ALHOON – 5e stats

Medium undead, any evil alignment

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.

Proficiency Bonus +4
Proficiency Bonus +7 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
11 (+0)12 (+1)16 (+3)19 (+4)17 (+3)17 (+3)

Saving Throws Con +7, Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +8, Deception +7, History +8, Insight +7, Perception +7, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 10 (5900 XP)

Magic Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The alhoon’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:

Psionic Powers (suggested). The Alhoon has 282 (16d12 + 204) PSPs and can use the following psionic powers, mental attacks and mental defenses:

Spellcasting. The alhoon is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The alhoon has the following wizard spells prepared:

Turn Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack (suggested). The alhoon can make four attacks with its tentacles or one attack with its extract brain ability if conditions are met.
  • Tentacles (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) psychic damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16) and must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or suffer automatic damage in the next round. Add +2 to the escape DC for each tentacle grappling the target. If at any moment the target is grappled by four tentacles, then the alhoon can activate the extract brain ability as a swift action.
  • Extract Brain. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one incapacitated humanoid grappled by the alhoon. Hit: The target takes 55 (10d10) piercing damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the alhoon kills the target by extracting its brain.
  • Chilling Grasp. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage.
  • Mind Blast (Recharge 5-6). The alhoon magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stμnned for 1 minute. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  • Mind Blast (suggested). The alhoon magically emits psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic damage and be stμnned for 1 minute. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.

It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it

DESCRIPTION

Alhoon (also called illithiliches) are undead mind flayers that have achieved a limited form of lichdom by defying the ruling elder brains of their societies. They resemble their living kin, except that their skin is dry, wrinkled, and cracked, lacking the wet and slimy texture of normal illithids. They are feared and hated by mortal mind flayers for their rejection of the illithid circle of life.

COMBAT

Alhoon are undead mind flayers that fight with their four tentacles, just like their living counterparts. Their tentacles can latch onto a victim’s body and bore into their flesh, causing continuous damage until they are severed or withdrawn. If a tentacle reaches the victim’s head, it can extract their brain in a matter of seconds. Alhoon can also use their mind blast to stun their enemies in a cone-shaped area, as well as their psionic powers to manipulate and harm their foes. Alhoon have the same psionic abilities as normal mind flayers, plus the mind thrust power and some individual talents. Alhoon can use either their tentacles or their psionics in a given round, but not both.

Unlike normal mind flayers, alhoon can also cast spells as powerful mages. They have learned many spells from various sources, and are always eager to acquire more knowledge and power. Alhoon can cast a spell in the same round as they use their tentacles, but not their psionics.

Alhoon do not have any special attacks that are common to other undead, such as a lich’s chill touch. However, they do have the standard undead immunities to sleep, hold, charm, and other mind-affecting magics. They cannot be turned or dispelled by priests, and are not affected by holy water, cold iron, protection from evil, sunlight, or silver weapons. They are only vulnerable to spells that specifically target undead creatures.

HABITAT / SOCIETY

Alhoon are renegade mind flayers that have rejected the authority of the elder brains, the collective consciousnesses that govern illithid societies. They have pursued the path of lichdom to extend their lives and increase their power, but at the cost of becoming undead and losing their connection to the illithid circle of life. Alhoon despise living mind flayers and often enslave them with their psionic powers, along with other creatures they consider inferior.

Alhoon usually dwell in isolated places on the surface world, where they can conduct their experiments and schemes without interference. They often take over the lairs of human wizards they have killed, and use their spells and resources to further their goals. In the Underdark, however, alhoon are more cooperative with each other, forming loose alliances for mutual protection and benefit. They share spells and information freely among themselves, and work together to overcome the threats of the dark realms, such as drow, duergar, cloakers, aboleth, and living mind flayers.

Alhoon are capable of diplomacy and loyalty when it suits their interests, but they ultimately view all other beings as cattle, and promises to them as mere conveniences. Alhoon regard true liches and beholders as their greatest rivals, and seek to destroy them whenever possible.

ECOLOGY

Alhoon are undead mind flayers that have achieved a form of lichdom, but not without drawbacks. Their bodies are resistant to most forms of magic, which makes the process of becoming a lich incomplete and imperfect. Alhoon suffer from constant skin wrinkling and tissue desiccation, which they try to counteract by bathing or drinking various liquids. They do not need any sustenance, but they still enjoy eating brains as they did in life. Sometimes, eating a brain gives them glimpses of the thoughts and memories of the victim, which can be useful for finding information or secrets. Alhoon can also use their own brain tissue as a component for creating magical items or writing spells, especially those that affect the minds of others.