Smartest creatures ranked by INT

[Jeremy]

Illithid have to be up there.


Edit: And remember, those are the "average" for their race. The equivalent of a 10 int human. if you want them to be smarter than the average monster, just tack on +8 int.

Quite disappointingly, they aren't. The average illithid is no more intelligent then the average 8th level wizard in my games. There don't seem to be very many exceptionally smart creatures. Strong, yes. Fast, yes. Tough, yes. Wise, yes. Charismatic, yes. But except for the excellent suggestion of the ethergaunts, there doesn't seem to be a smart race of creatures.

And while you can take any group and Secret-of-Nimh them, hopefully someone out there has noticed a group that is already on average very smart even if they are frail or lacking in some other area.

And no, to answer the above question, deities don't count.

 

[gabrion]

You can Polymorph Any Object into a black ethergaunt?

I don't think so. I should have said that before. I was just pointing out how I found them in the first place-I was looking for PaO forms with high INT (since you get the new INT score). Unfortunately, PaO is mostly the same as polymorph, and I'm pretty sure you can only assume a form with up to 15 HD. The black ethergaunts have 16. Makes me sad...

The consolation prize is the white ethergaunt. I think they have like 12 HD, and only 27 INT (can't remember for sure).

BTW, these guys are nasty BBEGs. Considering the fact that you can give them items and they already have effective wizard levels, adding a few more levels of wizard can really put up a huge challenge. Oh ya, did I forget to metion that spells up to a certain level just odn't affect them? Ya, crazy.

 

[MoonZar]

What are some really hyper intelligent creatures? I know great wyrm golds are INT 32, but who are the other ultra smart creatures? I can find creatures with 39 STR but I need an inhuman schemer who has always been a super genius (read, didn't gain 30 levels, read a book, and put on circlet).

hehehe the demilich is scary with 39 of int

 

[moritheil]

Beholders should be in the mid to high 20s.

 

[Stalker0]

Damn, all that puts those "genius" mindflayers with their 18-20 ints to shame

 

[Targos]

The big outsiders only have mid 20s for intelligence, but its not to say an advanced one couldn't have 30+. (A 26 translates into 10 base + 16 racial modifier. Give one a base of 18 just like a PC that rolled it. That can be done with most any monster.)

 

[gtJormungand]

Ignoring the dragons from the Epic Level Handbook, there are the following:
Gibbering Orb, 40
Demilich, 39
Ha-Naga, 35
Elder Titan, 33
Leshaym, 33
Uvuudaum, 32
Atropal, 28
Three-Headed Sirrus, 26
Gloom, 26
Thorciasid, 25
Phane, 24

Not so epic creatures:
Pit Fiend, 26
Balor, 24

This was found using Andargor's SRD Databases( http://www.andargor.com/ ) using the query:

SELECT name, CAST(SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING(abilities, LOCATE("int", abilities)), ',',1), ' ', 2),' ',-1) AS UNSIGNED) AS intelligence
FROM `monster` ORDER BY intelligence DESC;

 

[Goolpsy]

If you want an extremly smart monter to make dark plans... just take some cool high Int Demon and give them an Epic +10 Int item.. could make a great adventure, and the options are much more open this way..

btw, you do know that 31 Int etc, is a brilliant genious.. Einstein probably had 14 if he's lucky.. just to put things in perspective..

(Sorry for the swearing, wont happen again)

 

[Goolpsy]

Another quick idea is making a Paragon Great wyrm primatic dragon (just for fun)
paragon = +15 great wyrm prismatic dragon Int 64.. = 79

with a challenge rating on 81 (i think) so you could give him a +15 Int item..
79+15 = 94 Intelligence... Well Need anything smarter? just make the item +20 instead and he will have 99 ^^

 

[Ferret]

I think it's expected that anything with intelligence higher then 35 = can't be played properly, and should always win.

Player: I.....

DM: No, It thought of that.

Player: But.....

DM: And that. Your dead.

Which sucks.