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{{Short description|Fictional monster from Dungeons & Dragons}}
{{redirect|Mindflayer|the noise rock band|Mindflayer (band)}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox fictional race
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| franchise = [[Dungeons & Dragons]]
| other_names = Mind flayer
| first_major = [[Eldritch Wizardry]] (1976)<ref name="CBR on publication history">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Isaac |date=July 15, 2023 |title=D&D Creature Feature Fridays: Mind Flayer Edition |url=https://www.cbr.com/dnd-mind-flayer-history-tactics-campaign/ |access-date=August 31, 2023 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Polygon on Illithid origins">{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=October 30, 2017 |title=Stranger
| first_minor = ''The Strategic Review'' #1 (Spring 1975)
| last_major = Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk (2023)<ref name="
}}
In the ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' fantasy role-playing game, '''illithids''' (commonly known as '''mind flayers''') are monstrous humanoid ''aberrations'' with [[Psionics (Dungeons & Dragons)|psionic]] powers. In a typical ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns and cities of the enormous [[Underdark]]. Illithids believe themselves to be the [[dominant species]] of the [[Parallel universe (fiction)|multiverse]] and use other intelligent creatures as [[thrall]]s, [[slaves]], and [[Personal property|chattel]]. Illithids are well known for making thralls out of other intelligent creatures, as well as feasting on their brains.
==Publication history==
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===''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 1st edition (1977–1988)===
The mind flayer appears in the first edition ''[[Monster Manual]]'' (1977).<ref>[[Gary Gygax|Gygax, Gary]], in which it is described as an evil subterranean creature that considers humanity as cattle to feed upon, and draws forth brains with its tentacles. ''[[Monster Manual]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1977)</ref> [[Roger E. Moore]] authored "The Ecology of the Mind Flayer," which featured in ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #78 (October 1983).<ref>[[Roger E. Moore|Moore, Roger]]. "Ecology of the Mind Flayer." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #78 (TSR, 1983).</ref>
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Most things from early D&D got recycled into basic D&D - but did the mind flayer? If you can verify that they did not, then feel free to remove this heading!
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The mind flayer appears first in the ''Monstrous Compendium Volume One'' (1989),<ref>[[David "Zeb" Cook|Cook, David]], et al. ''Monstrous Compendium Volume One'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1989)</ref> and is reprinted in the ''Monstrous Manual'' (1993).<ref>Stewart, Doug, ed. ''Monstrous Manual'' (TSR, 1994)</ref>
''[[The Complete Psionics Handbook]]'' (1991) presented ways on using mind flayers with psionic powers.<ref>[[Steve Winter|Winter, Steve]]. ''[[The Complete Psionics Handbook]]'' (TSR, 1991)</ref>
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The ''alhoon'', also known as the ''illithilich'' or ''mind flayer [[Lich (Dungeons & Dragons)|lich]]'', was introduced in the ''Menzoberranzan'' boxed set, in the booklet "Book One: The City" (1992).
The book ''[[The Illithiad]]'' (April 1998<ref name="Sudlow">{{cite magazine|title=The Illithiad|last=Sudlow|first=Paul|issue=39|magazine=[[InQuest Gamer|InQuest]]|publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]|pages=66–69|date=July 1998}}</ref><ref>Cordell, Bruce R. ''The Illithiad'' (TSR, 1998)</ref>), and the Monstrous Arcana module series that accompanies it, greatly develops the mind flayer further. ''The Illithiad'' introduced the illithid ''elder brain'' and the illithid-[[Roper (Dungeons & Dragons)|roper]] crossbreed, the ''urophion''. The module ''Dawn of the Overmind'' featured an origin story for the illithids.<ref>[[Bruce Cordell|Cordell, Bruce R.]] ''[[Dawn of the Overmind]]'' (TSR, 1998)</ref>
===''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3.0 edition (2000–2002)===
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The mind flayer appears in the revised ''[[Monster Manual]]'' for this edition (2003), in both playable and non-playable forms. One of the differences between the playable Mind Flayer in the ''Monster Manual'' and the Mind Flayer racial class in ''Savage Species'' is that the racial class has only itself as a favored class, while the normal Mind Flayer has wizard as a favored class. The mind flayer received its own chapter in the book ''[[Lords of Madness|Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations]]'' (2005).<ref name="LoM">[[Richard Baker (game designer)|Baker, Rich]], [[James Jacobs (game designer)|James Jacobs]], and [[Steve Winter]]. ''[[Lords of Madness]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2005)</ref>
