Wisdom saving throw, while the Hunter's Lordly Presence causes those around it to be Frightened.

The full videos for the creatures can be seen below:




 

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Christian Hoffer

Christian Hoffer

I liked IWD2, yet that was where half-dragons got confusing to me because from the old Council of Wyrms setting they were demi-human playable race, which became my 2nd playable after Elves/Drow.

In 5e the line is more muddied, so as the old playable demi-humans, had them go into the shadows, adopting the half-wyrm term after the now familiar half-dragon became dominant (magically created) norm that predatory-dominant. Kind of not dissimilar to the Draconian species in dragonlance.

There are still half-wyrms out there, it's just that they are hiding from the half-dragon threat
 

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We're talking about 5E here. Let me see if I understand this right, players really get that upset if their character succumbs to an effect that causes them to miss a turn or 3? And in modern game design the DM is encouraged to make sure this doesn't happen or at the very least give the player something else to do until there character recovers and can rejoin the combat?

One turn? Whatever. Sitting around for half an hour? I've got better things to do.
 



So am I, but then again, I am definitely team "I'd rather the rules handled conditions like 'stunned' differently so that players can... still play".
I think the solution is to make sure your combats are engaging and run briskly. Then, loss of a turn is vexing in a fun way, rather than making it so you "can't play."

I have played with people that get upset every time any negative condition affects their character and those people are exhausting.
 

awesome stuff though I'm dissapointed in Animal lords that look humanoid. I prefer my animal lord style creatures to have animal forms.
They do have animal forms to according to the video. Though I prefer my animal lords to be more like Princess Mononoke, D&D traditionally has anthropomorphized animals for the animal lords
 

I think the solution is to make sure your combats are engaging and run briskly. Then, loss of a turn is vexing in a fun way, rather than making it so you "can't play."
Loss of 1 turn isn't a big deal. Getting stuck for multiple turns with a condition that is basically "do nothing except make a saving throw at the end of your turn" doesn't seem particularly thrilling to me.
 

Every one's table is different but now adays, a missed turn means a player who now pulls out their phone and gets distracted from the game.
Not upset, distracted. Particularly a problem playing on line.
I've had players get distracted in the middle of a game even when it was their turn, checking scores on their phone, etc. I think that's more of a societal problem than anything a few game mechanics are going to fix. But I agree and understand what you two are saying. Within the last 5-10 years I've noticed people's attentions span are very short and they are easily distracted.
One turn? Whatever. Sitting around for half an hour? I've got better things to do.
A player waiting a few turns is acceptable to me. If a DM makes a player wait around for a half hour-hour, then that game has bigger problems.
 

I don't ever recall players having the option to determine what type of damage their characters take in any edition of the game up until now. So, it makes me wonder what the designers reasoning behind this is. Guess we'll have to wait and see how prevalent options like this are in the new MM.
Just to be clear, the attack does damage and stuns (no save) the target. The target can chose to take an additional 21 damage and not be stunned.
 

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