Dungeons and Dragons has been shaking up the status quo lately thanks to a few additions and updates to its core rules. These changes began last year thanks to updated versions of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and The Player’s Handbook, which both received a relatively warm reception. These two guidebooks are typically part of a trio, with the missing piece now just around the corner.
Dungeons and Dragons will release the revised version of the Monster Manual in February 2025. The Monster Manual is as foundational to the game’s systems as its counterparts are, and an irreplaceable tool for players and Dungeon Masters alike. The 2025 Monster Manual is set to include more than 500 monsters, with one fearsome beast standing out among the rest.
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Dungeons and Dragons’ 2025 Dragon Sourcebook Warrants Another Obvious Book
Dungeons and Dragons will soon release The Dragon Anthology, and there is one potential guidebook that would truly complete the updated 2025 ruleset.
Dungeons and Dragons’ 2025 Monster Manual Could Put a Twist on the Tarrasque
Dungeons and Dragons’ Tarrasque Explained
From basic rodents to eldritch horrors, the variety of monsters in Dungeons and Dragons can’t be understated. One of the biggest ways monsters differ is their Challenge Rating—also known as CR. Challenge Rating can be understood as a difficulty setting, with the most powerful monsters boasting the highest CR.
For nearly as long as the game has existed, the Tarrasque has enjoyed the reputation of being Dungeons and Dragons‘ most formidable foe. Likewise, the Tarrasque has boasted a CR of 30 since its introduction and will keep this status going into the 2025 Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual. However, whether the Tarrasque deserves its title or not has been a topic of debate during D&D‘s 5th edition.
Two Monsters Rival the Tarrasque in Dungeons and Dragons
There are only two monsters in Dungeons and Dragons that rival the Tarrasque. Aspect of Tiamat and Aspect of Bahamut share the Tarrasque’s CR of 30, and many would argue that they are more powerful than the Tarrasque. This is thanks to a few major factors, some of which could be innovated further in upcoming guidebooks.
Tiamat is the god of chromatic dragons, while Bahamut is the god of metallic dragons. This makes Tiamat an evil deity, and Bahamut her good-aligned counterpart. Considering their divine status, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the two of them are formidable in combat. Tiamat and Bahamut both wield abilities that the Tarrasque has no answer for, especially since the latter was scaled down significantly in Dungeons and Dragons 5e.
A New Monster Could Surpass the Tarrasque
As the Tarrasque has gotten less powerful over time, player characters have only grown more capable. In fact, the updated rules include buffs to nearly every class in Dungeons and Dragons. One might expect the new Monster Manual to buff the Tarrasque to compensate, but Wizards of the Coast could achieve a similar effect by introducing a new monster entirely.
Thankfully, they have the perfect opportunity to do so lined up. After the Monster Manual, Dungeons and Dragons will release the Dragon Anthology as the first major supplement to the game’s new core rules. Most of the game’s most powerful monsters are dragons that have lived for a millennia or more, so it only seems natural that such a creature would finally surpass the Tarrasque.
Dragons are undoubtedly the most iconic monsters in Dungeons and Dragons. Although it is inspired by a real mythological creature, it’s pretty clear that the Tarrasque is D&D‘s answer to Godzilla and other kaiju. Of course, even Godzilla himself has a dragonlike rival in the form of King Ghidorah. The Tarrasque is a monster most notable for its gargantuan size, while certain dragons have already shown themselves capable of amassing much more power. Tiamat and Bahamut will continue their respective roles in Dungeons and Dragons, so perhaps another of their offspring could finally push the limits of Challenge Ratings beyond the Tarrasque.
Dungeons and Dragons
- Franchise
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Original Release Date
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1974-00-00
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax
, Dave Arneson