Monsters: Mind Flayers (Illithids)

Monsters: Mind Flayers (Illithids)

Mind flayers, also known as illithids, are iconic D&D monsters. They have powerful telepathic abilities and their signature brain extraction move. Avoid them, unless you have prepared mental defenses. I suggest reading Lords of Madness for D&D 3.5 or The Illithiad for AD&D 2e. Both are great reads.

 

Mind Flayer (Illithid) [Monster Manual, page 186, Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 204]

140 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST+1 [10]; IQ+3 [60].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: Per-2 [-10]; Will+1 [5].
Advantages: DR 1 (Tough Skin, -40%) [3]; Extended Lifespan 1 [2]; Infravision [10]; Reduced Consumption 1 [2]; Resistant to Psionics (+3) [10]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Slippery 3 [6]; Versatile [5].
    Dissolving Enzyme: Corrosion Attack 2d (Accessibility, Can only be delivered with mouth tentacles, -10%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Nuisance Effect, Effect decreases depending on the number of tentacles, -5%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [6].
    Mouth Tentacles: Extra Arms 4 (Extra-Flexible, +50%; Short, -50%; Weak, 1/2 ST, -25%) [30].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Hideous) [-16]; Bully (12) [-10]; Callous [-5]; Dependency (Brain of a sapient creature; Occasional; Monthly) [-20]; Hard of Hearing [-10]; Intolerance (Non-illithids) [-10]; Killjoy [-15]; Megalomania [-10]; No Sense of Smell/Taste (No Smell only, -50%) [-2]; Odious Racial Habit (Eats sapient beings) [-15]; Selfish (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15].
Features: Early Maturation 1; Night Vision 7.
Racial Psionic Abilities: Mental Blow 4 [28]; Mental Surgery 1 [10]; Suggestion 3 [30]; Telereceive 1 [21]; Telespeak 3 [39].
Racial Psionic Skills: Mental Blow (H) Will-2 [1]; Mental Surgery (H) IQ-2 [1]; Suggestion (H) IQ-2 [1]; Telereceive (H) IQ-2 [1]; Telesend (H) IQ-2 [1].
Creature Type: Aberration.

Sapient-Only Telepathy [-17] Mental Blow 4 [28] -> Mental Blow 4 [27] Suggestion 3 [30] -> Suggestion 3 [25] Telereceive 1 [21] -> Telereceive 1 [16] Telespeak 3 [39] -> Telespeak 3 [33]

Typical Stats – Mind Flayer

ST:	11	HP:	11	Speed:	5.75
DX:	11	Will:	15	Move:	5
IQ:	14	Per:	12
HT:	12	FP:	12	SM:	+0
Dodge:	8	Parry:	8 (unarmed)	DR:	1* (tough skin)

    Punch (11): thrust 1d-2 crushing, Reach C.
    Tentacles (11): The mind flayer has four short tentacles that encircle its mouth. These are treated as four short arms with Reach C and effective ST of 5. The mind flayer can use tentacles to attack for 1d-5 crushing damage (KYOS: 1d-8 crushing damage), but usually uses the tentacles for grappling and manipulating objects. The tentacles are considered to be “off-hands” for the purpose of penalties, but not for the purpose of determining the arc of attack.
    Dissolving Enzyme (7): The mouth tentacles have ducts that can transmit a powerful dissolving enzyme. This takes time – the mind flayer must first perform a Ready maneuver, and only then follow-up with a Reach C melee attack with one or more of its tentacles. If it succeeds, it deals 2d corrosion damage. If it only has three tentacles in contact with the victim, then decrease it by 25%; if it only has two tentacles in contact with the victim, then decrease it by 50%; if it only has one tentacle in contact with the victim, then decrease it by 75%. Usually, the mind flayer uses this attack when grappling the skull with all four tentacles to corrode its way through the skull and extract the brain. Each use costs 2 FP.

    Traits: Appearance (Hideous); Bully (12); Callous; Dependency (Brain of a sapient creature; Occasional; Monthly); Early Maturation 1; Extended Lifespan 1; Hard of Hearing; Infravision; Intolerance (Non-illithids); Killjoy; Megalomania; Night Vision 7 (-7 is the native illumination level); No Sense of Smell/Taste (No Smell only); Odious Racial Habit (Eats sapient beings); Reduced Consumption 1; Resistant to Psionics (+3); Selfish (12); Slippery 3; Social Stigma (Monster); Versatile.
    Psionic Abilities: Mental Blow 4; Mental Surgery 1; Suggestion 3; Telereceive 1; Telespeak 3.
    Skills: Brainwashing/TL3-14; Expert Skill (Psionics)-14; Interrogation-14; Intimidation-14; Research/TL3-14; Thaumatology-14.
    Psionic Skills: Mental Blow-15; Mental Surgery-12; Suggestion-14; Telereceive-14; Telesend-14.
    Creature Type: Aberration.

Typical Stats – Mind Flayer Sorcerer

ST:	11	HP:	11	Speed:	5.75
DX:	11	Will:	15	Move:	5
IQ:	14	Per:	11
HT:	12	FP:	12	SM:	+0
Dodge:	8	Parry:	8 (unarmed)	DR:	1* (tough skin)

    Punch (11): thrust 1d-2 crushing, Reach C.
    Tentacles (11): The mind flayer has four short tentacles that encircle its mouth. These are treated as four short arms with Reach C and effective ST of 5. The mind flayer can use tentacles to attack for 1d-5 crushing damage (KYOS: 1d-8 crushing damage), but usually uses the tentacles for grappling and manipulating objects. The tentacles are considered to be “off-hands” for the purpose of penalties, but not for the purpose of determining the arc of attack.
    Dissolving Enzyme (7): The mouth tentacles have ducts that can transmit a powerful dissolving enzyme. This takes time – the mind flayer must first perform a Ready maneuver, and only then follow-up with a Reach C melee attack with one or more of its tentacles. If it succeeds, it deals 2d corrosion damage. If it only has three tentacles in contact with the victim, then decrease it by 25%; if it only has two tentacles in contact with the victim, then decrease it by 50%; if it only has one tentacle in contact with the victim, then decrease it by 75%. Usually, the mind flayer uses this attack when grappling the skull with all four tentacles to corrode its way through the skull and extract the brain. Each use costs 2 FP.
    Spellcasting: The mind flayer sorcerer is a spellcaster with Sorcery Talent 2. It has a gloom dragon bloodline that limits his scope of spells to mind control spells, necromantic spells, meta-spells, and flight spells, but has no Sorcerous Empowerment. The mind flayer sorcerer has several learned spells that do not require skill-based casting roll and mandatory verbal and somatic components:

    Daze (Ranged) (17);

    Detect Magic (15);

    Disrupt Undead 3 (14);

    Ray of Enfeeblement (14);

    Ray of Exhaustion (14).

    For more detailed rules for sorcerous spellcasting, see Powers of Karilan.

    Traits: Appearance (Hideous); Bully (12); Callous; Dependency (Brain of a sapient creature; Occasional; Monthly); Early Maturation 1; Extended Lifespan 1; Hard of Hearing; Infravision; Intolerance (Non-illithids); Killjoy; Megalomania; Night Vision 7 (-7 is the native illumination level); No Sense of Smell/Taste (No Smell only); Odious Racial Habit (Eats sapient beings); Reduced Consumption 1; Resistant to Psionics (+3); Selfish (12); Slippery 3; Social Stigma (Monster); Versatile.
    Psionic Abilities: Mental Blow 4; Mental Surgery 1; Suggestion 3; Telereceive 1; Telespeak 3.
    Skills: Brainwashing/TL3-15; Expert Skill (Psionics)-15; Innate Attack (Beam)-12; Interrogation-15; Intimidation-15; Research/TL3-15; Thaumatology-15.
    Psionic Skills: Mental Blow-15; Mental Surgery-12; Suggestion-14; Telereceive-14; Telesend-14.
    Creature Type: Aberration.