Illithid (Mind Flayer) [AD&D]
Name: Illithid (Mind Flayer); Star-Spawn of Cthulhu
Encounter Type
: NPC
Category: —
Type: —
Terrain: Subterranean
Period: N/A
Frequency: 2- (Rare)
Quantity: 1D6
Special Attributes: None
Weight:  80 kg (size 6.6)
Size:  1×1 (2-meter grid squares) 1.8 m tall
Hits: 20/40
Weapons:  Tentacles
To Hit:  16
Unarmed Combat Damage: 1D
Penetration: Nil
Range:  Short
Type of Melee Attack:  Unarmed Melee Attack
Initiative: 6
Armor:  —
Morale: As Fs
Speed: 10/20/30
STR:  8 INT:  12
AGL:  8 EDU:  12
CON:  8 CHR:  2
EMP:  8

Other Skills:

  • Change Environment (Gravity): 9/17 [DC Sorcery]
  • Dimension Walk: 9/17 [DC Sorcery]
  • Enter Astral Proto-Dimension: 9/17 [DC Mysticism]
  • Mental Attack: 9/17 [DC Psionics]
  • Telekinesis: 9/17 [TNE Psionics]
  • Telepathy: 9/17 [DC Psionics]
  • Willpower: 10/18
  • Willpower Drain: 9/17 [TNE Psionics]

Hit Record

Hits

Scratch 0 -1 Initiative
Slight 00000 00000 00000 0000 -1 Initiative (-2 Total)
Serious 00000 00000 00000 0000 -1 Initiative (-3 Total), 1/2 Strength
Critical 0 Unconscious

Description

Mind flayers are found only in subterranean places, as they detest sunlight.  They are greatly evil and consider the bulk of humanity (and its kin) as cattle to feed upon.

The mind flayer's physical attack is by striking a victim with its four tentacles.  If a tentacle hits an opponents head, it will automatically do 1D of damage each turn unless the character can break away (Impossible: Unarmed Martial Arts) or the mind flayer is killed.  Once the mind flayer's victim is killed, the mind flayer draws out the victim's brain and devours it.  The mind flayer's more feared attack is its Mental Attack.

If an encounter is going against a mind flayer it will immediately flee, seeking to save itself regardless of its followers or its treasure.

These monsters speak only their own arcane language and several other weird tongues — purportedly those of terrible races of things which dwell in regions of the subterranean world far deeper than mankind has ever ventured.  It is also rumored that these monsters have a city somewhere deep beneath the earth.

Description:  The mind flayer's skin glistens with slime.  Its skin color is a nauseous mauve, its tentacles being a purplish black.  A mind flayer's eyes are dead white, no pupil being evident.  The three long fingers of each hand are reddish, but the hands are mauve.

Originally Published:  2004-03-13
Last Updated:  2005-03-15
SourceAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual,  ©1977, 1978 — TSR Games
Other ReferencesWikipedia