Mind Flayer Abominations

# Mind Flayer Abominations

##### Experiments gone wrong or right, depending on who you ask

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# Mind Flayers

Going by the most common 5e sources that discuss mind flayers, it would seem they spend most of their time learning things. Each mind flayer dedicates its life to a certain cause and strives to become as useful as it can for the hive and the Elder Brain in this particular field. Some of these mind flayers, therefore, take an interest in biology or other aspects of the material world and could be said to come the closest to a modern approach to science one will find in the average DnD setting. Perhaps only rivaled by certain wizard colleges.

When it comes, specifically, to biology, Volo tells us in his VGtM (Volo's Guide to Monsters, 2016, p71-81) that many of these attempts at research and experiments go wrong. Some specimens simply die, others become twisted monstrosities, but still others become stronger.

Now, while Volo does mention some of these creations, such as the Mindwitness, surely these are the result of successful experiments. Which leaves one to wonder: What are the results of these unsuccessful experiments? And, perhaps more importantly, what stats do they have? After all, you can't fight a paragraph of text.

### Arcane influence

Most mind flayers shun the arcane magic schools, because they regard them as lesser versions of the more powerful and more versatile psionics. However, some mind flayers, often rogue individuals, do use arcane magic to enhance their skills and their world. Some of the monsters in this document, such as the animated objects, are the result of such arcane magic, rather than psionic power. It is unlikely that a regular mind flayer hive would create or make use of such things.

## Animated Objects

When a mind flayer is both arcanically gifted and has a lot of experiments to do, often involving a lot of preparation, it might look to enhance some of the objects it uses frequently. Following are a couple of things this mind flayer might animate, to perform tasks on its own, making the mind flayer's life easier.

___
> ## Animated Scalpel
>*Tiny, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 14 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 3 (1d4+0)
> - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)|3 (-4)|1 (-5)|
>___
> - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic
> - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
> - **Senses** Blindsight 60ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 6
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 0 (0 XP)
> ___
> ***Antimagic Susceptibility.*** The scalpel is incapacitated while in the area of an *antimagic field*. If targeted by *dispel magic*, the scalpel must succeed on Constitution saving throw against he caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
>
> ***False Appearance.*** While the scalpel remains motionless and isn't flying, it is indistinguishable from a normal scalpel.
>
> ***Meticulous Instrument.*** Given sufficient time, equal to how long it would take an expert, the animated scalpel can dissect a creature, separating skin, membrane and organs like an expert, as if it had +11 Wisdom (Survival) and Intelligence (Nature) proficiencies.
> ### Actions
> ***Slice.*** *Melee weapon attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 3 (1d4+1) slashing damage.

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___
> ## Animated Clamp
>*Tiny, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 14
> - **Hit Points** 3 (1d4+0)
> - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)|3 (-4)|1 (-5)|
>___
> - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic
> - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
> - **Senses** Blindsight 60ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 6
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 0 (0 XP)
> ___
> ***Antimagic Susceptibility.*** The clamp is incapacitated while in the area of an *antimagic field*. If targeted by *dispel magic*, the clamp must succeed on Constitution saving throw against he caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
>
> ***False Appearance.*** While the clamp remains motionless and isn't flying, it is indistinguishable from a normal clamp.
>
> ***Clamp.*** When instructed to hold onto something, animated clamps will work together when performing grapple checks, giving each other advantage.
> ### Actions
> ***Pinch.*** *Melee weapon attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage.

### Animated Scalpel
A useful tool for any mind flayer is its scalpel. Carefully removing organs from a body without damaging them allows the mind flayer to store it in a special fluid that keeps it fresh. The less damaged this organ is after removal, the more trustworthy the results of any experiment will be when compared to th effects on living humanoids that are still in one piece.

### Animated Clamp

For the scalpel to do its work, skin and membrane have to often be removed or pulled out of the way to get to the interesting bits. This is where the clamp comes in. With its innate flying speed it can dig into a corpse (or living being) and remove whatever is necessary. When something heavy or resilient must be removed, such as bones or tendons, animated clamps often work together.
___
> ## Animated Brain Extractor
>*Tiny, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 14
> - **Hit Points** 6 (1d10+0)
> - **Speed** 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|1 (-5)|3 (-4)|1 (-5)|
>___
> - **Damage Immunities** poison, psychic
> - **Condition Immunities** blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
> - **Senses** Blindsight 60ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 6
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 1/4 (50 XP)
> ___
> ***Antimagic Susceptibility.*** The brain extractor is incapacitated while in the area of an *antimagic field*. If targeted by *dispel magic*, the brain extractor must succeed on Constitution saving throw against he caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
>
> ***False Appearance.*** While the brain extractor remains motionless and isn't flying, it is indistinguishable from a normal brain extractor.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Drill.*** *Melee weapon attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage.
>
> ***Saw.*** *Melee weapon attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 7 (1d10+1) piercing damage.
>
> ***Extract Brain.*** *Melee weapon attack:* +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated creature grappled by the animated brain extractor. *Hit:* 23 (4d10+1) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the targets brain is removed and the target dies.

