Help choosing powers for erudite villain

[InterstellarPro]

So, I am having some fun, and I created a Mind Flayer who is a grappler. It is a variant Mind Flayer that does not gain the usual Mind Flayer psi-like abilities. Instead, it counts as an Erudite of 8th level. Then, I sent it up 6 levels of Sanctified Mind, but I'm changing it to Corrupted Mind. Basically, the exact same class, but instead of the alignment restriction of Any Nonevil, it is Any Evil. So, the mind flayer now has a manifester level of 13. With the Spell To Power variant, I gave him the following powers:

1st-2nd levels: Need 10x 1st level powers
3rd-4th: Expansion, Grip of Iron, +2x 2nd level powers
5th-6th level: Fearsome Grapple (as the spell, but instead of granting a +8 bonus at caster level 9, I made it augmentable, +4 to grapple/6PP), +3x 3rd level power
7th-8th: 4x 4th level
9th-10th: Schism + 3x 5th level
11th-12th: 4x 6th level
13th: Bite of the weretiger (as the spell - I wanted bite of the werebear, but the mind flayer couldn't take that until ML 15), +1x 7th level power

What other powers/spells might I give this guy? I have never used the Spell to Power variant, so am I even using it correctly?

Also, I want to avoid the metamorphosis route. The mind flayer loves his current form. He just wants to hug you with his mouth. And eat your brain. Basically, his grapple modifier will be high enough that no one in the party will be able to oppose him. They will have to defeat him in fewer than 3 rounds (so I can leave lots of powers open and it will be fine). Every three rounds, someone in the party will die.

[TallerSpine]

At that level, freedom of movement pretty much makes anything your grappler can do invalid. Go with anti magic field or null psionics field. Sanctified mind means you have a good attack bonus. Only the strongest of enemies should be able to stand against the mind flayer without magic. Give him one level of monk and tashalatora for some extra fun.

[InterstellarPro]

At that level, freedom of movement pretty much makes anything your grappler can do invalid. Go with anti magic field or null psionics field. Sanctified mind means you have a good attack bonus. Only the strongest of enemies should be able to stand against the mind flayer without magic. Give him one level of monk and tashalatora for some extra fun.

I like it, thanks!

[FelineArchmage]

I've already told Tallerspine, but for the sanity of players the two of you should not be allowed to conspire together. :smalltongue:

Cause guess whose face almost gotten eaten off by a grappling illithid (and still might!!!).

[daremetoidareyo]

I've already told Tallerspine, but for the sanity of players the two of you should not be allowed to conspire together. :smalltongue:

Cause guess whose face almost gotten eaten off by a grappling illithid (and still might!!!).

you need freedom of movement and a greater dispel on the null field. you got this

[InterstellarPro]

I've already told Tallerspine, but for the sanity of players the two of you should not be allowed to conspire together. :smalltongue:

Cause guess whose face almost gotten eaten off by a grappling illithid (and still might!!!).

Lol, in my campaign, it wasn't an almost! I figured the party would do exactly as daremetoidareyo suggested and Greater Dispel the antimagic field. Instead, they tried to pelt him with arrows. Fortunately, he has Quickened Power and a Schism running, so he was able to get off a quickened Vigor every round. He was down to seven power points when he ate the last party member's brain, but had only taken about 20 points of actual damage :). In my campaign, magic and psionics are separate. So, the party psion was pelting him with a power every round through the antimagic field. It did almost nothing due to his power resistance.

[FelineArchmage]

Lol, in my campaign, it wasn't an almost! I figured the party would do exactly as daremetoidareyo suggested and Greater Dispel the antimagic field. Instead, they tried to pelt him with arrows. Fortunately, he has Quickened Power and a Schism running, so he was able to get off a quickened Vigor every round. He was down to seven power points when he ate the last party member's brain, but had only taken about 20 points of actual damage :). In my campaign, magic and psionics are separate. So, the party psion was pelting him with a power every round through the antimagic field. It did almost nothing due to his power resistance.

We will see how it goes on Friday... hopefully we will figure out something, but we have a lot of arcane/divine casters and only one psionic+one psionic weapon (we are also down a player!). I was extremely lucky to get through the power resistance and Time Hop my way out of his grasp, then began skirmishing the hell out of him.

Here's hoping most of us will get out!

