Illithid

As an illithid, you come from an otherworldly and intelligent people who were molded by their affinity for the stars. Illithid are banded in their communal hiveminds, each creature an individual cog in a dangerously cunning and ruthless machine led by their Elder Brain. Furthermore, illithid are a dying race, collected now into few colonies that are mercilessly pursued and hunted by alien creatures known as the gith, a sadistic and barely understood species. Now, illithid culture revolves around one thing: survival. Colonies send scouts in the hundreds from their brine pools yearly in hopes of finding powerful weapons and technology and grounds for the seeding of future colonies, and yet few ever return. Paranoia of the gith's hunt and of rampant violence drives the wheel of their societies, as knowledge is hoarded and pursued if only for the protection it might bring from slaughter. Culturally, the illithid prize power over all, believing that the pathway to such power is through knowledge of the stars and of deific mystery. Through this, illithid have gained access to psionic powers through the broadening of their very perception of the universe. It is oft feared what the illithid might become should they ever take hold of the power that they crave so. 'Ability Score Increase. 'Your Intelligence score increases by 2.

'Age. 'Illithid reach full maturity by the end of their ceremorphosis, afterwards living for up to 200 years.

'Alignment. 'Bent on domination and survival, illithid are typically neutral to evil.

'Size. 'Illithid stand a bit taller than the race that they were ceremorphosized from. Your size is Medium or Small.

'Tentacles. 'You are proficient in using your facial tendrils as a melee weapon, using your Intelligence modifier to attack. On a hit, you deal 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier psychic damage. Medium and smaller creatures are grappled and must make a DC 8 + Int + proficiency bonus Intelligence save or be stunned until the grapple ends. The creature can make another save at the end of each of their turns while grappled in order to end the stun.

Extract Brain. You attempt to extract the brain of an incapacitated creature you are grappling. It counts as a special weapon that you are proficient in, using Intelligence to hit. On a hit, you deal d10 psychic damage. If the damage reduces the target to 0 hp, the target dies by brain extraction, and you learn the memories of the dead creature.

'Aberration. 'You have advantage on Intelligence saving throws.

'Psionics. 'You know the mage hand cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the charm person spell as a 2nd-level spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the detect thoughts spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

'Languages. 'You can speak and read Common and Illithid, a language only able to be spoken telepathically among other illithid. Your telepathy with other Illithid has a range of 15 ft.