Beholder in the Bedroom

[Nihm]

Howdy All,

I am new to this forum but have been gaming for a bit. I need some advice. I am in an Eberron campaign were our party are the founders of a theive's guild. To make a long stroy short. Our DM is throwing a Beholder at us who took over our guild house. We are at 8th level. We are a classic party of four. Rogue, Cleric, Fighter, and Sorc. (and a level 6 Artificer cohort) I know we do not have much of a chance, but we do have about 10k to spend and the element of suprise. Do you guys have any tips or tricks to help us walk away in tact?

 

[AuraSeer]

The single best way to survive a beholder is to have your own antimagic field. If you can get your hands on a scroll of it, and cast it successfully, you'll be entirely immune to the eye rays. Then you can waltz right up and hack it to pieces, or just shoot it full of arrows.

If you can't buy, beg, or steal a scroll of AMF, it's a lot more dangerous. The strategy will be to just do as much damage as you can, as fast as you can. Don't try to snipe from a distance, especially not with arrows; the beholder's ranged weapons are much better than yours. Just unload your biggest damage spells, have your melee folks (plus any help you can hire) charge right up in his face, and hope you roll well on your saving throws.

A trick you might find useful is to have everyone carry an everburning torch. When the flame goes out, you know for sure that you're inside the antimagic zone, and therefore safe from the deadly rays. When it flicks back on, the antimagic no longer covers you. (If you don't have a free hand, stick the torch in your belt. It can't hurt you, it's not real fire.)

 

[hong]

(If you don't have a free hand, stick the torch in your belt. It can't hurt you, it's not real fire.)

It also creates boundless opportunities for picking up women in bars, and gives you a pickup line to boot.

 

[EricNoah]

Not speaking from experience here, but what about a couple of scrolls of darkness, and some potions of blindsight?

 

[Rel]

Based on my experience running a Beholder against the party, I think your surprise element is absolutely key and can hold you in good stead. IF you can manage to take it unawares and be on top of it before it gets a chance to blast you to bits with its eye rays then you'll probably be able to kill it with few problems.

My experience with Eberron is limited but can't you have the Artificer hook everybody up with Beholder-Slaying weapons for this encounter? I would think that the assault being led off by an 8th level Rogue Sneak Attacking with a Beholder Slaying weapon would put it well on the way to dead right there.

Good luck.

 

[Torm]

In another thread not long ago, someone suggested having the best fighter in the party grapple the beholder. Sounds insane, but I've looked it over and can see definite merit - other party members who can get sneak attack damage, and the beholder having to make all sorts of checks to use its abilities.

Disclaimer: I haven't actually TRIED this yet.

 

[Piratecat]

I had a character try to grapple a beholder once. Now he's called "Dusty."

Eric brings up an interesting point. Fighting in non-magical fog or smoke would give everyone a 20% miss chance. I'm tempted to suggest throwing a blanket over its head... but that's a little tricky to do in combat.

Hmm, brainstorming here. Does the beholder think you're loyal to it, or does it know you are an enemy? With a philter of glibness (+30 to bluff!) you may be able to talk it into doing something stupid that will give you an advantage.

 

[Andre]

In another thread not long ago, someone suggested having the best fighter in the party grapple the beholder. Sounds insane, but I've looked it over and can see definite merit - other party members who can get sneak attack damage, and the beholder having to make all sorts of checks to use its abilities.

Disclaimer: I haven't actually TRIED this yet.

Me neither. IIRC, the key to grappling the beholder is its low strength score. A fighter in heavy armor weighs far too much for the beholder to be able to fly away. Holding it in one place allows the rest of the party to close with an AMF, at which point the beholder is toast. Much of the discussion centered on how many eyes could shoot at the fighter in one round if the beholder is not within the AMF.

If you can buff the party before the fight, then use invisibility and silence spells to get close, use the surprise round to deal out some significant damage, then hope to win initiative. Also, glitterdust can be a killer vs a beholder - IF it misses its save.

Also, I've found that a good archer can kill a beholder in no time at all. Use GMW on the bow or arrows, buff the archer with cat's grace, add in a bless or prayer spell, then rapid shot it to death. A strength bow helps too.

 

[Zephyrus]

Going in with non-magical weaponry is also of benefit (just in case)... thing like Alchemical fire, Spark and Frost as well as Acidic Fire, expecialy usefull for the casters to have some of these for when in the anti-magic cone.

Make use of cover. the bonus it grants to avoid getting tagged by rays is very useful. Consider if your far enough away dropping prone to avoid rays if theirs no cover readily available. Smoke sticks would be helpful if you had to retreat or as a way to confuse the beholder or just perhaps get it to move (I would find it unusual for a beholder to willingly remain in the concealing effect of a smoke stick unless it was injured badly and was cornered or similar.

Putting Bane (abberitions) from the artificer on the rogue's weapon if he can get a sneak attack is very good.. if you get surprize it may be your only chance. Infact.. Having everyone with a shortsword or dagger (or whatever the rogue favors as a sneak attack weapon) that way if he gets anti-magic'd first he can trade with someone else.

The Everburning torch is a great idea expecially if you use it in conjuction with a sun rod (if you actually need the light!).

If you can limit its mobility some, fighting in a room with a high ceiling is bad for the party.

 

[Voodoo]

If you can get your hands on a copy of Dragon Annual 5 (2000) there is a spell in an article on ray spells (page 24) that refelects ray spells and creature rays back at their caster. It personal only but its still good for the sorcerer if he can get a scroll, its 3rd level. If he can prep with it then make himself an easy target, a little away from the rest of the party, then the beholder could soon have his worst 4 rays comming straight back at him. Beholders lack spellcraft so if you do get jumped its still worth casting it in the first round.

Beyond that Beholders arn't the most agile of beasts, touch attack and reflex saves are weak points.