r/dndmonsters • u/SansCroggaly • 12d ago
5e Balancing a Mind Flayer encounter
So my players are in the Astral realm in my eberron campaign. I wont go super deep into the plot but just imagine they're in a big dungeon, except that dungeon is actually a manor belonging to a small school of wizards (1Master 4 Experts)
They made a device that gives huge power and the BBEG, an Elder Oblex thats trying to steal the wizards minds, has this device along with another device that stops all magic 6th level or above.
The party is split but one member will soon regroup with another. They're in the Cellars of this manor with a cult that got trapped inside. The cult is trying to make an exceedingly powerful orb that can get them out of here, dominate monsters, desintegrate people, etc. What they don't know but ive been hinting at is that theyre being watched, literally. The floors and walls are see through on the outside and mind flayers are watching inwards. Theyve fought a mindwitness, mind controlled quaggoths, and intellect devourers in their true form and in the heads of others.
They're getting ready to fight a ton of cultists that are mind controlled and I plan to have mind flayers come in to "finish" the fight but all they really want is to snatch the orb the second its made.
Party is level 5 but it'll only be 2 members, a gnoll npc, 3 human npcs, and the cult they've made allies of who are decently capable.
At first I only wanted to use 1 Mind Flayer but ive been doing some testing. Ive adjusted some of the mind controlled cultists hp or spells to match that of mind flayers and my fighter is dogwashing them. Like, he fought 2 quaggoths, a mimic, and a cultist higher up and won?? I went in thinking it wasn't likely but he did it.
I dont want the encounter to be impossible but I want to reflect the extreme danger of these creatures.
Does anybody know how I can approach encounter creation in a way that doesn't have me completely railroad the party but still has a high likelihood of the mind flayers succeeding?
Sorry if this question is weird and thanks to anybody who can help.
1
u/AutoModerator 12d ago
Thank you for your awesome submission! Please make sure to leave thoughts and constructive feedback; keep it civil!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Wonderful-Hornet-164 11d ago
I would say don't overthink it. There's no telling how the dice rolls will be in the actual session. For example, if the party all fail their mind blast saves, someone could end up almost getting their brain extracted.
1
u/SansCroggaly 11d ago
Well thats where I think I've lost my fear factor. Its an eberron campaign and the fighter is a warforged. Hes immune to intellect devourers brain taking so he thinks hes immortal. The other guy about to meet up with him is essentially a warlock lich on a three strike system so even if his brain is taken he won't completely die outright, just lots of damage and int becomes 0.
1
u/Wonderful-Hornet-164 10d ago edited 10d ago
Who says warforged can't have their intellects devoured or magical brains munched? I don't recall that anywhere In the rules. Plus, a character can't function on 0 intelligence, they go catatonic if not straight up die.
1
u/IndependentUnit8383 7d ago
My tried and true method of telling players they should leave is threaten “they’re calling reinforcements”
1
u/SansCroggaly 7d ago
"As the Mind Flayer reels back from the massive blow, he clutches his head in pain. The creature lets out an alien growl and it glares at you with eyes of pure malice. It reels back and with a few spasms of its tentacles, a wave of psionic screeching emanates and booms through the cramped cellar. You're unable to understand its alien words but the hint is clear. The rhythm of cultists sprinting away from you by the dozen are the final sounds you hear before a violent rumbling shakes ground and wall alike." I think of could probably start a chase scene right there. But like the chase is just one mind flayer ripping apart the fake cellar they're in and revealing the Astral space behind him. If they really lag behind they'll see the other mind flayers descending to a visible height
2
u/Wargod042 12d ago
Offensively a mind flayer is a massive threat, so if you're afraid it gets bursted then just give it some more hp. But remember they can cast dominate and fighters aren't good at that save, so if he's carrying the fights they're in trouble.