Mind flayer tentacle arrangement?

[lukelightning]

Having solved all other RPG problems, I began to ponder the various ways in which mind flayers/illithids' tentacles are arranged on their faces.

Some artists represent the tentacles in a "diamond" pattern (as in the Monster Manual picture) in which the tentacles, top to bottom, are in a 1-2-1 pattern surrounding the mouth.

Other pictures represent the tentacles in a "square"; 2-2, with two rows of two tenctacles.

More rarely, the tentacles are all in a single row across the face.

The question is: "How do you picture your mind flayers' tentacles?"

 

[Mighty Halfling]

What an incredibly odd question. What's next, my thoughts on dragon intestines?
Despite that, I picked the diamond pattern, since squuids and octopi are set up that way.
A straight line would remind me of the doctor from "Futurama."

 

[Chroma]

A straight line would remind me of the doctor from "Futurama."

I think Dr. Zoidberg was inspired by mind flayers... there've been a lot of D&D "inside jokes" on Futurama... beholders, rust monsters, heck, even Gary Gygax himself has appeared!

I still say diamond pattern...

 

[The Shaman]

You need to switch to decaf, my friend, and stop reading the Monster Manual at three in the morning!



What a funny topic.

I would say that different mind flayers have different arrangements - that strikes me as the most "aberrant" of the possibilities.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I say they start off as a single row, but age and gravity takes its toll and eventually they migrate southward and form two rows.

 

[GlassJaw]

What an incredibly odd question.

That's Luke for you. Hi Luke!

I tend to think they are in a similar layout to the Predators' "mouth".

 

[jodyjohnson]

The square.

Just makes for more efficient head grabbing.

Otherwise the bottom tentacle has no where to go. (And don't say the spine, spinal fluid doesn't come close to the taste of 100% Grade A brain matter).

Unless they tilt their heads at 45degrees and that just seems like more of a vampire move.

 

[lukelightning]

Ok, how about "smooth tentacles or suction cups?"

p.s. "hey Chris!"

 

[Hand of Evil]

Mmmmmm,

 

[SuperFlyTNT]

I say it varies from DM to DM. Heres my question about ilithids, what do good ones eat? The brains of the evil?