The 2025 Monster Manual arrives today, but there’s no need to pay full price for the upgraded D&D rulebook.
While most retailers are selling the weighty tome at the usual $49.99 (or thereabouts), you can currently grab the hardcover 2025 Monster Manual for $39.99 at Miniature Market. That’s the cheapest it’s ever been, so despite only being being $10 off, you’ll struggle to find the D&D rulebook for less elsewhere. As for the UK, you can find it for £28.99 via Magic Madhouse instead of the recommended £41.45.
Seeing as it completes the trilogy of revised core rulebooks for one of the best tabletop RPGs (e.g. it’s pretty essential for Dungeon Masters), any reduction is news. I have my doubts that we’ll see a better price anytime soon, either – the 2024 Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide have held close to MSRP since launch, so I suspect it’ll be the same for the 2025 Monster Manual.
Should you buy the 2025 D&D Monster Manual?
If you’ve gone all-in on the new Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide already, it makes sense to grab this one too as a matter of course – it completes the trilogy and is used by both. For regular DMs who intend to keep running games for the forseeable future, I’d argue that it’s an essential purchase.
However, if you’ve not upgraded to the 2024 version of D&D Fifth Edition yet (e.g. you’re still using the 2014 rulebooks), it depends on how up-to-date you want to be… and whether there’s a chance you’ll use pre-published adventures in the future. Everything going forward will utilize this 2025 Monster Manual, so ignoring it may eventually leave you behind.
Personally speaking, I’d say to dive in unless you’re a player with no interest in DMing or someone that is hoping to stick with the 2014 rules. It’s a vast improvement over the previous version by virtue of being much bigger and more well considered. Namely, there are far more DM tools to make your monsters feel more embedded in your worlds, and more interesting in combat. Indeed, the new 2025 Monster Manual continues D&D 4E’s redemption arc. I’ve had a look through the tome myself and have been a big fan so far.
That’s true of all the revised 2024 rules, to be honest. For the most part, I’d argue that they’re a subtle but noticeable improvement with better subclasses, way more help for DMs, and the rough edges of 5e filed off. The 2025 Monster Manual continues that trend.
For adventures to use your shiny new rules on, why not check in with the best D&D books? If you’re tracking down presents for the Dungeons & Dragons fan in your life, on the other hand, don’t miss the best D&D gifts.