The New 2025 DnD Monster Manual (First Look)
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The Monster Manual has been a key part of Dungeons & Dragons going back to the earliest edition of the game. Chalked full of stat blocks, background info and art, these books are foundational to running successful adventures and have helped shape the overall lore of DnD, introducing iconic creatures like owlbears, beholders and mimics.
The last Monster Manual was published back in 2014 for fifth edition DnD and contained over 300 unique creatures of all types and challenge ratings. The book, however, isn’t without its detractors, with many veteran players complaining about a lack of more difficult monsters, and certain elements growing somewhat stale as the game has evolved over the past decade.
Now, Wizards of the Coast is about to unleash a brand new version of the Monster Manual, which seeks to address man of these issues, while also updating to the new DnD 2024 rules set. The book is slated to come out on February 18th, 2025 and is available for pre-order now on D&D Beyond and Amazon.
So just what new creature features are lurking in this new Monster Manual? Below, we break out all the details.
Table of Contents
- What is the New Monster Manual?
- Is the New Monster Manual Fifth Edition?
- How is the new MM different from the old one?
- When will the new Monster Manual be released?
- How much will the new Monster Manual be?
- Is there a variant Monster Manual cover?
What is the New Monster Manual?
The new Monster Manual is a sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition that introduces a number of new creatures, updates stat blocks for existing monsters and addresses player concerns over rules such as Challenge Ratings. Additionally, the book will integrate with content from other related publication, including Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes and Volo’s Guide to Monsters.
Notably, the new Monster Manual was originally supposed to be be part of the Dungeons & Dragons 50th anniversary celebration in the core of 2024. During that time a new Dungeon Masters Guide and new Player’s Handbook were released, with the three books collectively referred to as the “DnD Core Books” by Wizards of the Coast. Unfortunately, the Monster Manual didn’t quite make it to 2024 and instead is scheduled for release in February 2025.
Is the new Monster Manual still 5th edition?
Yes. The new 2025 Monster Manual will still use the DnD 5e core rule set. The book will remain compatible with all previously published 5e materials. It will not fall under DnD 6e, nor will it be a “5.5” edition (something which happened with the 3rd edition of DnD, which released a “3.5” version). Notably, both players and Wizards of the Coast seem to be divided on what to call this new version. Wizards of the Coast is referring to it simply as “Dungeons & Dragons,” (avoiding any mention of “One D&D”), while players on social media have suggested various other names, including “DnD 5.1” and “DnD 5.24.”
Regardless of what the new update of DnD fifth edition will be called (either officially or unofficially), there may be some changes to the stat blocks and features of existing monsters found in the 2014 Monster Manual. This includes changes to key mechanics such as Surprise and Exhaustion, as well as the introduction of new combat mechanics such as Weapon Mastery.
How is the 2025 Monster Manual different from the 2014 version?
Over the past year Wizards of the Coast lead D&D designers Jeremy Crawford and Chris Perkins have provided some information on what we can expect to see in the updated Monster Manual. This includes:
More Monsters
The new Monster Manual will have over 500 monsters. This is a significant increase over the 300 monsters featured in the 2014 Monster Manual. In a recent post on D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast confirmed that 85 of the monsters will be completely brand new, having never before appeared in any previously published materials. Wizards of the Coast has also indicated that the book will be much larger in length coming in at 384 pages (a slight increase over the 352 pages featured in the 2014 MM). It will also include more tables for random encounters and more in-depth details on the monsters’ ecology and background to accompany their stat blocks.
Changes to Challenge Ratings
The new Monster Manual has made some significant changes to the way Challenge Ratings (CR) to balance gameplay. Previously, CRs were calculated assuming optimal use of a monster’s abilities, which could lead to inconsistent encounters (depending on the DM). Now, CRs are designed to reflect a monster’s power regardless of how its abilities are used. Legendary creatures, in particular, have been retuned so that their CR remains consistent no matter which legendary actions the DM chooses.
The manual also introduces more high-CR threats across various monster types, such as celestials, fey and constructs, offering fresh options for endgame campaigns. Low and mid-level monsters have been refined for smoother gameplay, with adjusted stats and new abilities ensuring balance across all levels. Monster families, like goblins and vampires, now also feature group mechanics, making larger battles more challenging and dynamic.
More Legendary Monsters
The book will also include a number of high CR monsters that are perfect for use as BBEGs or as final encounters at the end of a campaign (this is typically in the CR 21 to 22 ranges). This includes new Titanic-sied monsters like the Elemental Cataclysm as well as the new Arch-Hag.
In all cases, these high-level threats have new streamlined stat blocks and revised Legendary Actions that are designed to be easier to use while also challenging higher-level player characters and parties. Additionally, high-CR monsters, like ancient dragons and the tarrasque, have been expanded with new abilities and tactical options integrated directly into their stat blocks, making encounters with these creatures more dynamic and streamlined.
More NPC Stat blocks
The new MM also introduces some major updates to NPC stat blocks. This includes existing NPCs from the 2014 Monster Manual, such as cultists, priests, and mages, all of which have been enhanced with new abilities and mechanics. Additionally, the manual expands on these archetypes with new options, such as performers and pirates, as well cultist and mage variant. The goal is to give DMs more options for quickly creating NPCs that can serve as allies, enemies or neutral parties.
