Thinking Outside the Box

[demiurge1138]

I've been around EN World long enough to know that there are some things that irritate many gamers to no end. Two of these things are the notion of all drow following the R A Salvatore mold and the sweeping of kobolds under the proverbial rug after a few levels as cannon fodder. Many gamers also seem to like creative twists on old ideas, like the savage cannibal halflings from Dark Sun.
However, I have recently been subject to incredulity and head-shaking on the homebrews board about my idea for a tribe of primitive, degenerate mind flayers.
Am I missing something? Are mind flayers just too sacred a cow to tamper with? And does anyone else have any ideas for innovative interpretations of the same-old, same-old?

Demiurge out.

 

[Eternalknight]

My suggestion is to do whatever you want.

If you want to do it, you shouldn't let a few people stop you.

 

[Ashwyn]

I like that idea personally.

 

[demiurge1138]

My suggestion is to do whatever you want.

If you want to do it, you shouldn't let a few people stop you.

Don't worry, I wasn't going to. I'm just curious about the duality of conventional is bad vs. conventional is good.

Demiurge out.

 

[Alzrius]

Didn't we see something like that in the Time of the Dragon boxed set for the old Dragonlance campaign, which was about Taladas?

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

The problem with tampering with Mind Flayers is, they're just too intelligent for anyone to really see them degenerating. That's something that happens to average or slightly-above-average Intelligence races-- remember, the Illithid average is just slightly above human genius.

They're also Lawful, highly organized, and they're all planar-active. This prevents them from being isolated enough to become degenerate.

Though, I suspect, the objections to savage Mind Flayers don't have to do with plausibility complaints, so much as the feel of the creatures-- they are the most alien opponents most adventurers will ever face, and are generally assumed to not be native of any known campaign world or even any known plane. They are from Outside, and making them savages detracts from that idea.

Of course, now you're tempting me to play a Lawful Good Illithid Paladin, who lives on the surface and fights with a Scimitar in each hand. Damn you.

 

[demiurge1138]

Of course, now you're tempting me to play a Lawful Good Illithid Paladin, who lives on the surface and fights with a Scimitar in each hand. Damn you.

No, you fool!
My idea was actually that, after the Gith Wars that destroyed the illithid planar empire, a small pocket fell back into savagery. And they would still be intelligent and organized, just primitive. I had the Tcho-Tchos of Leng in mind when it spawned.

Demiurge out.

 

[Mouseferatu]

The old 2nd edition Monstrous Compendium for the Dragonlance setting had an entire race of degenerate Illithid who had lost much of their intelligence and many of their abilities. So obviously someone likes the idea. (And while I personally wouldn't want my flayers to be like that, I see no problem with the concept.)

As far as different mind flayers go, wait until you see what I've got planned for our favorite squid-heads in Scarred Lands, assuming Joe lets me run with everything I want to at some point.

 

[demiurge1138]

As far as different mind flayers go, wait until you see what I've got planned for our favorite squid-heads in Scarred Lands, assuming Joe lets me run with everything I want to at some point.

Sounds more than interesting, Mouseferatu. I've always liked illithidkin and tweaked illithids.

Demiurge out.

 

[Xarlen]

If you're going to make them savage, you might want to up their melee abilities. Because as it stands, a strong gust of wind could kill them.

I have nothing wrong with the ideal of an Illithid like sucker who hasn't gone beyond primitiveness. Sort've like a gang of vampires, or intelligent raptors, hunting in pacts, and attacking. Their telepathy would be rather wicked like this; imagine them parlaying information so they can coordinate their attacks as one.

Though, I don't see them with a Tribal structure, no.