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Mind flayer PC race experiment
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<blockquote data-quote="JEB" data-source="post: 8597821" data-attributes="member: 10148"><p>Thanks for the feedback, all! (Especially yours, [USER=20323]@Quickleaf[/USER], very good to know what each feat should be balanced against at a given level.)</p><p></p><p>Let me give this another try.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>Illithid Traits</em></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Ability Score Increase. </strong>Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, assign the +2 and +1 wherever you wish.]</p><p><strong>Size. </strong>Your size is Medium.</p><p><strong>Speed. </strong>Your base walking speed is 30 feet.</p><p><strong>Magic Resistance.</strong> You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, remove "and other magical effects".]</p><p><strong>Superior Darkvision.</strong> You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.</p><p><strong>Telepathy.</strong> You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see, provided the creature is within a number of feet of you equal to 10 times your level. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.</p><p><strong>Tentacles. </strong>Your tentacles are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with your tentacles, you deal psychic damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier.</p><p> You can use your tentacles to grapple a Medium or smaller creature (escape DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier). Until this grapple ends, you can’t attack another creature with your tentacles.</p><p><strong>Mind Stun. </strong>As an action, you can stun a creature grappled by your tentacles. Unless it succeeds on an Intelligence saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier, the creature is stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, this is changed to a number of times equal to proficiency bonus before a long rest.]</p><p><strong>Brain Extraction. </strong>As an action, you can make a special attack with your tentacles against a creature stunned using your Mind Stun trait. If the attack hits, you deal 2d6 piercing damage. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, you kill the creature by extracting and devouring its brain, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a long rest.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>Illithid Feats</em></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Illithid Evolution</strong></p><p><em>Prerequisite: Illithid</em></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you hit a Medium or smaller creature with your tentacles, the creature is also grappled.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You may use your Mind Stun trait as a bonus action against a creature grappled by your tentacles. A creature stunned by your Mind Stun trait remains stunned until the grapple ends.</li> </ul><p><strong>Illithid Psionics</strong></p><p><em>Prerequisite: 8th Level, Illithid</em></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase the damage inflicted by your Tentacles trait to 2d6 + your intelligence modifier, and the damage inflicted by your Brain Extraction trait to 4d6.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can cast each of the following spells once, without needing any material components: <em>detect thoughts</em> and <em>levitate</em>. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a short or long rest. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, this is changed to a number of times equal to proficiency bonus before a long rest.]</li> </ul><p><strong>Greater Illithid Psionics</strong></p><p><em>Prerequisite: 12th Level, Illithid, Illithid Psionics feat</em></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase the damage inflicted by your Tentacles trait to 3d6 + your intelligence modifier, and the damage inflicted by your Brain Extraction trait to 6d6.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can cast <em>detect thoughts</em> and <em>levitate</em> at will, without needing any material components. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You gain the Mind Blast trait. As an action, you emit psychic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area of the Mind Blast must make an Intelligence saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d8 psychic damage and is stunned for 1 minute on a failed save. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.</li> </ul><p><strong>Superior Illithid Psionics</strong></p><p><em>Prerequisite: 16th Level, Illithid, Greater Illithid Psionics feat</em></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase the damage inflicted by your Tentacles trait to 4d6 + your intelligence modifier, and the damage inflicted by your Brain Extraction trait to 8d6.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Increase the area of your Mind Blast trait to 60 feet, and the damage inflicted by your Mind Blast trait to 4d8. Once you use your Mind Blast trait, you can use it again after you finish a short or long rest.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can cast each of the following spells once, without needing any material components: <em>dominate monster</em> and <em>plane shift</em>. You may only cast <em>plane shift</em> on yourself. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a long rest.</li> </ul><p></p><p><strong><em>Changes from version 1</em></strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Base race<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Restored the "Medium or smaller" restriction from the Monster Manual mind flayer. (Should have been in there in the first place.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tentacles can either be used for unarmed attacks or grapples, but not both. (The ability to do both in one attack is now part of the Illithid Evolution feat.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mind Stun now requires an action, and only lasts for 1 minute, permitting a save each round. (The ability to use Mind Stun as a bonus action, and the target remaining stunned while grappled, are now part of the Illithid Evolution feat.)</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Illithid Evolution<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">New feat, assumed to be taken at 4th level.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Illithid Psionics<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Now requires 8th level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Detect Thoughts and Levitate now recharge on a short or long rest, instead of being at-will.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Greater Illithid Psionics<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Now requires 12th level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">At-will Detect Thoughts and Levitate moved here.