This is a race I'm working on for my Spelljammer campaign. The PC's haven't met any of them before, but they probably will soon. I don't like the model of monsters-as-characters where you magically add a level adjustment to the monster's hit dice, especially since most racial hit dice are crappy compared to PC character levels, so I'm presenting this humanoid race as a race and a five-level class. Eyespies cannot take levels in any other class until they have finished their levels of eyespy.
Before you is a human in chain armor and a dull green robe. She has tannish skin and ropy purple dreadlocks, each with a large bauble tied to the end.
Eyespies are a race of humanoids created by the beholders (their exact origin is unknown) for the purpose of conducting espionage and collecting information about places inhabited by humanoid races. Although they are generally indoctrinated from birth to serve their masters, they are free-willed humanoids, not constructs. Because the eye tyrants understand that all the brainwashing in the world won't keep an eyespy under control once they are far from their masters, an eyespy's loyalty is generally earned, bought, or, most commonly, coerced (through magical compulsions, slave rings, or the like). Physically, an eyespy looks identical to an ordinary human except that, instead of hair, the eyespy has several beholder-like eyestalks that grow from its head, making it strongly evocative of the medusa of Greek mythology. The general populace tends to be unaware of the existence of eyespies, though powerful figures may be onto them.
Beholderkin, eyespy (the race)
Medium: As Medium creatures, eyespies have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Eyespy base land speed is 30 feet.
Automatic Languages: Common and beholder. Bonus Languages: elven, dwarven, gnomish, halfling, orc.
Favored Class: Rogue. Eyespies are generally trained to either pass themselves off as human or perform operations that are entirely secret.
All-around vision. Eyespies receive a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. However, Eyespies are not as adept as true beholders at manipulating their eyes to follow multiple moving objects, and can be flanked normally.
Eyespies can take a +10 racial bonus to Disguise themselves as humans by manipulating their eyestalks to look like a hairdo and closing the eyes (if the character does not wear a hood, this bonus may fail in cultures where dreadlocks are rare) but the character loses access to All-around vision while this bonus is in effect.
Beholderkin, eyespy (the class)
Hit die: d8.
Class skills: the eyespy's class skills are Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Hide, Move Silently, Profession, and Spot.
Skill points: 4 + Int modifier (16 + 4xInt modifier at 1st level)
Base Attack Bonus: Medium (as cleric)
Saving throws: Good Will, Low Reflex, Low Fortitude
Special abilities:
1st level: Eye ray
2nd level: Eye ray
3rd level: Eye ray, Blink of an eye
4th level: Eye ray
5th level: Eye ray
Eye rays (Su): the eyespy's beholder eyestalks can fire rays which have magic effects. With a standard action, an eyespy can use any of these abilities, each of which is usable once per day per character level of the eyespy. Treat these rays as ranged touch attacks. The save DC for all applicable abilities = 10 + 1/2 character level + Cha bonus. The eyespy starts with a ray of mage hand (as the spell), and one power from the first-level list. At every class level thereafter, the eyespy may choose one additional power from any level equal to or lower than its class level.
1st level:
inflict light wounds: as the spell, causing 1d8+1 per class level damage (Will half).
ray of fatigue: touch of fatigue as a ray (Fort negates).
color ray: as color spray, except only one creature (the one struck by the ray) is affected (Will negates).
2nd level:
sleep: as the spell, but affecting exactly one target, regardless of hit dice (Will negates).
charm person: as the spell (Will negates).
3rd level:
slow: as the spell, but affecting only the target struck (Will negates).
antimagic cone: this effect comes from the eyespy's human eyes rather than an eyestalk. Treat it as the area-effect version of dispel magic, except in a 30' cone.
Blink of an Eye: the eyespy can choose to manifest its eye rays more quickly, using them as free actions instead of standard actions. The eyespy is still limited to using one ray per round, and an attack made this way suffers a -5 penalty to hit.
As a feat, a character with eyespy levels can gain access to one additional ray from any list of level equal to or lower than its eyespy level.
