D&D Just Released Tons of Monster Manual Content for Free

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A Gnoll and a Mimic in front of the new Monster Manual cover Custom image by Christian Hoffer

Dungeons & Dragons just made over 25% of the statblocks in the new Monster Manual available for free. Later this month, Dungeons & Dragons will release a new version of its Monster Manual core rulebook. While the rulebook contains all the same monsters as its 2014 predecessor, the D&D design team updated the statblocks with an eye towards rebalancing the monsters and making them easier to run during combat. The result is monsters that are more in line with their intended threat level with new or greatly changed abilities.

Over the weekend, Dungeons & Dragons updated its Free Rules set to include 157 creature statblocks from the new Monster Manual. The majority of these monsters are generic monster types, including various kinds of beast statblocks that druids can use for their Wild Shape form. Also included are NPC statblocks like mages, warriors, toughs, and a handful of dragon wyrmlings. Notably, the most dangerous creature is the CR 10 Stone Golem. These can be accessed for free on D&D Beyond's website.

Monster Manual: Everything D&D Just Released For Free

Over 150 Classic Monsters Are Included In The Free Release

The Free Rules are intended to be a starting point for new D&D players and contain both basic character creation rules and some basic DM tips and guidance. Notably, the Free Rules were released last year and include all the rules changes and revisions made to D&D as part of the revised 5th edition rules. While these aren't intended to be a comprehensive rule set for D&D, they do contain all the character class rules (with one subclass for each character class) as well as many spells and feats from the 2024 Player's Handbook.

D&D 2025 Monster Manual Art Cultists

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Dungeons & Dragons 2025 Monster Manual Review: Classic Monsters Get A Big Tune-Up

Dungeons & Dragons' new Monster Manual provides revamped statblocks that increase the threat and excitement for many classic monsters.

Here is every creature statblock now available for free via D&D's Free Rules set:

  • Allosaurus
  • Animated Flying Sword
  • Ankylosaurus
  • Ape
  • Archelon
  • Baboon
  • Badger
  • Bandit
  • Bat
  • Berserker
  • Black Bear
  • Black Dragon Wyrmling
  • Blink Dog
  • Blood Hawk
  • Boar
  • Brown Bear
  • Bugbears
  • Bugbear Stalker
  • Bugbear Warrior
  • Bullywugs
  • Bullywug Bog Sage
  • Bullywug Warrior
  • Camel
  • Carrion Crawler
  • Cat
  • Commoner
  • Constrictor Snake
  • Copper Dragon Wyrmling
  • Crab
  • Swarm of Crawling Claws
  • Crocodile
  • Cultists
  • Cultist
  • Cultist Fanatic
  • Darkmantle
  • Deer
  • Dire Wolf
  • Doppelganger
  • Draft Horse
  • Eagle
  • Elephant
  • Elk
  • Fire Elemental
  • Flying Snake
  • Frog
  • Gelatinous Cube
  • Giant Badger
  • Giant Centipede
  • Giant Crab
  • Giant Fire Beetle
  • Giant Goat
  • Giant Seahorse
  • Giant Spider
  • Giant Weasel
  • Gnoll Warrior
  • Goat
  • Goblins
  • Goblin Minion
  • Goblin Warrior
  • Goblin Boss
  • Gray Ooze
  • Guards
  • Guard
  • Guard Captain
  • Hawk
  • Hippopotamus
  • Hobgoblins
  • Hobgoblin Warrior
  • Hobgoblin Captain
  • Hunter Shark
  • Hyena
  • Imp
  • Incubus
  • Jackal
  • Killer Whale
  • Knight
  • Kobold Warrior
  • Lion
  • Lizard
  • Mage
  • Mammoth
  • Mastiff
  • Mephit (Steam)
  • Mimic
  • Minotaur of Baphomet
  • Mule
  • Noble
  • Nothic
  • Octopus
  • Ogre
  • Owl
  • Owlbear
  • Panther
  • Piranha
  • Pirates
  • Pirate
  • Pirate Captain
  • Plesiosaurus
  • Polar Bear
  • Pony
  • Pseudodragon
  • Pteranodon
  • Quasit
  • Rat
  • Raven
  • Red Dragon Wyrmling
  • Reef Shark
  • Rhinoceros
  • Riding Horse
  • Saber-Toothed Tiger
  • Scorpion
  • Scout
  • Seahorse
  • Shadow
  • Silver Dragon Wyrmling
  • Skeleton
  • Slaad Tadpole
  • Sphinx of Wonder
  • Spider
  • Sprite
  • Stirge
  • Stone Golem
  • Succubus
  • Swarm of Bats
  • Swarm of Insects
  • Swarm of Piranhas
  • Swarm of Rats
  • Swarm of Ravens
  • Swarm of Venomous Snakes
  • Tiger
  • Triceratops
  • Tyrannosaurus Rex
  • Toughs
  • Tough
  • Tough Boss
  • Vampire Familiar
  • Venomous Snake
  • Vulture
  • Warhorse
  • Warrior Infantry
  • Weasel
  • Wolf
  • Worg
  • Wraith
  • Zombies
  • Zombie
  • Ogre Zombie

Our Take: Free Material Is Great, But Weirdly A Step Back For D&D

The Previous Set Of Free-To-Use Basic Rules Contained More Monsters

Dungeons and Dragons skeleton monsters from 2025 Monster Manual

It's admirable that Wizards of the Coast continues to make some portion of its D&D ruleset free to help new players jump into the game. Wizards previously released the Basic Rules for D&D players, which contained limited rules for the original version of the 5th Edition. However, the Basic Rules (at least those on D&D Beyond) contain more creature statblocks than the Free Rules, including several high CR monsters for players to face. In this context, the new Free Rules are a step back for Dungeons & Dragons, although they could get updated again after the Monster Manual's official release.

Source: D&D Beyond

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Dungeons and Dragons

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Original Release Date 1974

Publisher TSR Inc., Wizards of the Coast

Designer E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson

Player Count 2-7 Players

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