D&D 5E Mind Flayer Alternates

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

One thing occurred to me: If a druid Awakens a beast, does the beast's brain become tastier to a Mind Flayer? And would it become a viable target for a tadpole?

I'm not sure. That would be strange.

If so, my immediate follow-up thought is Mind Flayer Mammoth, with five trunks.

Okay, that needs to be a thing. Carnivorous, awakened purple mammoth coming up, sometime.

 

[Eltab]

Illithid "pets" (probably seen as failed experiments, or a sign of insanity on the part of the experimenting illithid; in the worst case the evidence of a depraved mind )

Illithi-lion - keeps would-be intruders far away
Ooze-ilid - somebody was engulfed by that one gelatinous cube from Out of the Abyss
After an Intellect Devourer pounces on a vulture ... "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Porcupine ==> covered with tentacles (tipped with stingers)
Giant Ant (from the Basic rules) or a whole nest of them - vaguely inspired by the Infernal Wasps of Descent to Avernus
A sheep that grows brain matter instead of wool. It's like trying to live on only oatmeal, though (see also Survival Rations)

 

[Khelon Testudo]

I love the cranium-sheep!

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Illithid "pets" (probably seen as failed experiments, or a sign of insanity on the part of the experimenting illithid; in the worst case the evidence of a depraved mind )

Illithi-lion - keeps would-be intruders far away
Ooze-ilid - somebody was engulfed by that one gelatinous cube from Out of the Abyss
If an Intellect Devourer pounces on a vulture ... "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Porcupine ==> covered with tentacles (tipped with stingers)
Giant Ant (from the Basic rules) or a whole nest of them - vaguely inspired by the Infernal Wasps of Avernus
A sheep that grows brain matter instead of wool. It's like trying to live on only oatmeal (see also Survival Rations)

Those are great. I'm definitely going to use some of these in my games.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I love the cranium-sheep!

You can always tell when a mind flayer colony is struggling when they result to breeding cranium sheep.

 

[Iry]

One of the coolest variant mindflayers I've ever used could create illusions instead of Mind Blast. It used these to become the image of loved ones and friends, and try to get close enough to grapple and slurp out your brain. Imagine coming home and finding your spouse standing at the door, opening their arms to greet you after a hard day of work. You return their hug, perhaps just a quick snug before...

CRACK!
Slurp, slurp, slurp.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

One of the coolest variant mindflayers I've ever used could create illusions instead of Mind Blast. It used these to become the image of loved ones and friends, and try to get close enough to grapple and slurp out your brain. Imagine coming home and finding your spouse standing at the door, opening their arms to greet you after a hard day of work. You return their hug, perhaps just a quick snug before...

CRACK!
Slurp, slurp, slurp.

Oh, that is terrifying. Gosh, someone should make a mind flayer arcanist/alhoon variant that can do that.