So Much Art From the 2025 Monster Manual

Here's some preview art from the 2025 Monster Manual, courtesy of Wizards of the Coast's "Everything You Need to Know Video" on the new book.

A classic Faceless Stalker:

A demon of some kind:

Arch-Hags:

Some kobolds:

A Nalfeshnee, perhaps?

A revenant:

Blue dracolich:

Death Knight:

Death tyrant:

Chimera:

Githyanki (with the central warrior recreating a classic pose):

A mummy lord:

A marrow:

A balrog balor:

Mimics:

While I'm tempted to say a tressym, this actually might be a new sphinx design:

Bone fiend:

Sladd:

Rust monster:

Platinum(?) dragon:

Bronze dragon:

Hezrou, perhaps?

Fire giant, not Karlach:

Cloud giants:

Zombies:

Red dragon:

Hags (including a male hag):

Dryads (including a male dryad):

Horned devil:

Incubus and succubus:

Vampires:

Vampire:

Colossus:

Spirit naga:

Copper dragon:

White dragon:

Blue dragon:

Gold dragon:

Black dragon:

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Excellent art! The creepy nosferatuish vampire is very cool. And yeah, I too instantly though about Karlach when I saw the fire giant. She's hot in any case. And the punk tressym is super cute!

and breaking lore they've got male hags and male dryads - which is a bummer. IMC Trolls are male hags

Trolls are male hags in my setting too, but that was never the case in D&D canon. And I think it is fine idea to broaden the archetype which seems a bit misogynistic otherwise. And gender equal dryads are fine too. Either they reproduce sexually so they need both genders, or they're nature spirits so their appearance can be somewhat fluid anyway.

and Kobolds look too much like theyre just dragons - do we need both them and dragonborn?

Dog kobolds forever! Dragon kobolds were a mistake!

I wonder if this is the new look for the barlgura?

Quite possible, and if so, it is very good redesign. I like if demons look bizarre. Way better than just a red ape.

Hmm. So sphinxes, which are definitionally "lions with human heads" are going to be "winged lions" in D&D now?

Yeah, that's pretty weird. They look nice, but they really don't look like sphinxes to me.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Here's some preview art from the 2025 Monster Manual, courtesy of Wizards of the Coast's "Everything You Need to Know Video" on the new book.

A classic Faceless Stalker:
View attachment 391453

A demon of some kind:
View attachment 391454
Arch-Hags:
View attachment 391455

Some kobolds:
View attachment 391456

A Nalfeshnee, perhaps?
View attachment 391457

A revenant:
View attachment 391459

Blue dracolich:
View attachment 391458

Death Knight:
View attachment 391460

Death tyrant:
View attachment 391461

Chimera:
View attachment 391462

Githyanki (with the central warrior recreating a classic pose):
View attachment 391463

A mummy lord:
View attachment 391465

A marrow:
View attachment 391466

A balrog balor:
View attachment 391467

Mimics:
View attachment 391468

While I'm tempted to say a tressym, this actually might be a new sphinx design:
View attachment 391469

Bone fiend:
View attachment 391470

Sladd:
View attachment 391471

Rust monster:
View attachment 391472

Platinum(?) dragon:
View attachment 391473

Bronze dragon:
View attachment 391474

Hezrou, perhaps?
View attachment 391475

Fire giant, not Karlach:
View attachment 391476

Cloud giants:
View attachment 391477

Zombies:
View attachment 391478

Red dragon:
View attachment 391479

Hags (including a male hag):
View attachment 391480

Dryads (including a male dryad):
View attachment 391481

Horned devil:
View attachment 391482

Incubus and succubus:
View attachment 391484

Vampires:
View attachment 391485


View attachment 391487

Vampire:
View attachment 391488

Colossus:
View attachment 391489

Spirit naga:
View attachment 391490

Copper dragon:
View attachment 391491

White dragon:
View attachment 391492

Blue dragon:
View attachment 391493

Gold dragon:
View attachment 391494

Black dragon:
View attachment 391495

Those are Incubi

Gotta say, I quite like the succubi/incubi design. Sexy/sensual without being titillating. A hard task I am sure.

Those are just Incubi both of them, they split Incubi and Succubi into two separate stats, each with both Male & Female in the art. The Incubi are dream sex fiends (I'm guessing they are aren't solid creatures), and Succubi are the physical titillating sex fiends, either can be any sex and apparently there is a way for one type to switch to the other.

I suspect the actual succubi will still be titillating, both of them.

 

[Reynard]

Also, the more of them I see, the less I like the new dragon designs. I am not sure exactly what it is, but they are putting me off.

 

[J.Quondam]

That revenant appears to be the old "way too many belt-buckles" fad, returned to unlife.

 

[pukunui]

Also, the more of them I see, the less I like the new dragon designs. I am not sure exactly what it is, but they are putting me off.

I really don't like them either.

 

[sevenbastard]

"Without being titillating" seems to completely miss the point of the monster. Just eliminate them if you don't actually want a sexual sin demon.

I don't get the star skin? Is that what the kids are into these days?

I'm with you. Probably just keep them out of the book if you are afraid of the the possible controversy of a very mature concept.

 

[dave2008]

Here's some preview art from the 2025 Monster Manual, courtesy of Wizards of the Coast's "Everything You Need to Know Video" on the new book.

A demon of some kind:
View attachment 391454

Platinum(?) dragon:
View attachment 391473

Blue dragon:
View attachment 391493

Thank you posting these. I think you made a few mistakes though.

• The unnamed demon is most likely a Barlgura
• What you call a Platinum Dragon is probably a (red) shadow dragon
• What you call a blue dragon is a silver dragon (no nose horn). Also, there was blue dragon art in the video, but it was different

 

[dave2008]

I don't get the star skin? Is that what the kids are into these days?

I'm with you. Probably just keep them out of the book if you are afraid of the the possible controversy of a very mature concept.

They have plenty of sexy monster art in the book, so I don't think that is the reason. Might have to get the book to find out!

 

[dave2008]

I can't help but say these are my favorite D&D dragons yet (with a few exceptions), and I like them more and more each time I see them! Just want to point out the obvious: everyone has different tastes!

Also, the more of them I see, the less I like the new dragon designs. I am not sure exactly what it is, but they are putting me off.

I really don't like them either.

 

[dave2008]

I don't get the star skin? Is that what the kids are into these days?

I'm with you. Probably just keep them out of the book if you are afraid of the the possible controversy of a very mature concept.

I think @Henadic Theologian has the answer here: post #22