So, well. I was thinking about how hi-tech can be traslated as in a D&D game without resorting to D20 modern (which I don´t have), and noticed the rather similar nature of psionics to extra high tech.
And then I thought... of many things. Many great, powerful things.
Nothing to do, but well... you might like this kind of thing like I do. Returning inside the box can be reconforting at times.
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A (n ab) normal human expert focusing in Knowledge or Craft can have a topping score, assuming an extremely minmaxed focus in his skill, and 4th level at most, a maximum modifier of +27. +7 ranks, +4 ability modifier (18 +1 is 19), +3 skill focus, +2 from one of those feats that boost two skills, +2 due to a masterwork item, +2 from another char using the Aid Another action, +5 from an item granting a competence bonus, and +2 due to skill sinergy (if any).
But those guys are quite hard to find. Usually you have to do with a guy who just has 4 ranks, skill focus, a masterwork item, an ability score of 14 at most, and an apprentice helping, which means just +13.
A normal illithid can safely get 11 ranks and has an Int of 18, for +15. Double standard treasure for CR 8 is like 6.800 gp, so no can do with the ring of competence. But it can safely have a slave assisting and masterwork tools. That´s +19, without much hassle.
While a focused illithid (some kinda "sage") could easily know about a subject as much as... Well, nonelite array, set the 13 on intelligence for a total of 21, 11 ranks, skill focus, a masterwork item, a slave helping, a ring of competence (we´ll assume it has focused itself so much that he actually bought the a thing) and sinergy would mean... +5 intelligence, +11 ranks, +3 skill focus, +2 masterwork item, +2 aid another, +5 competence, +2 sinergy, would mean +29.
And we can go as hardcore with the Ilithid as with the aforementioned expert. I won´t give the illithid any class levels; finding challenges that can actually award it any XP is impossible. At least without assuming that it hasn´t been really paying truly enough attention to its craft as to warrant its true modifier.
Here comes Us´l´ss. 18 base intelligence, for a total of 26, expanded knowledge gives it precognition from the Seer list (it needs a feat because all illithids are telepath psions), skill focus, some feat to give it +2 to it and +2 to something else, +2 from a masterwork item, +2 from external help, +5 from a competence bonus, +2 from skill sinergy, and that´s very kickass already. For a total of +8 intelligence, +2 insight (precognition), +3 skill focus, +2 weird feat, +2 masterwork, +2 aid another, +5 competence, +2 sinergy. That´s +26, and we haven´t yet added the ranks! With the ranks, it´s +37. Violent, heck!
And it could get worse. We coulda improve the competence bonus from the ring, but neither an 8th level NPC nor an 8th level encounter could have a ring of competence +10. Luckily.
Comparatively, that´s:
+13 (normal expert)
+19 (illithid in casual conversation about a topic that it really likes. That it likes enough to invest max ranks in, to buy masterwork tools for, and to have a slave who has at least one rank in the topic and the ability to roll a 7.)
+27 (overdone-to-heck expert)
+29 (illithid specialist)
+37 (illithid genius suffering from horrible manias and obsessions)
This assumes a Craft or Knowledge skill which has two things, of course: skill sinergy and a feat to improve it. Without each, reduce by 2. Even without both things, that´s a monstrously overdone focus.
But those guys are quite hard to find. Usually you have to do with a guy who just has 4 ranks, skill focus, a masterwork item, an ability score of 14 at most, and an apprentice helping, which means just +13.
A normal illithid can safely get 11 ranks and has an Int of 18, for +15. Double standard treasure for CR 8 is like 6.800 gp, so no can do with the ring of competence. But it can safely have a slave assisting and masterwork tools. That´s +19, without much hassle.
While a focused illithid (some kinda "sage") could easily know about a subject as much as... Well, nonelite array, set the 13 on intelligence for a total of 21, 11 ranks, skill focus, a masterwork item, a slave helping, a ring of competence (we´ll assume it has focused itself so much that he actually bought the a thing) and sinergy would mean... +5 intelligence, +11 ranks, +3 skill focus, +2 masterwork item, +2 aid another, +5 competence, +2 sinergy, would mean +29.
And we can go as hardcore with the Ilithid as with the aforementioned expert. I won´t give the illithid any class levels; finding challenges that can actually award it any XP is impossible. At least without assuming that it hasn´t been really paying truly enough attention to its craft as to warrant its true modifier.
