Anti-Illithid tactics

[Dr_Rictus]

Ah... If it's not too much trouble, can you post wording of this
out of the psionic hb for completeness?

Easy. The wording is "Duration: instantaneous." It's in the stat block of all of the psionic attack modes.

Hrmph. Assuming you are correct, I wonder if one can make
a spellcraft check to notice it using its spell-like ability...
And... um, then tell your readied freinds to shoot it with
their arrows? ...Before it uses its, er, mind ability..?
Nevermind.

That should work, except that the skill you'd need is Psicraft, to recognize the attack mode by its display. Or you could just guess, and shoot the thing whenever it concentrates, which is not a bad idea anyway. Spell-like abilities can be disrupted, though the Concentration check is easier since they have no level. (I seem to recall hearing of errata'ing the attack modes to (Su), but I think that's crazy talk).

 

[andargor]

Wow, thanks for the input!

Ok, as I see it, Improved Invisibility, Haste, protecting the fighter so he can move in, and ranged attacks seem to be the best bets.

Protection from evil, awesome Grog!

There are a few issues that I see, which seem to be debatable:

- Does Spell Immunity allow protection from Mind Blast or the other Illithid abilities?
- If the Illithid is pinned, with, say, Zone of Speed. And then Wall of Fire is cast around it. Would the SR have to be beaten just once, or every round for the duration of the spell to avoid taking damage? (You have a recipe for that fried calamari, Norfleet?)
- Can Dispel Magic remove the effects of a Mind Blast?


Other questions:
- If the Illithid is Astral Projected, can he actually do anything except direct his thralls? What can be done to dismiss or harm the projection? Dispel Magic?

Thanks again, you guys are great!

Of course, our DM will read this. But that's ok, we hate nasty surprises both ways.

Andargor

 

[daemonslye]

Protection from evil, awesome Grog!

I agree - except that if you understand undercommon (or if the illithid knows more
than one language and included is one you understand), it can simply tell you its
wishes (it is just a charm after all). I tend to assume the phrase "can prevent the
character from exercising control" as meaning "exercising control by telepathy".

SRD - Protection from Evil

Second, the barrier blocks any attempt ... to exercise mental control over the creature (as by a vampire’s supernatural domination ability, which works similar to dominate person). The protection does not prevent a vampire’s domination itself, but it prevents the vampire from mentally commanding the protected creature.

SRD - Dominate Person

The character establishes a telepathic link with the subject’s mind. ...
Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent the character from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but it does not prevent the establishment of domination or dispel it.

As for the rest,

- Does Spell Immunity allow protection from Mind Blast or the other Illithid abilities?

I would probably fall in the camp of "No" regarding mind blast. As mentioned above,
even if you would treat mb as a spell that one could be immune to, it would likely be over
fourth level in power. Other abilties? Charm and Suggest? Sure! Detect Thoughts? Nyet (no SR).

- If the Illithid is pinned, with, say, Zone of Speed. And then Wall of Fire is cast around it. Would the SR have to be beaten just once, or every round for the duration of the spell to avoid taking damage? (You have a recipe for that fried calamari, Norfleet?)

I believe the common ruling is to make the check once per instance of the spell.

- Can Dispel Magic remove the effects of a Mind Blast?

After some consideration, I suppose I agree with Herr Doctor. "Blast" seems to
imply something less than ongoing.

However, I stand by the idea of stocking up on a couple dispel magics.
Just wait to cast until the flayer is levitating forty feet off the ground.
Then unshackle your fighter.

- If the Illithid is Astral Projected, can he actually do anything except direct his thralls?

Yep - The projection is a full on copy of the real thing. So it can behave as if
it were the real thing (that's 9th level spells for ya).

What can be done to dismiss or harm the projection? Dispel Magic?

Yep - Dispel magic would do the trick (against the flayers caster level of 8). Then,
as I mentioned before - TTFN my dear illithid. Buh Bye.

That should work, except that the skill you'd need is Psicraft, to recognize the attack mode by its display.

Er, what if you don't use the psi handbook? I would assume the regular spellcraft
check would apply, albeit with a high DC; I figured you could disrupt the ability,
but it was unlikely you could tell when the illithid was about to use it (knowledge: aberration, anyone?).

~D

 

[Tiberius]

But they wouldn't be able to eat the party if they weren't actually there. Can astral projections even eat?

Also, I seem to remember that you receive a lot of penalties if your astral body is slain - aren't you laid up for a few days afterward? It's also likely to be a very painful and traumatic experience - if the PCs keep killing the illithid's astral body, it's going to get the hint very quickly and try to find some easier pickings elsewhere.

I remember the penalties, but I think those were from 1e/2e, and were excised in 3e. SRD, I choose you!

The character projects the character's astral self into the Astral Plane, leaving the character's physical body behind on the Material Plane in a state of suspended animation. The spell projects an astral copy of the character and all the character wears or carries onto the Astral Plane. Since the Astral Plane touches upon other planes, the character can travel astrally to any of these other planes as the character wishes. The character then leaves the Astral Plane, forming a new physical body (and equipment) on the plane of existence the character has chosen to enter... When a second body is formed on a different plane, the incorporeal silvery cord remains invisibly attached to the new body. If the second body or the astral form is slain, the cord simply returns to the character's body where it rests on the Material Plane, reviving it from its state of suspended animation. Although astral projections are able to function on the Astral Plane, their actions affect only creatures existing on the Astral Plane; a physical body must be materialized on other planes.

So, it looks to me like the illithids would in fact have a physical body capable of eating the unfortunate PCs, and further that there is no penalty for dying while projected.

-Tiberius