The ''[[Expanded Psionics Handbook]]'' (2004) re-introduced the psionic mind flayer, detailing the differences between psionic and normal mind flayers, although creating a Psionic Mind Flayer still requires the information from the ''Monster Manual''.<ref>[[Bruce Cordell|Cordell, Bruce R.]] ''[[Expanded Psionics Handbook]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2004)</ref>
===''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition (2008–2014)===
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===''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition (2014–present)===
The mind flayer appears in the ''[[Monster Manual]]'' for this edition (2014).<ref>[[Mike Mearls|Mearls, Mike]], [[Stephen Schubert]], and [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]. ''[[Monster Manual]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2014)</ref> Additional information about the mind flayers is found in ''[[Volo's Guide to Monsters]]'' (2016). The information includes details about their origins, their reproduction, their dispositions and behaviors, and their elder brain. The book also details this edition's
== Fictional physical characteristics ==
Illithids have a humanoid body with an [[octopus]]-like head, which were pointed out for their similarity to [[H. P. Lovecraft]]'s [[Cthulhu]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://games.avclub.com/your-guide-to-volo-s-guide-to-monsters-1798254926 |title=Your guide to ''Volo's Guide To Monsters'' |last1=Wanserski |first1=Nick |last2=Chavez |first2=Danette |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=2016-11-29 |access-date=2024-02-14}}</ref>
One of their most feared powers is the dreaded ''Mind Blast'', where the illithid emits a cone-shaped [[Psionics (role-playing games)|psionic]] shock wave with its mind in order to incapacitate any creature for a short amount of time.<ref name="gamerant"/>
===Biology===
Illithids are [[hermaphroditic]] creatures<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Clements |first=Philip J. |date=December 2019 |title=Dungeons & Discourse: Intersectional Identities in Dungeons & Dragons |type=PhD |url=http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1573729920432102 |access-date=September 22, 2020 |pages=135–136}}</ref> who each spawn a mass of [[larva]]e two or three times in their life.<ref name="CBR-anatomy">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/dnd-anatomy-mind-flayer-trivia/|title=D&D Anatomy: 5 Facts You Should Know About Mind Flayers|date=May 6, 2021|website=CBR}}</ref> The larvae resemble miniature illithid heads or four-tentacled tadpoles. Larvae are left to develop in the pool of the Elder Brain. The ones that survive after 10 years are inserted into the [[brain]] of a [[sapience|sapient]] creature.<ref name="CBR-who"/> Hosts are determined in a very specific manner. Hosts generally are [[humanoid]] creatures that are between 5 feet 4 inches and 6 feet 2 inches. The most desirable of races for hosts are [[Human (Dungeons & Dragons)|humans]], [[Drow (Dungeons & Dragons)|drow]], [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|elves]], [[githzerai]], [[githyanki]], [[Grimlock (Dungeons & Dragons)|grimlocks]], [[Gnoll (Dungeons & Dragons)|gnolls]], [[goblinoids]], and [[
==Variants==
===Alhoon===
Alhoons (also called illithiliches) are illithids that choose to focus on developing arcane abilities in addition to their [[Psionics (Dungeons & Dragons)|psionic]] ones,<ref name=Casey/> and have grown powerful enough in magic to become [[Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)|undead]] [[Lich (Dungeons & Dragons)|liches]]. Alhoons are generally pariahs in illithid society because they go against most illithids' eventual goal: to merge with the Elder Brain, both physically and psionically. Alhoons, on the other hand, are more concerned with their own personal survival. When discovered near illithid communities,
The alhoon first appeared in second edition ''AD&D'' for the [[Forgotten Realms]] setting in the ''Menzoberranzan'' boxed set, in the booklet "Book One: The City" (1992),<ref>[[Ed Greenwood|Greenwood, Ed]], [[Douglas Niles]], and [[R. A. Salvatore]]. ''Menzoberranzan'' (TSR, 1992)</ref> and reprinted in ''[[Monstrous Compendium|Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three]]'' (1996).<ref>[[Jon Pickens|Pickens, Jon]], ed. ''[[Monstrous Compendium|Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1996)</ref> The creature was further detailed in the supplement ''[[The Illithiad]]'' (1998).<ref>[[Bruce Cordell|Cordell, Bruce R.]] ''[[The Illithiad]]'' (TSR, 1998)</ref> The alhoon also appeared in third edition in ''[[Monsters of Faerûn]]'' (2001)<ref>[[James Wyatt (game designer)|Wyatt, James]] and [[Rob Heinsoo]]. ''[[Monstrous Compendium]]: [[Monsters of Faerûn]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2001)</ref> and ''[[Lords of Madness]]'' (2005).<ref name="LoM"/>
