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Memorable Beholder solo encounters?
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7515757" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>Great ideas folks!</p><p></p><p>I'll definitely make the room a full sphere instead of a half sphere. Which is extra fun since the descriptive text actually calls out the floor giving the appearance of an illusory sphere... it just happens to be... not an illusion <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devil.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":devil:" title="Devil :devil:" data-shortname=":devil:" /></p><p></p><p>I'll also make the magnet non-magical (magnetism being unaffected by magic is not a totally new idea), so the Beholder have one less thing to worry about. I can explain it hovering in the middle of the room by magnetic repellance - it opposes the coating on the sphere walls in all directions. The draping is a nice Hammer Horror flair.</p><p></p><p>I'll have to think about how to add mirrors to the encounter. It definitely is thematic for a dungeon level called "Vaults of reflection". There are niches on the map, which I can describe as holding mirrors (the treasure can still be there too). Furthermore, since the map is two-dimensional I can describe these mirror niches being spaced out all over the upper half-sphere. Say 9 niches at the widest part, then 7 above, them, 5 above them and 3 above them for 24 total. The easiest solution is for the mirrors to provide a mechanical "Mirror Image" (that I don't believe I have to explain too closely). My players will def be aboard the idea that the mirrors must be destroyed for the real Behold to show itself. </p><p></p><p>With 24 mirrors, say three mirrors per extra Image, so there's initially eight Beholders. (With three mirrors destroyed, there's seven, and so on). Images otherwise behave per Mirror Image, except two rather important things: you can't "pop" an Image by attacking it (you only know it's fake until the end of your round, so you do gain the benefit of having less targets for subsequent attacks of your action, but as soon as you're done they blur together again), and this setup can't be trivially be bypassed by spells (Faire Fire, True Sight etc). Area attacks will still damage the real Beholder of course. (Using area attacks as single-target damage is a fair exchange)</p><p></p><p>Mirrors should break by any targeted attack. They should not all break from a single Fireball. (At level 5 that would be entirely reasonable, but now area attacks are cheap) Not sure how to phrase this in rulesy language. Especially inventive PCs might not have to spend 24 attacks to destroy the mirrors, but they sure should need to spend more than just one or two character rounds. </p><p></p><p>The candles doesn't seem to do anything (it's not that I can find anything needing their light), so I think they can remain. (I was thinking about how a good storm or wind spell would snuff them all out, but if all that this does is create darkness beyond the Beholder's darkvision, maybe to create a semi-safe space at the bottom of the sphere for recuperating heroes, that's okay)</p><p> </p><p>As for "cheating" eye beams, the adventure already has set precedent - the team will definitely start burning away the patches of purple mold that thankfully can be seen in the dome room. This will be my way to zap heroes without having to move away the central eye.</p><p></p><p>Hit point will def be beefed up. Probably both Beholder and magnet. Each of my characters can easily nova a hundred points of damage per character turn, so 100 hp won't do in my case. (The Sorcerer and Paladin are especially scary in this department) Tripling the hp of Belchorzh as well as the magnet is the instant quick-fix, but I will have to consider if that will be enough to prevent the fight from being ended as soon as it starts. Maybe I'll go with that Healing Ray idea. (The other ray upgrades are nice too)</p><p></p><p><em>*) question re stuck weaponry moved to separate post for visibility</em></p><p></p><p>With the purple mold and mirrors the party will definitely have their hands full, unless they find a way to take the fight to the beholder while it is still protected by mirrors, the magnet, the frictionless coating using no magic... </p><p></p><p>Hopefully this means the fighters get stuck to the magnet and needs to spend a round or three to wreck it, while the others kill mirrors and purple mold during that time. </p><p></p><p>In other words, if I can make the party waste three rounds before they start to whale on the Beholder I will have to consider that "mission accomplished" <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>I hope I can report back afterwards with a summary of my tweaks.