[3.5e] Ways to make a Mind Flayer Dragon?

[Professor Chimp]

So, my current campaign is nearing its final phase. I'm not going to bore you all with the details, but the PCs are currently in cahoots with an ancient Obsidian Dragon to destroy a coven of Mind Flayers (a common enemy, supposedly). One reveal would be that the Mind Flayer organisation is a lot larger than the PCs firth suspected. The Dragon is actually their leader and was just using the party to do his dirty work, getting rid of some rogue cells.

But ... I want the Dragon to be some kind of Illithid creature too.

I know about the Half-Illithid template, but perhaps there are other options. Any ideas?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

So, my current campaign is nearing its final phase. I'm not going to bore you all with the details, but the PCs are currently in cahoots with an ancient Obsidian Dragon to destroy a coven of Mind Flayers (a common enemy, supposedly). One reveal would be that the Mind Flayer organisation is a lot larger than the PCs firth suspected. The Dragon is actually their leader and was just using the party to do his dirty work, getting rid of some rogue cells.

But ... I want the Dragon to be some kind of Illithid creature too.

I know about the Half-Illithid template, but perhaps there are other options. Any ideas?Make it a mind flayer with enough levels to cast shapechange (or give it some other way to do so, via the vermin lord's hive mind ability, from the BoVD), and when it comes down to the reveal, he shapechanges into whatever form the "dragon" likes.

Or you could use the psionic mindflayer from the XPH and give him enough racial HD to let him manifest greater metamorphosis (psychic chirurgery'd into his brain by another creature under his control, maybe).

Or maybe it's an elder brain that does the above. Hagunemnon psion with a lot of action economy breakers, maybe? That one could get really creepy, really fast, if you described the oozing, gelatinous, shapeshfting, psionic mass correctly.

[hamishspence]

Or you could use the Brainstealer Dragon from Dragon Magazine 336.

[Muggins]

Obsidian Dragons are already psionic, so that's a good fist step. But let's take it a bit farther.

Flayerspawn Psychic is a psionic prestige class from Complete Psionic, and it's got a bunch of mind flayer stuff baked into it; basically, it turned out that some mind flayers messed with your ancestors, and that's why you've got tentacles growing out of your face. Speaking of: There's a whole line of "Illithid Heritage" feats in the same book, including the Illithid Grapple and Illithid Extraction feats, which give you all the tentacle-attacking and mind-sucking abilities of the classic alhoon.

For something a tad different, might I also suggest the Diamond Dragon psionic prestige class from Dragon Magic? It's second level ability, Channel Dragon Claws, will let you manifest powers while still making melee attacks at the party, and might be of interest to you.

[Professor Chimp]

Make it a mind flayer with enough levels to cast shapechangeI've considered this too, but I've already given out a fair bit of lore connected to my BBEG that requires him to really be a Dragon (of whatever species), not a Mind Flayer or related race that becomes one through magic/psionics.

the Brainstealer Dragon from Dragon Magazine 336.Looked into this and it's actually in #337, but whatever, excellent suggestion. A True Dragon, but with that bit of juicy Flayer flavoring I'm looking for.

Speaking of: There's a whole line of "Illithid Heritage" feats in the same book, including the Illithid Grapple and Illithid Extraction feats, which give you all the tentacle-attacking and mind-sucking abilities of the classic alhoon.Also very nice. Definetely considering this.

I'm still on the fence on which I prefer: the Brainstealer Dragon that comes with Flayer flavor already added in, or using the Illithid Heritage feats as the flavoring package to go with those Obsidian Dragon cup noodles.

At our table, for some reason, everything D&D becomes a food metaphor sooner or later.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Dragonwrought kobold.

Your players will be soiling themselves when they figure it out.

[ShurikVch]

Symbiotic Creature: ancient Obsidian Dragon as the host, and Elder Brain - the guest

[hamishspence]

Looked into this and it's actually in #337

Fair enough - I just googled it, followed the first link (to Forgotten Realms Wiki) and copy-pasted - that's what I get for trusting a wiki.

[Grod_The_Giant]

1. Take a dragon, preferably the aforementioned psionic one
2. Give it four tentacle attacks and the extract brain special ability
3. Give it mind blast
4. Boost the CR by ~1
5. Describe it all squid-y
6. ???
7. Profit

[unseenmage]

Could always use a Half-Illithid Intellect Devourer.

Have it be replacing the Dragon's brain and piliting the dragon like a meatsack.

[Thurbane]

You could always make it a Half-Dragon Illithid rather than a Half-Illithid Dragon.