===Ulitharid===
{{Empty section|date=June 2024}}
===Vampiric illithids===
The origins of these unique [[Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)|undead]] mind flayers are unclear. All that is known of these creatures is that they cannot create spawn, need both fresh blood and fresh brains to survive, are more feral than typical illithids, and are barely intelligent. One possible origin is given in the [[Ravenloft]] adventure ''Thoughts of Darkness'', where "vampiric mind flayers are either the result of a Mind Flayer tadpole infecting a vampiric host or a host that becomes a [[Vampire (Dungeons & Dragons)|vampire]] before the tadpole fully converts them".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021-05-23|title=D&D: The 7 Best Monsters Introduced in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft|url=https://www.cbr.com/dnd-best-monsters-van-richten-guide-ravenloft/|access-date=2021-05-23|website=CBR|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>''Thoughts of Darkness''</ref> These creatures are hated and feared by typical illithids.<ref name="LoM"/> Christian Hoffer, ''for ComicBook.com'', wrote, "Not only do the vampiric mind flayers possess the psionic powers of a mind flayer, they also have the undead strength and bloodlust of a vampire, making them twice as deadly".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=February 24, 2021|title=Dungeons & Dragons Is Bringing Back Vampiric Mind Flayers|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-vampiric-mind-flayers-ravenloft/
===Related creatures===
'''Brainstealer Dragon''': A mix of illithid and [[Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)|dragon]], these powerful wyrms occasionally rule over illithid communities that lack an elder brain.<ref name="DR337">Baase, Kevin, Eric Jansing, and Oliver Frank. "Monsters of the Mind." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #337 ([[Paizo Publishing]], 2005)</ref><ref name="thegamer">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/dungeons-dragons-mind-flayers-facts/|title=D&D: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Mind Flayers|date=December 2, 2020|website=TheGamer}}</ref>
'''Illithocyte''': Illithid tadpoles that survived the fall of a mind flayer empire, they evolved into a new life form and now crawl about in groups seeking psychic radiation on which to feed.<ref name="DR337"/>
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'''Mind Worm''': Created by illithids to serve as assassins and bounty hunters, these powerful psionic creatures resemble smaller [[purple worm]]s. They can attack from far distances with their probe worms.<ref name="DR337"/>
'''Nerve Swimmers''': Derived from immature illithid tadpoles, these entities are living instruments of torture and interrogation.<ref name="DR337"/>
'''Ustilagor''': Mind flayers farm these larval [[intellect devourer]]s for food and sentries.<ref name="DR337"/>
'''Vampire Squid''': Servitor creatures created by illithids to extend their reach below the surface of Underdark waters. They have a maw of sharp teeth which can be turned inside out and function as defensive spikes.<ref>[[Wolfgang Baur|Baur, Wolfgang]]. "The Dragon's Bestiary: Monsters of the Underdark." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #227 (TSR, 1996)</ref>
== Fictional history ==
The 3.5 Edition ''D&D'' supplement ''[[Lords of Madness]]'' provides that the Illithid were a star-faring people who existed at the end of time. Facing annihilation, the Illithid traveled to the past, arriving roughly 2000 years before the present in any given ''D&D'' campaign.<ref name="LoM"/>
Gith was betrayed by one of her own generals, Zerthimon, who believed she had grown tyrannical and over-aggressive. Civil war erupted, and the race factionalised into the githyanki and the [[githzerai]] (and in the Spelljammer campaign setting the Pirates of Gith).<ref name="MC7">{{Cite book
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| year = 1990
| location = Lake Geneva, WI S.l.
| isbn = 978-0-88038-871-9}}</ref>
The background material of the ''Chainmail'' game<ref>Tweet, Jonathan, Rob Heinsoo, and [[Chris Pramas]]. ''Chainmail Miniatures Game: Blood and Darkness – Set 2 Guidebook.'' Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002</ref> places the gith forerunners in a subterranean empire called '''Zarum''' in [[Western Oerik]], where they dominated many other races from their capital city of '''Anithor'''.
