PC Mindflayer Race-Opinions wanted!

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Hi everyone, I like Mind Flayers and think they would make an interesting PC, but unfortunately, the suggested ECL for them I believe is around +18, so I worked on this race, the Squidlarekin (I think its from Final Fantasy Tactics, since I couldn't think of anything better ) as well as a PrC for them to bring them up to par with Mindflayers (minimal requirement to get all 10 levels is level 16, which is ECL 18, fitting nicely with the suggested ECL of a Mind Flayer).

Any suggestions/opinions welcome, it may be too powerful (advance warning, some things may be poorly worded here, this is my first try at it):

The Squidlarkin

Ability Score Adjustments: Str -2, Con -2, Int +4, Cha +2
Base Speed: 30 ft.
Medium-size
Squidlekin have a +1 Natural Armor bonus
Special Attacks: Tentacles, Squidlarkin can choose to either attack normally with a weapon or with up to 4 tentacles (damage 1d4 + ½ strength modifier). A Squidlarkin can also grapple with each tentacles. All tentacles attached automatically deal damage at the beginning of any round the Squidlarkin successfully maintains a grapple, and a squidlekin gains a +1 bonus to its attack bonus for each tentacle already attached to grappling checks. If this damage ever reduces an opponent to -1 or below hitpoints, they automatically die, their brain being devoured by the Squidlarkin.
Special Abilities:
Lesser Mind Blast (Sp): As Mind Blast (see Mind Flayer description), although it is 30 ft long, the DC is 10 + Your charisma modifier, it lasts for 1d4+1 rounds and can be used only once a minute.
Psionics (Sp): Squidlarkin can use the following spell like abilities 1/day-Charm Person, Levitate, and Detect Thoughts, 1/week-Suggestion, these abilities are cast as if by a sorcerer of the Squidlekin’s character level (DC 10 + Charisma modifier + Spell level)
Spell Resistance (Ex): Squidlarkin have an SR of 5 + their character level.
Telepathy (Su): Squidlarkin can communicate telepathically with any creature within 50 feet that has a language.
Aberration: For purposes of spells and effects, Squidlarkin are considered Aberrations.
Squidlarkins receive a +2 racial bonus to all Bluff and Sense Motive checks.
Favored Class: Psion
ECL: +2

Feats:
Enhanced Lesser Mind Blast
Prerequisites: Squidlarekin, Charisma 13+
Benefit-The duration of Lesser Mind Blast is changed to 2d4 rounds.

Greater Mind Blast
Prerequisites: Squidlarkin, Charisma 15+, 5th level, Enhanced Lesser Mind Blast
Benefit-The duration of Lesser Mind Blast is changed to 3d4 rounds, this overlaps Enhanced Lesser Mind Blast.

Increase Mind Blast Range
Prerequisites: Squidlarkin, 3rd level
Benefit-The range of Lesser Mind Blast is increased by 30 ft.

(these feats could use new names perhaps)


The Mind Flare (need a suggestion for a name here!)

Prerequisites: Squidlarkin, Enhanced Lesser Mind Blast, Greater Mind Blast, Increase Mind Blast Range

HD: d8
BAB Progression: As Cleric
Saves: Poor Fort and Reflex, Good Will

Skillpoints per level: 2+Int modifier
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Listen, Move Silently, Spot (same as Mindflayer)

Ability Progression:
1-Mental Strength, Enhanced Telepathy, Bonus Feat
2-Quick Mind
3-Improved Grab
4-Improved Psionics, +1 Bonus to Intelligence or Charisma (choice)
5-Bonus Feat
6-Extract
7-Enhanced Psionics
8-Bonus Feat, +1 Bonus to Intelligence or Charisma (choice)
9-Mental Mastery
10-True Illithid

Mental Strength (Ex): Add your Mind Flare levels to the DC to resist the Squidlarkin's Lesser Mind Blast ability.
Enhanced Telepathy (Su): The Mind Flare's telepathy range is increased from 50' to 100'.
Quick Mind (Su): The Mind Flare may use any of its psionics abilities (not Lesser Mind Blast) as a free action, once per round.
Improved Grab-The Mind Flare gains the Improved Grab feat if it does not already have it.
Improved Psionics (Sp): All Psionic abilities are increased to 2/day or week (depending on the power), furthermore, Charm Person is upgraded to Charm Monster.
Bonus Feat-at levels 1, 5, and 8 the Mind Flare may gain any one bonus feat from the following list: Ability Focus, Combat Casting (Mindflayer Feat), Greater Ability Focus, Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Initiative (Mindflayer Feat), Spell Focus: Enchantment, Spell Penetration, Weapon Finesse: Tentacle, Weapon Focus: Tentacle, Weapon Specialization: Tentacle.
Extract (Ex): At 6th level, the Mind Flare gains the Extract special ability of the Mind Flayer (see description in MM).
Enhanced Psionics (Sp): All Psionic abilities are increased to 3/day or week (depending on the power), and the Mind Flare gains the ability to Planeshift 3/week, this supercedes Improved Psionics.
Mental Mastery (Sp): There is no longer a delay to use Lesser Mind Blast, although it may be used only once a round.
True Illithid (Ex): The final transformation of the Squidlarkin into an Illithid, the Squidlarkin gains following powers: It's SR is increased from 5+character level to 11+character level, the DC of all Psionic powers and Lesser Mind Blast is increased by 2.

