Brainlick (3.5e Monster)

Author: Eiji-kun (talk) Date Created: 3-1-19 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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	Brainlick (Intact)	Brainlick (Tongue)
Size/Type:	Medium Aberration (Psionic)	Medium Aberration (Psionic)
Hit Dice:	7d8+21 (52 hp)	7d8+21 (52 hp)
Initiative:	+3	+3
Speed:	30 ft	30 ft
Armor Class:	19 (+4 chain shirt armor, +3 dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16	19 (+4 chain shirt armor, +3 dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple:	+5/+12	+5/+12
Attack:	Slam +8 melee (1d6+3, 20/x2)	Tentacle +8 melee (1d8+4 plus grab, 20/x2)
Full Attack:	Two Slams +8 melee (1d6+3, 20/x2)	Tentacle +8 melee (1d8+4 plus grab, 20/x2)
Space/Reach:	5 ft/5 ft	5 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks:	Deep Crystal Slam, PSAs, Psionics	Deep Crystal Slam, Improved Grab, Mind Drain, PSAs, Psionics
Special Qualities:	Auto-Schism, Cranial Eruption, Darkvision 60 ft, DR 3/crystal, PR 12	Blind, Blindsight 100 ft, Darkvision 60 ft, DR 3/crystal, PR 12, Telepathy 100 ft
Saves:	Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +7	Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +7
Abilities:	Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 21, Wis 15, Cha 11	Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 21, Wis 15, Cha 11
Skills:	Concentration +13, Disguise +0/+20 as human, Hide +13, Knowledge Psionics +15, Listen +12, Move Silently +13, Psicraft +15, Sense Motive +12	Concentration +13, Hide +13, Knowledge Psionics +15, Listen +12, Move Silently +13, Psicraft +15, Sense Motive +12
Feats:	Improved GrappleB, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm	As Brainlick (Intact)
Environment:	Underground	Underground
Organization:	Solitary	Solitary
Challenge Rating:	7	7
Treasure:	Standard	Standard
Alignment:	Usually Chaotic Evil	Usually Chaotic Evil
Advancement:	8-14 HD (Medium)	8-14 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment:	—	—

What you suspected as a "human" under compulsion turned out to be much more, as its head exploded and uncurled a long rubbery tongue.

What looks merely like a psionic human is in fact a lie. A brainlick is a type of psionic parasite which resembles a long rubbery ruddy or purpled worm or tongue that infects a host of a recently dead creature. It slips within the body and bores its way until it wraps around the creatures spinal cord, puppeteering the body into a functionally living state again. It may even have shades of memories of who it formally was, but its intent has been completely overwritten by the mind of the brainlick worm who only serves to feed, spread, and multiply. Merely by being around other minds they silently and slowly leech away at the thoughts and dreams of others rendering them listless, dull, and apathetic. When enough energy has been gathered the worm begins to spawn and will eventually begin to kill people to made for fresh hosts for its brood, spitting its spawn from its mouth. And then the process begins again.

They favor preying on the psionic, but any creature will do and the smarter the more delicious and comfortable the host. When pushed to their limits they can cause their own heads to erupt into gore exposing the body of the worm which lashes out and strikes at targets, or which feeds directly from the minds of other on contact with its jelly-like body.

While dangerously intelligent their motives and goals are utterly alien to most. They only act the part of human to fit into societies until it comes time to multiply and kill. It's unknown if they are moving towards some overarching goal, but they seem to have some association with illithids.

While intact they speak the languages the original body knew, Common, and Qualith the written language of illithids. While exposed in tongue form they merely speak via telepathy. They are the size and weight of their host bodies, and the worm is anywhere between 12 ft to 18 ft long when stretched out.

Combat

Brainlicks may be direct with their attacks, but are very intelligent and will use tactics, cunning, or trickery to improve their odds. They are capable of using simple and martial weapons and may steal weapons from others and use it against their foes while their auto-schism layers on extra attacks. If in a pinch, they will transform into their exposed tongue forms to heal and effectively give them a second chance for those who can't down them fast enough. In their second mode they are more defensive, grappling spellcasters and psychic beings and staying at range and blasting everyone else.

Auto-Schism: While in intact form, the brainlick is always under the effects of schism. This is lost when they transform into tongue form.

Cranial Eruption: As a standard action the brainlick can cause their own skull to explode, transforming them permanently into brainlick (tongue) form. However for doing so they fully heal all hit points and remove any mind-affecting effects they suffer from. In tongue form they are blind but gain blindsight 100 ft, they lose their slams and instead use a tentacle attack with reach, and they lose auto-schism. This form is more vulnerable, but if they survive they will eventually crawl from their current body to a recently slain body over the course of 24 hours, transforming it into a new brainlick (intact).

Creatures within 5 ft when it transform must make a DC 18 Will save or be shaken for 5 rounds. The save DC is Intelligence based.

Damage Reduction (Ex): The brainlick's damage reduction is bypassed by crystal weapon and damage from crystal attacks such as crystal shard.

Deep Crystal Slam (Su): The natural weapons and unarmed strikes of a brainlick as considered to be made out of crystal for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. Once per round on a successful attack they can spend power points to improve their damage as if it were a deep crystal weapon.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a brainlick must hit with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Mind Drain (Su): When a brainlick (tongue) makes a successful grapple check they leech away 2d6 power points from the target and use it to restore their own, up to their normal maximum. If the target lacks power points by virtue of not being psionic or running out of points, they take 1d6 points of Wisdom damage instead.

Psi-Like Abilities (Sp): At will- detect psionics, read thoughts (DC 17).

Psionics: A brainlick manifests powers as a 7th-level psion (telepath). The save DCs are Intelligence-based.

Typical Psion Powers Known (power points 63, base save DC 15 + power level): 1st—attraction (DC 16*), empty mind*, ethereal smoke (DC 16*), mind thrust (DC 16*), vigor*; 2nd—aversion (DC 17*), brain lock (DC 17*), inflict pain (DC 17*), psionic suggestion (DC 17*); 3rd—crisis of breath (DC 18*), dispel psionics*, false sensory input (DC 18*), psionic blast (DC 18*); 4th—mindwipe (DC 19*), psionic modify memory (DC 19).

*Power can be augmented.

Skills: In their intact state, a brainlick has a +20 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks to appear as human.

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