Why are Mind Flayers considered "cool villains"?

[ssampier]

I think it's because mind flayers are alien and as noted vaguely Cthulhu-like. That lends to their mystery and mystique.

Of course, too much of a good thing gets old fast. I think the ideal mind flayer encounter where the mind flayer is behind the scenes, manipulating monsters and key figures. The last possible moment, a strange tentacle monster comes out of the shadows and tries to SUCK YOUR BRAIN. AAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGH.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Mind Flayers and Kobolds are the greatest powers in the worlds of D&D.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I don't know why mind flayers are considered cool. To me, they are goofy and incongruous with D&D.

 

[stevelabny]

you've aready been told why, but it should be repeated.

two words:

EAT
BRAINS!

 

[GlassJaw]

Mind Flayers - I'm a fan. I definitely agree about them being Cthulhu-esque. Plus they eat grapple and eat brains. My players already hate being grappled and now the thing that grapples you eats your brain? What's not to love?

I like creatures that grapple because players hate it so much, like chokers. Nasty buggers, them.

I'm definitely not a drow fan anymore, although that's mostly from running about half of the City of the Spider Queen. I've had enough drow to last me a lifetime.

 

[mmadsen]

Too Cthulhu for me - I know, that's sacrilege, but Fthagn it all, it just feels more sci-fi than fantasy for me.

I have to give mad props -- do the kids still say "mad props" these days? -- to anyone who coins a phrase like "Fthagn it all!"

 

[the Jester]

They're extremely alien, look like Cthulhu and EAT YOUR FRICKIN' BRAINS!!!

That's why I like them.

Ahem.

Sorry, got a lil excited.

 

[demiurge1138]

Everyone who's said that mind flayers are too Cthulhu is missing the point. They're supposed to be lil' Cthulhus. And that's what makes them cool, really. Plus, as everyone else has said, they eat brains.

When introducing illithids (I don't particularly like the term mind flayer, actually) to my group, a lot of them got really freaked out. The idea of a society that was at once recognizable but at the same time hideously alien was what got them, and that's why I like illithids. They're very, very different. Intelligent, remorseless schemers who eat human brains and have great psionic powers? Not many of those.

And personally, I prefer aboleths and illithids as competitors. I do think that aboleths are cool, but I've never gotten a chance to run them.

Demiurge out.

 

[Chroma]

Aboleths are cool. They're what got me into D&D.

In 6th grade a girl had brought in this odd, thin book-like thing, with a missing cover, of her brother's and I took a look at it. In the back was a description of a bizarre tentacled monster that transformed your skin into a weird jelly-like substance that you had to keep moist or suffer some strange words I didn't understand. I had no idea what I was reading about, but I thought it was really cool. The imagery and ideas floated to the back of my head for a while and I went to a new school in grade 7. Near the end of that school year a new friend of mine brought an odd, thin book-like thing, with a cover, of his brother's to school, the title: Dwellers of the Forbidden City. In the back: aboleths.

"This is for Dungeons and Dragons," my friend said, "you want to try it?"

"SURE!" I responded. 21 years later, and I'm still at it and I still like aboleths! *laugh*

 

[VirgilCaine]

I never had problem pronouncing Svirfneblin, but then again, I studied German, so I'm accustomed to the pronounciation of long strings of consonants. Like in Schlittschuhe. It looks scary but it's not that hard to pronounce, in fact. It's just one of those words with a maxed out Intimidation score.

Long strings of consonants? It's three! R-F-N. I don't see how it's that hard.

I prefer the Tentamort. Check it out in the original Fiend Folio. That monster is simply made to kill PCs. No other reason.

If sucking softened PC innards through a 12" bone needle is not the coolest, I don't know what is!

Try the Creature Catalog. http://www.enworld.org/cc/converted/aberration/tentamort.htm

It's in there. Along with lots of other monsters.