Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Creature Sense. The dragon is aware of the presence of creatures within 1 miles of it that have an Intelligence score of 4 or higher. It knows the distance and direction to each creature, as well as each one’s Intelligence score, but can’t sense anything else about it. A creature protected by a mind blanks spell, a nondetection spell, or similar magic can’t be perceived in this manner.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionic). The dragon’s innate spell casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)
Multiattack. The dragon can use its frightful presence. It then makes three attacks, two with its claws and one with its tentacles.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (2d10 + 10) psychic damage. If the target is Huge or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 19) and must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until this grapple ends.
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 60 (12d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the dragon kills the target by extracting and devouring its brain.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the dragon's choice that is within 120 feet of the dragon and aware of it must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the dragon's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Mind Blast (Recharge 5–6). The dragon magically emits psychic energy in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw or take 85 (16d10 + 5) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The dragon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The dragon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tentacle. The dragon makes an attack with its tentacles.
Detect Thoughts. The dragon casts detect thoughts.
Psychic Scream (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon emits a wave of psionic energy 30 feet in all directions around it. Each creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher within that area must make a DC 21 Intelligence saving throw, taking 13 (2d8 + 5) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The dragon then teleports up to 40 feet away.
Description
One of the few consolations available to those who must contend with a mind flayer colony is the limit of its reach, which spreads only as far as the influence of the colony’s elder brain. But this small solace withers away when a colony manages to capture a dragon. Teams of mind flayers bind the dragon, which is subject to a gruesome transformation as the tadpole infects and transforms dragon’s brain and body. A brainstealer dragon is the nightmarish result.
Credit to Dungeon Dad
Lair and Lair Actions
Brainstealer dragons often dwell in the deep, dark places of the world. They commonly make their lairs in the underdark, or at the center of vast cave systems with access to the ocean. Due to their nature, the area surrounding their lair becomes drenched in psychic energy and tends to attract weak willed beings whom the dragon will happily use as minions, or sustenance.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative toes), the dragon takes a lair action to cause on elf the following effects; the dragon can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Drawing on the latent psychic energy collecting in its cavern, the dragon forces 3 (1d6) creatures it can see to break concentration checks on any spell they are concentrating on, unless each of those creatures can succeed on a DC 15 concentration check.
- The dragon emits an amplified psychic signal that confuses the sensory information processed by creatures in a 20-foot-radius. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 13 Intelligence check or suffer from brainlock until the end of its turn. Creatures suffering from brainlock are incapacitated.
- The dragon chooses a 10-foot-square area on the ground that it can see within 120 feet of it. The ground in that area turns into 3-foot-deep acidic slime. Each creature on the ground in that area when the slime appears must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or sink into the slime and become restrained. A creature can take an action to attempt a DC 15 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach and ending the restrained condition on a success. Moving 1 foot in the slime costs 2 feet of movement. On initiative count 20 on the next round, the slime hardens, and the Strength DC to work free increases to 20. A creature who ends their turn in the slime takes 6 (2d6) acid damage.
Regional Effects
The region containing a legendary brain stealer dragon’s lair is warped by the dragon’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Creatures with an Intelligence score of 4 or more find that they are able to communicate telepathically with one another. The dragon is able to hear all mental communications.
- A faint psychic hum can be heard mentally within 5 miles of the dragon’s lair. The closer a creature gets to the lair, the louder the hum becomes.
- Cavern walls within 5 miles of the dragon’s lair are unnaturally smooth and slick with a thin layer of moisture.
If the dragon dies, the cavern walls remain smooth, but other effects all end immediately.
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