===Religion===
Traditionally illithids revere a perverse deity named Ilsensine.<ref name="thegamer"/> In 2nd edition, they have a second deity named Maanzecorian, who is later killed by [[Orcus (Dungeons & Dragons)#History|Tenebrous (Orcus)]] in the [[Planescape]] adventure module ''[[Dead Gods]]''. Although Ilsensine is the illithid patron deity, few mind flayers actively worship it, thinking themselves the most powerful creatures in the universe.<ref name="LoM" />
===Activities===
Currently, the illithids are in a period of intense study and experimentation, gathering knowledge of all sorts that will enable them to eventually reconquer the universe and hold it for good. They frequently meddle in the politics of other races through subtle psychic manipulation of key figures, not to cause chaos but so as to better understand the dynamics of civilization. They regularly probe the minds of surface dwellers so as to gather intelligence and learn about new advances in magic and technology. They also do a good deal of research themselves, mainly focused on developing new psychic powers.<ref name="LoM"/>
Illithids regularly conduct raids on all sentient settlements to acquire new thralls.<ref name="LoM"/>
==In various campaign settings==
=== In ''Dragonlance'' ===
The yaggol are a variant presented in the ''[[Dragonlance]]'' [[campaign setting]].<ref>[[David Cook (game designer)|Cook, David]]. ''[[Time of the Dragon]]'' (TSR, 1989)</ref><ref>Heard, Bruce A, et al. ''Monstrous Compendium 4: Dragonlance Appendix'' (TSR, 1989)</ref>
===In ''Ravenloft''===
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According to [[Ken Rolston]], the [[Beholder (Dungeons & Dragons)|beholder]] and the mind flayer "win starring roles as intergalactic menaces" in Spelljammer, describing the mind flayers as "evil, brain-sucking horrors who have polished up their social skills sufficiently to present a dubiously neutral facade to trading partners as they secretly scheme toward the day when all intelligent races will be their vassals and brain-food".<ref name="Dragon #154">{{cite journal| last = Rolston| first = Ken| author-link = Ken Rolston| title = Role-playing Reviews| journal = [[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]| issue = #154| pages = 59–63| publisher = [[TSR, Inc.|TSR]]| location = [[Lake Geneva, Wisconsin]]|date=February 1990}}</ref>
=== ''Pharagos: The Battleground'' ===
In a proposed campaign setting, Pharagos is a lightly populated [[Earth]]-like world with three continents and numerous chains of islands. The one remarkable feature of this world is the presence of an immense petrified corpse of a god previously worshiped by the Forerunner civilization before it was crushed by the illithid empire. A vast stony column of forgotten beliefs, it is buried deep in the ground. The current inhabitants of Pharagos have no knowledge of the planet's past; the illithid empire's rule over Pharagos and the origin of the gith races on this world are lost to history. They are unaware that the source of mystical power for their numerous cults comes from the presence of the dead god under their land.<ref>[[James Wyatt (game designer)|Wyatt, James]] (July 2003). ''"Incursion: A World Under Siege."'' ''[[Dragon (magazine)|DRAGON Magazine]]'', p. 70.</ref>
==Critical reception==
The mind flayer was ranked fourth among the ten best mid-level monsters by the authors of ''Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies''. They referred to this unique creation of the ''D&D'' game as the "quintessential evil genius" and the "perfect evil overlord".<ref name="Dummies">{{cite book|last1=Slavicsek|first1=Bill|author-link=Bill Slavicsek|first2=Rich|last2=Baker|author-link2=Richard Baker (game designer)|first3=Jeff|last3=Grubb|author-link3=Jeff Grubb |title=Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies|publisher=For Dummies|year=2006|page=373|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xNU7E01MCEgC&q=%22mind+flayer%22&pg=PA361|access-date=2009-02-12|isbn=978-0-7645-8459-6}}</ref> Games journalist [[David M. Ewalt]] found them "one of D&D's most popular monsters".<ref name="Ewalt" /> Academic Philip J. Clements considered mind flayers of the "game's signature monsters",<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Clements |first=Philip J. |date=December 2019 |title=Dungeons & Discourse: Intersectional Identities in Dungeons & Dragons |type=PhD |url=http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1573729920432102 |access-date=September 22, 2020 |pages=133}}</ref> while ''Backstab'' reviewer Philippe Tessier called it a "classic of ''D&D''"<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tessier|first=Philippe|date=November 2000|title=Baldur's Gate II|department=Review|language=fr|magazine=Backstab|number=24|pages=90–91}}</ref> and Witwer ''et al.'' "iconic D&D monsters".<ref name=AA/>
