D&D 5E Chris Perkins and Todd Kenreck Talk About Mind Flayers

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

There's a new lore-discussion video on the official D&D Youtube channel with Todd Kenreck and Chris Perkins, similar to the Vecna videos we got recently. This one has new art for Mind Flayers (and their eggs/tadpoles), lore about mind flayers that hasn't been discussed in 5e yet (how they somehow turn off suns?), and parts of the Baldur's Gate III trailer that features Mind Flayers.


Since this video is so similar in style to the ones we got for Vecna, it makes me wonder if we're getting some official publication with this content in it in the near future. Maybe another D&D Beyond-exclusive product that expands upon Mind Flayer lore more? Or maybe this will be included in the Spelljammer release, as they have a fairly major role in the setting? Either way, Mind Flayers are my favorite D&D monsters, so I'm glad to have more lore and art for them in 5e.

 

[darjr]

Is some of that art new?

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Is some of that art new?

Yep!

 

[GMforPowergamers]

well theey are big in spelljammer so maybe preping for that

 

[Ath-kethin]

The putting-out-suns thing originated as the endgame plot of the illithid Monstrous Arcana modules in 2e, IIRC.

 

[DragonBelow]

The putting-out-suns thing originated as the endgame plot of the illithid Monstrous Arcana modules in 2e, IIRC.

I believe it does originate in the 2e days, but there is an earlier plot to the one you reference. From the Astromundi Cluster (Spelljammer 1993), where they were planning The Sun-death.

 

[Parmandur]

I believe it does originate in the 2e days, but there is an earlier plot to the one you reference. From the Astromundi Cluster (Spelljammer 1993), where they were planning The Sun-death.

Actually, I think it comes from the Dungeoners Survival Guide. And I have no Earthly idea why I know that, but here we are.

 

[Nathaniel Lee]

I'd certainly welcome additional mind flayer inspiration. I have never been able to really leverage them to their full extent in a campaign before, but one of my groups is now fully engaged with a fledgling mind flayer colony led by an ulitharid. They got to face off against some homebrewed intellect devourers, and one PC had a harrowing experience with a tadpole looking for a host. If there are ideas to make them even more intimidating, I'm definitely all ears.

 

[overgeeked]

Actually, I think it comes from the Dungeoners Survival Guide. And I have no Earthly idea why I know that, but here we are.

“The mind flayers, as a race, do have a goal, and their leaders devote much effort toward finding a way to achieve it. Because they loathe the light of day and hate being limited to the confining chambers of the Underdark, the mind flayers quest to destroy that which bars them from the surface world: they seek to douse the fires of the sun itself!” DSG, page 74.

 

[Parmandur]

“The mind flayers, as a race, do have a goal, and their leaders devote much effort toward finding a way to achieve it. Because they loathe the light of day and hate being limited to the confining chambers of the Underdark, the mind flayers quest to destroy that which bars them from the surface world: they seek to douse the fires of the sun itself!” DSG, page 74.

I rolled well on my Arcana, because I haven't even read that one!