Re: illithid reply (again)

I'm going to make corrections one last time, after that I'll simply let
y'all handle it (unless someone e-mails me direct, in which case I will
respond, and whether they post that response is up to them).  After all,
this is all up to you, you are the DM (at least I hope you are), and you
are the ultimate authority.


>Simply because they're not know for physical prowess doesn't
>automatically mean they are weak.  Illithids just tend to use their
>brains more than their brawn.  Think of vulcans.  (I lnow, I know, no
>Star Trek, but it fit.)

	I'm not sure that vulcans are a good example, but I see your
point.  I think of illithid as they were presented in Dragon #159 (?),
the issue that focused on them and their world (Sunset World).  In the
article it states, pretty explicitly if I remember, that illithid are
weak due to the low energy biosphere (not enough energy in the food,
etc.),
which is why they all float around.  It made them out to look like a
psionicist race.

Response: I've never seen that issue, so I can't hold to it.  The only
thing I use is Practical Planetology (Falx), and it states nothing about
illithid physical handicap.  But if you want them weak, it's your choice.
 And since when do illithid float all the time, that seemed to be power
that is not used all the time (see cloakmaster books, and drow for good
examples of this).  And when are psionicists just blobs that float
around, they have to be relatively physically fit (Con as prereq), fit
body fit mind and all that.

>>>Constitution             3/17                                    -2
>>
>>	I like the -2.
>
>Yeah, me too, that's why I put it there. : )

	I thought you changed it to -1?

Response: I did, sorry.  And no Dex penalty, too.

>>>Charisma                 3/16                                    -2
>>
>>	Only a -2!?!?  Maybe to each other, but I'd make it more like
>>- -5 or -6 towards non-Illithid.
>
>Ok, how 'bout this.  It's only -2 towards illithids.  For all other
races
>it would be -5.  I believe I saw this in the Dragon article for the
>ecology of the neogi (can't remember the issue though), but the idea was
>sound.

	Cool.

>>>	2)Can attack with tentacle per once per round (2 points damage
>>>for each successful attack), each successful hit latches one tentacle
to
>>>the skull of the victim.  If all four tentacles attach, then the
victim
>>>dies in 1d4 rounds, unless they can break the illithid's grip.  A
>>>tentacle can be torn from a skull with a successful bend bars/ lift
gates
>>>roll (accomplishing this does 1d6+Str adj. damage to the illithid, and
>>>any damage over 15 points to a single tentacle rips that tentacle from
>>>the ilithid's face).
>>
>>	This is a bit silly.  Though AD&D combat is abstract, I'd still
>>require the Illithid to somehow have their victim immobilized.  At
least
>>make them wrestle.  The tentacles aren't long enough for anything but
>>>short range (unless the individual is extremely well endowed), and a
good
>>helmet would completely nullify their usefullness.  Also the damage
that
>>an Illithid takes when a tentacle is pulled of the skull seems reather
>>large.  Maybe 1d6 (or 1d8) + damage bonus.
>
>Well, I always assumed the illithid would only use these attacks after
>immobilizing their prey with a mind blast.  So that wouldn't seem to
>absurd.

	Then why do they have to hit with a successful attack?  That's
the
part that confused me...

Response: because if they simply use them as an attack they would need a
to hit.  if the opponent were immobile I'd give them a hefty bonus, is
that clarified?

This is the next post response, so don't confuse the two.

>>Ok, how 'bout this.  It's only -2 towards illithids.  For all other
races
>>it would be -5.  I believe I saw this in the Dragon article for the
>>ecology of the neogi (can't remember the issue though), but the idea
was
>>sound.
>
>	Cool.

Personally, I'd also enforce an initial reaction adjustment...a rather
large
one.  In the books, Estriss went so far as to magically disguise himself
for
fear of being attacked on sight.

Response: isn't that worked into the -5 Cha for all non-illithid races?

>>>>Illithid have no sex.
>>>
>>>	Bummer.
>>
>>I know, isn't it though.  They're hermaphroditic and can each produce
one
>>larva in their lives.
>
>	Only *one*?  So for every one that dies that's *it*?  One less
>illithid *forever*?  Make it 1d6.

The MC says that Illithids produce one tadpole twice in its life.  It
goes
on to say that they are tadpoles for the first 10 years of their life,
swimming around until they die which most do or grow up.  But, the
question
remains, if most (i.e. more than half) die off before becoming Illithids,
how does the race survive?  (yet another can of worms...)

 Response: you are correct here, maybe there are simply alot of ilithid
planets out there.


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m /oo\ m   m /oo\ m
=======================
Forest "Token Male" Pavel
Being the nice guy sucks!