Mind flayers, also called illithids, are the scourge of sentient creatures across countless worlds. Psionic tyrants, slavers, and interdimensional voyagers, they are insidious masterminds that harvest entire races for their own twisted ends. Four tentacles snake from their octopus-like heads, flexing in hungry anticipation when sentient creatures come near. They can be found on page 221 of the Monster Manual.

Illithid Traits

As an Illithid, you have the following traits in common with other illithid.

Ability Score Increase: Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age: Regardless of the host body's age before Ceremorphosis, Illithid are born mature and typically live to be 120.

Alignment: Illithid within their colonies are almost always lawful evil in alignment. Those separated however and left to their own alignments sometimes pursue neutral goals, tho it is near unheard of to see good Illithid.

Size: Illithid are tall and lanky, but almost the same weight as the race that spawned them. Your size is Small.

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Aberrant Nature: Your creature type is aberration, rather than humanoid. In addition, you must consume a single brain each day in order to feed (as detailed in the Player's Handbook).

Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Mind Blast: You can use your action to exhale psionic energy. Each creature in a 15 foot cone must make an Intelligence saving throw (The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus). A creature takes 2d6 psychic damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use your mind blast, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Telepathy: You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 60 feet of you. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic messages, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language or be telepathic itself.

Tentacles: Your mouth tendrils are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes, using your Intelligence for the attack roll rather than Strength.. If you hit with it, you can deal psychic damage equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier, instead of bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages: You can read and write Common, Qualith and Deep Speech, though it is hard for you to speak without the aid of telepathy.