[InterstellarPro]

We will see how it goes on Friday... hopefully we will figure out something, but we have a lot of arcane/divine casters and only one psionic+one psionic weapon (we are also down a player!). I was extremely lucky to get through the power resistance and Time Hop my way out of his grasp, then began skirmishing the hell out of him.

Here's hoping most of us will get out!

Sounds like you have a more balanced party. My campaign, the party decided they wanted to try all playing wizards (one chose psion, but basically the same thing). Three evokers and a kineticist. They were ripping through encounters left and right. With this one, I thought I would take out two of them for sure. But, I figured the wizard who researched the dispel psionics and greater dispel psionics spells would have taken down the antimagic field rather than pulling out his crossbow. The 1d8 damage did not really help.

[FelineArchmage]

Sounds like you have a more balanced party. My campaign, the party decided they wanted to try all playing wizards (one chose psion, but basically the same thing). Three evokers and a kineticist. They were ripping through encounters left and right. With this one, I thought I would take out two of them for sure. But, I figured the wizard who researched the dispel psionics and greater dispel psionics spells would have taken down the antimagic field rather than pulling out his crossbow. The 1d8 damage did not really help.

My bad, we have a lot of divine casters (ranger, druid, cleric) and one bard cohort, plus the psion. But still, magic is magic. Used to have a trip-crazy rogue/fighter, but he permanently died before the face eating and the player hasn't made a new PC yet due to being on vacation.

I'm surprised that more than half went evocation... but why?? Being an all-casting group sounds fun, but definitely in a world of hurt. Especially with the d4 HDs for wizards.

I thought that dispel magic didn't work on antimagic fields? At least that's what I remember re-reading the spell the other day. Hence why I'm not sure what we're gonna do next session. (Not sure how it works with psionic versions)

[InterstellarPro]

My bad, we have a lot of divine casters (ranger, druid, cleric) and one bard cohort, plus the psion. But still, magic is magic. Used to have a trip-crazy rogue/fighter, but he permanently died before the face eating and the player hasn't made a new PC yet due to being on vacation.

I'm surprised that more than half went evocation... but why?? Being an all-casting group sounds fun, but definitely in a world of hurt. Especially with the d4 HDs for wizards.

I thought that dispel magic didn't work on antimagic fields? At least that's what I remember re-reading the spell the other day. Hence why I'm not sure what we're gonna do next session. (Not sure how it works with psionic versions)

You are correct. Apparently only Disjunction can break an antimagic field.

[InterstellarPro]

Also, remember when firing into a grapple, there is a 50/50 chance of who you will hit in the grapple. That came into play rather heavily when I ran the encounter. One of the evokers tried an orb of force. He had Precise Shot, but not Improved Precise Shot. He hit his buddy rather than the illithid. Keep that in mind. You need Improved Precise Shot to hit your intended target in a grapple.

[FelineArchmage]

Also, remember when firing into a grapple, there is a 50/50 chance of who you will hit in the grapple. That came into play rather heavily when I ran the encounter. One of the evokers tried an orb of force. He had Precise Shot, but not Improved Precise Shot. He hit his buddy rather than the illithid. Keep that in mind. You need Improved Precise Shot to hit your intended target in a grapple.

No worries on my end - I've already got it as my ranger class feature. :smallsmile:

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Remember, mind flayers have an AoE cone stun effect. Does freedom of movement work even while you're otherwise unable to move? You can't make grapple checks while stunned, after all. Or does FoM protect against stunning? It works vs paralysis, after all.

[FelineArchmage]

Remember, mind flayers have an AoE cone stun effect. Does freedom of movement work even while you're otherwise unable to move? You can't make grapple checks while stunned, after all. Or does FoM protect against stunning? It works vs paralysis, after all.

Doesn't matter.

Freedom of movement spell won't work in an antimagic field (which our mind flayer has). So if any of us get grappled (and it is highly likely as it has a very high move speed and attack bonuses) we're screwed until it's dead or we're all dead or we GTFO.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Mind Flayer cannot initiate Mind Blast within an AMF as it is a supernatural ability so you should be good there.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Might be a good idea to start off the fight with a Twinned Linked synchronicity/synchronicity, hit the party with a couple of mind blasts, then manifest antipsionic field followed by grappling. The rest of them can watch in horror as the entire party is systematically devoured.

[edit] Of course, this is probably too much, which would typically result in a TPK. Maybe show this off in a larger battle, wherein the illithid does this to some allied NPCs. Then leave it to the party to figure out a way to negate this tactic.