MonsterEnvy
Legend
Or once again go for Rules as Intended and just say that if the Beholder knows that guy is hidden there. It can fire one of the Laser that come out of it's eyeballs at it.
D&D 5E Beholder hunting: nasty counter-tactics to Darkness?
- Thread starter FormerlyHemlock
- Start date
Or once again go for Rules as Intended and just say that if the Beholder knows that guy is hidden there. It can fire one of the Laser that come out of it's eyeballs at it.
Wow you guys are really literal. 
It would never have even occurred to me to play a Beholder with the straight up random behavior described in the MM unless it had nothing better to do. It seems natural to assume that's what it does barring exceptional circumstances, but it is an intelligent creature and should use its powers accordingly.
It would never have even occurred to me to play a Beholder with the straight up random behavior described in the MM unless it had nothing better to do. It seems natural to assume that's what it does barring exceptional circumstances, but it is an intelligent creature and should use its powers accordingly.
Collapse the ceiling is so easy when he doesn't see the party coming. I'm sure the party will conveniently set up for the beholder to collapse the ceiling. A beholder has next to no chance of sneaking up on a party.
What part of the warlock shows up with his heroic friends did you miss? They'll eliminate his minions and likely kill the beholder before he gets a chance to take a turn if I run it by the book.
Don't worry, I'll make the beholder fearsome. I'll write the creature how I think it should be, not this weak joke in the Monster Manual. I've always been able to write up more challenging monsters than the vast majority of game designers. I don't know what causes them to make things the way they do, but it is rare that it works as they expect it. The majority of the time they seem to work off very conservative mathematical models that don't mirror how players play.
At least I understand how you could send your party against 24 beholders now. A lower level party could handle quite a few beholders using the tactic you are asking about right now running the creature by RAW. No worries. Beholders were weak in 3E/Pathfinder as well. Not in the same way as 5E, but they couldn't stand up to a party attacking them. I modified them to make them more fearsome in that edition. I'll do the same in this edition.
I'll Kobiyashi Maru the Beholder.
The description in the MM makes sense if you are designing a video game Beholder that has no real intelligence behind it. Just saying...
Seems like a lot of enemies aren't given much thought beyond "scream and leap" tactics.
Edit: this isn't meant to be a criticism of the MM. I just automatically assume a DM is supposed to note the monster's intelligence and play it accordingly, using the attacks listed as a general guide to behavior. Limiting yourself to exactly the text of the MM is going to make for a very boring game.
Seems like a lot of enemies aren't given much thought beyond "scream and leap" tactics.
Edit: this isn't meant to be a criticism of the MM. I just automatically assume a DM is supposed to note the monster's intelligence and play it accordingly, using the attacks listed as a general guide to behavior. Limiting yourself to exactly the text of the MM is going to make for a very boring game.
Last edited:
FormerlyHemlock
Hero
Sigh. Then Darkness is pretty well irrelevant, isn't it, since the beholder never gets to act anyway. So why did it take you until this thread to realize how weak beholders are? You mocked the idea of multiple beholders in play at once, but you didn't actually run the analysis to know how strong they really are. Apparently you are still not seeing their other weaknesses or you wouldn't be harping on the Darkness thing like it was an Achilles heel instead of one glaring weakness out of many.
Face it, beholders are niche monsters. Quantity is almost irrelevant. Five beholders and fifty beholders have almost exactly the same strategic threat profile and capabilities.
Last edited:
Unless the DM runs them smarter (and gets rid of the random aspect).
Btw, I do think that facing is something that 5E needs a little of. This being one case.
Warbringer
Explorer
The randomness is actually a rumor started by a coven of beholders to trick adventurers into thinking walking into a nest under the cover of darkness is a clever idea
MonsterEnvy
Legend
Beholders have really high Passive perception they will see a party coming. How do the Warlock and the guys kill the Beholder before it goes?
How is it weak. Seriously tell me. Even including the Random aspect.
Darkness being irrelvent how is the beholder going to be killed before it gets to had. How are Beholders weak.
How is Five Beholders and fifty the same threat. Even a group of like 30 pcs would get crushed by that.
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
The random thing should be chucked out. It undermines most of beholder lore, which relies on them selectively using specific eye rays for effects like boring out lairs, charming minions, operating levers etc. In fact the beholder write-up specifically mentions digging with disintegrate.
As for tactics against a darkness sphere? Aim anti magic field at it, drop 300 pound object on target from above the field. Disintegrate floor from under target. Disintegrate roof supports. Dig a vertical tunnel and don't let the giff close in the first place.
As for tactics against a darkness sphere? Aim anti magic field at it, drop 300 pound object on target from above the field. Disintegrate floor from under target. Disintegrate roof supports. Dig a vertical tunnel and don't let the giff close in the first place.
MonsterEnvy
Legend
I just say in the middle of Battle they just start throwing out eye lasers. Not having time to focus on using certain ones. Out of battle they can freely use any eyebeam.
Similar Threads
