The Gith Are Now Aberrations in Dungeons & Dragons

The githyanki and githzerai are officially reclassified as aberrations in Dungeons & Dragons. In a video released today about the 2025 Monster Manual, D&D designers Jeremy Crawford and F. Wesley Schneider confirmed that the two classic D&D species are now being classified as aberrations. The reasoning given - the two gith species have been so transformed by living in the Astral Plane and Limbo, they've moved beyond being humanoids. Schneider also pointed out that the illithid's role in manipulating the gith also contributed to their new classification.

The video notes that this isn't technically a new change - the Planescape book released in 2023 had several githzerai statblocks that had aberration classifications.

The gith join a growing number of previously playable species that have new classifications. The goblin, kobolds, and kenku have also had their creature classifications changed in the 2025 Monster Manual. While players can currently use the 2014 rules for making characters of those species, it will be interesting to see how these reclassifications affect the character-building rules regarding these species when they are eventually updated for 2024 rules.

 

[dave2008]

The regular switching around and shifting of meanings, especially in the WotC editions (where the game itself has also changed more dramatically) definitely encourages one to ignore what they write about this stuff altogether and just use your own lore, so in principle I agree. In practice, this can be hard to do when the new lore is so front and center in community discussion, and the vast majority of conversation revolves around whatever the market leader is doing right now.

But ultimately I suppose that's a personal problem.

I was disappointed the Blood War (worst retcon ever) was in the 2024 DMG so I get it. But I also know it is a personal problem of mine as well. I have learned to adapt and keep moving forward!

 

[Mind of tempest]

I disagree, but I can understand your point of view.

It is not about biology. It is about influence from the Far Realm. Far Realm creatures, or creatures affected by the Far Realm, often have strange biology, but is a one of many symptoms, not the cause for being an Aberration. I feel like that was so clear, but a lot of people have made the same mistake. It must not have been as clear as it seemed to me.

I don't think so. From everything they have said over the past few days it is pretty clear that:

1. monsters can be multiple types. A goblin can be Fey or Humanoid for example. IIRC, they specifically said a Gith can be Humanoid as well.
2. monsters in the MM are not meant to represent every aspect of that species, but just one particular version, see #1 above.
3. Existing non-Humanoid species with PC write-ups are still OK to play and non-Humanoid.
4. They will be introducing more non-Humanoid PC options in a future book soon.

Given points 1-4 above, it seems clear to me that non-Humanoid =/= instantly killable and Humanoid =/= not instantly killable. I could be wrong, but it seems clear to me. Maybe we will get more clarity in the Humanoids video?

given the topic is about the gith being aberrations they feel in no way aberration. their biology is barely different than most mammals hence my point.
sure they were changed by mindflayer but not significantly Does being near them count?

the definition is to vague to work and gith are just clearly humanoids as they seem human like in most respects.

 

[Corinnguard]

given the topic is about the gith being aberrations they feel in no way aberration. their biology is barely different than most mammals hence my point.
sure they were changed by mindflayer but not significantly Does being near them count?

the definition is to vague to work and gith are just clearly humanoids as they seem human like in most respects.

So, another monotreme in D&D. The Dragonborn and the Gith.

 

[dave2008]

given the topic is about the gith being aberrations they feel in no way aberration. their biology is barely different than most mammals hence my point.
sure they were changed by mindflayer but not significantly Does being near them count?

the definition is to vague to work and gith are just clearly humanoids as they seem human like in most respects.

I said biology is not what makes an aberration and you came back and said their biology wasn't different enough to make them Aberrations?! What am I to do with that!

Listen, I think your interpretation is a narrow understanding of what an Aberration can be and is clearly not how the designers of WotC are viewing it or describing them. So, that is fine to have your own way of doing things (I know I do), but it is not supported by what the game is telling us. Maybe we will get a more clarity in the MM, but I feel the designers are being very clear Aberration =/= strange biology!

And I also want to clarify I am not sold on this idea either. I am just explaining what was said because a lot of false information is going around IMO. I admit I am beginning to like the implications of this broadening (and also clarifying for me) idea of what an Abberation is. For me it seems to have some potential and I am willing to ride it for a bit and see where it goes. I can always decided whether to fully accept or reject it later.

