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Let’s Read Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
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<blockquote data-quote="Leatherhead" data-source="post: 8704954" data-attributes="member: 53176"><p><h3>Ulitharid (VGtM)</h3><p></p><p>Ulitharids are the most dangerous kind of Mind Flayer, not only due to their potency, but also their potential to go off and turn themselves into a new Elder Brain*. </p><p></p><p>*: Earlier in this book.</p><p></p><p>When not going off into the world to find a suitable place for splitting open their own skulls in a ritual designed to create a new colony, Ulitharids can serve as a proxy for an existing Elder Brain. Allowing the Elder Brain to forge a Psionic Link to any creature in range of the Ulitharid. </p><p></p><p>Ulitharids have a few interesting plot hooks. Firstly, they can be played against the Elder Brain, inciting a rebellion in a Colony. Secondly, their ritual staff is an item with quite a bit of potential. Not only can it be stolen or recovered by a band of adventurers (who are perhaps in the employ of some Gith) it raises the question: What happens when a non-Ulitharid affixes the staff to their own skull? What kind of psionic monster would be born of such a corrupted ritual? </p><p></p><p>Before the combat even starts, the Ulitharid should be aware of any intelligent creatures approaching them due to their Creature Sense, making it incredibly hard to ambush them. Both <em>Scrying</em> and<em> Project Image</em> can be used to counter any such attempts, though only one can be used at a time due to concentration.</p><p></p><p>In combat, the Ulitharid is a controller with lots of options. Firstly, their Signature Mind Blast is the traditional AoE damage+stun with an INT save, making it very effective against most groups of PCs.<em> Mass Suggestion</em> is another excellent opening move, “Run away back home, lest you be killed” is a totally reasonable suggestion, that can send some of the PCs packing, and even end the encounter as soon as it starts. Do not overlook the Tentacles, while it may seem a bit backwards to keep a controller in melee range, any creature caught up in such a grasp runs the risk of being stunned till they die (or get pulled free). Their other control options are more situational,<em> Feeblemind </em>should be kept in reserve unless necessary (As it makes the brain less tasty). <em>Levitate</em> is cumbersome, but useful against people protected against Charm (or to just toss heavy rocks around). And<em> Dominate Monster </em>can be useful, if nothing else is using their Concentration. Finally, if the combat goes sour, they can use<em> Plane Shift</em> to escape.</p><p></p><p>If your Ulitharid is psionically linked to an Elder Brain, don’t forget that the Elder Brain can use their Bonus Action to help out from anywhere on the same plane of existence. It’s not much, but digging into the target’s mind can provide a tactical advantage, which can then be broadcast back to the Ulitharid.</p><p></p><p>In this reprinting, the Ulitharid lost their <em>Confusion </em>and <em>Eyebite </em>spells. Unfortunately, they did not gain the new multiattack, let alone one that allows for spell swapping.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Leatherhead, post: 8704954, member: 53176"] [HEADING=2]Ulitharid (VGtM)[/HEADING] Ulitharids are the most dangerous kind of Mind Flayer, not only due to their potency, but also their potential to go off and turn themselves into a new Elder Brain*. *: Earlier in this book. When not going off into the world to find a suitable place for splitting open their own skulls in a ritual designed to create a new colony, Ulitharids can serve as a proxy for an existing Elder Brain. Allowing the Elder Brain to forge a Psionic Link to any creature in range of the Ulitharid. Ulitharids have a few interesting plot hooks. Firstly, they can be played against the Elder Brain, inciting a rebellion in a Colony. Secondly, their ritual staff is an item with quite a bit of potential. Not only can it be stolen or recovered by a band of adventurers (who are perhaps in the employ of some Gith) it raises the question: What happens when a non-Ulitharid affixes the staff to their own skull? What kind of psionic monster would be born of such a corrupted ritual? Before the combat even starts, the Ulitharid should be aware of any intelligent creatures approaching them due to their Creature Sense, making it incredibly hard to ambush them. Both [I]Scrying[/I] and[I] Project Image[/I] can be used to counter any such attempts, though only one can be used at a time due to concentration. In combat, the Ulitharid is a controller with lots of options. Firstly, their Signature Mind Blast is the traditional AoE damage+stun with an INT save, making it very effective against most groups of PCs.[I] Mass Suggestion[/I] is another excellent opening move, “Run away back home, lest you be killed” is a totally reasonable suggestion, that can send some of the PCs packing, and even end the encounter as soon as it starts. Do not overlook the Tentacles, while it may seem a bit backwards to keep a controller in melee range, any creature caught up in such a grasp runs the risk of being stunned till they die (or get pulled free). Their other control options are more situational,[I] Feeblemind [/I]should be kept in reserve unless necessary (As it makes the brain less tasty). [I]Levitate[/I] is cumbersome, but useful against people protected against Charm (or to just toss heavy rocks around). And[I] Dominate Monster [/I]can be useful, if nothing else is using their Concentration. Finally, if the combat goes sour, they can use[I] Plane Shift[/I] to escape. If your Ulitharid is psionically linked to an Elder Brain, don’t forget that the Elder Brain can use their Bonus Action to help out from anywhere on the same plane of existence. It’s not much, but digging into the target’s mind can provide a tactical advantage, which can then be broadcast back to the Ulitharid. In this reprinting, the Ulitharid lost their [I]Confusion [/I]and [I]Eyebite [/I]spells. Unfortunately, they did not gain the new multiattack, let alone one that allows for spell swapping. [/QUOTE]
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