don't eat my brains!

[Tor the Fallen]

We have an Illithid PC in our ECL 11 party who tells us he'll have no qualms about eating our brains.

As a wizard, my character would very much like to keep his brain. What items/spells should I always have up to keep me safe? I'd like to do this by
1) not killing his character
2) not getting killed
3) minimizing party conflict

I'd like to demonstrate to this Illithid that humanoid wizards aren't to be trifled with, but continue working with him as equals rather than slave and master.

I should also mention that he has three PC thralls; a level 11 straight fighter, a level 11 cleric, and a thri-kreen that does good at throwing stuff, ECL 10 or 11. I would prefer to minimize conflict with these characters.

We're playing 3.0 core, though have many other 3.5 books.

We have complete arcane, the spell compendium, BoED, BoVD, LoM, Frostburn, a couple Eberron books, and the Draconomicon.

Items:
The DM gave me a ring of evasion, which should help a little against his AoEs, though what I really want is a Ring of Freedom of Movement. That way, no grapples for me!

I need something that stops his mind blast, as that's absolutely devesatating. I think he's a sorceror 10 (or wizard 10?), who likes to use summon undead + undead buffing spells, as well as blasty-type spells. Are there any items that give me a continuous protection from evil spell? That would keep him out of my head and keep his summons from touching me.

Spells, defensive:
Contingency+ what? I'd go teleport, except that we're on a ship, that he's captain of. Nowhere to really teleport. I'm thinking contingency + mislead. Then I run away/ DD somewhere safe while he interacts with my glamer. That way, depending on where we are, I can escape.

What spells are out there to keep me safe from an angry mindflayer?

Spells, offsensive:

I know he has some powerful item that protects him from mind-affecting spells. I'm wondering if it would be worth the dispel check to suppress it, then hit him with a Geas/Quest (no save!).

His saves are fort 8 to 10, ref 10 or 11, and will 17 to 20.

Ideally, I'd hit with a ray of enfeeblement, and then a ray of exhaustion. Unfortunately, the former allows a save in 3.0, and the latter doesn't exist. Squidface only has 14 str, so I could consievably put him to 0 str in a round, which in 3.0 kills him. Not that I want to kill him; just prevent him from killing me.

Dex damage could be another good way to go, namely shivering touch. Unfortunately, he has 24 or 26 dex.

I've got sculpt spell as a feat, so I could poorman's forcecage with wall of iron. Maybe solid fog and stinking cloud, followed by the ball of iron.

[Ulzgoroth]

Not exactly helpful, but what's an Illithid with ten class levels doing in an ECL 11 group?

[Inyssius Tor]

Well, mind blank will keep him out of your head in every meaning save the literal one...

How about a helmet?

[StickMan]

wait if he is a PC how does he have 10 level of sorcerer or wizard, mindflayer have start at like level 12 with hit dice and level adjustment?

I ask this so I can think something up and for clarity.

[SadisticFishing]

You *cannot* stay partied with an Illithid without conflict. It is in their nature to betray and such. Plus a wizard 10 illithid is not ECL 10-11, it's ECL 25.

Sorry to sound so negative, but I've read a lot about Mind Flayers, and I think your best answer is to kill him in his sleep. Or leave the party, or ask him to leave the party. It is self-destructive to play a character that's willing to kill and eat your party, and show him that, because though he may want to play a Mind Flayer, it doesn't work, flat out. :(

[Glyphic]

First off, you have to play a game of deception. He has to know you're able to stop him, but if you tell him how you're going to stop him you're pretty boned.

I also have to agree with others. The mind flayer being ECL 10 is incorrect unless he's using some progression like those in savage species or something. Also, him being willing to eat your brains causes party strife and mistrust, slowing the game down because you as a wizard cannot be caught defenseless with a threat that powerful constantly around. Ideally, the party is supposed to bruise and batter each other, bt still have fun and work as a team when it comes down to it. Least for the games I play. Anything else, for me, slows the game down too much.

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Illithid... with thralls... on a ship. Is he supposed to be Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean?

[Tor the Fallen]

Well, mindflayers are one of those races whose HD have associated casting; in the case of this particular one, he's sorceror or wizard, rather than psion.

