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:

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I really love the new (old really) gold dragon; however, I do wish the had gone more retro and gotten rid of the wings all together and just had a frill. The image below is pretty close, just reduce the leading edge about half and it is near perfect for me.

View attachment 391757

I'm aware that it has certain shades of traditionalness (it's not really truly traditional either, as the original gold dragon was pretty clearly just a Chinese/Japanese style dragon.)

I still think the stumpy non-wing wings make it look weak and silly rather than majestic and powerful.

 

[InkTide]

I still think the stumpy non-wing wings make it look weak and silly rather than majestic and powerful.

Ah, but if the wings were longer you wouldn't be able to turn one of these majestic and powerful guys into a lifelike gold dragon yard decoration.

 

[Himbo_Jones]

Since this guy wasn't given a name, I shall call him "Frank".

In all seriousness, though, I like the new art. The kobold designs are neat (thicken them boys up!) and the slaad look appropriately menacing. Also even though I know that rust monsters are medium creatures, I always end up picturing them as tiny little bugs so it's cool to see them put up next to some adventurers so we can get a good idea of their scale.

Can't wait to see more stuff on the dracolich as well.

And I am curious as to what Frank actually is... somebody else said an oversized quasit and I'm inclined to agree.

 

[dave2008]

I still think the stumpy non-wing wings make it look weak and silly rather than majestic and powerful.

That is your opinion and you are welcome to it. Mine is different and of course equally as valid!

 

[dave2008]

View attachment 391794
Since this guy wasn't given a name, I shall call him "Frank".

In all seriousness, though, I like the new art. The kobold designs are neat (thicken them boys up!) and the slaad look appropriately menacing. Also even though I know that rust monsters are medium creatures, I always end up picturing them as tiny little bugs so it's cool to see them put up next to some adventurers so we can get a good idea of their scale.

Can't wait to see more stuff on the dracolich as well.

And I am curious as to what Frank actually is... somebody else said an oversized quasit and I'm inclined to agree.

Probably a nycaloth, here is the 2014 art:

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Another tangent, I just had the idea of basing Slaad off of African hairy frogs, aka “Wolverine Frogs.” They can break the bones in their fingers and pierce them through their skin to use as claws. I think fits well with Slaad, given how they reproduce through their claws. Plus the Wolverine frogs have weird hair-like structures that would look interesting on a Slaad, I think they fit the overall alien vibe of the chaos frogs.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Incubi were rape demons in medieval mythology, but I agree with you. No need to stay true to the real-life mythology in an all-ages game. Those who know, and want to run these creatures in a way that is more true to their real-world inspirations can transport the lore or just use the 2014 5e versions. I've always run them as seducers. Having an incubus rape a sleeping female PC is not something I've ever wanted to or want to run. Even skirting around that idea with NPCs is well beyond what I want in my games, veils or not.

You keep saying they were rape demons in medieval mythology... but I've always heard they were associated with dreams and sleep. Their name literally means "the one who lay on top" and they were one of the original sleep paralysis demons. Yes, they gained a sexual element over time, but their association with dreams has always been stronger in the original myths to my knowledge.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Another tangent, I just had the idea of basing Slaad off of African hairy frogs, aka “Wolverine Frogs.” They can break the bones in their fingers and pierce them through their skin to use as claws. I think fits well with Slaad, given how they reproduce through their claws. Plus the Wolverine frogs have weird hair-like structures that would look interesting on a Slaad, I think they fit the overall alien vibe of the chaos frogs.

I'm sorry they can what?

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I'm sorry they can what?

Those are their bones.

They intentionally break their bones to form claws.

 

[Saracenus]

View attachment 391809
Those are their bones.
View attachment 391810
They intentionally break their bones to form claws.