Here comes Us´l´ss. 18 base intelligence, for a total of 26, expanded knowledge gives it precognition from the Seer list (it needs a feat because all illithids are telepath psions), skill focus, some feat to give it +2 to it and +2 to something else, +2 from a masterwork item, +2 from external help, +5 from a competence bonus, +2 from skill sinergy, and that´s very kickass already. For a total of +8 intelligence, +2 insight (precognition), +3 skill focus, +2 weird feat, +2 masterwork, +2 aid another, +5 competence, +2 sinergy. That´s +26, and we haven´t yet added the ranks! With the ranks, it´s +37. Violent, heck!
And it could get worse. We coulda improve the competence bonus from the ring, but neither an 8th level NPC nor an 8th level encounter could have a ring of competence +10. Luckily.
Comparatively, that´s:
+13 (normal expert)
+19 (illithid in casual conversation about a topic that it really likes. That it likes enough to invest max ranks in, to buy masterwork tools for, and to have a slave who has at least one rank in the topic and the ability to roll a 7.)
+27 (overdone-to-heck expert)
+29 (illithid specialist)
+37 (illithid genius suffering from horrible manias and obsessions)
This assumes a Craft or Knowledge skill which has two things, of course: skill sinergy and a feat to improve it. Without each, reduce by 2. Even without both things, that´s a monstrously overdone focus.
1) call to mind. this can give a +4 bonus to any given knowledge test that you fail to make, not to mention a second (or technically, more) attempts. theoretically speaking, an illithid with 20 PP and this power can take 20 on a knowledge check.
2) add on a psicrystal. it has the same skill points as you. you can now have it aid you... *or* you can have it also attempt on it's own. and don't forget to share power your call to mind/precognition either ;)
3) psychic reformation. available to all illithid (if they so choose, and i don't see why not). they don't have to be specialised all the time, because they can become specialised given 10 minutes and some XP (and for the record, i don't think it would be all that horribly difficult for a mind flayer to face a challenge that it would gain some xp from. remember, it's not required that they kill anything, so successful research could gain them xp, as could negotiating a trade agreement with a sufficiently tough opponent, convincing the rest of the flayer colony that your project is superior and more worthy of support than a rival's, etc.
the list, at least, has been somewhat active. not much, but definitely moreso than the boards here have over the past while.
* In essence, Falx is a slightly more habitable version of Venus. The surface temperature is blistering hot, hurricane-like winds, and eternal cloud cover. The planet is much bigger than Earth, though.
* There are "hundreds" of Tarrasque-like creatures on Falx, which means they are very spread out. There are no templated tarrasques, as Falx was written long before the concept of templates became standard to D&D.
* There are two large illithid cities on Falx, one on the equator, the other at the north pole, and many smaller outposts. One city has a population of 1 million illithids, the other 2 million. Although I personally would put this figure at much less, making the illithid population a little less than 10% of the population, and include many "wild" sentient creatures living beyond the cities so they have enough food to survive.
* The illithids live deep underground and are generally "safe" from the tarrasque on the surface. No mention, however, of how their ships get from their deep underground cities to wildspace; I'd assume travel through the Astral would be likely. The illithids live as they do elsewhere, doing all manner of evil things for fun & profit.
* The only ships that willingly land on Falx are those of the illithids and their allies. It would be suicidal for anyone else, save adventurers, to do so.
* The illithids live deep underground and are generally "safe" from the tarrasque on the surface. No mention, however, of how their ships get from their deep underground cities to wildspace; I'd assume travel through the Astral would be likely. The illithids live as they do elsewhere, doing all manner of evil things for fun & profit.
well, given the statement that this was before templates, i'm going to assume 2nd edition psionics rules apply. including, say, the Will and the Way.
which means they could very possibly wormhole out, given a sufficiently large convergence to provide a crapload of PSP (a square 40 feet x 40 feet would a 'mere' intelligence -8 to the check, which is pretty high for the average 'flayer. with research on the power and research to increase effective intelligence, this could easily go up to around a roll of 16 or thereabouts fairly easily for a reasonably normal flayer who makes a point of researching the power. heck, for mindflayers, they probably don't even need the convergence, they've got so many PSP.
alternately, they could make a normal sized wormhole, and simply use it to transfer personnel between the planet and the ships.
or, they could even just use teleport.
it makes sense to have illithids having psi/magic/tech devices of bizarre type, keeps the game fun and frightening! ;)