Mind Flayers wimpy!?

[drnuncheon]

Keep in mind that sending a high Will-save character against a mind flayer is sort of like sending a rogue with improved evasion against an evoker, or a flying archer against a melee specialist - one character can more or less ignore the other's main attacks, so of course they're going to mop up (and the EL should really be adjusted because of favorable circumstances for the party).

If I were a mind flayer, I'd want to have Wis-draining poisons at my disposal, just in case I met a touch nut to crack like that psion. A little insanity mist in his area and we'll see how he feels about making some Fort saves...come back in a minute or so when he's down 8 or 9 Wis and see how well he resists then.

J
mmm, fresh brain

 

[Dr_Rictus]

CR's always assume an opposing party of four equal-level characters, one each fighter, wizard, cleric, and rogue. That's simply how the CR playtesting is done.

 

[maddman75]

I've used them in one of my campaigns as the major villians. Here has been my experience.

The mind flayers typically stay in the rear, with their dominated mooks stopping the meat shields. The flayer throws charms into the meat shields, to get them to disrupt the casters/archers. If the line of mooks opens up, time for a mind blast, which most of hte melee characters are vulnerable to.

They also have a lot of intelligence, and have multiple escape and contingency plans.

 

[kreynolds]

If I were a mind flayer, I'd want to have Wis-draining poisons at my disposal, just in case I met a touch nut to crack like that psion.

Wait a sec. How is the mind flayer supposed to deliver that poison?

EDIT: Good idea, by the way.

 

[kreynolds]

CR's always assume an opposing party of four equal-level characters, one each fighter, wizard, cleric, and rogue.

Believe me, I know. Read on to see what I mean.

That's simply how the CR playtesting is done.

We weren't playtesting the CR of the mind flayer, or anything else. We were playtesting psionics. I just happened to notice the mind flayer getting the holy heck kicked out of him by a single character.

You have to keep in mind that I run several solo games, and to be honest, I can truly say that this is the first time I've ever run into such a glaring anomaly.

 

[kreynolds]

The mind flayers typically stay in the rear, with their dominated mooks stopping the meat shields. The flayer throws charms into the meat shields, to get them to disrupt the casters/archers. If the line of mooks opens up, time for a mind blast, which most of hte melee characters are vulnerable to.

That's a great tactic, but the CR of 8 doesn't include "dominated mooks", so just having them would up the EL. In your experience, do you think a mind flayer can honestly hold its CR 8 when it is by itself? I've never used one in any of my games, and I've only encountered one as a player (back in 2nd edition), so you definately have more experience than me.

 

[Kyramus]

try to keep in mind that the mind flayer in the MM was before the Psionics handbook.

Personally the Mindflayers in my world have psion class levels equal to their HD, higher level mind flayers are of course the leaders of their race and such.

 

[IceBear]

Isn't there another version of the mind flayer in the PsiHB?

IceBear

 

[kreynolds]

Isn't there another version of the mind flayer in the PsiHB?

No. I was hoping there would be.

 

[kreynolds]

try to keep in mind that the mind flayer in the MM was before the Psionics handbook.

Yeah, true enough. Actually, there's this funny little thing about that, and it's kinda off-topic, but oh well.

The Mind Flayer has SR 25. Now, with psionic/magic transparency, spell resistance functions as power resistance as well, protecting you from both. However, if you remove this transparency, you assign PR to creatures with SR, and it's equal to their SR - 10. So, a Mind Flayer would have SR 25 and PR 15.

Here's my question for you: Do you think those should be reversed? I mean, here's a monster that is pretty versed with psionics, yet it has a higher SR than PR. Wierd.

Does anyone have any suggestions on whether or not the mind flayer needs to be altered, or some aspects that need to be closely watched, when you remove the psionic/magic transparency?

EDIT: Also, in a game where true psionics are present, how do you handle the Mind Flayer's Mind Blast ability? Do you treat it as is written in the MM? Or do you treat it as the psionic attack mode in the PsiH?