Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="77IM" data-source="post: 4293939" data-attributes="member: 12377">So -- I wasn't going to do any really super complicated races -- but I just like these guys so much.  Plus I take some sort of perverse pleasure in whittling monster stats down into PC racial traits.These guys are a nightmare, balance-wise, because there's not a lot to compare them to in the core rules, so if any of this seems crazy to you, please mention it.Mind FlayerAbilities:  +2 Intelligence, +2 CharismaSize:  MediumSpeed:  6 squaresVision:  NormalLanguages:  Deep SpeechSkill Bonuses:  Mind Flayers absorb some of the knowledge of the brains they devour, and most have built up a repertoire of useful knacks over the years.  You gain a +1 bonus to all skills in which you are not trained.Mental Resistance:  +5 to saving throws against powers with the Charm or Psychic keyword.Telepathy 10:  You can communicate telepathically, without speaking, with any intelligent creature which has a language within 10 squares, so long as you are aware of the creature's presence.  This communication is two-way and can be initiated by the other creature, if they know that you are telepathic.  You can only communicate with one creature at a time, and while language is not a barrier, many creatures are unaccustomed to telepathic communication.  This mental contact gives you no particular advantage or disadvantage beyond communication, and it doesn't reveal the presence of a creature (creatures are not obligated to respond, so you might be sending telepathic signals to someone who isn't even there).  You can't read minds, and telepathy does not count as speaking for any effects that require it.Tentacles:  You can make an unarmed attack with your tentacles.  This deals 1d6 damage instead of the normal 1d4, and if you deal damage, you can choose to immediately grab your opponent as a free action.Bore Into Brain:  You can use the bore into brain at-will power.Bore Into Brain / Mind Flayer Racial PowerJuicy, succulent brains!  Eat up!At-WillStandard action / Melee touchTarget:  One creature which is currently grabbed or stunnedAttack:  Constitution +2 vs FortitudeHit:  1d6+Constitution damage.  If this reduces the target to 0 hit points or fewer, you can choose to devour their brain, killing them instantly.  Increase the attack bonus of this power to +4 at 11th level, and +6 at 21st level.Notes:  Telepathy seems totally awesome.  Not only does it overcome the language barrier (which is not really much of an issue, given the language setup in the game), it can be used for secret communication between teammates.  Lots of roleplaying potential.  The skill thing might be too powerful -- it is just like Jack of all Trades, but half as much bonus, but it stacks with it, so I'm not sure.  I think that Tentacles and Bore Into Brain are really not that great.  This is kind of by design -- the Mind Flayer must rely on his thralls -- er, teammates to stun/grab foes for him.Heroic Feats:EXTRACT SKILL [Mind Flayer]Prerequisites:  Mind Flayer, Int 13, bore into brainBenefit:  Your bore into brain power deals an extra 1d6 points of damage.  If you kill a target using this power, you can immediately devour their brain as a free action.  You gain a bonus on any one skill check you make during this encounter equal to the target's Intelligence modifier (minimum +1).  You chose when to apply this benefit, but you lose it if you rest.Special:  You can only devour a given brain once, so if you have multiple feats or abilities that grant you some benefit for devouring a brain, you must select between them when you devour it (they don't stack).MIND BLAST [Mind Flayer]Prerequisites:  Mind Flayer, Cha 13Benefit:  Once per encounter, you can use the mind blast power.Mind Blast / Mind Flayer Racial PowerYour ego overwhelms all those who stand before you.Encounter * PsychicStandard action / Close blast 5Target:  All creatures in blastAttack:  Intelligence +2, Wisdom +2, or Charisma +2 vs WillHit:  1d8+Charisma psychic damage.  Increase attack bonus to +4 and damage to 2d8+Charisma at 11th level, and increase attack bonus to +6 and damage to 3d8+Charisma at 21st level.Miss:  Half damage.Special:  Mind Flayers and their thralls are immune to this power.Paragon Feats:BRAIN STEM BLAST [Mind Flayer]Prerequisites:  Mind Flayer, Cha 15, Mind BlastBenefit:  Creatures hit by your mind blast become dazed (save ends).  Creatures you miss are not dazed.EXTRACT LIFE [Mind Flayer]Prerequisites:  Mind Flayer, Con 13, bore into brainBenefit:  Your bore into brain power deals an extra 1d6 points of damage.  If you kill a target using this power, you can immediately devour their brain as a free action to heal a number of hit points equal to the target's level.Special:  You can only devour a given brain once, so if you have multiple feats or abilities that grant you some benefit for devouring a brain, you must select between them when you devour it (they don't stack).Epic Feats:ENSLAVE [Mind Flayer]Prerequisites:  Mind Flayer, Cha 17, Mind Blast, Brain Stem BlastBenefit:  Once per encounter, you can use the enslave power.Enslave / Mind Flayer Racial PowerThe minds of lesser creatures are like putty in your hands.Encounter * CharmStandard action / Ranged 10Target:  One creatureAttack:  Charisma +5 vs WillHit:  Target is dominated and immune to the mind blast power of mind flayers (save ends both).EXTRACT MEMORIES [Mind Flayer]Prerequisites:  Mind Flayer, Wis 13, bore into brainBenefit:  Your bore into brain power deals an extra 1d6 points of damage.  If you kill a target using this power, you can immediately devour their brain as a free action and absorb a limited amount of their memories.  During your next short rest, you can "ask" the devoured brain up to three questions, as though through a Speak with Dead ritual.  (You're not actually asking questions, you're reviewing the dead creature's memories in your mind.)  It answers to the best of its abilities, without the need for a Diplomacy check.Special:  You can only devour a given brain once, so if you have multiple feats or abilities that grant you some benefit for devouring a brain, you must select between them when you devour it (they don't stack).</blockquote>

Verification