''[[The Stranger (newspaper)|The Stranger]]'' writer Cienna Madrid described the Mind Flayer as one of D&D's "ghastly fiends".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-dice-storm/Content?oid=25245|title=The Dice Storm|last=Cienna|first=Madrid|date=November 24, 2005|work=[[The Stranger (newspaper)|The Stranger]]|access-date=2009-08-15}}</ref> Reviewer Julien Blondel for ''Backstab'' described them as vile brain-eating creatures full of [[Psionics (Dungeons & Dragons)|psionic energy]]. He found them delightful creatures for a sadistic Dungeon Master to use, and a useful bridge between classic game worlds and the [[Outer Plane|planes]], as illithids abound in both.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Blondel|first=Julien|date=May–June 1998|title=The Illithiad|language=fr|journal=Backstab|volume=9|page=55}}</ref>
Rob Bricken of ''[[io9]]'' named the mind flayer as the 9th most memorable D&D monster.<ref>{{cite journal|url= http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-10-most-memorable-dungeons-dragons-monsters-1326074030/|title=The 10 Most Memorable Dungeons & Dragons Monsters|journal=Io9|last=Bricken|first=Rob|date=September 16, 2013|access-date=January 20, 2016}}</ref> ''[[SyFy Wire]]'' in 2018 called it one of "The 9 Scariest, Most Unforgettable Monsters From Dungeons & Dragons", saying that "Mind flayers are another classic monster like the beholder."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-9-scariest-most-unforgettable-monsters-from-dungeons-dragons|title=The 9 scariest, most unforgettable monsters from Dungeons & Dragons|first=Lisa|last=Granshaw|date=October 24, 2018|website=SYFY WIRE|access-date=October 8, 2019|archive-date=April 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200429125029/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-9-scariest-most-unforgettable-monsters-from-dungeons-dragons|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Screen Rant]]'' compiled a list of the game's "10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked" in 2018, calling the elder brain one of the strongest, saying that the 5th "edition of Dungeons & Dragons has toned down the elder brain a lot", it "still represents a grave threat to most adventuring parties, thanks to its range of powerful enchantment spells and psionic attacks, but it isn't quite the epic level threat that it once was." Reviewer Scott Baird also found that the illithids in general "are considered to be one of the most disliked creatures in all of Dungeons & Dragons."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/dungeons-and-dragons-powerful-weak-monsters-ranked/|title=Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Most Powerful (And 10 Weakest) Monsters, Ranked|date=May 20, 2018|website=Screen Rant}}</ref>
==In other media==
Mind flayers appear in other role-playing games, including ''[[Angband (video game)|Angband]]'', ''[[Bloodborne]]'', ''[[Demon's Souls]]'', ''[[Final Fantasy]]'', ''[[NetHack]]'', ''[[Lost Kingdoms]]'', ''[[Kingdom of Loathing]]'' and ''[[Lost Souls (online game)|Lost Souls]]'', and the one-player [[gamebook]] RPG series ''[[Fighting Fantasy]]'' includes a creature similar to the illithid, the Brain Slayer.
* Ulchalothe in ''[[Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II]]'' is the guardian of the Brazier of Eternal Flame. There are illithid settlements of varying size in the games ''[[Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark]]'', ''[[Baldur's Gate II]]'' and ''[[Icewind Dale II]]''. The villain in the ''[[Neverwinter Nights (2002 video game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' premium module 'Kingmaker' is also an Illithid.
