Mind Flayer brain sucking - how does it work?

[Zamora]

Hi,

Desperately need some help in adjudicating mind flayer tentacle attacks. How do they work?

Is the initial tentacle attack a melee touch attack? If that misses, does the illithid get another three attempts with its other tentacles? If so and the last tentacle gets a hold, does it get to try and attach the other tentacles

If someone could run through this in step by step format it would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Confused of South London

 

[CRGreathouse]

Is the initial tentacle attack a melee touch attack?

No.

If that misses, does the illithid get another three attempts with its other tentacles?

Yes.

If so and the last tentacle gets a hold, does it get to try and attach the other tentacles

Yes, next round (pr the same round, if hasted.

 

[SpuneDagr]

I asked this question a while ago and was told to look in the "Illithiad." I don't know if it is still available somewhere.

I was told that the creature grabs you so its mouth is somewhere on the back of yer head. Its tentacles secrete a powerful acid that eats through your skin and skull (very quickly) thus 'flaying' the mind. It then siphons the gooey insides into its mouth. Yum.

The acid also becomes completely inert once exposed to air. Basically, you can't harvest it and use it yourself.

 

[Wolf72]

I hate bugs

ever since I saw Starship Troopers I have the vision of a tentacle making it's way to the brain (thru skin + bone) then wet-vaccing the insides out ... ewwwww.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Is it a touch attack:

It could be but it's unlikely. Basically, it would be a touch attack if he was using a standard grapple instead of his improved grab ability. That would be a bad idea since most Mind Flayer do not have the improved unarmed feat.

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Normally, the illithid makes an attack with a tentacle (+8). If he hits, he deals 1D4+1 damage and can immediately attempts a grapple check at +8 as a free action because of his improved grab ability. If he suceeds he has 1 tentacle attached.

The description on p.136 states that a Mind Flayer can attach its remaining tentacle with a single grapple check.

Now it is a little tricky but usually once you have grappled an opponent you can use your remaining attacks to do additional grapple check.

So if the Mind Flayer is doing a full attack and has grappled you on his first attack, he can do 3 more grapple check. A success on any of these could result in attaching the 4 tentacles.

 

[Zamora]

I think I get it now, but please tell me if this makes sense!

Say the mind flayer hits with its first attack and gets a hold with its improved grab.

It then has two options -- continue to make tentacle attacks with its other three tentacles OR make up to three grapple attempts to fix on the other tentacles.

Is this correct?


Cheers


Zamora

 

[Demogorge]

Ok now I'm confused. According to the DnD faq, the number of grappling checks you can make is based on your BAB/HD and not the number of attacks you get. So a Mind Flayer would get 2 grapple checks at +8 and +3. In order to use the improved grab it doesn't seem like he can make a touch attack. That would be a normal grapple and not a brain sucking grapple

The benefit of the improved grab is probably not 2 more grapple checks, it's the normal (not subdual) damage on a successful grapple check if the mind flayer chooses to do damage, and the free grappling action if the m.f. hits and isn't already grappling.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Improved Grab lets you avoid a touch attack, and lets you grapple as a free action. Since grapple is based on Str, shouldn't a mind flayer's grapple check be +7, and not +8?

 

[Demogorge]

Improved Grab lets you avoid a touch attack, and lets you grapple as a free action.

But the free action only comes after making a normal melee attack. Wouldn't it be more advantageous in this case to forego the d4+1 damage and make a melee touch attack if possible? The sooner you can start the grapple the better, and your chances are higher with a touch attack than a normal one. Still I don't think this is allowed with a Mind Flayer.

Since grapple is based on Str, shouldn't a mind flayer's grapple check be +7, and not +8?

Yeah my bad. Didn't notice the WF tentacle. So two grapple checks at +7 and +2.

 

[Dwarmaj]

Would a Stoneskin protect you from extraction?

The Mindflayer only does 1d4+1 and wouldn't be able to get through the 10/+5 DR.

Just a thought.

Dwarmaj