Why are Mind Flayers considered "cool villains"?

[Aries_Omega]

One More Thing

a) a cool sounding name
b) very alien physique and powerful abilities that the PCs can never emulate
c) an agenda that we don't quite understand but is obviously threatening
d) incredibly intelligent
e) pretty much always had good art
f) They flip out and eat your brain right out of your skull.

You forgot reason "g". Despite their appearance they have no ink sacks and to one player's dismay...even breaded...they do not taste like calimari.

 

[DragonLancer]

For me Beholders are the coolest.

 

[Gez]

My players still argue over the pronunciation of "drow"

Rhymes with "Ouch! Ow!"

Maelstrormwrackthurmond, even!

I wondered if anybody would notice the custom title.

 

[ivocaliban]

Rhymes with "Ouch! Ow!"

I've tried that on them before. My players are also immune to logic and reason. Your sound arguments and sensible talk would bounce right off of 'em. Though, to be fair, there's only one who insists on being contrary, but we digress.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program...Illithids on Ice.

 

[Von Ether]

I have no idea- the only thing I think is cool about illithids is their grafts. One thing that people haven't mentioned is that they are parasitic worms that need human hosts to gain their standard form and full potential. At least aboleth gain the memories of those they consume.

I vote for aboleth. In one game, mind flayers were just minions for these guys. It was crazy.

 

[Aeolius]

In my campaigns aboleth, mind flayers, and flumphs all share a common ancestry.

 

[Shuffle]

Mind Flayers are cool, but I hate Drow.....

I also think Orcs are cool, if for no other reason than the fact that they're so classic.

Vampires are cool too.

 

[Morrow]

I was talking to a friend of my and we were speaking about "cool monsters" and the first thing that popped up was Mind Flayers. Then the Drow. Then I was wondering what really makes these creatures and one likt them "cool". Plus what other monster would you consider to me "cool". Any info or suggestions would be helpful.

Zombies are the coolest thing there is.
Zombies eat brains.
Mind Flayers eat brains.
Therefore Mind Flayers are cool.

Morrow

 

[The Shaman]

I have never once used a mind flayer in my games.

Never. Once.

I don't think I realized that until I read this thread, actually, and I started thinking back over the years to different BBEGs I've created. No mind flayers at all.

Too Cthulhu for me - I know, that's sacrilege, but Fthagn it all, it just feels more sci-fi than fantasy for me.

I used drow in my threepointoh campaign as the major antagonists, but they were not the canonical D&D drow.

As far as powerful masterminds go, in my campaigns they've typically been undead (liches, mummies, or ghosts), humanoids with class levels, or elementals - I think genies are teh r0xx0rs!!11!1!

 

[DethStryke]

Tongue firmly planted in cheek here

I prefer the Tentamort. Check it out in the original Fiend Folio. That monster is simply made to kill PCs. No other reason.

If sucking softened PC innards through a 12" bone needle is not the coolest, I don't know what is!