-Suggestions/Comments/Opinions all welcome and appreciated!

Edit-Spelling errors and such

 

[Creamsteak]

Ah yes, the Squidlarkin. The Prestige class, I suggest, should be named Mindflare after the Mindflare in FFT. Don't forget the lower class Pisco Demons either .

Pisco Demon 1 Move underwater, absorbs water, lightning weakness, Tentacle 1/1 Physical attack, (Black Ink) 2/1 Causes Darkness
Squidlarkin 2 Move underwater, absorbs water, lightning weakness, Tentacle 1/1 Physical attack, Black Ink 2/1 Causes Darkness, Odd Soundwave A/3 Removes positive status,
(Mind Blast) 3/2 Causes Confusion and Berserk
Mindflare 3 Move underwater, absorbs water, lightning weakness, Tentacle 1/1 Physical attack, Black Ink 2/1 Causes Darkness, Mind Black 3/2 Causes Confusion and Berserk
(Level Blast) 4/1 Lowers (experience) level


Those are all of the abilities from the game. If your going with Squidlarkin, they should have a swim speed, and possibly an ink spray and soundwave attack at first, then with the PRC they get that Mindblast.

Also, I like the idea. I recently came up with a way to get Mind Blast on a 1st level psionic warrior using all the normal rules, so it's quite feasable to be able to use it at full affect at lower levels. However, for me to use it I must lose 12 ability score points... which lowers as I level up... don't know if that's relative.

The trick I guess is in the spell like ability balancing. Once you get that down, it will probably be managable at +2ECL easily... I think.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Thanks for your imput although I'm aiming for more of the Mind Flayer from the MM as a race (Using the FFT names right now since I can't think of anything heh), but you inspired me for another PrC!

A second PrC which focuses even more on the Squidlarkin's Mind Blast, so that you can substitute its mind blast do cause effects like Confusion, Blindness, Memory Loss (as Enervation, they suffer -1d4 negative levels except they can't die that way and with a Will Save), as well as increasing the length of their lesser mind blast... , although I think i'll write that up another day.

 

[Darkwolf]

I would have to see it in action to better comment on it, but at first glance it seems ok. I have not played FFT so I can't comment much on the style of the race.

 

[Salamander Napolean]

I am glad to see that there are other Final Fantasy Tactics players out there.

Let me know when you get around to making a Mediator or Calculator prestige class. Or maybe a Heaven and Hell Knight?

 

[trix]

Sollir Furryfoot

Ey Sollir Furryfoot,

Well, since you're wanting a Mindflayer race as a player-playable race. You need to think about it carefully.

The Mindflayers in the MM are probably the typical higher-level "trained" mindflayers that would be traveling out of their homely lair.

It would not be unreasonable to expect mindflayers to go to school/training of some sort.

I recommend you split the race into two parts.

The mindflayer race - with unique abilities that are not too powerfull. Infact, they should have a bare minimum of abilities.

The special abilities and feats should be realised by a Prestige Class that is effectively "mindflayer training".

It might be a 6 level prestige class that has the following restrictions:

PrC Level 1 can be trained at a minimum of player level 0.

Level 2 may be trained at a minimum of player level 3

Level 3 may be trained at a minimum of player level 5

Level 4 may be trained at a minimum of player level 7

Level 5 may be trained at a minimum of player level 9

Level 6 may be trained at a minimum of player level 11

---

This way, the mindflayer improves and hones his natural abilities, with training, as he progresses in level.

There is no sudden full use of an ability at any one level.

-Tim

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Hi, thanks for your comments

Salamander, I love FFT, although this race is really based on Mind Flayers-trying to make them a viable PC race, using the FFT names til I get better suggestions (cause I'm really bad when it comes to the naming department)

Trix, hrm, interesting ideas. I don't know much about a book called the Illithid or similar for 2ED but I believe 'younger' mind flayers are tadpole things, and when they mature they are implanted into the brain of another humanoid and begin metamorphosis to their stats in the MM. 6 Level PrC just doesn't do it for me, its a bit non-standard (6 levels and that you have to be a certain level for each level of the PrC), although the idea gives food for thought.

