Elder Brain

The statistics block below contains details for more than one type of elder brain. Use the horizontal scrollbar below it to display the desired one or select from the links below that.

	Elder Brain ⬇️ Large Aberration	Psionic Elder Brain ⬇️ Large Aberration
Hit Dice:	26d8+364 plus 3 (484 hp)	26d8+364 plus 3 (484 hp)
Initiative:	+5	+5
Speed:	10 ft. (2 squares), fly 30 ft. (good), swim 30 ft. (Elder brains use their base speed only when they are relocating themselves to a new pool.)	10 ft. (2 squares), fly 30 ft. (good), swim 30 ft. (Elder brains use their base speed only when they are relocating themselves to a new pool.)
Armor Class:	30 (−1 size, +1 Dex, +20 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 29	30 (−1 size, +1 Dex, +20 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple:	+19/+24	+19/+24
Attack:	Tendril +20 melee (1d6+1 plus extract)	Tendril +20 melee (1d6+1 plus extract)
Full Attack:	4 tendrils +20 melee (1d6+1 plus extract)	4 tendrils +20 melee (1d6+1 plus extract)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./10 ft.	10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks:	Extract, improved grab, mind blast, psionics, spells	Extract, improved grab, mind blast, psionic powers
Special Qualities:	Blindsight 240 ft., bud brain golem, damage reduction 15/adamantine, regeneration 10, resistance to cold and fire 10, spell resistance 34, telepathic awareness	Blindsight 240 ft., bud brain golem, damage reduction 15/adamantine, regeneration 10, resistance to cold and fire 10, spell resistance 34, telepathic awareness
Saves:	Fort +24, Ref +11, Will +24	Fort +24, Ref +11, Will +24
Abilities:	Str 13, Dex 13, Con 38, Int 28, Wis 25, Cha 26	Str 13, Dex 13, Con 38, Int 28, Wis 25, Cha 26
Skills:	Bluff +37, Concentration +43, Diplomacy +41, Disguise +8 (+10 acting in character), Intimidate +41, Knowledge (arcana) +38, Knowledge (history) +38, Knowledge (the planes) +38, Listen +38, Sense Motive +36, Spellcraft +42, Spot +36, Survival +7 (+9 on other planes)	Bluff +37, Concentration +43, Diplomacy +41, Disguise +8 (+10 acting in character), Intimidate +41, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +38, Knowledge (the planes) +38, Knowledge (psionics) +38, Listen +38, Psicraft +42, Sense Motive +36, Spot +36, Survival +7 (+9 on other planes)
Feats:	Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Quicken Spell-like Ability (charm monster), Quicken Spell-like Ability (mass suggestion), Toughness, Weapon Focus (tendril)	Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Psionic Meditation, Quicken Power, Toughness, Weapon Focus (tendril)
Environment:	Underground	Underground
Organization:	Solitary	Solitary
Challenge Rating:	25	25
Treasure:	Standard	Standard
Alignment:	Always lawful evil	Always lawful evil
Advancement:	27–38 HD (Large); 39–78 HD (Huge) ♊	27–38 HD (Large); 39–78 HD (Huge) ♊
Level Adjustment:	—	—

Elder Brain ⬆️

Here lies a great, fibrous mass of fused brain tissue, covered in writhing tendrils. It pulsates and glows like an ember, releasing visible flares of psychic power.

An elder brain is the ultimate stage of the mind flayer life cycle. A malevolent being of godlike intellect, an elder brain serves as the center of any mind flayer city, guiding its host community toward the fulfi llment of its dark dreams of illithid dominion.

An elder brain spends most of its existence floating within the depths of a briny pool in a protected cavern at the heart of a mind flayer city. Its visible psychic energy is a side effect of the power that allows it to remain active long after the bodily deaths of the individual mind flayers whose brains compose its form. An elder brain can speak telepathically with any creature within 350 feet that has a language (see Telepathic Awareness).

Combat

An elder brain uses its quickened spell-like abilities in the same round that it makes melee attacks with its tendrils, if possible. It begins a combat against multiple foes with a mind blast.

Extract (Ex): An elder brain that begins its turn with a tendril attached to an opponent and makes a successful grapple check automatically extracts the opponent’s brain, instantly killing that creature. This power is useless against constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, and undead. Extraction is not instantly fatal to foes with multiple heads.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an elder brain must hit a Small to Gargantuan creature with its tendril attack. If it gets a hold, it sinks the tendril into the opponent’s head and can try to extract in the next round. The opponent can escape with a single successful grapple check or Escape Artist check, but the elder brain gets a +2 circumstance bonus for the deep attachment, and the opponent takes 1d6 points of damage from ripping the tendril free.

Mind Blast (Sp): This psionic attack is a cone 60 feet long. Anyone caught in this cone must succeed on a DC 31 Will save or be stunned for 3d4 rounds. An elder brain can use this ability once every 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell.

If you use the Expanded Psionics Handbook in your campaign, an elder brain uses actual psionic powers rather than these spell-like abilities; select the Psionic Elder Brain instead.

If you use the Expanded Psionics Handbook in your campaign, an elder brain does not use spells; select the Psionic Elder Brain instead.

Blindsight (Ex): An elder brain has no visual organs but can “see” by using psychic energy to ascertain objects and creatures within 240 feet. See Blindsight.

Bud Brain Golem (Ex): Once per day, an elder brain can bud a portion of its flesh, forming a golemlike creature composed of fused and hardened brains. An elder brain can never have more than three active brain golems at a time. See Brain Golem.

Regeneration (Ex): An elder brain takes normal damage from sonic- and acid-based attacks. See Regeneration.

Telepathic Awareness (Su): Within a radius of 350 feet, the elder brain detects all creatures whose minds are not shielded with an effect such as mind blank, even through solid rock. Within this same range, it can communicate with any creature that has a language.

Elder Brain Society

An elder brain is the physical and spiritual center of its illithid community. It serves as a living repository of the community’s technology, history, and psionic expertise, as well as its advisor (or more often, as its de facto leader).

It is the right and obligation of every illithid to merge with the elder brain when its natural life span nears its end. Though most illithids hope otherwise, their sacrifice is complete⁠—their egos are subsumed, and their gray matter serves only to revitalize the elder brain.

An elder brain preys upon the thousands of illithid tadpoles that share its briny pool. The tadpoles that survive are deemed strong enough to be used to create true illithids.

Psionic Elder Brain ⬆️

Use this version of the elder brain if the Expanded Psionics Handbook is in use in the game. The special attacks are the same except that this version does not cast spells and its psionics are not spell-like abilities.

Combat

An elder brain uses its quickened psionic powers in the same round that it makes melee attacks with its tendrils, if possible. It begins a combat against multiple foes with a mind blast.

Psionic Powers: An elder brain manifests psionic powers as a 20th-level psion (telepath). The save DCs are Intelligence-based.