Suggestions for new rays or special abilities? Balance considerations?
edit: borrowed Gez's idea for gaining rays in a progression, added higher-leel rays.
Before you is a human in chain armor and a dull green robe. She has tannish skin and ropy purple dreadlocks, each with a large bauble tied to the end.
Eyespies are a race of humanoids created by the beholders (their exact origin is unknown) for the purpose of conducting espionage and collecting information about places inhabited by humanoid races. Although they are generally indoctrinated from birth to serve their masters, they are free-willed humanoids, not constructs. Because the eye tyrants understand that all the brainwashing in the world won't keep an eyespy under control once they are far from their masters, an eyespy's loyalty is generally earned, bought, or, most commonly, coerced (through magical compulsions, slave rings, or the like). Physically, an eyespy looks identical to an ordinary human except that, instead of hair, the eyespy has several beholder-like eyestalks that grow from its head, making it strongly evocative of the medusa of Greek mythology. The general populace tends to be unaware of the existence of eyespies, though powerful figures may be onto them.
Beholderkin, eyespy (the race)
Medium: As Medium creatures, eyespies have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Eyespy base land speed is 30 feet.
Automatic Languages: Common and beholder. Bonus Languages: elven, dwarven, gnomish, halfling, orc.
Favored Class: Rogue. Eyespies are generally trained to either pass themselves off as human or perform operations that are entirely secret.
All-around vision. Eyespies receive a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. However, Eyespies are not as adept as true beholders at manipulating their eyes to follow multiple moving objects, and can be flanked normally.
Eyespies can take a +10 racial bonus to Disguise themselves as humans by manipulating their eyestalks to look like a hairdo and closing the eyes (if the character does not wear a hood, this bonus may fail in cultures where dreadlocks are rare) but the character loses access to All-around vision while this bonus is in effect.
Beholderkin, eyespy (the class)
Hit die: d8.
Class skills: the eyespy's class skills are Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Hide, Move Silently, Profession, and Spot.
Skill points: 4 + Int modifier (16 + 4xInt modifier at 1st level)
Base Attack Bonus: Medium (as cleric)
Saving throws: Good Will, Low Reflex, Low Fortitude
Special abilities:
1st level: Eye ray
2nd level: Eye ray
3rd level: Eye ray, Blink of an eye
4th level: Eye ray
5th level: Eye ray
Eye rays (Su): the eyespy's beholder eyestalks can fire rays which have magic effects. With a standard action, an eyespy can use any of these abilities, each of which is usable once per day per character level of the eyespy. Treat these rays as ranged touch attacks. The save DC for all applicable abilities = 10 + 1/2 character level + Cha bonus. The eyespy starts with a ray of mage hand (as the spell), and one power from the first-level list. At every class level thereafter, the eyespy may choose one additional power from any level equal to or lower than its class level.
1st level:
inflict light wounds: as the spell, causing 1d8+1 per class level damage (Will half).
ray of fatigue: touch of fatigue as a ray (Fort negates).
color ray: as color spray, except only one creature (the one struck by the ray) is affected (Will negates).
2nd level:
sleep: as the spell, but affecting exactly one target, regardless of hit dice (Will negates).
charm person: as the spell (Will negates).
3rd level:
slow: as the spell, but affecting only the target struck (Will negates).
antimagic cone: this effect comes from the eyespy's human eyes rather than an eyestalk. Treat it as the area-effect version of dispel magic, except in a 30' cone.
Blink of an Eye: the eyespy can choose to manifest its eye rays more quickly, using them as free actions instead of standard actions. The eyespy is still limited to using one ray per round, and an attack made this way suffers a -5 penalty to hit.
As a feat, a character with eyespy levels can gain access to one additional ray from any list of level equal to or lower than its eyespy level.
Suggestions for new rays or special abilities? Balance considerations?
edit: borrowed Gez's idea for gaining rays in a progression, added higher-leel rays.
Last edited:
