Intellect devourer question

[CrazyCarppy]

Once an intellect devourer has body snatched a victim, can it breed with others of the victims race? Would any of the IDs traits be passed on?
Could two body snatched individuals breed?
The bodies are still considered to be alive, jist with a new brain right?

[MaxWilson]

Once an intellect devourer has body snatched a victim, can it breed with others of the victims race? Would any of the IDs traits be passed on?
Could two body snatched individuals breed?
The bodies are still considered to be alive, jist with a new brain right?

My ruling: yes, no, yes, yes.

Imagine finding out that your mom has been an Intellect Devourer under deep cover for... your whole life.

[Zhorn]

My ruling: yes, no, yes, yes.
Seconded

Imagine finding out that your mom has been an Intellect Devourer under deep cover for... your whole life.
Talk about having mommy issues

[rlc]

You know who else is an intellectual devourer? My mom!

[MaxWilson]

Talk about having mommy issues

And pity the poor original. If the Intellect Devourer gets kicked out and she regrows her brain somehow, she's going to discover that she's now twenty years older and her body had a bunch of kids and a whole life while she was gone... and she had no control over and has no memory of any of it.

[Unoriginal]

Once an intellect devourer has body snatched a victim, can it breed with others of the victims race? Would any of the IDs traits be passed on?
Could two body snatched individuals breed?
The bodies are still considered to be alive, jist with a new brain right?

First, sincere congratulation for finding a new source of nightmare fuel.



That being said, I would argue than no, they can't. While the body is still alive, the Intellect Devourer that replaces the person's brain is unable of reproduction, so I don't think the replacement-invasive-living-brain would have the parts the actual brain needs to handle the reproductive organs of the humanoid body.

An Illithid Savant could probably change that, but that's not really their style.

[Segev]

The child of two intellect devourers’ possessed bodies would have decent cause to take up Sorcerer or Warlock, though.

[AttilatheYeon]

The child of two intellect devourers’ possessed bodies would have decent cause to take up Sorcerer or Warlock, though.

or run for president 😉

[Dr. Cliché]

I have to say, this is a really awsome idea, and one I suspect will be making its way into one of my games. Whether or not it works RAW, it's definitely something I'd allow.



or run for president 😉

I'm thinking infiltrating the nobility could be more fun. :smallamused:

[CrazyCarppy]

I was thinking that there would be illithid that run a brain farm. They have their pet IDs snatch a breeding pair of humans and make them have as many children as possible as fast as possible. Infinite brains to eat. With enough breedable females. They could feed an entire city without ever having to work for it again.

[Unoriginal]

I was thinking that there would be illithid that run a brain farm. They have their pet IDs snatch a breeding pair of humans and make them have as many children as possible as fast as possible. Infinite brains to eat. With enough breedable females. They could feed an entire city without ever having to work for it again.

I mean the Illithids already do that with their slaves. Can't be infinite, of course, but they absolute do use their slaves as a multi-generational source of brains.

The reason why Illithids capture new people for their brains isn't necessity, unless exceptional cases, it's just because the brain of a mindbroken thrall tastes quite dull to them.

[Zhorn]

free-range vs battery-cage

[Segev]

Interesting thought: If your body is animated as a zombie, you can't be brought back by resurrection or similar spells. But if your body is possessed by an Intellect Devourer, nothing prevents resurrection from bringing you back as long as you can get a piece of your stolen body.

[MaxWilson]

I was thinking that there would be illithid that run a brain farm. They have their pet IDs snatch a breeding pair of humans and make them have as many children as possible as fast as possible. Infinite brains to eat. With enough breedable females. They could feed an entire city without ever having to work for it again.

Why humans? Humans take longer to mature than gnolls do (5 years) or goblins (8 years IIRC). Do humans just taste better?

[Segev]

Why humans? Humans take longer to mature than gnolls do (5 years) or goblins (8 years IIRC). Do humans just taste better?

Don't know if this changed in 5e, but in 3e, kobolds matured in about 2-3 years.

[Unoriginal]

Why humans? Humans take longer to mature than gnolls do (5 years) or goblins (8 years IIRC). Do humans just taste better?

I don't think Gnolls mature in 5e, they come from hyenas eating Yeenoguh-tainted corpses.


As for the humans I don't know if it's a question of tastes, but given how the Illithids have created three new species from humans it might just be they're easier to twist.

[MaxWilson]

I don't think Gnolls mature in 5e, they come from hyenas eating Yeenoguh-tainted corpses.

Sorry, I was thinking of Exploring Eberron gnolls (I was browsing it last night). Forgot to distinguish between them and Mordenkainen's gnolls.

I'm not sure it matters though, since if you can quickly breed hyenas and then turn them into gnolls, either way you've got brains, right?


As for the humans I don't know if it's a question of tastes, but given how the Illithids have created three new species from humans it might just be they're easier to twist.

Gith(yanki/zerai/pirates), and what else?

[dreast]

Sorry, I was thinking of Exploring Eberron gnolls (I was browsing it last night). Forgot to distinguish between them and Mordenkainen's gnolls.

I'm not sure it matters though, since if you can quickly breed hyenas and then turn them into gnolls, either way you've got brains, right?



Gith(yanki/zerai/pirates), and what else?

Grimlocks, I think? Some sort of CHUD.

[Grey Watcher]

Great way to put Invasion of the Body Snatchers into a D&D setting. Bonus points for actual body snatching instead of growing pod people duplicates.


Interesting thought: If your body is animated as a zombie, you can't be brought back by resurrection or similar spells. But if your body is possessed by an Intellect Devourer, nothing prevents resurrection from bringing you back as long as you can get a piece of your stolen body.

But the body is still alive. (The description specifies that if the host body dies, the ID is forced out.) Whether or not that constitutes the PERSON being alive enough to prevent Resurrection is one of those Ask Your DM things.

I forget, can your Resurrect someone from a not-currently undead body part (eg a severed ear) if the rest of the body is currently a zombie? Whatever that answer is would probably serve as precedent for this one.

[Segev]

Great way to put Invasion of the Body Snatchers into a D&D setting. Bonus points for actual body snatching instead of growing pod people duplicates.



But the body is still alive. (The description specifies that if the host body dies, the ID is forced out.) Whether or not that constitutes the PERSON being alive enough to prevent Resurrection is one of those Ask Your DM things.

I forget, can your Resurrect someone from a not-currently undead body part (eg a severed ear) if the rest of the body is currently a zombie? Whatever that answer is would probably serve as precedent for this one.

The raise dead spell specifies that it can't bring back anybody who's risen as an undead creature. Resurrection specifies that it CAN do so...if the undead has been destroyed before resurrection is cast.