Homebrew Intellect Devourer Species Details
Intellect Devourers are exposed brains that scramble around on all-fours like some sort of psychotic cocker spaniel. Instead of biting, they tear apart their prey's mind, slurp up their memories, climb into their skulls, and turn them into meat puppets... like a cocker spaniel. Many spend most of their lives living inside another creature, pretending to be someone else.
Most Intellect Devourers are subservient to their Mind Flayer overlords—they insinuate themselves in key organizations by taking control of relevant individuals. A rare few break the chains held by the Mind Flayers and the Elder Brain. Those who turn to adventure are even rarer still as most live their lives in hiding within a host, never revealing their true identity. Intellect Devourers can live up to 135 years with most only achieving freedom in their twilight years.
Typical Habitats
Intellect Devourers that have broken free of their Mind Flayer oppressors live their lives in hiding, typically within a host body. They avoid others of their kind, both freed and enslaved, as to not arouse suspicion. While a Freed Intellect Devourer is extremely rare, they may make their home in any habitat, largely dependent on their host body; however, they are most common in villages and mid-sized towns where they can blend in with the populace while avoiding those with enough sway to draw the attention of their progenitors.
Playing an Intellect Devourer
When playing an Intellect Devourer, you are one mind with two bodies and, thus, two distinct sets of abilities—one represented by your Character Sheet and the other by the Freed Intellect Devourer stat block. You will spend most of your time in a host body. Many choose not to reveal their true nature even to their companions, only revealing themselves as Intellect Devourers when their host body has been killed.
As your past is likely to include time in servitude to the Mind Flayers, your character may have experienced past trauma. Determining how your character is processing this can directly inform their their goals. Consider the following questions:
- Do you wish to repent for your actions or do you simply wish to forget?
- Are you content to live in hiding or do you seek revenge against your oppressors?
- Why did you select your current host body?
2014 Rules
This species was designed for the 2024 rules. To use this with the 2014 rules, add the Additional Features from the Origin Manager.
Intellect Devourer Traits
Creature Type: Aberration*
Size: Tiny* (about 3-6 inches tall)
Speed: 40 feet*
* Altered based on the host species
Intellect Devourer Traits
As an Intellect Devourer, you have these special traits.Body and Mind
Your base form is a quadrupedal brain that uses the Freed Intellect Devourer stat block (below). While in this form, you are vastly weakened with low AC and HP. You cannot speak, change your stats, or use class abilities and can only use equipment or magic items that are sized for and compatible with your current form. The stat block shares your Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and Proficiency Bonus with your Character Sheet.
Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Devour Intellect and Steal Body features (choose the ability when you select this species).
Freed Intellect Devourer
Tiny Aberration, Any Alignment
AC 12
HP 2 times your Proficiency Bonus (the creature has one Hit Die [d4s] if your Proficiency Bonus is less than +4 and two Hit Dice [d4s] otherwise)
Speed 40 ft.
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 6 | --2 | --2 |
| DEX | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| CON | 13 | +1 | +1 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INT | INT | INT | INT |
| WIS | WIS | WIS | WIS |
| CHA | CHA | CHA | CHA |
Resistances Psychic
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception Your WIS plus your Proficiency Bonus + 10
Languages Telepathy 60 ft., Cannot speak
CR — (XP 0; PB equals your Proficiency Bonus)
Traits
Detect Intelligence. The intellect devourer magically senses the location of any creature within 300 feet of itself that has an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers.
Actions
Devour Intellect. Intelligence Saving Throw: Your spell save DC, one creature the intellect devourer can see within 5 feet. Failure: 11 (2d10) Psychic damage, and the target has the Stunned condition until the end of the intellect devourer’s next turn.
Steal Body. Intelligence Saving Throw: Your spell save DC, one Small or Medium Humanoid within 5 feet that has the Incapacitated condition and has 10 Hit Points or fewer. Failure: The intellect devourer possesses the target, consumes its brain, and teleports inside its skull. While there, the intellect devourer has Total Cover against attacks and other effects originating outside its host. While inside a host, the intellect devourer switches to their host stats and loses all other abilities in this stat block.
Body Thief (True Form Only)
While in your true form, you can use the Steal Body ability, to take a Humanoid host. While in the host, you gain the Creature Type, Size, and all movement Speeds from the host, but no other species abilities. The creature's body is altered to match the stats, classes, and abilities from your Character Sheet and you gain the following abilities.
Steal Body. Intelligence Saving Throw: Your spell save DC, one Small or Medium Humanoid within 5 feet that has the Incapacitated condition and has 10 Hit Points or fewer. Failure: You possess the target, consumes its brain, and teleports inside its skull. While there, your true form has Total Cover against attacks and other effects originating outside the host body. You retain your Telepathy, but lose all other statistics and abilities. You gain the Creature Type, Size, and all movement Speeds from the host, but no other species abilities. You gain the stats, classes, and the abilities from your Character Sheet.
Exit Host. You can use an Action to exit the body of a host, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. If the host body dies, you must leave it. You are also forced out if the target regains its devoured brain by means of a Wish spell. You lose all class abilities and return to your True Form, using the Freed Intellect Devourer stat block. You cannot speak, change your stats, or use class abilities and can only use equipment that is sized for and compatible with your current form. The host body then dies unless its brain is restored before the end of your next turn.
Gray Matter (Host Body Only)
Your telepathic abilities are limited in your host body, but still formidable. You are resistant to Psychic damage.
Starting at character level 3, you can also cast the Detect Thoughts spell a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level.
Your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait use the ability selected by the Body and Mind feature.
Mind Thief (Host Body Only)
Starting at character level 5, you can use your innate Intellect Devourer magic to drain memories from enemies while in your Host Body. As a Magic action, you can force an enemy you can see within 5 feet to make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes a number of d6s of Psychic damage equal to your Proficiency Bonus and are compelled to answer one question. They must answer honestly, as if under the Zone of Truth spell.
Your saving throw with this trait uses the ability selected in the Body and Mind feature. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a Long Rest.
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