Illithigangers

[The Grumpy Celt]

So what do you think would happen if an illithid tadpole were placed in a doppleganger, e.g so you had a hydrid of doppleganger and illithid? What kind of powers and weaknesses do you think it would display?

 

[Bendris Noulg]

That is just too scary to think about...

Oh, wait, I'm a DM..!

Yes, there's some definate potential in this idea.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

And I thought my hoard of 10th level Half-Illithid Winged Kobold Sorcerers was evil...THIS I like.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

It does have a wonderful, "Invasion o the Body Snatcher" feel to it. Just working up a nasty nasty for an adventure I am prepairing to write.

Off hand I would say that their impersonation abilities would increase, due to their mental abilities backing up their "disguise." So it would be +8 to bluff and disguise checks and +15 circumstantial bonus.

They would need to drink inordinant amounts of water, as illithids are amphibians. And they would need to eat brains. Any other thoughts on weaknesses?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Illithids are amphibians?
As for weaknesses...hmm...well, they don't need to eat as often as humans and other species. It would probably be used as a spy for the other Illithids. I'm not really sure what could really be used against this beyond the "normal" means...

 

[Gez]

Nothing say whether illithids are amphibians or not, but they could be. Their larval form is aquatic, and then they need to stay constantly wet. It's even a problem for alhoons (illithilichs), who are said in Monsters of Faerûn to need to frequently drink liquids or bath in order to stay wet. For a reason or another, alhoons don't seem to eventually become skeletal in appearance.

In the same Monsters of Faerûn books, there is the greater doppelganger, an evil nasty that assume the identity of people it eats -- and gain the abilities of devored victims.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Guess the amphibian thing is just something for the DM to decide. Even if they're technically supposed to be, I'll stick to keeping them more mysterious dwellers of the Underdark. Thanks for the info though. Always fun to learn about Illithids *evil plotting noises*

 

[Kesh]

Technically, nothing special would happen. When the tadpole eats the brains out of its host, the host body transforms into an adult illithid. At that point, any of the hosts' special abilities would be lost in favor of the new form.

Of course, DMs can houserule this however they want.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

At that point, any of the hosts' special abilities would be lost in favor of the new form.

From the Template description:

"...It uses all of the base creatures statistics and abilities except as noted here."

"Special Attacks: A half-illithid retains all of the special attacks of the base creature..."

"Special Qualities: A half-illithid has all the special qualities of the base creature..."

All things considered, one would wonder why Humans are the "standard" Illithid when far more viable and potent options seem to be available through the template (they aren't even restricted by size anymore!!!).

Another thing occured to me: It refers to Humans being the only race that produces "true" Illithid, while in theory Neothelids are the "true" form obtained by these creatures, unless, of course, they were created by something with the specific intention that they grow from Humans (which eliminates the possibility of them having an empire that predates Humanity).

Oh, well, DM's call, I guess... Besides, they're not OGC, so I had to find something nastier to replace them with anyway (which wasn't easy, but think I've just about got it).