The updates also include improvements to organization and usability. Each NPC stat block now highlights key abilities and features for easier use at the table. Many of the updated NPCs also feature expanded roleplay potential with new lore and motivations to make it easier to drop them into existing campaigns.
More Monster Variants
The book also offers significant more monster variants, many of which are tweaks on classic creatures. For example, the Goblin Hexer is a spellcasting variant, while the book also introduces a low-CR Goblin Minion, which are perfect for cannon fodder. Similarly, the vampire family now features new low, mid, and high-CR options.
Monster variants also include expanded narrative elements, such as motivations and lore, as well as new thematic abilities. This is something we’ve seen with other third-party monster books, which often offer a fresh take on traditional designs and stat blocks.
New Lore & Backgrounds
The new Monster Manual will also look beyond just stat blocks to include more updated lore and background information on various monsters. Additionally, there will be an inclusion of more information on the ecology and lairs of various creatures. This is something that hasn’t been covered in-depth in the 2014 edition of the book, but is appearing in similar books such as Flee, Mortals from MCDM.
This also includes a significant amount of content that can be used in social encounters and as part of larger campaign narratives. The goal is to provide more than just stat blocks and to really make the creatures feel like part of the larger worlds around them.
New Artwork
The the book will feature over 300 new images from multiple artists. Notably, Wizard of the Coast has come under fire recently after it was reported that one of their artists had – unbeknownst to WotC – used AI to touch up in an illustration Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants. The company has since released an official policy that bans any AI-generated artwork in their products.
It’s also worth noting that in many cases creatures have been redesigned with new a look and feel. For example, the gold dragon has a completely new look (in fact, all of the dragons have been redesigned). The Wizards of the Coast art team has also created visual variants of iconic creatures. For example, the Hag (which is typically a female creature) now has art which features a male version.
New Monster “Families”
One of the most interesting new concept is the inclusion of new “families” of monsters. This will be a similar approach to how a variety of monsters fit under the banner of the dragon family (i.e. dragonborn, wyrmlings, ancient wyrms etc.). These are designed to make it easier to understand how monsters fit together as well as opening up new combat and roleplaying options.
As part of this update, Wizards of the Coast has also clarified on the backgrounds of some of the creatures to provide more flavor to their existence. For example, they have indicated that goblins are essentially fey creatures, while gnolls have a demonic background.
New Indexes & Tables
The book now includes an alphabetical list of all 500+ stat blocks allows for quick reference, while at the end, specialized indexes enable DMs to sort monsters by CR, environment, creature type and monster subgroup. The book also includes a short tagline for each monster under their name that describes what they are, which is helpful for new DMs who may not necessarily know what creatures are.
Additionally, the book includes new tables that can be used for both random encounters as well as for determining a monster’s motivations. For example, a mimic’s table offers creative ideas for what forms it might take, while animated objects might have tables suggesting why they’ve been brought to life. The goal with these tables is to make encounters more unique and to help DMs more easily drop in creatures into an adventure.
New Advice on Running Monsters
The new 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide offered new DMs a ton of information on how to get started running a game. The 2025 Monster Manual takes a similar approach, with a revamped “How to Use a Monster” chapter which breaks down stat blocks with clear explanations of how to use them.
Along with this chapter, the book also includes a new “Running a Monster” section, which provides practical advice for ensuring your monsters live up to their Challenge Ratings. It’s designed to help DMs of all experience levels ensure they’re getting the most out of the book and providing balanced and engaging encounters at all levels of play.
When will the new Monster Manual be released?
The new Monster Manual will be released on February 18th, 2025. As with other current D&D 5e books, it will also be available for pre-order as a physical and digital bundle on D&D Beyond, which will users to access the digital version on February 4th, 2025. If you pre-order a copy from your local game store, you’ll also be able to receive an early copy on February 4th.
Wizards of the Coast has also noted that users who have purchased digital versions of the existing Monster Manual on D&D Beyond will not automatically receive an updated version of the new book. Instead they will be required to purchase the new 2025 version separately.
How much in the new Monster Manual going for?
The new 2025 Monster Manual will retail for $49.99 USD for the physical print version and $29.99 USD for the digital version on D&D Beyond.
As with other DnD 5e books, there is also a physical-digital bundle, which in this case is all three Core Rulebooks, which will retail for $179.97 if you purchase it on D&D Beyond. This represents a savings of $60 (given that all three books would otherwise retail for $240 USD).
Is there a variant Monster Manual cover?
Yes, there is an alternate cover that’s also available for purchase. This version features original artwork from longtime Wizards of the Coast illustrator Lena Richards with gold framing by Simen Meyer. The alternate Monster Manual cover features a single mind flayer holding out a tadpole.
The back of the alternate cover also features the 50th anniversary logo in a stylized format. Notably, the alternate cover will be the same price as the primary cover version.
Final Thoughts
Monsters remain a critical component of Dungeons & Dragons and one that’s often been expanded by a number of third-party DnD monster books. The new 2025 DnD Monster Manual seeks to evolve the vast menagerie of creatures to not only work with the updated DnD 5e rules, but also add new challenges, more options and more background to bring these beings to life.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on the updated Monster Manual in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, the book is available for pre-order now on D&D Beyond and Amazon.
Below is also a recent video from Wizards of the Coast breaking out all the details on what to expect in the new MM.
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Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