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mind Blast now recharges only on a long rest.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Superior Illithid Psionics<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Now requires 16th level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Added one more increase to Tentacles and Brain Extraction damage (to get as close to full mind flayer damage as possible).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mind Blast recharging on a short rest moved here.</li> </ul></li> </ul><p><em>EDIT: Corrected Brain Extraction to be specifically dependent on Mind Stun.</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JEB, post: 8597821, member: 10148"] Thanks for the feedback, all! (Especially yours, [USER=20323]@Quickleaf[/USER], very good to know what each feat should be balanced against at a given level.) Let me give this another try. [B][I]Illithid Traits[/I] Ability Score Increase. [/B]Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, assign the +2 and +1 wherever you wish.] [B]Size. [/B]Your size is Medium. [B]Speed. [/B]Your base walking speed is 30 feet. [B]Magic Resistance.[/B] You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, remove "and other magical effects".] [B]Superior Darkvision.[/B] You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. [B]Telepathy.[/B] You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see, provided the creature is within a number of feet of you equal to 10 times your level. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language. [B]Tentacles. [/B]Your tentacles are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with your tentacles, you deal psychic damage equal to 1d6 + your Intelligence modifier. You can use your tentacles to grapple a Medium or smaller creature (escape DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier). Until this grapple ends, you can’t attack another creature with your tentacles. [B]Mind Stun. [/B]As an action, you can stun a creature grappled by your tentacles. Unless it succeeds on an Intelligence saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier, the creature is stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, this is changed to a number of times equal to proficiency bonus before a long rest.] [B]Brain Extraction. [/B]As an action, you can make a special attack with your tentacles against a creature stunned using your Mind Stun trait. If the attack hits, you deal 2d6 piercing damage. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, you kill the creature by extracting and devouring its brain, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a long rest. [B][I]Illithid Feats[/I] Illithid Evolution[/B] [I]Prerequisite: Illithid[/I] [LIST] [*]Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. [*]If you hit a Medium or smaller creature with your tentacles, the creature is also grappled. [*]You may use your Mind Stun trait as a bonus action against a creature grappled by your tentacles. A creature stunned by your Mind Stun trait remains stunned until the grapple ends. [/LIST] [B]Illithid Psionics[/B] [I]Prerequisite: 8th Level, Illithid[/I] [LIST] [*]Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. [*]Increase the damage inflicted by your Tentacles trait to 2d6 + your intelligence modifier, and the damage inflicted by your Brain Extraction trait to 4d6. [*]You can cast each of the following spells once, without needing any material components: [I]detect thoughts[/I] and [I]levitate[/I]. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a short or long rest. [If you are using post-Tasha's guidelines, this is changed to a number of times equal to proficiency bonus before a long rest.] [/LIST] [B]Greater Illithid Psionics[/B] [I]Prerequisite: 12th Level, Illithid, Illithid Psionics feat[/I] [LIST] [*]Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. [*]Increase the damage inflicted by your Tentacles trait to 3d6 + your intelligence modifier, and the damage inflicted by your Brain Extraction trait to 6d6. [*]You can cast [I]detect thoughts[/I] and [I]levitate[/I] at will, without needing any material components. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. [*]You gain the Mind Blast trait. As an action, you emit psychic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area of the Mind Blast must make an Intelligence saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d8 psychic damage and is stunned for 1 minute on a failed save. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. [/LIST] [B]Superior Illithid Psionics[/B] [I]Prerequisite: 16th Level, Illithid, Greater Illithid Psionics feat[/I] [LIST] [*]Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20. [*]Increase the damage inflicted by your Tentacles trait to 4d6 + your intelligence modifier, and the damage inflicted by your Brain Extraction trait to 8d6. [*]Increase the area of your Mind Blast trait to 60 feet, and the damage inflicted by your Mind Blast trait to 4d8. Once you use your Mind Blast trait, you can use it again after you finish a short or long rest. [*]You can cast each of the following spells once, without needing any material components: [I]dominate monster[/I] and [I]plane shift[/I]. You may only cast [I]plane shift[/I] on yourself. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells. You regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a long rest. [/LIST] [B][I]Changes from version 1[/I][/B] [LIST] [*]Base race [LIST] [*]Restored the "Medium or smaller" restriction from the Monster Manual mind flayer. (Should have been in there in the first place.) [*]Tentacles can either be used for unarmed attacks or grapples, but not both. (The ability to do both in one attack is now part of the Illithid Evolution feat.) [*]Mind Stun now requires an action, and only lasts for 1 minute, permitting a save each round. (The ability to use Mind Stun as a bonus action, and the target remaining stunned while grappled, are now part of the Illithid Evolution feat.) [/LIST] [*]Illithid Evolution [LIST] [*]New feat, assumed to be taken at 4th level. [/LIST] [*]Illithid Psionics [LIST] [*]Now requires 8th level. [*]Detect Thoughts and Levitate now recharge on a short or long rest, instead of being at-will. [/LIST] [*]Greater Illithid Psionics [LIST] [*]Now requires 12th level. [*]At-will Detect Thoughts and Levitate moved here. [*]Mind Blast now recharges only on a long rest. [/LIST] [*]Superior Illithid Psionics [LIST] [*]Now requires 16th level. [*]Added one more increase to Tentacles and Brain Extraction damage (to get as close to full mind flayer damage as possible). [*]Mind Blast recharging on a short rest moved here. [/LIST] [/LIST] [I]EDIT: Corrected Brain Extraction to be specifically dependent on Mind Stun.[/I] [/QUOTE]
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