Intellect Devourer

An intellect devourer resembles a walking brain protected by a crusty covering and set on bestial clawed legs. This foul aberration feeds on the intelligence of sentient creatures, taking over a victim's body on behalf of its Mind Flayer masters.

Illithid Creations

Mind Flayers breed intellect devourers to serve as roaming hunters of the Underdark, creating an intellect devourer by taking the brain of a thrall and subjecting it to a horrible ritual. As it sprouts legs, the brain becomes an intelligent predator as twisted and evil as its masters.

Deadly Puppet Masters

An intellect devourer consumes a creature's mind and memories, then turns the host body into a puppet under its control. An intellect devourer typically uses its puppet host to lure others into the domain of the Mind Flayers to be enthralled or consumed.

Intellect Devourer CR: 2 (450xp)

Tiny aberration, lawful evil

Armor Class: 12

Hit Points: 21 (6d4+6)

Speed: 40 ft

STR

6 -2

DEX

14 +2

CON

13 +1

INT

12 +1

WIS

11 +0

CHA

10 +0

Skills: Perception: +2
Stealth: +4

Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities: Blinded

Senses: Blindsight: 60ft.
Passive Perception: 12

Languages: Deep Speach

Challenge Rating: 2 (450xp)

Detect Sentience:

The Intellect Devourer can sense the presence and location of any creature within 300 ft. that has and intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, unless the creature is protected by a mind blank spell.

Actions

Multiattack: The Intellect Devourer makes one attack with it's claws and uses devour intellect.
Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (2d4+2) slashing damage.
Devour Intellect: The Intellect Devourer targets one creature it can see within 10 feet of it that had a brain. The target must succeed on a DC 12 intelligence saving throw against this magic or 11 (2d10) psychic damage. Also on a failure, roll 3d6; if the total equals or exceeds the target's intelligence score, that score is reduced to 0. The target is stunned until it regains at least one point of intelligence.
Body Thief: The Intellect Devourer chooses one incapacitated creature within 5 feet of it and engages it in a contest of Intelligence. The Intellect Devourer overpowers the creature’s mental defenses if it beats the target on a contested Intelligence check. The intellect devourer magically consumes the creature’s brain and teleports into its skull, taking full control of the target’s body. While inside the creature’s skull, the intellect devourer has total cover against attacks and other effects outside of the host. The Intellect Devourer retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, as well as its comprehension of language, its telepathy, and its traits. Otherwise, it inherits the target’s statistics, memories and knowledge, including spells and languages. If the host body drops to 0 hit points, the intellect devourer must leave the host. It can also be magically forced from the host’s body by means of a protection from evil and good spell being cast on the host. If the host’s devoured brain is restored (only possibly with a wish spell), the intellect devourer is forced out of the host. The Intellect Devourer can choose to leave the host at any time by spending 5 feet of its movement and then teleporting to an unoccupied space within 15 feet of the target. Unless its brain is restored within 1 round, the body dies.

An Intellect Devourer resembles a walking brain protected by a crusty covering and set on bestial clawed legs. This foul aberration feeds on the intelligence of sentient creatures, taking over a victim's body on behalf of its Mind Flayer masters.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Mind Flayer

Origin/Ancestry

Illithids

Related Organizations

• Illithids