Mind Flayer Mindblade
Tales of mind flayers often speak of terrifying, yet gangly and slight creatures, beings that rely almost exclusively on magic and mind-slaved thralls for defense.
Mindblades are the exception to this rule. Armed, and armored, they are more physically powerful, but just as mentally capable, as other illithids.
The Best Defense is a Good Offense. After its thralls, the mindblades are a colony’s next line of defense. Imposing and intelligent fighters, these creatures excel at singling out and incapacitating their enemies, making especially quick work of the mentally weak.
The Mind Blade. Mindblades forgo the ability to blast the minds of their enemies, focusing instead on a martial technique known as the mind swipe. By focusing their psionic energy into the temporary form of a nearly invisible and intangible blade, they can assault an enemy’s mind as this psionic weapon passes through their physical form.
Fear of the Different. Within mind flayer colonies, mindblades are treated with a certain degree of animosity, due to their physical differences. Other mind flayers regard mindblades as blunt instruments and disposable assets, retreating behind them as they would a thrall, if will ensure their own survival.
Mind Flayer Mindblade
Medium aberration, lawful evil
- Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
- Hit Points 111 (17d8 + 34)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)
- Saving Throws Str +6, Con +5, Int +7
- Skills Arcana +7, Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +5, Stealth +5
- Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft.
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The mind flayer's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
At will: detect thoughts, levitate
1/day each: dominate person, plane shift (self only)
3/day: mind spike, shadow bladeMagic Resistance. The mind flayer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The mind flayer makes three battleaxe attacks.
Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3)
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) psychic damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15) and must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until the grapple ends.
Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the mind flay. Hit: 58 (10d10 + 3) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the mind flayer kills the target by extracting and devouring its brain.
Mind Swipe (Recharge 5-6). The mind flayer swings an intangible blade of psionic energy. The mind flayer makes a melee spell attack against one creature within 5 feet of it, treating that creatures Intelligence score as its AC. If the attack hits, the target takes 48 (10d8 + 4) psychic damage and is stunned for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.