Mind Flayers are causing me problems

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What spells/artifacts can protect from Mind Flayers? My party can handle most things but keep getting killed by Mind Flayers. Overall the party is around level 14 with all sorts of protection. I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

 

Seeing as you phrased your question in this open way I will not hesitate to spoil for you. Chaotic commands, pretty much everything you need. If you dont have enough CC's summon skeleton warriors which are immune to everything the illithids can do and then haste the dead fodder.

 

Thanks, not a spoiler for me, I'm desperate and dead. Reload: dead...

 

In my experience, chaotic commands isn't even necessary for taking down Illithids. The best tactic to use is to draw them out 1-2 at a time, and to backstab them with a hidden rogue when possible. If you overwhelm them by drawing 1-2, they never get a chance to extract brains for the instant kill.

 

The Helm of Charm Protection on the character you use to draw them out works wonders as well. Also, if you upgrade Lilacor using the Item Upgrade Mod I believe it provides protection from all psionic attacks.

 

@Aldeth: Only problem with using Lilarcor that way is that I think you need a Ming Flayer Control Collar to upgrade him. Of course that's not a problem if you're doing the ones in the sewers after you get back, but if you're still in the Underdark...

 

Death ward seems to make you immune to the death attacks that the mind flayers use.

Free Action rings make you immune to the stunning attack, but the spell does not for some reason.

 

another vote for chaotic comands.
I also have my tanks dink potions of mind focusing until both int and dex are at 25, then give them a stack of potions of genius for running repairs.

 

Invisibility works like a charm...if you have any Fighter/Mages or Mage/Thieves, just have them Mislead and then beat them to death. TH\hey're really stupid, and don't dispel your invisibility.

Chaotic Commands works, but it doesn't prevent the INT drain, so you'd better get rid of them quick.

 

I find that chaotic commands doesn't stop the int drain of the mind flayers. Chaotic commands can help alot, but they also drain int with critical hits, I believe. Mirror Image, if you have a fighter/mage or that short sword, can help negate this issue.

 

You can create a potion in the Mindflayers lair that makes you immune to psionic attacks.

 

You can finish them off easily by having your mage or bard cast the 6th level spell Death Spell on them. Lots of dead Mind Flayers.
Thats how I use to save Phaere.

However, in their city in the Underdark I prefer more action. The member of my party with the best saving throws vs. spells (Korgan) lures one or two of them out with the rest of my group gathered in the far corner, equipped with missile weapons. The Mind Flayers keep chasing Mr. Bloodaxe around in circles while the others pelt them with arrows, bolts and darts.
Great fun it is, if a bit stressful.

 

Be careful with that strategy Dendri. Death spell works in the Phaere rescue because the Mind Flayers are considered summoned creatures. Against normal Mind Flayers, Death spell will not work because they have too many hit dice to be effected.

 

Hello -

In my experience this isn't exactly true. My warriors would take three hits, each about 2 DMG, and down they'd go. I assume this was INT drain at work.

Now, Mordenkainen's Swords on the other hand...yummy. They sliced and diced with no ill effects.

 

Hmm, I was under the impression that skeleton warriors were immune to the int drain seeing as they dont have a brain.

 

They are dead, but they still have skulls, so who knows, maybe there are brains inside?

 

I second the notion of using one Chaotic Commands protected charachter to draw the flayers into a hail of missle fire. Works well, though there is one room in the underdark with so many flayers in it that it can be troublesome. I'm usually at too low a level in the underdark to summon Skeleton Warriors, and at too high a level by ToB for the flayers to be much trouble.

 

Something that hasnt been mentioned but which probably deserves saying, when you have protected yourself from their psionic attacks you need to protect yourself from the int drain. The best way to do that is to beef up your AC. Haste is also as always a useful spell.

 

I'll jump in with Macready and say Mord Swords over everything else. Send them in one at a time, no threat to your party, the flayers have no defense. Unless you have installed improved illithids, but that's another story.

 

This gives me a lot of things to try. In fact my mind is flayed from all the info. The Mord Swords sounds real good to me. Depends on the situation. Thanks for all the great ideas.