Illithid Powers in Baldur’s Gate 3 Explained

Illithids are fascinating creatures; they can converse telepathically and use their psychic powers to destroy their enemies’ brains. If you wish to become one of these Mind Flayers in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ve come to the correct place. You’ll discover everything you need here, from how to become one to all the skills you may learn.

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Illithids, also known as Mind Flayers, are a species of monster in D&D that infects other creatures’ brains and transforms them into Illithids. They spread in this manner, much like parasites. They can communicate telepathically and utilize their minds to attack others. 

The interesting thing is that in Baldur’s Gate 3, you can become an Illithid by devouring Illithid tadpoles. It sounds terrible, but you earn extraordinary abilities. These are all of the exceptional Illithid Powers available in BG3.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, you can become an Illithid.

Now, as we know from D&D, the Illithid send their young (parasites sometimes known as tadpoles) to their victims and allow them to consume their brain piece by piece. It functions similarly in Baldur’s Gate 3.

If you swallow these tadpoles, you will gradually transform into an Illithid, but you will gain extraordinary abilities in exchange. 

You won’t be able to convert your entire gang into Mind Flayers right away, and there are some people who just cannot become Mind Flayers. And, to be honest, you might not want your entire group to turn into Mind Flayers.

Here are the main points to remember regarding the procedure:

• You acquire access to the skill tree after consuming three parasites. These tadpoles can be dropped by a few opponents. With each of them, you gain a point that can be used to purchase abilities (once the Illithid Powers skill tree is achieved). A list of Mind Flayer Specimens can be found at the conclusion of this page. 

• Once you’ve consumed enough, press “B” to access your Illithid Powers talent tree. Tier 1 and Tier 2 Powers are now available. Tier 1 Powers (nearer the centre) are required to access Tier 2 Powers. 

• Use your points wisely because you can only enhance one character at a time.

• Jaheira and Halsin, as well as a few others, are unable to become Mind Flayers since they cannot host the parasites.

• Those are the important aspects to remember; now, let’s look at those Illithid Powers.

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lllithid Powers in Baldur’s Gate 3

As previously stated, there are two tiers of powers, with the first unlocking the skills of the second. The following is a list of all Illithid Powers:

Tier 1:

• Psionic Overload (active) – Attacks cause 1-4 psychic damage in addition to taking 1-4 psychic damage each turn.

• Favourable Blessings (passive) – Your proficiency bonus is added to the first attack roll or ability check you make against a target.

• Force Tunnel (active) – Charge ahead, pushing all objects and animals four meters away from you; does not cause Opportunity Attacks.

• Concentrated Blast (active) – Deals 3d6 psychic damage plus 3d6 conditional damage; must be cast while concentrating on another spell. If the target is also concentrating, you heal twice the amount of damage done.

• Transfuse Health (active) – For the same price, sacrifice half of your remaining hit points to heal a target.

Tier 2:

• Ability Drain (passive) – When you make an attack roll once per round, the attack reduces the target’s ability by one point. The lowered ability correlates to your assault (for example, melee for STR, ranged weapons for DEX, and spells for WIS, INT, or CHA).

• Luck of the Far Realms (passive) – You can convert a successful attack roll to a critical hit.

• Charm (active) – Charm an opponent to keep them from assaulting you until the next turn; requires a reaction.

• Displace (passive) – Creatures who fall as a result of your actions suffer 1-8 psychological damage.

• Repulsor (active) – Deals 2d6 force damage and moves your target six meters back.

• Cull the Weak (passive) – Bringing an adversary down to fewer HP than your unlocked Illithid Powers automatically kills it; moreover, adjacent creatures suffer 1-4 mental damage.

• Psionic Backlash (passive) – When an enemy performs a spell within nine meters of you, you can use your reaction to deal 1d4 psychic damage per spell level.

• Shield of Thralls (active) – Conjure a shield that grants 10 temporary HP to a target; if the shield breaks, it can stun nearby opponents.

• Perilous Stakes (active) – Allows a target to heal while attacking, but it also makes it vulnerable to all sorts of damage.

• Stage Fright (active) – Targets have a disadvantage on attack rolls and take 2-12 mental damage if they miss; this is overcome if they succeed on an attack roll.

• Passive Psionic Dominance When an enemy within 18 m casts a spell with a level lower than or equal to your Proficiency Bonus on you, you can use your reaction to negate the spell.

• Active Intellect Absorption Deals 1d8 damage; devour a foe’s intellect, decreasing their Intelligence by one per turn and healing your wounds for 5 turns.

• Mind Sanctuary (active) Construct a magical nexus that enables individuals within to perform actions and bonus actions interchangeably.

• Fracture Psyche (active) Invade the mind of a target and disrupt its defences. The Armour Class of the target is reduced by l. You can cast Shatter Psyche on another target if the target dies while its psyche is split.

• Passive Black Hole You are a component of a larger whole. To teleport to another tadpole-infected creature, focus on your connection.

• Mind Blast (active) does 4d8+5 psychic damage; emits a conical wave of psychic energy that may stun creatures within.

• Passive Illithid Expertise You’ve expanded your self-awareness by earning Expertise in Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation Checks.

• Passive (free cast) You’ve discovered a wonderful adaptation within yourself. Spell slots, charges, and other equivalent resource expenses for your next action or spell are no longer available. After a short or long rest, it refreshes.

• Active Displacer Beast Shape Transform into a displacer beast with 85 hit points that can displace itself and foes. You get the characteristics of a displacer beast while retaining your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You revert to your original shape when your displacer beast form loses all of its hit points.

Illithid Class Powers 

In addition to the Illithid Powers, each class has its own unique Illithid Power, as shown in the list:

• Barbarian: Endless Rage – Deal +1d4 damage with each attack while Rage is active; receive +1d4 damage each turn; prevents Rage from ending prematurely because you’re sure to take damage.

• Bard: Stage Fright – AOE effect where foes have a disadvantage on attack rolls and take damage when they miss; targets can overcome this effect after they succeed in an attack roll.

• Cleric: Survival Instinct – Heals for +3d4 HP if an ally approaches zero HP, preventing them from becoming unconscious.

• Druid: Aberrant Shape – Transform into an Intellect Devourer capable of dealing psychic damage.

• Psionic Pull – Draw one creature or object toward you.

• Paladin: Fracture Psyche – Reduce your target’s Armor Class (AC) by one point.

• Ranger: Force Tunnel – Charge and force all things and creatures in your path away from you.

• Rogue: Inkblot – Conjure a cloud of magical darkness and activate Hide immediately.

• Sorcerer: Horrific Visage – Deal +1d4 damage to scare a creature for three turns; gain +2 Sorcery Points.

• Supernatural Attraction (Warlock) – Teleport to another infected creature.

• Wizard: Reflective Shell – For two turns, all projectiles aimed at you are reflected.

All of these abilities are quite powerful, but the Cleric’s is our favourite.

How to Locate the Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen

As previously stated, the following Mind Flayer Parasites Specimen can be found on the map:

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• In Brynna’s Mate, near the Druid Grove

• Defeat the Goblins’ High Priestess Gut, Dror Ragzlin, and Minthara at the Shattered Sanctum and The Goblin Camp.

• At Grymforge, defeat True Soul Nere.

• Defeat Marcus the Flaming Fist at the Last Light Inn.

• At the Risen Road, defeat Flind, the Gnoll Warlord.

• There are three parasites at the Creche Y’llek hatchery. 

• One is at the Forest’s Dead True Soul (X:139, Y:444).

That concluded our walkthrough for Illithid Powers in Baldur’s Gate 3. We hope you found it beneficial.