* Illithid characters and plot elements play a central role throughout the story of ''[[Baldur's Gate 3]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-22|title=Baldur's Gate 3's Mind-Eating Parasite Informs All of Act 1, for Better and for Worse|url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/baldurs-gate-3s-mind-eating-parasite-informs-all-of-act-1-for-better-and-for-worse/|access-date=2020-10-22|website=Escapist Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>
* In episode 30 of the webcomic ''[[Order of the Stick]]'' (written by [[Rich Burlew]]), the party bard [[Elan (Order of the Stick)|Elan]] encounters an illithid in its lair. The illithid opts not to consume Elan's brain due to the bard's stupidity, and so they start playing [[Scrabble]] instead.<ref name="oots0030">{{cite journal |author=Burlew, Rich | author-link = Rich Burlew |title=Behind the Secret Door |url=http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0030.html |journal=The Order of the Stick |year=2004 |issue=#30 |publisher=GiantITP.com |access-date=2017-12-14}}</ref> Episode 31 makes a reference to the illithid's preferred diet.<ref name="oots0031">{{cite journal |author=Burlew, Rich | author-link = Rich Burlew |title=All-You-Can-Eat Brain Buffet |url=http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html |journal=The Order of the Stick |year=2004 |issue=#31 |publisher=GiantITP.com |access-date=2017-12-14}}</ref> Episode 32 makes a fourth-wall reference to the fact that the illithid isn't open-source material.<ref name="oots0032">{{cite journal |author=Burlew, Rich | author-link = Rich Burlew |title=Biting the Hand that Feeds Me |url=http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0032.html |journal=The Order of the Stick |year=2004 |issue=#32 |publisher=GiantITP.com |access-date=2017-12-14}}</ref>
* In the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series, players encounter an enemy called the Mindflayer, a cave-dwelling magic user that has the head of a squid, wears a flowing robe, and wields a staff. When the [[Final Fantasy (video game)|first game]] for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] was brought to North America it was referred to as a Sorcerer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ffe.hendersongdi.com/m/mindflayer.html|title=Final Fantasy Encyclopaedia: Mindflayer|website=ffe.hendersongdi.com|access-date=2017-12-14|archive-date=2010-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022020948/http://ffe.hendersongdi.com/m/mindflayer.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2005|title=Final Fantasy 1 Version Differences FAQ v3.01|url=https://www.ffcompendium.com/h/faqs/ff1versions.txt|access-date=2021-05-27|website=ffcompendium.com}}</ref> Although the Mindflayer's name and appearance have been kept the same, the "[[Beholder (Dungeons & Dragons)|Beholder]]" was changed to Evil Eye.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ffe.hendersongdi.com/e/evileye.html|title=Final Fantasy Encyclopaedia: Evil Eye|website=ffe.hendersongdi.com|access-date=2017-12-14|archive-date=2016-09-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911110018/http://ffe.hendersongdi.com/e/evileye.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The [[Netflix]] series ''[[Stranger Things]]'', following the eighth episode of the second season, used the name "Mind Flayer" to refer to one of the main antagonists of the series due to their similar natures.<ref name="Casey">{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/stranger-things-season-3-dungeons-dragons-mind-flayer-eleven-theory/ |title=What Dungeons & Dragons Reveals About Stranger Things Season 3 |last=Casey |first=Dan |date=November 2, 2017 |website=Nerdist.com |publisher=Nerdist |access-date=November 8, 2017 |quote=In season 2, episode 8, titled “The Mind Flayer,” Dustin draws an analogy between a fan-favorite ''D&D'' monster of the same name and whatever shadowy creature is possessing Will Byers.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2017/11/05/stranger-things-season-2-episode-8-review-the-mind-flayer/#3d448f8d9bec |title='Stranger Things' Season 2, Episode 8 Review: 'The Mind Flayer' |last=Di Placido |first=Dani |date=November 5, 2017 |work=Forbes |access-date=November 8, 2017 |quote=Will is still a vessel of pure evil, and the boys return to their trusted ''Dungeons & Dragons'' board for advice. Sure enough, there's a creature in the game that's kind of similar. ...the tendriled creature now has a pretty cool name, the "Mind Flayer,"}}</ref>
=== Licensing ===
The illithid is considered "Product Identity" by [[Wizards of the Coast]] and as such is not released under its [[Open Game License]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=http://www.d20srd.org/faq.htm |access-date=2007-02-23 |publisher=D20srd.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Baird |first=Scott |date=2020-05-24 |title=These Monsters Are Legally Owned By Dungeons & Dragons (So You Can't Steal Them) |url=https://www.thegamer.com/dungeons-dragons-monsters-copyright/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}</ref>
==References==
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