So from what I can figure out, he's got 8 HD of illithid, followed by another 2 of caster. Still, he'd be what, ECL 17? We've done some serious powergaming in this campaign, though, as well as most of us having 20 or higher ability scores (ugh, don't ask), so it's a little closer. Also, also, we're really, really abusing the mechanics. I have an artificer cohort, for instance. The party psion is a thrallherd, the cleric has got divine metamagic. We're even using variant races. The thrallherd is a golden halfling; -2 str, +2 char, +2 int, small size, with a diplo bonus.

Illithid... with thralls... on a ship. Is he supposed to be Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean?

Yes. Except our ship flies in space.
Also, the ship has some sort of creature trapped in it that pilots the ship.

First off, you have to play a game of deception. He has to know you're able to stop him, but if you tell him how you're going to stop him you're pretty boned.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I'd like to demonstrate that I can take him down, without informing him how I'll do it.

I also have to agree with others. The mind flayer being ECL 10 is incorrect unless he's using some progression like those in savage species or something. Also, him being willing to eat your brains causes party strife and mistrust, slowing the game down because you as a wizard cannot be caught defenseless with a threat that powerful constantly around. Ideally, the party is supposed to bruise and batter each other, bt still have fun and work as a team when it comes down to it. Least for the games I play. Anything else, for me, slows the game down too much.

The mindflayer is certainly not ECL 10, not by a long shot.
I think the major issue here is that I'm a little more interested in roleplaying, and the others don't care if they're thralls or not, since their characters are essentially "I hit the monster."


Anyway, is there anyway for a level 11 wizard to pose a threat to an Illithid with 10 caster levels?
Ideally, he's a sorceror. That way, I'll learn what spells he's casting, and know his arsenal. If he's a wizard... I'll have to rely on cleverness.

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Yes. Except our ship flies in space.

In that case, the easiest way is for you to challenge him to a game of dice. If you win, he doesn't get to eat your brain. Not the safest way, but the easiest.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

You can pull a page from the dri**t books... Harkel Harpel beat an Illithid by using a specific use of Polymorph to replace his rear quarters with his brain and vice versa. Keeps your brain out of the cone of mind burst and gives him a very nasty surprise when he tries to go for the goods...

[AslanCross]

Unless he somehow loses his taste for brains, I see no way he won't try to eat yours.

[JackMage666]

Well, mindflayers are one of those races whose HD have associated casting; in the case of this particular one, he's sorceror or wizard, rather than psion.

Mind Flayers don't have associative casting. Thay have some natural psi-like abilities, usable at will, but no associative casting. He's a Level 2 caster, at most.

So from what I can figure out, he's got 8 HD of illithid, followed by another 2 of caster. Still, he'd be what, ECL 17? We've done some serious powergaming in this campaign, though, as well as most of us having 20 or higher ability scores (ugh, don't ask), so it's a little closer. Also, also, we're really, really abusing the mechanics. I have an artificer cohort, for instance. The party psion is a thrallherd, the cleric has got divine metamagic. We're even using variant races. The thrallherd is a golden halfling; -2 str, +2 char, +2 int, small size, with a diplo bonus.

Yep, ECL 17. Basically, you're protection vs him is that he doesn't understand the rules, and made his character too strong. If he tries to attack you, remind the DM, and his character is erased from time for being too overpowered!

[Mike_Lemmer]

My question is, how the hell did he get 3 PCs as thralls?

Or better yet, how the hell did these PCs agree OOC to be his thralls?

[Xuincherguixe]

I think the thing to do is convince the Mind Flayer that it's useful having you all around even if you do have tasty brains. Because you kill all this other stuff, that may well have even tastier brains, and certainly you bring a large supply at the very least.

I mean you're adventurers after all.

[Diggorian]

The DM maybe just as defensive about the consistency of his story. Sudden paradoxes that erase the Flayer I wouldnt count on.

In your boots, I'd choose spells to incapacitate or somehow dominate the thralls that guard him then do the coup de grace in his sleep/trance/whenever he's vulnerable. Go to control his thralls in game and out of game remind the players how much juicy XP a flayer's worth, they've gotta be a little resentful of being slaves. If the DM has allowed thralling PCs, he may be open to PC killing.

It sounds like you want to simply protect yourself and not rock the boat (the space boat that is , is this Spelljammer?) but your lvl 10 mage to a ECL 17 illithid is red wine-marinated prime rib. By his power and influence over the group alone you're already his slave as I see it.