Keep the suggestions coming

 

[trix]

...

Well, maybe make it a 4 level PrC... or however best u think it should be balanced. Split the mindflayer abilities over 4 levels and have the player effectively have to train themselves at them to achieve them. That way a 1st level mindflayer doesnt get tons of abilities that ensure that by the time the rest of the party get into combat, the 1st level flayer has already mindblasted the brains from the 30 opponents around the corner (the MF had picked up some brain signals before the 1st level fighter even knew what died).

The key thing is to consider a Human Mage 6 and a Mind Flayer Mage 6.... Which is going to be more powerfull? MF. So you balance it by having the Mind Flayer player character gain his abilities slowly - through training.

The CR level of the party should still apply without modification because the 1st level mindflayer isnt typically your fully experienced ninja mindflayer.

Just think about it. Split the abilities, or the bonuses gained by the abilities into presiege classes. The class is only available to the mindflayer. The abilities can be extremely good, but realise that the character will be typically about 3 or 4 levels behind other players. Which is fine, because the mindflayer abilities should easily cover it up.

Also... i'm not sure what HD mindflayers had, but you can ensure that if the mindflayers were typically weak - in the MM, then the mindflayer prestiege class might give 1d4 hitpoints, instead of say 1d8 the mindflayer would be getting as something else, or 1d10, or whatever.

-Tim

 

[Staffan]

I was just considering something similar, though my solution was a bit more prosaic. I would make the mind flayer "race" a HD-less race, just like dwarves and humans (though significantly more powerful) and drop the inherent psionics. Instead, the regularly encountered Illithid would be a Psion of at least 11th level - I'd have to give up Astral Projection and Plane Shift to make that work though, but they can be replaced by Teleportation and they'll get *lots* more powers to make up for it.

I haven't written anything up for it yet, I just got the idea today. I probably got the idea from the Illithiad (which has some stuff on various stages of illithid development before they turn into the adults seen in the MM), as well as my desire to make exceptional mind flayers just have a few more levels of Psion - just adding 3-4 levels of Psion to a regular mind flayer won't do much good, but the difference between an 11th and a 14th "racial" mind flayer psion is quite big.

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Trix-Hrm, For comparing something (Balancewise), compare it to the equivilant ECL, so take the example of a Squidlarkin Wiz 3 vs. a Human Wiz 5:

-Squidlarkin would have 2 feats +1 bonus feat (scribe scroll) for a total of 3, human would have 3 feats +2 bonus feats (scribe scroll and 1 other wizard feat) for a total of 5.
-Human wizard would have 5d4 + Con mod x5 hitpoints,
Squidlarkin would have 3d4 + Con mod x3 in hitpoints (with a -2 penalty in Con).
-Human wizard has access to 3rd level spells and has more spells with the Squidlarkin having access to 2nd level spells. To offset this, the Squidlarkin has 1 level 1 semi-offensive spell, 2 level 2 non-offensive and Lesser Mind Blast all once a minute (basically once or twice a combat or encounter) and a 3rd level spell once a week which can be of use in a jam (Special advantage here-All these abilities don't require somatic/verbal components).
-Human has a +1 BAB advantage as well as having 4 more strength making him generally more combat able (low levels still an option if you don't want to waste spells).
-Squidlarkin is 1 higher in its stat modifier than the human (+2 being partially negated by the human increasing Intelligence at level 4.
-Squidlarkin has an SR of 8 (Level 5 human fails this 15% of the time, only on a 1 if he has spell penetration) but semi-potent ability none the less.
-Squidlarkin has the Aberration type-this generally makes them immune to a few amount of spells I believe (All low level-Charm Person? and similar).

Though that's just my analysis (as to to their actual power levels, its not playtested and is more of a spur of the moment thought), I'm probably missing a couple things but that's the jist of it. Anything especially overpowering for the Squidlarkin that I'm missing?

Example also couldn't quite work I think, mind blast would be blocked if a wall stood inbetween? I'm not quite sure, and the DC for the Mind Blast doesn't scale that high although a 1st level fighter would be susceptible with his low will save. (Although the Squidlarkin is 2 ECL higher than it)

Mind Flayers have 7 HD I believe, suggested ECL of +18 in one of the Dragon issues recently.

I'll consider what you stated and brood a little more on the subject though. Thanks for commenting


Staffan-Interesting approach, although I'm aiming for something that could be used for other classes other than psions, although that is their favored class. Good luck with your own conversion!