AC 14 (natural armor)
HP 36 (8d4 + 16; bloodied 18)
Speed 40 ft.
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13
Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +4, Cha +4
Skills Deception +4, Insight +4, Stealth +5
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12
Languages understands Deep Speech but can’t speak, telepathy 120 ft.
ACTIONS
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Ego Whip. The intellect devourer targets a creature with a brain within 60 feet. The target makes a DC 13 Intelligence saving throw . On a failure, it takes 14 (4d6) psychic damage and is rattled for 1 minute. If it is already rattled by Ego Whip, it is also stunned . The target repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending both effects on a success.
Body Thief. The intellect devourer enters the nose and mouth of an incapacitated humanoid within 5 feet. The target must be Small or larger, have a brain, and have an Intelligence of 4 or higher. The intellect devourer eats the target’s brain and takes control of the target. The intellect devourer leaves the body if the target is reduced to 0 hit points, if the target is affected by dispel evil and good or another effect that ends possession, or voluntarily as a bonus action. A creature killed by the intellect devourer can be restored to life by resurrection or similar magic.
While the intellect devourer is in control of the target, the intellect devourer retains its own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, its telepathy, and its knowledge of Deep Speech. It otherwise uses the target’s statistics, including proficiencies, languages, class features, and spells. It has vague knowledge about the target’s life but must make a DC 15 Intelligence check to recall specific facts.
Combat
The intellect devourer prefers to ambush lone or outnumbered creatures. It uses Ego Whip on whichever opponent it believes has the best combination of low intelligence and high combat ability. Once a creature is stunned, it devours its brain. The intellect devourer flees if it and its allies are outnumbered or if it’s bloodied.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Nature check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Intellect devourers are bizarre aberrations from another plane of existence. They stun their opponents with a powerful psionic attack.
DC 15 An intellect devourer that eats a creature’s brain and crawls into its empty skull can take control of the creature’s body.
DC 20 Once an intellect devourer takes over a body, it will often impersonate the creature in an effort to lead its allies into harm’s way.
The intellect devourer resembles nothing more than a scuttling, disembodied brain. Its comical appearance masks a horrific intent: to eat a victim’s brain and climb into their empty skull, controlling their body like a marionette.
Aberrant Origins. Hailing from strange and distant planes of existence, intellect devourers are often found in subterranean areas where the veil between planes is thin, or trailing in the wake of other aberrations.
Delicate Accord. When it finds a group of intelligent creatures, an intellect devourer takes over the body of the leader. It then runs the group afoul of other psychic predators. Thus, even one intellect devourer can pose a threat to an entire community. Despite this, some particularly stout-minded underworld inhabitants employ devourers as telepathic guards—but the risk always remains that their “loyal” guardians might one day decide to consume their minds and turn their bodies to their own ends.
Cerebral Harvest. Wizards and alchemists will pay a hefty price for the fluid from an intellect devourer’s brain. The cloudy, golden liquid is said to have mind-expanding properties and, when properly distilled, can confer telepathic abilities for a limited time. Some arcanists drink the liquid to view the memories of an intellect devourer’s victims.
1 Creeping around looking for new prey
2 Hiding inside an ancient crypt or shadowy alcove
3 Possessing a creature and trying to adopt its identity; doesn’t know history more recent than 1,000 years ago
4 Possessing a creature; leading the creature’s mystified minions or allies into an ambush
1 A dead humanoid with a hole in its head and no brain
2 One or more of the characters develops a dull, throbbing headache
3 Tiny clawed footprints tracking gray goo
4 An incapacitated , stunned humanoid
CR 3–4 intellect devourer ; intellect devourer , controlling a commoner or noble , leading 1d6 commoners
Treasure 150 gp, 60 ep, pitted bronze bottle containing potion of greater healing
CR 5–10 intellect devourer controlling a mage or gladiator, or controlling a priest or veteran and leading 1d6 soldiers
Treasure 20 pp, 400 gp, crumpled and unread love note addressed to the controlled humanoid, bag of devouring
Aberrations are unnatural beings that don’t belong to this plane of existence. Many aberrations are telepathic and use a mental power known as psionic power instead of magic. An aboleth is an aberration.