Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="pukunui" data-source="post: 8505660" data-attributes="member: 54629">I was given Keith Ammann’s The Monsters Know What They’re Doing book for Christmas. I was just reading through his bit about beholders, and it reminded me that I don’t like the mechanics for beholder eye rays in 5e.There are a number of factors that don’t sit right with me here, but I’ll start with the main one, which is that I don’t like how some of the eye rays require a Dex save while others don’t.In this context, I see a Dex save as representing a target’s attempt to physically dodge out of the way of an incoming effect - i.e. to physically avoid being “hit” by the beholder’s eye ray.If we accept that as being the case, why then can some rays be dodged while others can’t? Why can’t I dodge the telekinesis ray or the fear ray?On top of that, I think the four rays that do require Dex saves would make more sense requiring Con saves instead. For instance, almost every other effect that causes petrification requires a Con save. (And having to make a second Dex save, with disadvantage due to being restrained, to avoid being fully petrified is somewhat nonsensical).I suppose it depends on how you envision the rays working: are they physically visible “laser beams” that shoot from the beholder’s eyes, or does the beholder just need to look at you to “hit” you with a ray?If the former, I feel like the rays should all require Dex saves, as they all ought to be dodge-able.If the latter, then maybe none of them should require a Dex save, since it’s pretty hard to avoid being looked at and so all you can do is try and resist the effect.Thoughts?</blockquote>

Verification