### Animated Brain Extractor

Another terribly useful tool for any mind flayer interested in ("intelligent") creatures is its brain extractor, which is terribly handy when, you guessed it, one wants to extract brains. Instead of having to use its own beaked mouth, which, honestly, can get tedious, the brain extractor does the job for the mind flayer.

It is easily placed on most humanoid-sized heads, after which it drills a moderately sized hole. From this hole it saws through the skull and extracts the brain, all in a matter of minutes.

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## Abominations

Many mind flayer experiments go wrong or at least have one or more unintended effects. Whenever something is taken away from the monsters, for example a pegasus is stripped of its wings, but it survives, it often goes insane. This in itself makes its brain more tasty to most mind flayers, but if it is kept alive nevertheless, you can represent this with simple changes to the statblock. For example:

___
> ## Stripped Pegasus
>*Large, chaotic Evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 12
> - **Hit Points** 59 (7d10 + 21)
> - **Speed** 60 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|13 (+1)|16 (+3)|10 (+0)|15 (+2)|13 (+1)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Wis +4, Cha +3
> - **Skills** Perception
> - **Senses** passive Perception 16
> - **Languages** understands Celestial, Common, Elvish, and Sylvan, but can't speak
> - **Challenge** 1 (200 XP)
> ___
>
> ### Actions
>
> ***Hooves.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (2d6 +4) bludgeoning damage
>

Note how, while the  Pegasus is still a horse, it lost its proficiency in Dex saving throws, as it can no longer use its wings to aid its movements. Of course, it also lost its flying speed. Furthermore, its alignment changed due to the tortures it had to endure. Now, its only salvation is quelling its own pains by inflicting suffering on others.

There are as many of these abominations possible as there are creatures for the mind flayers to dissect. However, most of these don't need an elaborate new philosophy behind them. If they are alive, it is barely, and often with specific features missing.

## Successful modifications

Other creations might, by any sane person, be regarded as as much as an abomination as the failed experiments, but mind flayers often see this in a different light. Anything useful or interesting is a success.

After much careful research, mind flayers sometimes come across something that they find interesting enough to try and create themselves. Example given, a particular hive might live close to a merfolk colony, or even underwater, and one of the mind flayer scholars recently learned of syrens. While these creatures aren't around to investigate, this mind flayer and one of the ones specializing in biology's fantasy was sufficiently provoked to make them wonder how such a creature might have come to be.

As a result, they start experimenting on the aforementioned merfolk to try and get one to fly.

### Twisted Syren

Most twisted syrens start out as merfolk or merrow, but could reasonably be any type of underwater creature, even regular fish. The trick for the mind flayers is to find a suitable pair of wings that isn't rejected by the host body or simply dies off. Because of this risk, magical winged creatures are very suitable to being stripped and built anew.

___
> ## Twisted Syren
>*Medium, unaligned*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 45 (6d10 + 12)
> - **Speed** 10 ft., swim 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|10 (+0)|15 (+2)|8 (-1)|10 (+0)|0 (-1)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Dex +2
> - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** Abyssal, Aquan
> - **Challenge** 3 (700 XP)
> ___
>
> ***Dive Attack.*** If the twisted syren is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 9 (2d8) damage to the target.
>
> ***Flyby.*** The twisted syren doesn't provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
>
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The twisted syren makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws or harpoon.
>
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage
>
> ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage
>
> ***Harpoon.*** *Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. *Hit:* 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Strength contest against the twisted syren or be pulled up to 20 feet towards it.
>

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### Corrupted Fungus

When doing experiments on fungi, mind flayers sometimes created corrupted specimens capable of sentience. Oftentimes these fungi search out or are consciously placed near windows, doors or other openings. When this is the case, they envelop the borders of the opening and enclose it, turning it into a portal. Especially advanced mind flayer colonies might use these creatures purposefully.

When a mind flayer colony can be located in a demiplane the hive created or stole, corrupted fungi might be used, not only to communicate who is at the front door, but also to conceal the only way into the hive.
___
> ## Corrupted Fungus
>*Medium, Chaotic Evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 17 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 114 (12d8 + 60)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|12 (+1)|19 (+4)|20 (+5)|6 (-2)|11 (0)|7 (-2)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Con +9
> - **Skills** Stealth +7
> - **Damage Resistances** acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
> - **Damage Immunities** poison
> - **Condition Immunities** charmed, frightened, poisoned
> - **Senses** darkvision 120  ft., passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP)
> ___
> ***Amorphous.*** The corrupted fungus can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
>
> ***False Appearance.*** While the corrupted fungus remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal fungus of its type.
>
> ***Magic Resistance.*** The corrupted fungus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
>
> ***Telepathy.*** A corrupted fungus made by mind flayers has a telepathic link with other members of the hive that are within 300 ft.
>
> ***Psionic Guard.*** The corrupted fungus has been infused with psionic powers through its corruption, allowing it to innately cast *detect thoughts*.
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The corrupted fungus makes three tentacle attacks
>
> ***Tentacle.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, 15 ft., one target. *Hit:* 18 (4d6 + 4) acid damage
>