 

[Remathilis]

I think another aspect is that the aberrations are alien in the sci-fi sense. For example, consider the classic "Grey" aliens. They may appear to have a human-like shape, but I don't think I would categorize them as humanoids. They aren't Cthulhu tentacle monsters, but they aren't exactly normal folk either.

Keep in mind Githyanki are based on a hostile telepathic alien race from George RR Martin's "The Dying of the Light". Based on that, I can see aberration fitting much like how grays or other "it came from the skies" type sci-fi creatures.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I think another aspect is that the aberrations are alien in the sci-fi sense. For example, consider the classic "Grey" aliens. They may appear to have a human-like shape, but I don't think I would categorize them as humanoids. They aren't Cthulhu tentacle monsters, but they aren't exactly normal folk either.

Keep in mind Githyanki are based on a hostile telepathic alien race from George RR Martin's "The Dying of the Light". Based on that, I can see aberration fitting much like how grays or other "it came from the skies" type sci-fi creatures.

gith as depicted are too basic there is nothing otherworld beyond high fantasy stuff which can't be valid otherwise everything is an aberration, categories must serve a purpose otherwise they should be cut.

greys have a distinct lack of context to them normally and goals amount to more than looting.
they are also supposed to exist in the less crazy and bluntly dull reality known as ours thus grey works more in that context.

I said biology is not what makes an aberration and you came back and said their biology wasn't different enough to make them Aberrations?! What am I to do with that!

Listen, I think your interpretation is a narrow understanding of what an Aberration can be and is clearly not how the designers of WotC are viewing it or describing them. So, that is fine to have your own way of doing things (I know I do), but it is not supported by what the game is telling us. Maybe we will get a more clarity in the MM, but I feel the designers are being very clear Aberration =/= strange biology!

And I also want to clarify I am not sold on this idea either. I am just explaining what was said because a lot of false information is going around IMO. I admit I am beginning to like the implications of this broadening (and also clarifying for me) idea of what an Abberation is. For me it seems to have some potential and I am willing to ride it for a bit and see where it goes. I can always decided whether to fully accept or reject it later.

either there has to be a separation in what an aberration is from everything else otherwise it might as well not be a category in the first place.
if it was just from the far realm and influenced in some clear ways I would have no issue but the gith is a bridge too far.
see I care about aberrations and like them

 

[dave2008]

if it was just from the far realm and influenced in some clear ways I would have no issue

That seems to be the narrative they are pushing. So maybe you just need to see it in print?

but the gith is a bridge too far.

Why? Obviously this is your opinion, but why are gith a bridge to far for you?

see I care about aberrations and like them

Me too, what is your point?

 

[WanderingMystic]

There is also the psionic aspect. It seems like even the idea of psionic power comes from the far. realms. Personally I like how they are moving aberrant to include more than just tentacles

 

[Mind of tempest]

That seems to be the narrative they are pushing. So maybe you just need to see it in print?

Why? Obviously this is your opinion, but why are gith a bridge to far for you?

Me too, what is your point?

gith does not feel more mystical save by location than an elf they are just not that different.
it is not even a look thing they lack the eldrich factor.

There is also the psionic aspect. It seems like even the idea of psionic power comes from the far. realms. Personally I like how they are moving aberrant to include more than just tentacles

I am pro more than just tentacles but I feel how they are doing it is cheap and not about developing the category more just making a convenient reason for gith to be okay to murder.

I would like deeply strange options for aberration appearance wise not just tentacles but this feels off

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I disagree, but I can understand your point of view.

It is not about biology. It is about influence from the Far Realm. Far Realm creatures, or creatures affected by the Far Realm, often have strange biology, but is a one of many symptoms, not the cause for being an Aberration. I feel like that was so clear, but a lot of people have made the same mistake. It must not have been as clear as it seemed to me.

This is the same mistake which I often observe: cause and effect are mixed up.

Especially if you make a chain of some logical conclusions.