Alteran
2008-11-25, 10:08 PM
I made this race because I have a love for all things Mind Flayer, but I thought a full-out Mind Flayer wouldn't work out as well for a player race, especially with all of the crazy powers they get as monsters. My original idea was a Half-Illithid, but then I realized that Mind Flayers (Illithids) probably find humans repulsive in every way. That's what led me to this Tiefling-esque background. PEACH away, please!
Illithane
Illithane are a clever, plotting race whose psionic prowess makes them doubly dangerous. They are not a strange crossbreed of Illithid and Human, but rather they are the descendents of humans who bargained with the Elder Evils of the Far Realm for some semblance of the psionic powers of the Mind Flayers. They do not associate with true Illithids; they are a race of their own.
Illithane are taller than humans, and their general appearance is somewhat between that of a human and a Mind Flayer. Their skin ranges from pale lavender to full purple, and they have no hair. Their eyes are orbs of solid white with a small black or purple point in the middle. Illithane are slender, with thin arms and long digits ending in sharp claws. Their appearance is generally more like that of Mind Flayers than humans, with the notable exception of tentacles around their faces. Illithane also lack the ability to consume the brains of their foes.
Most Illithane reside in forgotten corners of the Underdark, driven from the surface by fearful humans, and shunned by full Illithids as thieves of power and secrets. Their numbers are small, and they never grow quickly. Illithane communities are lead by a high priest of the Elder Evils who maintains a steady mental connection with the Far Realm without the presence of an Elder Brain. This prolonged contact with such terrible aberrations causes most high priests to go mad, and Illithane societies have been torn apart more than once by an insane priest on a rampage, unleashing psionic devastation on the small communities. Most lesser Illithane study the arcane arts. They view magic as a way to increase their power, and those who show particular skill are drafted into the clergy of the Elder Evils. The few Illithane who escape the confines of the Underdark are most often shunned by surface dwellers, and they tend to seek out positions of power where personal appearances are not required. Like their Mind Flayer relatives, Illithane have an intense need to subjugate others. This causes problems among their small societies, and is the main reason that Illithane leave the Underdark.
Most Illithane have a lifespan between 250 and 300 years. Extraordinary members of this race have claimed to be as old as 700 years. Illithane usually age well. Most lose some of their physical strength in the last decades of their life, but their psionic powers tend to grow in intensity until they die.
Racial Traits
Average Height: 5’9”-6’5”
Average Weight: 150-230 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Deep Speech
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Insight
Illithid’s Will: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will defense.
In addition, you gain a +2 racial bonus to saving throws to recover from being dazed or stunned.
Psionic Burst: Once per encounter, you can use the Psionic Burst power.
Psionic Burst - Illithane Racial Power
You reach out with your mind, giving your enemies a glimpse of the maddening secrets of the Far Realm.
Encounter
Minor Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence +2 vs. Will, Wisdom +2 vs. Will, or Charisma +2 vs. Will.
Increase to +4 bonus at 11th level and +6 bonus at 21st level.
Hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn, and takes a -1 penalty to Will defense (save ends).
Special: When you create your character, choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the ability score you use when making attack rolls with this power. This choice remains throughout your character’s life and does not change the power’s other effects.
Racial Feats
Heroic Tier Feats
Extended Psionics
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: Your Psionic Burst racial power now has a range of 25.
Mental Outreach
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You gain telepathy 5. You can use telepathy to send mental messages to creatures within range, but you cannot receive telepathic replies unless the other creature also has telepathy.
Terrible Foresight
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to your Reflex defense. You also gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative checks.
Psionic Pressure
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You add your intelligence modifier as a feat bonus to insight and intimidate checks.
Paragon Tier Feats
Agonizing Burst
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When you hit a creature with your Psionic Burst Racial power, they also take 2d6 damage. Increase damage to 2d10 at level 21.
Sight In Darkness
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You gain darkvision. You add half your intelligence modifier as a feat bonus to perception checks.
Stunning Burst
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When your Psionic Burst racial power hits on a natural roll of 16 or higher, the target is stunned instead of dazed.
Epic Tier Feats
Psionic Backlash
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When you are hit by an attack that targets Will defense, the attacker takes 2d6 psychic damage.
