Intellect Devourers

[KittenMagician]

so i have my players up against some orcs who have been body snatched by some intellect devourers and their mind flayer masters. the intellect devourers ability devour intellect states that it can reduce a players intellect to 0 and they are stunned until they regain at least 1 intelligence. unlike other monsters like vampires and shadows that reduce stats the 0 intelligence isnt stated as being fixed after a long rest.

so my question is how does one restore a point of intelligence?

[LudicSavant]

so i have my players up against some orcs who have been body snatched by some intellect devourers and their mind flayer masters. the intellect devourers ability devour intellect states that it can reduce a players intellect to 0 and they are stunned until they regain at least 1 intelligence. unlike other monsters like vampires and shadows that reduce stats the 0 intelligence isnt stated as being fixed after a long rest.

so my question is how does one restore a point of intelligence?

Greater Restoration.

[Melphizard]

Intellect Devourers are nasty creatures that I've seen even higher-level players feel fear at seeing, which is understandable seeing as a single failed intelligence save could on average be fatal to a character who dumped Int. While it offers no solution for regaining intelligence, Ludic is correct that Greater Restoration is typically the pancea for situations such as this. When against lower leveled characters, Intellect Devourers are walking PC killers who can swiftly take out the aforementioned herd of people who dump Int. Alternatives are DM dependent, but I would say that there may be medicinal cures for it available, though expensive and/or rare. Some underdark fungus or mind enhancing leaves may be able to give the kick a victim needs to repair their mind.

One last alternative spell I'd suggest would be Enhance Ability, specifically Fox's Cunning. It gives a creature advantage on Intelligence Checks and I think that's good enough despite not technically being a point of intelligence.

[ender241]

Xanathar's has a rule that you can recover lost ability score points after a week of relaxation. So that could be an option if Greater Restoration is hard to come by.

"Resolution. Characters who maintain at least a modest lifestyle while relaxing gain several benefits. While relaxing, a character gains advantage on saving throws to recover from long-acting diseases and poisons. In addition, at the end of the week, a character can end one effect that keeps the character from regaining hit points, or can restore one ability score that has been reduced to less than its normal value. This benefit cannot be used if the harmful effect was caused by a spell or some other magical effect with an ongoing duration."

[kazaryu]

Xanathar's has a rule that you can recover lost ability score points after a week of relaxation. So that could be an option if Greater Restoration is hard to come by.

"Resolution. Characters who maintain at least a modest lifestyle while relaxing gain several benefits. While relaxing, a character gains advantage on saving throws to recover from long-acting diseases and poisons. In addition, at the end of the week, a character can end one effect that keeps the character from regaining hit points, or can restore one ability score that has been reduced to less than its normal value. This benefit cannot be used if the harmful effect was caused by a spell or some other magical effect with an ongoing duration."

to be fair, im not sure an unconscious person is capable of maintaining a modest lifestyle

[ender241]

to be fair, im not sure an unconscious person is capable of maintaining a modest lifestyle

I'm assuming that the rest of the party is paying the affected character's lifestyle costs and looking after them during this time.

[LudicSavant]

Resolution. Characters who maintain at least a modest lifestyle while relaxing gain several benefits. While relaxing, a character gains advantage on saving throws to recover from long-acting diseases and poisons. In addition, at the end of the week, a character can end one effect that keeps the character from regaining hit points, or can restore one ability score that has been reduced to less than its normal value. This benefit cannot be used if the harmful effect was caused by a spell or some other magical effect with an ongoing duration.

Good rule to remember! Though in this particular case the last line could be a stickler.

The Intellect Devourer's ability is magical ("The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw against this magic"), and it arguably has an ongoing duration ("The target is stunned until it regains at least one point of Intelligence.")

[strangebloke]

Good rule to remember! Though in this particular case the last line could be a stickler.

The Intellect Devourer's ability is magical ("The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw against this magic"), and it arguably has an ongoing duration ("The target is stunned until it regains at least one point of Intelligence.")

I would pretty strongly argue that the duration of "until you regain intelligence" shouldn't prevent you from regaining intelligence.

[ender241]

Good rule to remember! Though in this particular case the last line could be a stickler.

The Intellect Devourer's ability is magical ("The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw against this magic"), and it arguably has an ongoing duration ("The target is stunned until it regains at least one point of Intelligence.")

I'd interpret that as just the duration of the stunned condition, with the end trigger being regaining a point of intelligence. It wouldn't make sense for that to refer to the overall loss of Intelligence because of course your intelligence is zero until it's not. So the ability drain doesn't have a specified duration.

[kazaryu]

I'm assuming that the rest of the party is paying the affected character's lifestyle costs and looking after them during this time.

oh, i know, that was more said tongue in cheek. especially since the ID doen't knock you unconcious, only stuns you.

[Kurt Kurageous]

I pretty much banned all illithids from my game/world in part because of the possibility of a character succumbing to an ambush by an intellect devourer. It's not like the intellect devourer is going to give them a stand up fight. As a consequence, beholders went too because they are also an alien race who like within exceptions to the rules.

Intellect devourers like flameskulls punch way above their respective CRs. Put them in encounters at your own risk.

[KittenMagician]

so this is actually a side thing for the rogue and barbarian to do as a side mission while they are not part of the main group (life gets in the way). so they have a DMPC with them to act as a healer and gap filler but i let them take lead on just about everything. also they are level 12. the way that im handling it for now is that essentially the loss of intelligence lasts for a good long while but can fade on its own (greater than a long rest, full recovery over a few days). this is mainly due to lack of access to greater restoration.

[Lord Vukodlak]

I’d have the effect and when the devourer is killed.


If a creature has an ability that creates and obstacle to using it as a DM. The DM is free to fix it. Would a PC complain of devour intellect was undone by resting, lesser restoration or slaying the devourer? Doubtful

I recall once in an adventure when the DM used intellect devourers. Everyone basically hid behind the wizard whose 20 Int made him immune.

[Derges]

I’d have the effect and when the devourer is killed.


If a creature has an ability that creates and obstacle to using it as a DM. The DM is free to fix it. Would a PC complain of devour intellect was undone by resting, lesser restoration or slaying the devourer? Doubtful

I recall once in an adventure when the DM used intellect devourers. Everyone basically hid behind the wizard whose 20 Int made him immune.

This.

Do whatever suits your story. Using it as a hook to do a sidequest for a church/wizard is cool. If the party want downtime a week of relaxation is a good answer. If you just want to get on with it a long or short rest is acceptable.

[Angelalex242]

When did this change? I'm told Intellect Devourers EAT YOUR BRAIN on a failed int save, and you are then permanently dead, barring resurrection magic that can restore your brain.

In the brief period between the failed save and the Intellect Devourer eating the brain, however, quick witted paladins and clerics can boot the the thing with the pro evil spell. (Or keep it from entering in the first place if they cast it on themselves)

[Lord Vukodlak]

When did this change? I'm told Intellect Devourers EAT YOUR BRAIN on a failed int save, and you are then permanently dead, barring resurrection magic that can restore your brain.
It never changed, they reduce your intelligence to zero then body hop.

[Keltest]

When did this change? I'm told Intellect Devourers EAT YOUR BRAIN on a failed int save, and you are then permanently dead, barring resurrection magic that can restore your brain.

In the brief period between the failed save and the Intellect Devourer eating the brain, however, quick witted paladins and clerics can boot the the thing with the pro evil spell. (Or keep it from entering in the first place if they cast it on themselves)


Thats two different effects. One to drain and incapacitate a target, then a second ability to use on any incapacitated target to replace their brain.