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The story of Baldur’s Gate 3 is punctuated by the urgent need for the main character and all their companions to rid themselves of a parasitic worm. The worm’s influence is what drives these characters together in the first place and keeps them together out of mutual need to survive throughout the story.
However, these little worms are not without their uses. Early inAct One, it becomes clear that theTadpolesinfecting our characters’ brains gives them a vast amount of power both passively and actively. It is because of theTadpole’sinfluence that we can link our character’s mind with others’ and compel people to do things for us that they would not normally do (without a significant skill check to have to pass).
These powers are calledIllithid powers, and they are immensely useful throughout the game. These powers come with huge buffs to critical hits and damage, or grant you unique attacks that doPsychicdamage, just to name a couple.
BG3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Database
Welcome to Hardcore Gamer’s Baldur’s Gate 3 Database.
Base Illithid Powers
Ability Drain
Passive Feature
Once per turn, when you make an attack roll, the attack reduces that target’s correspondingAbilityby 1. TheAbilitythat gets reduced is the same as the one used to make the attack roll.
Basic, worm
Charm an enemy that attacks you, preventing them from attacking you until their next turn. Note: Enemies have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Concentrated Blast
Class Action
Deal3d6 Psychicdamage. You must be concentrating on another spell to cast this. If your target is also concentrating, you heal as much as the damage that was dealt to it. This will end the spell you were concentrating on.
Cull the Weak
Toggleable Passive Feature
When you bring a creature down to fewer hit points than your number of evolvedIllithid powers, it dies, and all nearby creatures take 1-4Psychicdamage.
Creatures sufferingFallingdamage because of you take an additional1d8 Psychicdamage.
Favourable Beginnings
The first Attack roll or Ability check you make against any target gains a bonusequal to yourProficiency bonus.
Force Tunnel
Charge forward, knocking all objects and creatures in your path4 meters awayfrom you.
Illithid Persuasion
Use your parasite to connect your brain to cultists’, compelling them to obey.
Unlocked automatically.
Luck of the Far Realms
Once per long rest, when you make a successful attack roll, you can change that attack into a critical hit.
Perilous Stakes
Invest a creature with power that heals it when it attacks but also makes itvulnerableto all damage.
Psionic Backlash
When an enemywithin 9 meterscasts a spell, you can use your rection to inflict1d4 Psychicdamage to the caster per the spell’s level.
Psionic Overload
Your attacks deal an extra1d4 Psychicdamage, but you also take1d4Psychicdamage each turn.
Push anyone back6 meters.Deals2d6 Forcedamage,half-damageon successful save.
Shield of Thralls
Summon a shield around yourself or an ally that grants the target 10 temporary hit points.
Stage Fright
Your targets haveDisadvantageon attack rolls and take2d6 Psychicdamage each time they miss. Targets will overcome their Stage Fright when they succeed an attack roll.
Basic, worm.
Transfuse Health
Sacrifice half your current hit points to heal a target for the same amount.
Elite Illithid Powers
You will notice when you first get access to the Illithid powers that there are some still locked off to you. The outer ring of the brain interface is unavailable to you until the veryend of Act 2, whilst on the road toBaldur’s Gate. You will be given the option to absorb theAstral-Touched Tadpole, which will turn any character of your choosing into aPartial-Illithid. The change is visually identifiable, with black vein-like markings all over your character’s body.
If you plan on making a build that relies onIllithid powers, then keep in mind that when you absorb theAstral-Touched Tadpole, you will automatically gain access to the five center powers of the innermost ring –Concentrated Blast, Favourable Beginnings, Force Tunnel, Psionic Overload,andTransfuse Health.If you spent worms for these, they will be refunded to you. You will also getFlyfor free.
Once you have used theAstral-Touched Tadpole, the following powers will be available to you:
Absorb Intellect
Lower a foe’sIntelligenceby 1 per turn and heal your wounds by1d8 hit pointsfor 5 turns.
