Order of the Mind Flayer (5e Subclass)
Order of the Mind Flayer[edit]
Blood Hunter Subclass
The Order of the Mind Flayer is often seen as the most abhorrent. Members of this order see how weak the mortal psyche can be, and so take on a mutation to shield their own mind, and use the mental powers of aberrations, against them. Becoming a member of this order involves implanting a weakened Illithid parasite and carefully keeping it just alive enough to grow and merge with its host, but dying before it takes control. The physical mutation can be a horrid sight, but elder members have learned to use their powers to morph their appearance back to a relatively normal state. The grotesque and overly dark nature is hard to stomach, even for other orders, so this order is often not talked about and excluded.
- Writhing Thoughts
When you join this order at 3rd level, the psionic power of the mind flayers shields your mind, granting you the following benefits:
- You have resistance to psychic damage.
- You are immune to magic that allows other creatures to read your thoughts.
- Creatures can telepathically communicate with you only if you allow it.
- Proto Hivemind
Starting at 3rd level, you can establish an unsettling yet special link between yourself and your companions. When you finish a long rest, you choose a number of willing creatures up to your Hemocraft modifier to set up a proto hivemind. Members of your hivemind can communicate with you telepathically if they are within 1 mile. You do not need to share a language, but they must understand at least a single language. Either of you can choose to break the connection at the end of a long rest or if you are not on the same plane.
In addition, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks to direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so, choose a member of your hivemind. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack or unarmed strike. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifier per long rest.
- Memory Delve
Upon reaching 7th level, your psychic powers grow and allow you to harvest memories. You can cast Detect Thoughts at will and through any members of your hivemind. When you do so, you treat the casting as if you are there with them. In addition, whenever you successfully probe deeper into the mind of your target, your Intelligence score increases by 1, to a maximum of 22, until you finish a long rest. You do not gain this benefit if the creature is willing.
- Greater Hivemind
At 11th level, the connection you share with your companions grows even stronger, granting the following improvements:
- You can now communicate with members of your hivemind so long as you are on the same plane.
- You can forgo both of your attacks to command your companions to attack. You can split them between multiple allies, or allow a single companion to make both attacks for the same reaction.
- When a member of your hivemind makes an ability check that uses Intelligence, you can use your reaction to grant them your bonus to the check instead of theirs. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Hemocraft modifer per long rest.
- Brand of the Aberrant
Starting at 15th level, your Brand of Castigation can now disrupt the thought process of your foe. Whenever you hit a branded creature with a weapon for which you have an active crimson rite, they must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, their Intelligence score decreases by 1 (to a minimum of 10) and your Intelligence score increases by 1 (to a maximum of 22). Both of these changes last until the end of a long rest. On a success, they are unaffected by this ability.
- Blood Curse of the Neural Disruptor
At 18th level, the eldritch power you wield can completely rend the mind of your enemies. You are immune to psychic damage and gain the Blood Curse of the Neural Disruptor for your Blood Maledict feature. This doesn’t count against your number of blood curses known.
Blood Curse of the Neural Disruptor. As an action, you release a blast of volatile psychic energy in a 60ft cone. Each creature of your choice in the cone must succeed an Intelligence saving throw or take 4d8 plus your Hemocraft modifier psychic damage and be incapacitated until the end of their next turn. On a success, a creature takes half damage and is not incapacitated.
Amplify. If a creature fails their save by 5 or more, they fall unconscious until they take damage or another creature uses their action to wake them.
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