A classic new dragon designs in the book, another classic monster also received a radically revamped design.

In a YouTube video showcasing various aberrations and oozes in the new Monster Manual, Dungeons & Dragons showed off artwork featuring a very different look for the aboleth, a primordial creature with alien intelligence. The aboleth has traditionally been depicted as a fish-like creature with three eyes, but the new artwork by Kev Walker gives the aboleth a much more alien appearance.

The new aboleth design is a towering mass of tentacles with a large, gaping maw for a mouth. While the aboleth maintains its three vertically-lined eyes, they're now triangular and much more abhorrent.

The Aboleth in Dungeons & Dragons, Explained

Classic D&D Monster Once Ruled The World & Has A Deadly Cloud Of Mucus That Transforms Its Victims

The aboleth is one of the weirder Dungeons & Dragons monsters, having first appeared in the 1980 adventure Dwellers of the Forbidden City by Zeb Cook. In D&D lore, the aboleths ruled over ancient empires that predated the arrival of the gods in the Material Plane. When the gods appeared, they destroyed the aboleth kingdoms and freed the developing lifeforms that were being psychically dominated by them. Typically, aboleths dream of rebuilding their empires and humiliating the gods, robbing them of power in the same ways they once were themselves.

Aboleths are typically amphibious creatures that live in ancient ruins or deep underground. In addition to having powerful psychic abilities capable of mentally enslaving sentient lifeforms, they also can produce a mucus cloud that transform those around them. A creature affected by the aboleth's mucus loses the ability to breathe air, making them more vulnerable to the aboleth, as they are forced to stay in the aboleth's domain. While aboleths typically aren't the main villain of a D&D campaign, they often make for unforgettable encounters and fantastic recurring villains.

Our Take: Aboleths Look Much More Alien Now

The Classic Design Was Fun, But These Aboleths Feel Like More Of A Threat

While I always loved the idea of evil alien fish that predate the gods, the new aboleth design make the creatures look much more Lovecraftian. To be honest, the new designs feel more in line with the lore of the game. After all, it seems a little bit odd that fish creatures once ruled over the humanity, and these new aboleth designs feel a bit more fearsome and strange. Aboleths are one of my favorite Dungeons & Dragons monsters, so I hope that we get to see more of the creatures in the not-so-distant future.

Source: YouTube/Dungeons & Dragons