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___
> ## Urophion
>*Large monstrosity, Lawful evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 20 (natural armor)
> - **Hit Points** 143 (15d10 + 60)
> - **Speed** 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|8 (-1)|18 (+4)|7 (-2)|16 (+3)|6 (-2)|
>___
> - **Skills** Perception +7, Stealth +6
> - **Senses** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
> - **Languages** -
> - **Challenge** 9 (5,000 XP)
> ___
> ***False Appearance.*** While the urophion remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal cave formation, such as a stalagmite.
>
> ***Grasping Tendrils.*** The urophion can have up to nine tendrils at a time. Each tendril can be attacked (AC 20; 10 hit points; immunity to poison and psychich damage). Destroying a tendril deals no damage to the urophion, which can extrude a replacement tendril on its next turn. A tendril can also be broken if a creature takes an action and succeeds on a DC 15 Strength check against it.
>
> ***Spider Climb.*** The urophion can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
>
> ***Telepathy.*** An urophion made by mind flayers has a telepathic link with other members of the hive that are within 300 ft.
>
> ***Psionic Hub.*** The urophion has been infused with psionic powers through its corruption, allowing it to innately cast *detect thoughts*.
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The urophion makes six attacks with its tendrils, uses Reel and makes one attack with its bite.
>
> ***Bite.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 22 (4d8 + 4) piercing damage
>
> ***Tendril.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +7 to hit, reach 50 ft., one target. *Hit:* The target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the urophion can't use the same tendril on another target.
>
> ***Reel.*** The urophion pulls each creature grappled by it up to 25 feet straight toward it.

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### Urophion

While dwelling in the Underdark, mind flayers often come upon already interesting creatures that they can reshape and use for themselves. Such a craeture is the urophion. Once trapped, the defenseless roper is blasted with psionic energies until itself becomes psionically adept. It is then freed again and guards not necessarily the entrance to the hive itself, but, example given, the entrances to the Duergar village the mind flayers are using as cover.

### Mole Orcs

One special mention in these examples must be made to an entirely new race (or at least its possibility) created by mind flayers: Mole Orcs. By selectively breeding a tribe of orcs after having altered and blasted them with psionic energies, these orcs are now hereditarily blind and have claws for hands. Consequent observations pointed out that when released back into the wild, these orcs have a strong preference for living underground and digging their own tunnels, hunting down Underdark insectoids, such as Kruthiks.

___
> ## Mole Orc War Chief
>*Medium humanoid, chaotic evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 16 (chain mail)
> - **Hit Points** 93 (11d8 + 44)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|18 (+4)|12 (+1)|18 (+4)|11 (+0)|11 (+0)|16 (+3)|
>___
> - **Saving Throws** Str +6, Con +6, Wis +2
> - **Skills** Intimidation +5
> - **Senses** Tremorsense 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** Common Orc
> - **Challenge** 4 (1.100 XP)
> ___
> ***Aggressive.*** As a bonus action, the mole orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
>
> ***Grelomsh' Fury.*** The mole orc warchief deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage when it hits with a weapon attack (included in the  attacks)
> ### Actions
> ***Multiattack.*** The mole orc warchief makes two attacks with its claws.
>
> ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 12 (3d4 +4) slashing damage

___
> ## Mole Orc
>*Medium humanoid, chaotic evil*
> ___
> - **Armor Class** 13 (hide armor)
> - **Hit Points** 15 (2d8 + 6)
> - **Speed** 30 ft.
>___
>|STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA|
>|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
>|16 (+3)|12 (+1)|16 (+3)|7 (-2)|11 (+0)|10 (+0)|
>___
> - **Senses** Tremorsense 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius)., passive Perception 10
> - **Languages** Common, Orc
> - **Challenge** 1/2 (100 XP)
> ___
>
> ***Aggressive.*** As a bonus action, the mole orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
> ### Actions
>
> ***Claws.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 8 (2d4 +3) slashing damage
>

Combined, this document is less than the tip off the iceberg of mind flayer creations. As mentioned above, anything they could get their hands on and dissect might result in a wicked abomination. Furthermore, many other outcomes of experiments might just cling to life. For inspiration, I can recommend some of the demons or demonically influenced creatures. As the Abyss has twisted many forms of life that nevertheless still roam the Material Plane, so can the mind flayers have a similar influence.

> ##### Information
> This document is definitely still a work in progress, as there is much more to uncover when it comes to mind flayer depravity.
>
> If you nevertheless liked this work and would like to see more, be sure to swing by my Patreon (<https://www.patreon.com/Chubby_Alpaca>)