I wonder if noble stalk could cure a normal illithid tadpole infestation?

[Senkoau]

We get told it can cure all sorts of things including baldness. Whic gets me wondering could it also cure a normal illithid tadpole infestation? What do people think?

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Apparently, nothing can "cure" an Illithid mind parasite, it's plot armor is too thick...

To be honest, Greater Restoration ought to do the trick.

Hells, I would argue that a Paladin's Divine Health feature would not only prevent infection, but also cure any already occurring infection.

[Senkoau]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Apparently, nothing can "cure" an Illithid mind parasite, it's plot armor is too thick...

To be honest, Greater Restoration ought to do the trick.

Hells, I would argue that a Paladin's Divine Health feature would not only prevent infection, but also cure any already occurring infection.

Our ones are special and wrapped in ancient Nehterese i.e. 10-15th level spells which is why they can't be cured. I'm wondering about normal run of the mill ones.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Senkoau:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Apparently, nothing can "cure" an Illithid mind parasite, it's plot armor is too thick...

To be honest, Greater Restoration ought to do the trick.

Hells, I would argue that a Paladin's Divine Health feature would not only prevent infection, but also cure any already occurring infection.

Our ones are special and wrapped in ancient Nehterese i.e. 10-15th level spells which is why they can't be cured. I'm wondering about normal run of the mill ones.

blablabla...Netherese...blablabla...who cares...blablabla...

[Kaisha]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Apparently, nothing can "cure" an Illithid mind parasite, it's plot armor is too thick...

LOL :)

[Dragon Master]

No, it would not.

A normal tadpole would require at least Greater Restoration, which is why most druids and clerics can't heal it because most druid and clerics don't get that powerful in the setting. It's a very, very select few who get past level 4 at all.

In fact, when D&D was first established it was supposed to be that half of all adventurers at level 1 would ever live to see level 2, half of all level 2 adventurers would live to see level 3 and so on. Most would retire by level 10-12, usually as the head of a guild, the commander of a knightly order, the head of a thieves guild and so on.

Greater Restoration is only possible to cast upon reaching 9th level, so we're talking about the literal 1 in a million types of people here. And all this is before the Netherese magic altered the tadpoles.

After the transformation happens, only the most powerful spell in the whole game, a 9th level spell called wish, can restore a person because it would require bringing a soul back that had been consumed and that would take a literal godlike miracle that only a 9th level spell can achieve, and that's the domain of demigods, gods, devils and demons.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Dragon Master:

No, it would not.

A normal tadpole would require at least Greater Restoration, which is why most druids and clerics can't heal it because most druid and clerics don't get that powerful in the setting. It's a very, very select few who get past level 4 at all.

In fact, when D&D was first established it was supposed to be that half of all adventurers at level 1 would ever live to see level 2, half of all level 2 adventurers would live to see level 3 and so on. Most would retire by level 10-12, usually as the head of a guild, the commander of a knightly order, the head of a thieves guild and so on.

Greater Restoration is only possible to cast upon reaching 9th level, so we're talking about the literal 1 in a million types of people here. And all this is before the Netherese magic altered the tadpoles.

After the transformation happens, only the most powerful spell in the whole game, a 9th level spell called wish, can restore a person because it would require bringing a soul back that had been consumed and that would take a literal godlike miracle that only a 9th level spell can achieve, and that's the domain of demigods, gods, devils and demons.

Level 9...three levels lower than what we get access to...

We get access to Greater Resto...

Everything else, Netherese this and Netherese that...like I said, blablabla, plot armor.

The parasite isn't curable because Larian didn't want to include that as a possible outcome.

It was pre-ordained. It was pre-determined. It was railroaded.

Larian made this particular choice, not the player.

And that's the sole reason I hate it. The heavy handed railroading. The lack of player agency.

Why can't we rid ourselves of our parasite and then go on to defeat the elder brain? What difference does it make?

Larian is a terrible DM.

[Recjawjind]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Larian is a terrible DM.

Wha? So any story setup that has the players in a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ situation that they can't immediately solve is bad DMing?
I recall you saying you haven't played in (iirc) decades?

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Recjawjind:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Larian is a terrible DM.

