D&D 5E Illithid PC

[cbwjm]

I think this race has merit. It probably wouldn't be a PC race in any of my current games but I could see using them in a one shot or even a planescape setting where the PCs go for help and the only one who has the knowledge they seek is a renegade illithid (another PC) who requests the aid of the party as payment. Could make for an interesting game but I hope that illithid has some concealing robes because I don't think many would react favourably to them.

 

[plisnithus8]

Perhaps the surface world has never seen an illithid until this strange PC comes along.
Later in the campaign evil illithids are encountered sucking skulls, and the PC has to figure out how to deal with the terror she causes, perhaps even in the other PCs.

 

[CAFRedblade]

I think the same could be said for a drow, orc, or yuan-ti PC, but I can see that as balancing opportunity.
Maybe disadvantage on Charisma (persuasion) on any non-illithid.

I'm just pulling some knowledge from both the old 2nd ed book on illithids, and 2nd through 5th ed DND Forgotten Realms history, and Eberron Campaign Setting. As hated as the Drow are in the underdark, being slavers and other undesireables, the Mind Flayers are hated much more. Something about eating living brains...
But there are a few Mind Flayers in FR city Skull Port under Waterdeep that run and interact with the other races. Mostly through fear in a Mob Boss/Business Man type of NPC. DM and player discretion in a homebrew. Playtest and adjust until you find the right fit.

 

[Elon Tusk]

I'm just pulling some knowledge from both the old 2nd ed book on illithids, and 2nd through 5th ed DND Forgotten Realms history, and Eberron Campaign Setting. As hated as the Drow are in the underdark, being slavers and other undesireables, the Mind Flayers are hated much more. Something about eating living brains...
But there are a few Mind Flayers in FR city Skull Port under Waterdeep that run and interact with the other races. Mostly through fear in a Mob Boss/Business Man type of NPC. DM and player discretion in a homebrew. Playtest and adjust until you find the right fit.

Thanks for the contribution.

You guys are correct - enmity will likely be the biggest hurdle for an Illithid player to overcome.
Even in the Underdark, Mind Flayer PCs are rogue and would be enemies even of their own kind and their thralls.

 

[Elon Tusk]

Seriously, what is with this guy.

 

[Jester David]

I wasn't going to post here, but nothing makes me more interested in writing a lengthy post is someone poo-pooing and idea.
So let's make an awesome ilithid.

Okay, alhoon and ultralithid are likely awkward choices for subraces. They're big concepts, and high Challenge monsters. It's weird to have a CR 10 high level spellcasters monster become a CR 1/4 player character.
I'd prefer dropping the subclasses and juts focusing on making a less flexible but more consistent ilithid race.

Okay, the evil, inhuman aspect is problematic. Mind Flayers are inhuman.
What if we tweak that?
Mind Flayers are created when a tadpole enters the brain of a humanoid, consuming its essence. What if the personality of PC Mind Flayers survives the process? They remember being human (or elf or dwarf). Even partially. Mind Flayers with a soul. That removes the inherently evil aspect and allows some less alien mindset. And can also work as a justification for the different abilities.

Using dragon breath as the basis for mind blast works. I like. Maybe instead of increasing the damage it can add stunning or disorientating at higher levels?

Tentacles and mind blast are fairly balanced as the powers of a standard race. I think it only needs one disadvantage. Lower ability scores *and* poor initiative *and* sunlight sensitivity are all a bit much. I think keeping one is enough. If you add a variant of magic resistance, a second would be fine.

 

[Lanliss]

View attachment 84334

Seriously, what is with this guy.

My theory is that he is trying to see if it is actually possible to get banned from the forums. No other logical reason for behavior like that.

 

[Elon Tusk]

I wasn't going to post here, but nothing makes me more interested in writing a lengthy post is someone poo-pooing and idea.
So let's make an awesome ilithid.

I appreciate the time of anyone willing to help.

Okay, alhoon and ultralithid are likely awkward choices for subraces. They're big concepts, and high Challenge monsters. It's weird to have a CR 10 high level spellcasters monster become a CR 1/4 player character.
I'd prefer dropping the subclasses and juts focusing on making a less flexible but more consistent ilithid race.

My thinking was that their spell-casting/psionics was either gained by age or class-related spells so I was taking a lot of that away as a PC could add those back eventually with classes and XP.
But I do see your point and will think on it.

Okay, the evil, inhuman aspect is problematic. Mind Flayers are inhuman.
What if we tweak that?
Mind Flayers are created when a tadpole enters the brain of a humanoid, consuming its essence. What if the personality of PC Mind Flayers survives the process? They remember being human (or elf or dwarf). Even partially. Mind Flayers with a soul. That removes the inherently evil aspect and allows some less alien mindset. And can also work as a justification for the different abilities.

I like that a lot. It's as if the host humanoid passed a Constitution save and was able to resist the total replacement of its brain.
This could also be why the alhoon and ultralithid are so de-powered, too much power for whatever amount of humanoid brain remains.

Using dragon breath as the basis for mind blast works. I like. Maybe instead of increasing the damage it can add stunning or disorientating at higher levels?

Yes, I wanted to try to balance it with existing race features, but I also want to not to be too similar. Those sound like good options.

Tentacles and mind blast are fairly balanced as the powers of a standard race. I think it only needs one disadvantage. Lower ability scores *and* poor initiative *and* sunlight sensitivity are all a bit much. I think keeping one is enough. If you add a variant of magic resistance, a second would be fine.

I didn't want to have an OP race, figured it'd be easier to delete disadvantages.

 

[Jester David]

I wasn't going to post here, but nothing makes me more interested in writing a lengthy post is someone poo-pooing and idea.
So let's make an awesome ilithid.

Okay, alhoon and ultralithid are likely awkward choices for subraces. They're big concepts, and high Challenge monsters. It's weird to have a CR 10 high level spellcasters monster become a CR 1/4 player character.
I'd prefer dropping the subclasses and juts focusing on making a less flexible but more consistent ilithid race.

Okay, the evil, inhuman aspect is problematic. Mind Flayers are inhuman.
What if we tweak that?
Mind Flayers are created when a tadpole enters the brain of a humanoid, consuming its essence. What if the personality of PC Mind Flayers survives the process? They remember being human (or elf or dwarf). Even partially. Mind Flayers with a soul. That removes the inherently evil aspect and allows some less alien mindset. And can also work as a justification for the different abilities.

Using dragon breath as the basis for mind blast works. I like. Maybe instead of increasing the damage it can add stunning or disorientating at higher levels?

Tentacles and mind blast are fairly balanced as the powers of a standard race. I think it only needs one disadvantage. Lower ability scores *and* poor initiative *and* sunlight sensitivity are all a bit much. I think keeping one is enough. If you add a variant of magic resistance, a second would be fine.

 

[LordEntrails]

One thing to keep in mind, NPC races, especially high level ones, most still come from babies, and those babies don't start with all the abilities of those we see in the published sources.

So, what'a a juvenile Mind Flayer like? What do we know about MF/Illythid society? Do you want to accomodate racial levels or something for thos PC's that want to grow into the full NPC version?

I think if you figure out how one would level up, and compare that to other level up options, that will help you figure out what a level one PC should look like.