Ogre magi!

Since Ettins have 2 heads, if a Mind Flayer enslaves one, do they have to enslave both heads, or just one?

I think that it might be to stupid for a mind flayer to control

I wuv yu

said the ettin to the drow

Quote from CosmicChicken >>

Since Ettins have 2 heads, if a Mind Flayer enslaves one, do they have to enslave both heads, or just one?

 

 I think ceromorphosis replaces a brain with a tadpole, and changes the body to match over time. I think one head would become the illithid, but the other would go through an agonizing process of decomposition.

I don't think that's what he was asking. 

I think it'd need to target the dominant head. The right half of the ettin is usually stronger and thus the right head is in charge. The mindflayer might be capable of controlling it if they could control the dominant head. 

Quote from Seraphinathesmall >>

I don't think that's what he was asking. 

 What do you think they were asking then?

Quote from Seraphinathesmall >>

I think it'd need to target the dominant head. The right half of the ettin is usually stronger and thus the right head is in charge. The mindflayer might be capable of controlling it if they could control the dominant head. 

 Where do you get the idea that the right half is dominant? From what I can tell from the statblock and description, both heads have an equal amount of control, neither more dominant than the other.

Or just be a snack

Two brains=more yums

Any thoughts on why this is CR 4? Looking at his stats, he works out to a solid CR 3. Is the Two Heads feature worth an extra CR level?

Quote from trapbuilder2 >>

Quote from Seraphinathesmall >>

I think it'd need to target the dominant head. The right half of the ettin is usually stronger and thus the right head is in charge. The mindflayer might be capable of controlling it if they could control the dominant head. 

 Where do you get the idea that the right half is dominant? From what I can tell from the statblock and description, both heads have an equal amount of control, neither more dominant than the other.

1st edition and 2nd edition ettins clearly were stated to have the right head dominant. thats what the lore always said, the right side was the dominant head and also the right side did more damage on attacks. each side also controlled one arm. 3rd edition took out the right side part but the damage in each arm was diff as it had a morning star and a javalin. in 4th edition they again changed the ettin a bit...very interesting but it could take 2 turns in combat and rolled initiative twice. but the dominant side was absent again.

Would the Two Heads feature negate the optional flanking rules by chance?  

Quote from jon_wolf >>

Quote from trapbuilder2 >>

Quote from Seraphinathesmall >>

I think it'd need to target the dominant head. The right half of the ettin is usually stronger and thus the right head is in charge. The mindflayer might be capable of controlling it if they could control the dominant head. 

 Where do you get the idea that the right half is dominant? From what I can tell from the statblock and description, both heads have an equal amount of control, neither more dominant than the other.

 

1st edition and 2nd edition ettins clearly were stated to have the right head dominant. thats what the lore always said, the right side was the dominant head and also the right side did more damage on attacks. each side also controlled one arm. 3rd edition took out the right side part but the damage in each arm was diff as it had a morning star and a javalin. in 4th edition they again changed the ettin a bit...very interesting but it could take 2 turns in combat and rolled initiative twice. but the dominant side was absent again.

While an interesting history lesson, I don't see how that changes the fact that there has been no mention of a dominant head in the description - for several editions as you yourself have stated.

The existence of a dominant side is a reasonable assumption to make - completely separate personalities can easily lead to differing levels of confidence and strength of character - however, there's nothing to suggest that to be anything other than an assumption (in this description). There's even less reason to believe that specifically the right side will be the dominant one for every ettin.

"Optional" is the keyword in your question. By that I mean that the rule was given as something you may want to try rather than something properly thought out.

Which basically means that it's entirely up to the DM to decide that.

Quote from EggKookoo >>

Any thoughts on why this is CR 4? Looking at his stats, he works out to a solid CR 3. Is the Two Heads feature worth an extra CR level?

 I don't have any thoughts on that but could a level 3 take him on and win I was going to send a level 2 party at one and get them to run away (watch npc D&D and xp to level 3 on youtube)

I know like nothic (https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/nothic) about D&D but I want to play it so bad and I don't even have anyone to play it with

I suck