Wha? So any story setup that has the players in a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ situation that they can't immediately solve is bad DMing?
I recall you saying you haven't played in (iirc) decades?

It's bad because there's nothing you can do to change this outcome...Larian has robbed us of player agency.

[Recjawjind]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

It's bad because there's nothing you can do to change this outcome...Larian has robbed us of player agency.

There is a difference between player agency and respecting the story the DM wants to tell, and going along with the plot hook, because that's exactly what the tadpole is, the plot hook.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Recjawjind:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

It's bad because there's nothing you can do to change this outcome...Larian has robbed us of player agency.

There is a difference between player agency and respecting the story the DM wants to tell, and going along with the plot hook, because that's exactly what the tadpole is, the plot hook.

The initial infection yes, but then Larian railroads you into never being able to cure it in order to force you to go along with their predetermined outcome...

[Senkoau]

Originally posted by Dragon Master:

No, it would not.

A normal tadpole would require at least Greater Restoration, which is why most druids and clerics can't heal it because most druid and clerics don't get that powerful in the setting. It's a very, very select few who get past level 4 at all.

In fact, when D&D was first established it was supposed to be that half of all adventurers at level 1 would ever live to see level 2, half of all level 2 adventurers would live to see level 3 and so on. Most would retire by level 10-12, usually as the head of a guild, the commander of a knightly order, the head of a thieves guild and so on.

Greater Restoration is only possible to cast upon reaching 9th level, so we're talking about the literal 1 in a million types of people here. And all this is before the Netherese magic altered the tadpoles.

After the transformation happens, only the most powerful spell in the whole game, a 9th level spell called wish, can restore a person because it would require bringing a soul back that had been consumed and that would take a literal godlike miracle that only a 9th level spell can achieve, and that's the domain of demigods, gods, devils and demons.

I'm aware of that however the noble stalk is a very rare mushroom found in the underdark (very dangerous) which is specifically stated to be a cure all. "Restores a creature to full health and removes all conditions that negatively affect it when consumed. " Just eating the thing with no preperation heals Balen's brain damage which to me makes me think its at least on par with greater restoration. Possibly even heal + greater restororation. We only find one in the under dark and that is enough to save the Bonecloak's store from bankrupcy.

Whether greater restoration can heal a normal ilithid tadpole is another discussion. I'm just wondering how powerful these mushroom's are?

[Recjawjind]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

The initial infection yes, but then Larian railroads you into never being able to cure it in order to force you to go along with their predetermined outcome...

I disagree, the way its set up makes sense, and ties directly into lots of Faerûn lore, and gales third arc. You may call the netherese magic plot armor, I just call it.. yknow, plot.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Originally posted by Recjawjind:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

The initial infection yes, but then Larian railroads you into never being able to cure it in order to force you to go along with their predetermined outcome...

I disagree, the way its set up makes sense, and ties directly into lots of Faerûn lore, and gales third arc. You may call the netherese magic plot armor, I just call it.. yknow, plot.

Well, you're wrong.

It's railroading.

[Cur]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

The initial infection yes, but then Larian railroads you into never being able to cure it in order to force you to go along with their predetermined outcome...

You have to program all the outcomes lol. This game started development in 2016 and still has issues with the outcomes they've programmed. The level of agency you want has no limit and makes an impossible thing to develop. After I cure the tadpole why not just leave Baldur's Gate area entirely and go to somewhere else. I had a drow character, why couldn't I just use the portal in the house of hope to go to Menzoberanzan and worship Lolth? Doesn't Larian care about what IIIIII want to do? lol

[Recjawjind]

Originally posted by Cur:

You have to program all the outcomes lol. This game started development in 2016 and still has issues with the outcomes they've programmed. The level of agency you want has no limit and makes an impossible thing to develop. After I cure the tadpole why not just leave Baldur's Gate area entirely and go to somewhere else. I had a drow character, why couldn't I just use the portal in the house of hope to go to Menzoberanzan and worship Lolth? Doesn't Larian care about what IIIIII want to do? lol

Yeah, the game is basically like a module, if you wanna play the module, you play the module. If your players go "nah i dont wanna deal with this, ill sit on the floor and stare at a wall for 2 months", the module dont work no mo'.