How can I use it in a level 20 campaign?
How can you optimize it?
How can I combine it with the Chameleon?
Okay, before you nay-sayers shoot it down, it appears there is a half-illithid template (fiend folio) that would qualift for both classes if you use a human base race. Also there's a psuedo-illithid template in Underdark. Unfortunately I don't have either book, and so I come to you humbly, asking for help.
Lastly, and most importantly, how would you optimize the steal class ability? Steal sneak attack and use it as if your class level were your character level!
Did I misread?
Cerebralmorphosis
Cerebralmorphosis (Or whatever, the creation of Mind Flayer is called) is when a Illithid tadpole is put into the ear of a Human or closely humanoid creature, as LoM and Fiend Foil state when a Tadpole is placed in the ear of any other creature (meaning anything NON-human,non-elf, etc) you get a Half-Illithid.
But enough of the Fluff, this is optimization.
Cerebralmorphosis (Or whatever, the creation of Mind Flayer is called) is when a Illithid tadpole is put into the ear of a Human or closely humanoid creature, as LoM and Fiend Foil state when a Tadpole is placed in the ear of any other creature (meaning anything NON-human,non-elf, etc) you get a Half-Illithid.
But enough of the Fluff, this is optimization.
Step 2: Eat his brains, stealing the Mystic Theurge's class features.
Step 3: Win.
Half-Illithids can’t be created with Humans as a base creature
This was an oversight by me. I was already aware that you can't be human otherwise you become a full illithid. I have actually scouered google and every wiki and blog from here to kansas over the last three days. I've read every single post from your linked search within the first 8 pages. Thank you though for the direction.
My main question is, given the lack of Underdark and Fiend folio, how do the half-illithid and pseudoillithid templates work? What's the LA? I am not asking for copyright infringement, I am asking specifically for an example build, and how to best make a combination.
Perhaps there's a race that qualifies for both Chamelon AND savant?
As for the beholder- how would that work past 10 levels? You would need two base casting classes to get the progression correct? Does that mean you can steal the casting progression of a regular mage? Is casting ability stealable? I am not familiar with how casting is classified- EX? SU?
Perhaps there's a race that qualifies for both Chamelon AND savant?
Well your options for the Chameleon PrC class are limited, you have Human and close-enough-to-count: Illumian, 1/2 breds, etc. Which don't work because they are all susceptible to becoming Illithids.
So that leaves your options to:
Doppelgang(st)er, LA +4, HD 4
And Changlings from Eberron which are widely house ruled to be able to take "Abled Learner". But a it will be up to your DM how a half-flayer version works excatly, maybe you can do something with racial emulation from races of Eberron.
Other then that: Polymorph any object yourself into one, Reincarnation fient, Abberate Wild Shape into one, or Farspawn Psychic 10 (from Complete Psionic), most of those either eat up precious class levels or is down right chessy.
In short: I'd talk to your DM about it, there isn't many options open to you.
Why doesn't your Mind-flayer just track down a Chameleon and eat HIS brain?
First poster:
This was an oversight by me. I was already aware that you can't be human otherwise you become a full illithid. I have actually scouered google and every wiki and blog from here to kansas over the last three days. I've read every single post from your linked search within the first 8 pages. Thank you though for the direction.
My main question is, given the lack of Underdark and Fiend folio, how do the half-illithid and pseudoillithid templates work? What's the LA? I am not asking for copyright infringement, I am asking specifically for an example build, and how to best make a combination.
Perhaps there's a race that qualifies for both Chamelon AND savant?
As for the beholder- how would that work past 10 levels? You would need two base casting classes to get the progression correct? Does that mean you can steal the casting progression of a regular mage? Is casting ability stealable? I am not familiar with how casting is classified- EX? SU?
