Homebrew Exiled Mind Flayer Species Details

Mind flayers, or illithids, are aberrant creatures known for their insatiable hunger for brains and their powerful psionic abilities. Typically, they live in colonies governed by a central intelligence known as the Elder Brain. However, some mind flayers find themselves exiled from their colonies, severed from the communal link that once defined their existence.

An exiled mind flayer has been cast out, whether due to a failure, a divergence in ideology, or an act of defiance. Without the Elder Brain's guidance, they must rely on their own intellect and psionic prowess to survive. This separation forces them to adapt to a life of independence and, often, to seek alliances with other races.

Despite their isolation, exiled mind flayers retain many of their race's characteristic traits: an extraordinary intellect, powerful psionic abilities, and a deeply rooted alien perspective on the world. They often struggle with their predatory instincts and the stigma of their origin, yet they can become formidable allies to those who earn their trust. Driven by a mix of survival instincts and a desire for redemption or revenge, exiled mind flayers navigate the world with caution, ever wary of both their former kin and the new threats of the surface world.

Exiled Mind Flayer Traits

Ability Score Increase, Age, Size, Speed, Alien Mind, Hunger for Knowledge, Illithid Psionics, Languages

Ability Score Increase

Choose one ability score to increase by 2, and a different ability score to increase by 1.

Age

Mind Flayers mature instantly after ceremorphosis, and can live up to 135 years.

Size

Mind Flayers stand between 6 and 7 feet tall and have slender, flexible builds. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Alien Mind

Your separation from the Elder Brain has allowed you to become dominant over your own mind. You are immune to being charmed and have resistance to psychic damage. You are also immune to effects that would allow a creature to read your mind or perceive through your senses.

Hunger for Knowledge

Once per short rest, you can attempt to extract knowledge from a creature. Make a melee attack against one creature within 5 feet of you using your dexterity modifier. On a hit, you deal 3d6 piercing damage. If this damage reduces the creature to 0 hit points, you are healed an amount of hit points equal to the creature's intelligence score, and the creature's brain is consumed. You are proficient with this natural weapon.

Illithid Psionics

You can communicate telepathically with creatures within a radius of 120 feet. You may choose to allow as many or as few creatures to hear you as you would like. Creatures must have an intelligence score of at least 6 in order for you communicate with them in this way, and they cannot communicate back. Additionally, you can choose to deny any creature from communicating telepathically with you.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Deep Speech.