Unlock eitherPerilous StakesorDisplacer Beast Shape
Black Hole
Summon a blackhole that pulls in nearby enemies and potentiallySlowsthem. You can summon up to five more Black Holes after first casting. Refreshes after a short rest.
Unlock eitherDisplaceorPsionic Dominance
Displacer Beast Shape
Transform into a displacer beast that can teleport itself and enemies. In this form you have 85 hit points (does not affect your health pool). You take on the attributes of the beast, but retain yourIntelligence,Wisdom, andCharismascores. When your displacer beast health reaches 0, you simply revert to your original form.
Unlock eitherStage FrightorAbsorb Intellect
Fly to a target position. Uses your regular movement speed, doesn’t consume an action.
Unlocked automatically withAstral-Touched Tadpole.
Fracture Psyche
Invade a target’s mind to disrupt its defenses. Target’sArmor Classis reduced by 1. If the target dies during this, you can castShatter Psycheon another target for free.
Unlock eitherAbility DrainorIllithid Expertise
Spell slots, charged, and similar resources costs for your next spell or action are removed. Refreshes after long rest.
Unlock eitherShield of ThrallsorMind Sanctuary.
Illithid Expertise
You have deepened your sense of self, gainingExpertisein Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation checks. You also get proficiency in these skills if you do not already have it.
Unlock eitherLuck of the Far RealmsorFracture Psyche
Mind Blast
A conical wave of psychic energy that deals4d8+Spellcasting Ability Modifier Psychic damage. Can alsoStun.
Mind Sanctuary
Sculpt a magical nexus that allows those within to take actions and bonus actions interchangeably. Refreshes after long rest.
Unlock eitherPsionic BacklashorFreecast
Psionic Dominance
Use your reaction to cancel a spell targeting you if its spell level is less than or equal to yourproficiency bonus.
Unlock eitherCharmorBlack Hole
Full Ceremorphosis
At the very end of the game, you will be given another choice to advance yourIllithid powers. Like with theAstral-Touched Tadpole, this change will bring a permanent physical appearance change to the character of your choosing – this time, by outright turning them into anIllithid.AnIllithidwith very short tentacles, might I add.
You will then have full access to all of the powers thatfull ceremorphosispromises. These powers are granted automatically. You will not need to consume worms in order to use them.
Augmented Shield of Thralls
Target 2 creatures, granting25 temporary hit points. Once these are diminished, the shield bursts and leaves nearby enemiesStunned.
Extract Brain
Lobotomize a nearby creature that isStunned, Prone, Sleeping,or unconscious. Deals5d10+50 Piercingdamage, regains6d6 hit points.
Fierce Perilous Stakes
Grant an ally an additional15 Psychicdamage, automatic critical hit when they roll a 15 or higher, and healing on a hit. Will make allyvulnerableto all damage.
Float to a destination using movement speed.
Nebulous Black Hole
Create a point of intense gravity, dealing3d10+4 Forcedamage and potentiallySlowingenemies.
Potent Concentrated Blast
Deal9d6 Psychicdamage to an enemy. If it was concentrating, heal an equal amount ofhit points.
Strengthened Force Tunnel
Charge forward, pushing all objects and creatures in your path12 metersaway from you. Deals3d10+4 Forcedamage and may causeProne.
Synaptic Consumption
Lower all of an enemy’sability scoresby 5, then 1 per subsequent turn, regaining2-20 hit pointsper turn for 5 turns. The foe is leftProne.
Tentacle Whip
Deals3d10+5 Psychicmelee damage, and possiblyStunthe target.
Quest Reward Powers
You can use all of yourIllithid powersas bonus actions instead.
Reward for succeeding all 3saving throwswhen interacting with theZaith’iskinCrèche Y’llek
Survival Instinct
If the character reaches 0hit points, it regains3d4 hit pointsinstead of falling unconscious