IS can steal spellcasting abilities just like they were class features. MT advances both of those casting styles, and as such the spellcasting is also considered a class feature of the MT. Steal it by eating the brain of a Beholder Beholder Mage 2/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 8 and you will have 10/10 on both sides. Oh, and if you delay the IS' steal Racial Ability class feature a bit (seeing as you don't steal one unless you want to) you can snag the Beholder's Eye Rays while you are at it. Aberrations need to sleep too, doubly so for a caster, so while he is asleep, chow down. Be stealthy and apply the Dark template to get HiPS so you can sneak in undetected. Be sure to have UMD and a few Wands of Dispel Magic, and remember that his CL for Beholder Magic is only a 10. Sneak in, Eat Brain, and rule the world as an Illithid Savant/Beholder Mage/Ur-Priest/Mystic Theurge, and then find a Soulmanifester or a Warblade to steal their stuff too. Then call it a life.
Is this for real? Can you lay out the actual progression for this, and mechanics?
Level 5? Steal the ability: X from the beholder. It gives you Y,Z, A abilities.
Level 8? Steal the martial maneuvers ability from warblade? It gives you maneuvers as if you progressed as a warblade?
Hot diggity Doo Doo!
Is this for real? Can you lay out the actual progression for this, and mechanics?
Level 5? Steal the ability: X from the beholder. It gives you Y,Z, A abilities.
Level 8? Steal the martial maneuvers ability from warblade? It gives you maneuvers as if you progressed as a warblade?
Note: DM's may override the Free Dual-casting from this trick very easily. It is a highly RAW-only thing, something that makes it a huge weakness.
That said, LVL 5 is the best time to get it, but that may be a hard thing to do (Beholders that advanced will be a tough fight), but it will be worth it. Warblade would give you only 5 of the 9 styles, best to eat a Swordsage/Master of Nine to get all 9 styles. You probably learn only the maneuvers that the Adept knew at the time, so cheese it out by giving the victim the Master Crown of White Raven and its variants to get the moves you would want, then eat him. Technically, you gain all of them.
No, I’m pretty sure the Nay-Sayers would stat how the Half-Illithids can’t be created with Humans as a base creature.
[sblock= Cerebralmorphosis]
Except that the Underdark book which came out AFTER Fiend Folio says you can use ANY corporeal creature... That INCLUDES Humans.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20030824a
# Characters are not required to complete all the levels of a given template class in uninterrupted succession. For example, a character who takes a level of wereboar could then take a level of fighter and a level of rogue (or any other combination of other class levels) before taking another level of wereboar. A character must still take the first level of wereboar before taking the second, just as with a normal class.
So then you look at the Illithid progression, later in the book, and decide to be an Illithid 1.
So you are an Illithid, right ?
Probably, you absolutely can not take a template later, without finishing Illithid, but you are gonna take classes.
Six more levels to play with before you get to the Skill Rank of 10, of whatever it is.
Then you take Illithid Savant, and make sure you don't become pun-pun.
{ ... i.e. Gate is off limits (hint) no no no ... }
:coolcthul ... "I like brains , with Jello Pudding."
And Changlings from Eberron which are widely house ruled to be able to take "Abled Learner". But a it will be up to your DM how a half-flayer version works excatly, maybe you can do something with racial emulation from races of Eberron.
Point - not as much a house-rule as something called out in Races of Destiny specifically in the Adaption section of the Changeling PrC.
It reads something like:
"If you're playing in Eberron this PrC should be available to Changelings in addition to humans and doppelgangers."
So then you look at the Illithid progression, later in the book, and decide to be an Illithid 1.
So you are an Illithid, right ?
Probably, you absolutely can not take a template later, without finishing Illithid, but you are gonna take classes.
Six more levels to play with before you get to the Skill Rank of 10, of whatever it is.
Umm, no. Illithid isn't a template - It's a creature. Therefore it's not a template class, and you can't stop it in middle of it.
If you could, who the heck would not take their first level in Djinn? Bonus stats, good BaB, outsider proficiencies, 8+int skill points.. Seriously, too good to be true, so it probably is.