D&D 2E Boss Help needed- DMs

[S.Woodlander]

Hello - I was wondering if all you great DM's out there could help me with something. I am picking up a campaign for a friend of mine only to run for 2 sessions. I am a player in the game but we are switching places for this already on-going 2E game.
I am looking for an underdark boss that should involve mind flayers. However, the party consists of players that are between 7th and 10th level characters (and 1 player with a 16th level dwarf/cleric).
I am sending the party into Gracklstugh and into the worm tunnels where I will stage the final battle and to retrieve the item they are looking for. My question is, against this party, how many mind flayers, what level mind flayers? OR do I add a Beholder? Or maybe an Elder brain? I was steering away from an elder brain because I felt like that an elder brain would be more placed at a mind flayer hive deeper in the underdark and not at an outpost beneath Gracklstugh.

 

[GMMichael]

Hulk-Drizzt?

Anyway, the beauty is in the exceptions. If the PCs encounter an elder brain outside a mind flayer hive, the "why" of it might be an interesting story or loose thread. Who better, for example, to subdue the 16th level dwarf, than the elder brain?

 

[aco175]

You can always have more in reserve. If 3 mind flayers and 2 giant soldiers are not enough after a couple rounds, suddenly reinforcements arrive with more soldiers and a beholder.

Always cooler if the room can be something as well like a trap going off that needs dealing with or cages of slaves being lowered into lava as sacrifices.

 

[bloodtide]

You want a bunch of illithids. But make like 75% more 'brutes'. Use the basic stat block, but add in some fighter levels...or physical psions.

You might not want an 'elder' brain...but why not toss in a 'teenage' brain. A smaller half or third sized brain.

Do you have the 2E Illlithid book? Or the Underdark box set? They added a bunch of 'illithid made monsters'. Dragon had some too.

 

[Quickleaf]

One mind flayer can wreck a party in formation within 60 feet if they roll bad on their save vs. wands – being stunned/unable to act for 3d4 rounds is...it's a death sentence if the mind flayer has any minions.

So some of this depends on specifics of the scene / scenario. Well, not some, MOST of it depends on that.

In a straight fight, maybe 2-3 mind flayers, 1-2 intellect devourers, and a bunch of some kinda low HD minions would be my gut instinct.

 

[Mark Hope]

At that level of play, you'll have a more enjoyable encounter by using a larger amount of enemies rather than one or two powerful foes. Your party will tear through anything up to about 15 HD in three or four rounds if they focus fire, particularly with a 16th level cleric on hand. Similarly, as @Quickleaf has mentioned, mind flayers can punch well above their weight due to area attacks and crazy high magic resistance.

I would have two or three mind flayers max - two is probably safer than three if you play them well. Give them several controlled minions who are primarily melee-oriented - the giants mentioned by @aco175 are excellent choices - or pure tanks like summoned elementals. A beholder makes for a good mid-battle change of pace if you have one turn up as reinforcements or just to investigate what all the noise is about. With its multiple attacks, a beholder can engage all sides in the combat at once. For spice, give the mind-flayers levels in cleric or wizard (or psionicist, if you use those rules).

 

[aco175]

I would have two or three mind flayers max - two is probably safer than three if you play them well. Give them several controlled minions who are primarily melee-oriented - the giants mentioned by @aco175 are excellent choices - or pure tanks like summoned elementals. A beholder makes for a good mid-battle change of pace if you have one turn up as reinforcements or just to investigate what all the noise is about. With its multiple attacks, a beholder can engage all sides in the combat at once. For spice, give the mind-flayers levels in cleric or wizard (or psionicist, if you use those rules).

If you want a good twist, have the beholder not like the PCs and the flayers, so it is more a 3rd side combatant. It might have a problem with the flayers that the PCs can try to negotiate with it to help them. Kind of a mid-battle parlay which may grant a big help to them if they can pull it off. At least until the beholder gets bored and paranoid about the PCs.

 

[Mark Hope]

If you want a good twist, have the beholder not like the PCs and the flayers, so it is more a 3rd side combatant. It might have a problem with the flayers that the PCs can try to negotiate with it to help them. Kind of a mid-battle parlay which may grant a big help to them if they can pull it off. At least until the beholder gets bored and paranoid about the PCs.

Yep - exactly this. You put it more clearly than I did

 

[S.Woodlander]

ALL great stuff! Thank you for all the options and opinions on this.I have some work to do here, I'll let you know how it works out.. Game is September and October sessions.