Psionic Low-Level Mosters

[BranMan]

I'm about to start running a 1-st level game where the characters are recruited by a society of flumphs devoted to freeing the world of evil psionic creatures. The flumphs send the party on missions to strike against psionic creatures, sometimes with magical assistance from the flumphs (who mostly have wizard or cleric levels).

However, in the early levels of the game, I do not know who to pit the party against. So far I have noticed Thri-Kreen and Quaggoths as relatively low-level psionic monsters, but I could use some help thinking of more. It also could work to have orcs, goblins, kobolds, and the like be enthralled by a higher level entity like a mindflayer or aboleth.

Thanks!

[JFahy]

Intellect Devourer?? Not sure if that fits your theme well enough. It could be trapped in a lame body for some reason if you want it to be easier to deal with. Could even be a recurring villain for a while if things go the right way. :smallwink:

[some guy]

Give a goblin a few magical abilities and call it a Blue?

[kaoskonfety]

Really it depends on what you mean by psychic, I generally play a bit fast and loose with the differences (full transparency++), so in settings where the idea of psychics exists anyone who digs deep into the "charm/mind power/manipulator" power suite gets labelled psychic, with only those inclined to studying the nature of power and the arcane knowing the real differences

- various enthralled minions (introduces some morality tension/fight tactics if this interests you and some/most of the people you are fighting are not your enemy)
- the easily duped or bribed (the common "charmed" condition would likely lower average pay rates, make people put up with worse treatment, higher risks), as above but *less* morality concerns
- Utterly dominated underlings, up to "psychic meat puppet the villain can use some lesser power though with some sort of hit die limit" - this feels pretty Aboeth.
- PC caster classes re-skinned - maybe using power point systems where the party is using slots
- "Old One" Warlock class with the right spell selection/fluff works well (Create Thrall makes a great NPC "networking" power, and of course he inducts his thralls into the Great Old One club)
- Rakshasa were always a favourite "sort of psychic boss monster" in the old editions with continual detect thoughts, near invulnerability but a glaring weakness, so they are always hesitant to get into a direct fight, even with the weakest of PC's and lean on underlings and dupes