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

[Ondath]

Is some of that art new?

The Mind Flayer colony map is from Volo's, but the illithid art seems to be new (and I have to admit, the proportions make it much more creepy somehow).

 

[Nikosandros]

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

You are indeed correct. Page 74 from "The Cultures of the Underdark", if anyone cares.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I guess they are working in a 5Ed of "Lords of Madness" and I hope the return of the brainstealer dragon, and the illithidaes, the embrac, the kigrid and the saltor. These are perfect to sell toys with a look of "Resident Evil" action figures.

Maybe it is only a module or adventure, but it could be a new minisetting as Witchlight, Radiant Citadel or Stryxhaven.

 

[Ondath]

I guess they are working in a 5Ed of "Lords of Madness" and I hope the return of the brainstealer dragon, and the illithidaes, the embrac, the kigrid and the saltor. These are perfect to sell toys with a look of "Resident Evil" action figures.

Maybe it is only a module or adventure, but it could be a new minisetting as Witchlight, Radiant Citadel or Stryxhaven.

Brainstealer isn't very likely, as Fizban's already had a similar concept - the Elder Brain Dragon - so I doubt they'll release another monster with basically the same theme.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

You are right, but I suspect there are reasons to can believe the brainstealer dragon from Dragon Magazine will return to 5 Ed, because it appeared as card in M:tG

 

[Mind of tempest]

I wonder why the mind flayers do not just try to change themselves to be able to live in the light as that would take way less effort to do, that or just invent sunglasses.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I would love a bit more lore about the legendary Mind Flayer empire and how it worked and organized. Reconstituting this lost empire seems to be one of the goals of individual mind flayers, but how does an empire of 100% super geniuses operate and organize?

Just a little guidance about that past would be neat because that would be a hell of a grim dark campaign to try out, play out the over throw of that empire, or the empire has been reconstituted and is on the spread again across the stars.

 

[Ath-kethin]

I wonder why the mind flayers do not just try to change themselves to be able to live in the light as that would take way less effort to do, that or just invent sunglasses.

The 2e Illithiad has an Illithid Technology chapter, which includes both dampsuits and glaregoggles.

Don't worry. They thought of it.

 

[Ath-kethin]

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.

Nobody can really leverage them to their full extent, because they're unstoppable if you do. In fact, that's part of the established history of the illithids - their patience comes partially from the fact that they know their empire and domination is inevitable. Any setbacks are just minor setbacks, because they've seen/been to the future.

And the future is illithid.

 

[grimslade]

Why would the Illithid want to extinguish such a wonderful supply of energy? The trick is converting the Sun's energy to something more amicable to the mauve skin persuasion. A lens/shield around the star to keep the energy harnessed for experimentation. Maybe have full light preserves for keeping the food frolicking and picking up those delicious experiences we...I mean they love so much.
I anticipate that the Spelljammer teaser adventure coming out next month will involve our tentacled overlords in some capacity.