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View Full Version : DM Help Half-Mind Flayer?


Wampyr
2017-05-31, 04:06 PM
So my players encountered two mind flayers a few sessions back and the bard had one of their larva try to nest in his brain. The thing nearly killed the bard several times and that gave me an idea for a player condition that allowed them to possess some of the qualities and abilities of a mind flayer without actually being turned into one.

In the next session I hope to unveil the bard's condition, giving him a +2 to intelligence, a weakened mind blast (15-foot cone, 2d8 damage, DC 15), and telepathy with a range of 30 feet. The player can also feel the presence of the elder brain and suffers -1 on Wisdom saving throws. This becomes -4 when within five miles of the elder brain, allowing it to take over the bard if the party ever decides to kill it. Killing the elder brain will remove the condition.

I'm not concerned with the plausibility, I just feel that my idea is a little dry and wanted to see if anyone has a more creative idea, preferably one with both benefits and drawbacks.
solidork
2017-05-31, 06:00 PM
What is the intended tone here? "You lived so have some sweet mindflayer powers!" or "This is your horrific new existence, "enjoy" the perks while you find some way to undo this."

In general though, making something powerful and trying to counteract it with a big mechanical drawback is just asking for trouble.
Wampyr
2017-05-31, 06:22 PM
What is the intended tone here? "You lived so have some sweet mindflayer powers!" or "This is your horrific new existence, "enjoy" the perks while you find some way to undo this."

In general though, making something powerful and trying to counteract it with a big mechanical drawback is just asking for trouble.

The condition is intended to be a reward that is a little more interesting than a +1 Short Bow or a Rod of the Pact Keeper. The "big mechanical drawback" is supposed to balance the condition so that it isn't a straight buff, and it also gives the player the freedom to interpret the condition as either a curse or a blessing.
Tetrasodium
2017-05-31, 07:42 PM
If I'm remembering right, lords of madness had a creature that was something like this in it. Instead of the beakand tentacles it had whatever the original had is about all I remember