Psychic Thunder
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When you roll a natural 20 and hit with a power that targets Will defense, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn.
Illithane
Illithane are a clever, plotting race whose psionic prowess makes them doubly dangerous. They are not a strange crossbreed of Illithid and Human, but rather they are the descendents of humans who bargained with the Elder Evils of the Far Realm for some semblance of the psionic powers of the Mind Flayers. They do not associate with true Illithids; they are a race of their own.
Illithane are taller than humans, and their general appearance is somewhat between that of a human and a Mind Flayer. Their skin ranges from pale lavender to full purple, and they have no hair. Their eyes are orbs of solid white with a small black or purple point in the middle. Illithane are slender, with thin arms and long digits ending in sharp claws. Their appearance is generally more like that of Mind Flayers than humans, with the notable exception of tentacles around their faces. Illithane also lack the ability to consume the brains of their foes.
Most Illithane reside in forgotten corners of the Underdark, driven from the surface by fearful humans, and shunned by full Illithids as thieves of power and secrets. Their numbers are small, and they never grow quickly. Illithane communities are lead by a high priest of the Elder Evils who maintains a steady mental connection with the Far Realm without the presence of an Elder Brain. This prolonged contact with such terrible aberrations causes most high priests to go mad, and Illithane societies have been torn apart more than once by an insane priest on a rampage, unleashing psionic devastation on the small communities. Most lesser Illithane study the arcane arts. They view magic as a way to increase their power, and those who show particular skill are drafted into the clergy of the Elder Evils. The few Illithane who escape the confines of the Underdark are most often shunned by surface dwellers, and they tend to seek out positions of power where personal appearances are not required. Like their Mind Flayer relatives, Illithane have an intense need to subjugate others. This causes problems among their small societies, and is the main reason that Illithane leave the Underdark.
Most Illithane have a lifespan between 250 and 300 years. Extraordinary members of this race have claimed to be as old as 700 years. Illithane usually age well. Most lose some of their physical strength in the last decades of their life, but their psionic powers tend to grow in intensity until they die.
Racial Traits
Average Height: 5’9”-6’5”
Average Weight: 150-230 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Deep Speech
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 Insight
Illithid’s Will: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will defense.
In addition, you gain a +2 racial bonus to saving throws to recover from being dazed or stunned.
Psionic Burst: Once per encounter, you can use the Psionic Burst power.
Psionic Burst - Illithane Racial Power
You reach out with your mind, giving your enemies a glimpse of the maddening secrets of the Far Realm.
Encounter
Minor Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Intelligence +2 vs. Will, Wisdom +2 vs. Will, or Charisma +2 vs. Will.
Increase to +4 bonus at 11th level and +6 bonus at 21st level.
Hit: The target is dazed until the end of your next turn, and takes a -1 penalty to Will defense (save ends).
Special: When you create your character, choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the ability score you use when making attack rolls with this power. This choice remains throughout your character’s life and does not change the power’s other effects.
Racial Feats
Heroic Tier Feats
Extended Psionics
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: Your Psionic Burst racial power now has a range of 25.
Mental Outreach
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You gain telepathy 5. You can use telepathy to send mental messages to creatures within range, but you cannot receive telepathic replies unless the other creature also has telepathy.
Terrible Foresight
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to your Reflex defense. You also gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative checks.
Psionic Pressure
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You add your intelligence modifier as a feat bonus to insight and intimidate checks.
Paragon Tier Feats
Agonizing Burst
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When you hit a creature with your Psionic Burst Racial power, they also take 2d6 damage. Increase damage to 2d10 at level 21.
Sight In Darkness
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: You gain darkvision. You add half your intelligence modifier as a feat bonus to perception checks.
Stunning Burst
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When your Psionic Burst racial power hits on a natural roll of 16 or higher, the target is stunned instead of dazed.
Epic Tier Feats
Psionic Backlash
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When you are hit by an attack that targets Will defense, the attacker takes 2d6 psychic damage.
Psychic Thunder
Prerequisite: Illithane
Benefit: When you roll a natural 20 and hit with a power that targets Will defense, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn.