Mind Flayers, MoFS (3.5e Race)

Mind Flayer

Otherwise known as illithids, these creatures are amazingly intelligent.

Personality

Mind Flayers are extremely intelligent, but often scheme and connive to gain power for themselves, even within a society of other Mind Flayers. In cities of Mind Flayers, plotting is often the main form of entertainment and the only way to stay on top of the game.

Physical Description

Mind Flayers are slight, having a tall but thin build and possessing less strength and constitution than might be expected for their size. While frail, they have tough, leathery hides and bulbous eyes above their four tentacles and bloated heads which contain highly developed brains.

Relations

Mind Flayers are suspicious of everyone, making everyone suspicious of them. Plotting against others, especially others of another race, as a precaution is not uncommon.

Alignment

Mind Flayers are almost always evil and very often lawful, understanding the need for structure in life and society, but often being selfish and ambitious.

Lands

Mind Flayers live in the underground, known as the Xonne, or in secluded regions devoid of most other life.

Religion

Mind Flayers, if they worship which is uncommon, often worship Kryos, O'Rakka, or gods of evil.

Language

Mind Flayers speak Liddith, and usually learn Xonnan and Maesk Common and beast

Names

Because of their peculiar reproduction, which is done by "infecting" an already living humanoid, their names are often derived from or include their previous names from when they were humanoid.

Racial Traits

• −2 Strength, −4 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma: Though frail, mind flayers are exceptionally intelligent, perceptive, and charismatic creatures.
• Aberration: Mind flayers possess an alien anatomy.
• Medium size
• Mind Flayer base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision 60 feet.
• Natural Weapons: 4 tentacles (1d4)
• Improved Grapple (Ex): To use this ability, a mind flayer must hit a Small, Medium, or Large creature with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and attaches the tentacle to the opponent's head. A mind flayer can grab a Huge or larger creature, but only if it can somehow reach the foe's head. If a mind flayer begins its turn with at least one tentacle attached, it can try to attach its remaining tentacle with a single grapple check. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or Escape Artist check, but the mind flayer gets a +2 circumstance bonus for every tentacles that was attached at the beginning of the opponent's turn.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Undercommon. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Infernal, Terran.
• Favored Class: Wizard.

Scaling

At 1 HD: All racial traits shown above.

At 5 HD: Extract (Ex): A mind flayer that gains its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successful grapple check extracts the opponent's brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plant, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads, such as ettins and hydras.

At 8 HD: Mind Blast (Sp): This pseudo-psionic attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC (14 + Charisma modifier) Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds.

At 10 HD: +4 Racial bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

At 13 HD: +4 Racial bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution.

At 15 HD: Psionics (Sp): At will—charm monster (DC 14 + Charisma modifier), detect thoughts (DC 12 + Charisma modifier), levitate, plane shift, suggestion (DC 13 + Charisma modifier). Effective caster level is equal to class levels.

At 15 HD: Illithids at 15th level gain the ability to spread their kin for the sake of their race. Illithids can make a touch attack against an opposing creature and implant a tadpole into their brains. An opposing creature must make a Fortitude Save (DC 10 + Wisdom modifier + Intelligence modifier) or they will be turned into an Illithid within 4d6 hours. The Illithid retains whatever class they were, but losses any previous racial bonuses and gains all racial bonus features of the Mind Flayer equal to their current HD. On a successful save the creature's body kills the tadpole parasite trying to invade negating the transformation.

At 20 HD: Spell resistance equal to 25 + class levels, telepathy 100 ft.

Vital Statistics

Table: Mind Flayer Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
18 years	+2d6	+4d6	+5d8

Table: Mind Flayer Random Starting Ages (ancient beings)

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
180 years	+4d6	+8d6	+10d8

Table: Mind Flayer Aging Effects

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
50 years	80 years	115 years	+3d10 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Mind Flayer Aging Effects (ancient beings)

Middle Age1	Old2	Venerable3	Maximum Age
500 years	800 years	1150 years	+6d20 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Mind Flayer Random Height and Weight

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	6' 2"	+2d8	110 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
Female	6' 0"	+2d6	105 lb.	× (1d4) lb.

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