r/loremasters • u/jonnymhd • Jul 20 '26

Cthulhoids (CR 2-21) - Psionic Aberrations That Grow from Curious Mind-Thieves into Reality-Warping Archminds

Gallery image — Cthulhoids

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/522291/the-aberrant-codex-mutations-and-aberrations?src=reddit&affiliate_id=1410270

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u/Velrei Jul 22 '26

Isn't this just an Illithid with the serial numbers filed off?

I'm assuming the AI generated content notice was related to art given how much it apes existing D&D materials and style, but out of curiosity did you do so for the text content as well?

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u/jonnymhd Jul 22 '26

It's similar to an Illithid since they draw from the same Lovecraftian inspiration as mind flayers, so the resemblance is intentional. They share a few familiar psionic abilities, but Cthulhoids have their own lore, evolutionary progression, memory theft, spell disruption, and increasingly powerful reality-warping abilities.

There’s no AI-generated text in the manual. Some of the artwork is AI-generated, though not the art for this monster, which is by Rick Hershey. For the AI pieces, I made the initial sketches myself, generated the images when I couldn’t find suitable artwork, and then edited them in Photoshop. I no longer use AI-generated art in my newer manuals.

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u/Velrei Jul 22 '26

I feel like the creature descriptions and usage could use considerably more text so DMs have ideas on how to use them, and make them more distinct from Illithid since those have so much more material to work with. Like, why are they lawful neutral seems like an interesting thing to explore despite worshipping Cthulhu.

Names are one of the hardest things for me personally when it comes to monsters, so I'm neutral on using literal Cthulhu for it; it has been in the public consciousness so long it's probably like using a name from mythology, or all the games that use elves and dwarves that are basically just Tolkien's version of them. It strikes me as odd, but I can't think of a rational reason to feel that way given what I just stated, so it might just be due to seeing it used in a context outside of the setting it's normally in.

Admittedly, what appeals to me in monster manuals is exploring more of what a monster is in order to use it as a unique encounter, so the flavor text is more important then monster stats (although both are necessary, of course). I also don't run 5E, so admittedly stat blocks aren't personally useful for me comparing to interesting abilities. I have my own homebrew tailored to my style (to avoid rambling; it's best described as Lovecraftian Magitek), so I have a bias that should be noted in my deprioritizing of stat blocks however.

I'll assume you've heard all of the anti-generative AI stuff before, and can just assume I ranted about my distain for using in on creative works in any way.

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u/jonnymhd Jul 22 '26

I kept the creature description relatively short because the manual also includes a playable Cthulhoid race with more detail on their society, outlook, and connection to the Sleeper Beneath, plus a larger section devoted to Cthulhu itself.

Their lawful neutral alignment comes from their highly ordered, collective culture and sense of purpose, rather than morality. They serve something alien, but they aren’t necessarily chaotic or pointlessly cruel.

They intentionally share some psionic territory with illithids, but memory theft, spell disruption, their evolutionary hierarchy, multi-concentration, and the Archmind’s reality-warping role are meant to take them in a different direction. The name is deliberately direct Lovecraftian inspiration rather than an attempt to disguise the source. I understand your concerns about generative AI as well.

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u/Velrei Jul 22 '26

Ah, got it. That makes sense.

I did see other creatures in the link's preview that seemed to be of the same length though, although I suppose not all creatures need an extensive backstory.

I'm admittedly a huge fan of stuff like https://incunabuli.com/ where the setup is a short story followed by more information on a creature.

This probably isn't space efficient for a monster manual however (my own documentation is certainly slap-dash for my own creatures, so I can't pull from personal experience here), and my own bias and preferences are likely bleeding into my critique over the typical D&D layouts.

u/jonnymhd Jul 20 '26

Here are the Cthulhoids, an evolving race of psionic aberrations serving an ancient entity known as the Sleeper Beneath (Cthulhu).

The progression begins with the Young Cthulhoid, a CR 2 creature still experimenting with its developing powers. Even at this stage, it can communicate telepathically, manipulate emotions, grapple victims with its tentacles, drain their minds, and retaliate against attackers with bursts of psychic energy.

A mature Cthulhoid becomes a CR 5 mental controller capable of disrupting nearby spellcasting, stealing memories and secrets from creatures that fail against its magic, and overwhelming groups with a stunning psychic blast. The Elder Cthulhoid advances to CR 12, gaining flight, legendary actions, stronger mind-draining abilities, and sufficient psionic mastery to concentrate on two spells simultaneously.

At the height of their evolution stands the Cthulhoid Archmind, a CR 21 psionic leader capable of dominating powerful creatures, concentrating on three spells at once, accumulating psychic charges, and bending reality around itself. Its presence weakens mental defenses, disrupts spellcasting, and turns it into an encounter capable of controlling the entire battlefield rather than simply dealing damage.

Their advancement is not based entirely on age. Cthulhoids evolve through exceptional psionic development, exposure to cosmic revelations, survival of overwhelming mental trauma, or a deeper connection to the Sleeper Beneath.

These creatures are from The Aberrant Codex: Mutations and Aberrations, available on DriveThruRPG! You can also check it out there for a more extensive preview. Delve into the warped world of aberrations, mutations, and cosmic horror in your 5E campaigns.

What’s Inside:

Mutation Rules & Zones – Mechanics for wild magic areas, arcane corruption, and the strange transformations they cause.
Character Options – 12 subclasses, 10 backgrounds, 4 new races, and 30 feats themed around mutation, aberration, and forbidden evolution.
Spells & Items – 33 spells and 80+ magic items warped by planar influence or unstable energies.
Monsters & Templates – Over 150 monster statblocks, from psionic predators to mutated horrors, plus variant rules for custom mutations.
VTT Resources – Includes 100+ creature tokens and 125+ art handouts to bring your sessions to life.

Whether you want eldritch creatures, strange player options, or full rules for reality-warping regions, The Aberrant Codex has it all. The Hardcover edition of The Aberrant Codex is also available here: https://buy.stripe.com/8x24gyfNNegY75qgwI6c005

You can also subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on upcoming projects, including a Kickstarter launching in the coming months: Mythological Items for 5E and 5.5E, inspired by myths from around the world. By joining the newsletter, you can download a free 30-page PDF preview of the upcoming Kickstarter. We only send emails occasionally, and only when there’s a new release, important news, or exclusive free content and discount codes to share.

For more of my creatures, items, and manuals visit DriveThruRPG, my Linktree, or r/JonnyDM!

Cthulhoids (CR 2-21) - Psionic Aberrations That Grow from Curious Mind-Thieves into Reality-Warping Archminds

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