Mind Flayer's Extract

[phillipjp]

Just to make sure I've got the rules right, in order for a Mind Flayer to pull off an Extract (Ex), he must:

Round 1: Hit with a tentacle attack at +8. If successful, attempt an Improved Grab (Hold) at -20; net -12.

Round 2: If the -12 Hold check succeeds, he can then attempt to attach the remaining 3 tentacles, each with a grapple check at -10, -8, -6. (+2 for each tentacle attached).

Opponent's round 1,2: Can escape with an opposed grapple/Escape Artist check against the Mind Flayer's -12 to -6 (if all 4 tentacles attached).

Round 3: After another successful Hold (at net -6 for 4 tentacles attached), then he can Extract.

Is that how this works, or am I making it too complicated? It seems that at 8th level (Mind Flayer's CR 8), most character's BAB+Str (for the grapple check) would be high enough to laugh at the Mind Flayer's -20 for a grapple hold.

 

[0-hr]

That -20 is optional for the mind flayer. He only needs to apply that if he wants to grapple the victim without himself being grappled. If the mind flayer doesn't mind moving in close (losing his Dex bonus, and ability to move etc.), then he can make plain old grapple checks without that -20 modifier.

 

[0-hr]

As a nother note, if the mind flayer hit and made the grapple check with his first attack of the round then he should be able to do that "attach 4" attempt using his second grapple check. Given his BAB, he is allowed 2 grapple attempts per round. This could shorten the overall process by a round.

 

[0-hr]

And finally (woohoo, look at that post count go up!), the Mind Flayer may not need to make a check on round three. It says that he sucks out the brain if he maintains the hold. Well, if he does a grapple check and fails, he is still maintaining the hold. The victim can only escape by making a grapple check on HIS turn, not the mind flayer's. The way I see it, if the mind flayer starts a round with all 4 tentacles attached, then he sucks out the brain right then and there. He's already "maintained the hold" since the last round (when he attached all 4 tentacles).

I could be wrong on this one though. It would have been nice if they had said something like "a mind flayer can extract a brain using a standard grapple check after all 4 tentacles are attached."

 

[Olorin]

Here's how I understand it:

Mind Flayer attacks. Could be a full attack with all 4 tentacles. Each tentacle that hits gives him a free grapple check to hold with that tentacle. If the flayer hits with all 4 and gets 4 holds, and if the target does not break the grapple on his next action, when the mind flayer's next turn comes the target is dead.

If the flayer has less than 4 tentacles with a hold, on his next action he can attempt to grab with all the rest with one check, +2 for each one already attached. Again, if the flayer is able to grab with the rest and the target doesn't break the grapple, the target dies on the flayers next turn.

As Ki Ryn said, the -20 is an option monsters with Improved Grab can take to avoid being considered grappled themselves (still threatens area, keeps Dex bonus).

So it can be as little as two rounds when brain extraction occurs.
Mind Flayers are nasty (and rightly so).

 

[Saeviomagy]

"A mind flayer that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and successfully maintains its hold automatically extracts the opponent's brain, instantly killing that creature." - SRD

As far as I can tell, it goes as follows:

The mind flayer has attached all his tentacles on a previous round.

On his turn, he "...begins its turn with all four tentacles attached..." and thus STARTS sucking out the brain - he still must "...successfully maintain its hold...".

The question is, what does successfully maintaining his hold mean? For how long?

I'd suggest that you reword this to read that a mind flayer with all of his tentacles attached may take a full-round action to extract the targets brain - ie. the only way that a victim would survive the above scenario is if the mind flayer was somehow forced to take some action other than grappling (like deciding to run away for instance, which requires him to give up the grapple).

 

[The Forsaken One]

Mindblast, attack, suck, dead.

Another more easy way

 

[Velenne]

I believe (I don't have my books with me so I could be talking out of my ....you know) that their Attacks listing says "4 Tentacles +8".

So they get 4 attacks while up at melee with a PC. If he hits with any of them, he makes a grapple check as a free action (also +8). If he wins with all 4, kudos for him and he's smart for attacking the rogue who was away from his party and not running into the middle of the group without mind blasting them into submission first. But I digress...

Let's say he manages on his turn to succeed at all 4 grapple checks. The PC's turn comes up and the hapless rogue didn't spend any ranks in Escape Artist. So he tries in vain to escape while screaming for his group to hurry up and save him. Next round, the PC's arrive too late. On his turn, the illithid has now spent the last round sucking the rogue's brain out. Dead rogue. Time for mind flayer to eat and run.