[MeklorIlavator]

To eat your brains he has to grapple you, correct? Then contingency: shivering touch(without his knowledge, and preferably maximised), set for whenever someone successfully grapples you. 3d6 Dex Damage is nothing to laugh at(unless its someone else). Note this is defiantly a stretch on the normal rules, but with everything else that's going on in this campaign, it will probably pass. After all, you can always talk to the DM about this character when the others aren't there. He might not be completely firm on the rules if he's letting this thing in the campaign.

Or if you want to be proactive, wait for him to go to sleep, then cast shivering touch, and something to make sure his thralls can't get to you. Maybe wall of iron/stone/force/whatever. Or Rays of stupidity(intelligence damage), if your really mean.

[horseboy]

Polymorph him into a squirrel.

[Tor the Fallen]

*cough*the illithid is the DM's dad's character*cough*

[JackMage666]

...Oh...

Guess thats why he can play a LA+15 creature (Regular Illithid +7, with another +8 since he gets Castinging added onto his racial HD as well. That is not normal, I promise you.)

[MeklorIlavator]

*cough*the illithid is the DM's dad's character*cough*

Ah, the greater, though less well known version of the DM's girlfriend syndrome. If he's going that far, nothing you do will really matter. Unless you can talk to the DM out of game and bring this up.

[Leon]

Mind Bank to keep your thoughts your own
Assay Resistance to beat the spell resistance
Spells to target his worst save and lower it
Baleful Polymorph - even if it passes the the will save a Toad cant eat your brains

[Roupe]

charm monster/person? ,or succesful diplomacy and tell him not to.

[Behold_the_Void]

If you use Baleful Polymorph on him while he's asleep he will be denied his will save entirely, thus allowing you to squirrel him. If you prepare a few other such spells, you can take care of the rest of the party as well. And then you can go find a new group.

[Inyssius Tor]

Charm monster has a Will save, and if there's anything an ECL 17 caster has it's a good Will save. Baleful polymorph would have considerably better odds, especially if'n you start the fight with Con-weakening spells (and save the poly for that contingency).

EDIT: The guy above me has the right of it. If you want to do this, though, I'd see if you can slip some kind of contingency onto him while he's asleep. One command word and POOF-- he's a frog.

EDIT EDIT: Don't tell him about it, though; that would take all the fun out of it!

[Dausuul]

I second contingency/shivering touch. (Normally I would never recommend using shivering touch cheese, but if you're fighting critters 6 or 7 levels above you, you can't afford to be honorable.) However, since you aren't high enough level to contingency a maximized version, I suggest using the Contingent Spell feat and setting up two of them. He might survive 3d6 Dex damage if he's lucky, but the odds of his surviving 6d6 are slim to none.

[lord_khaine]

contingency says the spell has to affect yourself, im pretty sure shivering touch wouldnt fall in under that.

as for offensive spells, i would recomend using a quickend if you can get your hands on a rod of quickening, then nuking him with a couple of orb spells.
as it is he has to much spell resistance to be taken down otherwise.

but better yet, buy a scythe, and explain to him you have a contingency teleport, for getting away if he tries anything funny, and that you will come back later in the night then to coup de grace him with the scythe.

[Wolf_Shade]

Over the course of however long it takes, set up a bunch of contingency spells, preferably ones that do heavy damage to structures and a dimensional anchor. Make the contingency you are no longer on the ship. Dimension Door off the ship to a friendly little inn. Your spells go off, the ship is destroyed, no one else can port out because of dimensional anchor, and there is no party strife because there is no more party. Have everyone else roll up new characters and go on your merry way.

[Just Alex]

Cover every inch of the hull in Explosive Runes traps. I don't recall if they affect inanimate objects, but even if not, it'll hurt like no one's business. If they do affect objects, keep a quickened area version of Dispel Magic to set them all off at once.

[Krrth]

Well....you could always just become a lich (if you are evil). Then, he can try to eat your brains as much as he wants....woun't affect you at all.

[Leon]

Contingent Teleport - when your grappeled you teleport (far far away), preferably so far that you end up out side of that game and find a new one where the DM isnt going to screw with the party by some favoring players over others(no matter what the realtion to the DM is)