Solution to the Half-Ilithid question

[jaker2003]

There's always been some mook trying to make half-ilithids, but there never seems to be a proper balance for such a template . . . well, here's my stab at the aberration. . .


CREATING A HALF-ILITHID

Size and Type: Aberration

Hit Dice: +2d8

Natural Armor: +2

Special Attacks: One of the following:

Mind Blast (Psi): This psionic attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC (14 + Cha) Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds (psionic creatures instead take 1d4 Cha damage).

Psionics (Psi): At will – charm monster (DC 14 + Cha), Detect Thoughts (DC 12 + Cha), levitate, planeshift, suggestion (DC 13 + Cha). Effective manifester level +2.

Tentacles (Ex): This creature has four mind flayer tentacles. A half-ilithid that hits a creature within one size category of itself with a tentacle attack (1d4 damage) may attempt to attach its remaining tentacles with single grapple check. If the half-ilithid begins a turn with all four tentacles attached and makes a successful grapple check, it automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature (unless it has multiple brains or can function without its brain).

Special Qualities: All of the following:

Power Resistance 10+Cha bonus

Spell Resistance 10+Cha bonus

Telepathy (Psi): A half-ilithid may communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language within a number of feet equal to 10 times the half-ilithid’s Charisma bonus (minimum 10ft.).

Base Saves: The half-ilithid’s aberration hit dice give it a +3 to its Will saves.

Abilities: +2 Dex, +4 Wis, +4 Cha

Skills: Concentration +2, Listen +2, Spot +2

Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (tentacles)[if appropriate]

Level Adjustment: +3

 

[jaker2003]

still don't know how such a creature would come about . . .


Questions, Comments, Doubts about my sanity?

 

[the Jester]

I'd tie its SR and PR to its HD, not it's cha bonus. A half-illithid with strong 'other' stock but low cha won't have much SR at all.

Just so you know, there's a half-illithid template in the 3e Fiend Folio.

 

[Gez]

still don't know how such a creature would come about . . .

It's known since The Illithiad. When a thrall is deemed a suitable host, an illithid tadpole is inserted in the thrall's brain through the ear.

There, the tadpole slowly eats the brain and "connects" to it as it devours it, becoming a replacement brain. This process also starts a series of mutation on the host's body, most notably the signature squid head with tentacles.

This is what is called "ceremorphosis". When the thrall was human (I'd tend to lump in other medium humanoids as well, such as orcs and drow, or outsiders that are actually humanoids, like the Giths, but the strict RAW does not support this), the result is an illithid. When the thrall was something else, the result is what is called a ceremorphed creature, or an illithidae. For a weird consistency, WotC called the template "half-illithid" -- just like half-dragon, half-fiend, and half-golem. But it's a misnomer, just like for half-golem, as these two templates are not halfbreeds.

 

[jaker2003]

yeah, but with SR and PR of 10 + 1/2 HD, it'll be pretty hard to spell to death -oh, that was the point, wasn't it?

 

[the Jester]

Just bear in mind that illithids themselves have great SR for their challenge rating.

 

[FireLance]

yeah, but with SR and PR of 10 + 1/2 HD, it'll be pretty hard to spell to death -oh, that was the point, wasn't it?

Plus, high SR isn't the defense against spells that it used to be. Most offensive Conjuration spells (e.g. Melf's acid arrow, Evard's black tentacles, cloudkill, acid fog, incendiary cloud, the various orb of [energy] spells from Complete Arcane) no longer allow spell resistance.

 

[Campbell]

When the thrall was human (I'd tend to lump in other medium humanoids as well, such as orcs and drow, or outsiders that are actually humanoids, like the Giths, but the strict RAW does not support this), the result is an illithid.

I'm not sure if you're using 3.5 or not, but the Gith found in MM 3.5 and the Expanded Psionics Handbook are actually humanoids with the extraplanar subtype, which seems to support your interpretation.

 

[reanjr]

still don't know how such a creature would come about . . .


Questions, Comments, Doubts about my sanity?

From what I understand (from people talking about Monstrous Arcana 2e) Illithids are similar to Aliens (as in Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection) in that depending on who the spawn infects, the illithid can be different. Thinking of it this way, it seems that illithid itself should be a template applied to other creatures, using the standard Illithid and Human as a base.

Though I have also heard that spawn-infected elves, dwarves, etc. do not produce "true" illithids. They are instead used a slave/servitor race. Only humans make true illithid. So, you could assume a half-illithid is created from a half-human who was infected by an illithid spawn.

Just one idea...

 

[Liquidsabre]

This info is from a dragon mag article all about illithids that explained how illithids "spawned" so-to-speak. Dang, wish I could remember which Mag that was in, anyone got it?