Mind Flayer, Alhoon

escape peril. Victims of multiple screeches must save against each screech separately; success against one does not provide immunity to the next.

Skills: Saltors have a +4 racial bonus on Jump and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. Saltors can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Saltors use their Dexterity modifi er instead of their Strength modifi er for Climb and Jump checks.

MIND FL AY ER , ALHOON

Alhoon

Mind Flayer Lich 12th-Level

Sorcerer Medium Undead (Augmented

Aberration) Hit Dice: 20d12 (130 hp) Initiative: +10 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 29 (+6 Dex, +5 natural, +4 mage armor, +4 defl ection), touch 20, fl at-footed 23 Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+12 Attack: Tentacle +19 melee (1d4 plus 1d8+5 negative energy); or touch +18 melee touch (1d8+5 negative energy plus paralysis); or spell +18 ranged touch Full Attack: 1 tentacle +19 melee (1d4 plus 1d8+5 negative energy) and 3 tentacles +19 melee (1d4); or touch +18 melee touch (1d8+5 negative energy plus paralysis); or spell +18 ranged touch Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Extract, fear aura, improved grab, mind blast, negative energy touch, paralyzing touch, psionics Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and magic, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, immunity to electricity, immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, immunity to polymorph, spell resistance 37, telepathy 100 ft., turn resistance +4, undead traits Saves: Fort +10, Ref +16, Will +23 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 22, Con —, Int 22, Wis 21, Cha 26 Skills: Bluff +16, Concentration +28 (+32 casting defensively),

Craft (alchemy) +17, Diplomacy +20, Disguise +8 (+10 acting in character), Hide +22, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (arcana) +26, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +18, Knowledge (the planes) +14, Listen +29, Move Silently +22, Search +20,

Sense Motive +21, Spellcraft +20, Spot +29, Survival +5 (+7 other planes) Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Craft Wondrous Item,

Improved Initiative, Spell Penetration, Weapon Finesse,

Weapon Focus (tentacle) Environment: Underground Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 18 Treasure: Standard plus possessions (see below) Alignment: Lawful evil Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +11

This creature possesses the thin, spidery build and squirming face-tentacles of a mind fl ayer, but its fl esh is dry and cracked, and its pale, white eyes emit an abyssal red glow.

Alhoons, or illithiliches as they are sometimes known, still seek out brains, even though they no longer need them for sustenance.

COMBAT

An alhoon is a horrendously formidable foe. It uses spells such as greater invisibility, stoneskin, resist energy, mage armor, haste, and see invisibility to protect itself and improve its odds in battle. An alhoon’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Extract (Ex): An alhoon that begins its turn with all four tentacles attached and that makes a successf u l g r ap ple check automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. It is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads. Fear Aura (Su): Like all liches, an alhoon is surrounded by a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of fewer than 5 Hit Dice in a 60-foot radius that look at an alhoon must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 12th). The save DC is Charisma-based. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same alhoon’s aura for 24 hours.

Illus. by W. Reynolds