</p><p></p><p>PS. The Beholder will probably not want to be Invisible for the mirroring to work. In fact, if my adventurers cast Invis on it (disadvantage on a single target is much better than 7/8ths miss chance) I will def be impressed!</p><p></p><p>Any suggestion for another buff to give Belchorzh in place of invis?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 7515757, member: 12731"] Great ideas folks! I'll definitely make the room a full sphere instead of a half sphere. Which is extra fun since the descriptive text actually calls out the floor giving the appearance of an illusory sphere... it just happens to be... not an illusion :devil: I'll also make the magnet non-magical (magnetism being unaffected by magic is not a totally new idea), so the Beholder have one less thing to worry about. I can explain it hovering in the middle of the room by magnetic repellance - it opposes the coating on the sphere walls in all directions. The draping is a nice Hammer Horror flair. I'll have to think about how to add mirrors to the encounter. It definitely is thematic for a dungeon level called "Vaults of reflection". There are niches on the map, which I can describe as holding mirrors (the treasure can still be there too). Furthermore, since the map is two-dimensional I can describe these mirror niches being spaced out all over the upper half-sphere. Say 9 niches at the widest part, then 7 above, them, 5 above them and 3 above them for 24 total. The easiest solution is for the mirrors to provide a mechanical "Mirror Image" (that I don't believe I have to explain too closely). My players will def be aboard the idea that the mirrors must be destroyed for the real Behold to show itself. With 24 mirrors, say three mirrors per extra Image, so there's initially eight Beholders. (With three mirrors destroyed, there's seven, and so on). Images otherwise behave per Mirror Image, except two rather important things: you can't "pop" an Image by attacking it (you only know it's fake until the end of your round, so you do gain the benefit of having less targets for subsequent attacks of your action, but as soon as you're done they blur together again), and this setup can't be trivially be bypassed by spells (Faire Fire, True Sight etc). Area attacks will still damage the real Beholder of course. (Using area attacks as single-target damage is a fair exchange) Mirrors should break by any targeted attack. They should not all break from a single Fireball. (At level 5 that would be entirely reasonable, but now area attacks are cheap) Not sure how to phrase this in rulesy language. Especially inventive PCs might not have to spend 24 attacks to destroy the mirrors, but they sure should need to spend more than just one or two character rounds. The candles doesn't seem to do anything (it's not that I can find anything needing their light), so I think they can remain. (I was thinking about how a good storm or wind spell would snuff them all out, but if all that this does is create darkness beyond the Beholder's darkvision, maybe to create a semi-safe space at the bottom of the sphere for recuperating heroes, that's okay) As for "cheating" eye beams, the adventure already has set precedent - the team will definitely start burning away the patches of purple mold that thankfully can be seen in the dome room. This will be my way to zap heroes without having to move away the central eye. Hit point will def be beefed up. Probably both Beholder and magnet. Each of my characters can easily nova a hundred points of damage per character turn, so 100 hp won't do in my case. (The Sorcerer and Paladin are especially scary in this department) Tripling the hp of Belchorzh as well as the magnet is the instant quick-fix, but I will have to consider if that will be enough to prevent the fight from being ended as soon as it starts. Maybe I'll go with that Healing Ray idea. (The other ray upgrades are nice too) [I]*) question re stuck weaponry moved to separate post for visibility[/I] With the purple mold and mirrors the party will definitely have their hands full, unless they find a way to take the fight to the beholder while it is still protected by mirrors, the magnet, the frictionless coating using no magic... Hopefully this means the fighters get stuck to the magnet and needs to spend a round or three to wreck it, while the others kill mirrors and purple mold during that time. In other words, if I can make the party waste three rounds before they start to whale on the Beholder I will have to consider that "mission accomplished" :) I hope I can report back afterwards with a summary of my tweaks. PS. The Beholder will probably not want to be Invisible for the mirroring to work. In fact, if my adventurers cast Invis on it (disadvantage on a single target is much better than 7/8ths miss chance) I will def be impressed! Any suggestion for another buff to give Belchorzh in place of invis? [/QUOTE]
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