Beholders - All Eyestalks in one round?

[Ninja-to]

As the subject. I read the 3.5 description and realized that it doesn't state how many eyestalks can fire their rays in a round. Didn't it used to be 3 per character or something? Did it change or what? It's been a very long while since I used a beholder...

 

[frankthedm]

Page 25. A section that governs both the MM breeds of beholders.
3 eye rays in a 90 degree arc.

 

[Pyrex]

Which means yes, they *can* use all their eyestalks in the same round, but they have to be surrounded.

Just how surrounded they need to be depends on just how nitpicky you want to be defining 90deg arcs...

i.e., can you define two adjacent characters 30' in front of the beholder to be in different arcs (beholder draws the arcs in the most advantageous way) or are two adjacent characters by definition in the same 90deg arc (only three rays per any potentially possible 90deg arc)

IMO, facing related issues should be dumped entirely and it should be defined as max of 3 rays per target, or 2rays each for any adjacent targets.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

Beholder can use all of the rays if you're making a vertical assualt against them.

 

[Pyrex]

That's not what the rules say.

 

[werk]

Beholder can use all of the rays if you're making a vertical assualt against them.

Where do you see that?

 

[Nifft]

Beholder can use all of the rays if you're making a vertical assualt against them.

Ah, interesting. I think I can see how they'd do that using the rules as written.

See, you may get to pick the corner from which each 90 degree arc begins. If you are in the Beholder's space (above it), you could conceivably be within all four arcs.

Another interpretation would be to say that the Beholder occupies 4 squares and thus the intersection of these four squares would be the logical starting point for all four arcs. That may be true and would preclude attacks from more than six eyestalks (three, 5 ft. adjust, three more).

Not really sure which interpretation I favor. Thoughts?

Cheers, -- N

 

[Pyrex]

Even then you're only getting 6 of 10 stalks on one target. I belive Agrippa was trying to apply a measure of common sense to a nonsensical creature.

If I were DM'ing and chose to abide the letter of the rules I'd rule that no more than 3 rays could be fired in any possible 90deg cone. (as opposed to the four 90deg columns you are describing)

Of course, what I'd be more likely to do is like I said above. 3 rays per target, or four rays amidst any two adjacent targets (which isn't quite what I said above, but fits my intent better.

. . . . . . . . 
. . 1 2 3 4 . 
. . . . . . . . 
. . . . . . . . 
. . . . . . . . 
. . . B B . . . 
. . . B B . . . 
. . . . . . . .

So if the beholder chose to fire 3 rays at 3, he could only fire one each at 2 & 4, and another three at 1.

Or he could fire two rays at each of them.

Or three rays each at 1 & 4, one ray each at 2 & 3, etc...

 

[ElectricDragon]

And then you add in the flying rules that lets the beholder turn in place up to 90 degrees/5 feet of movement and it gets all its eyes at any one opponent.

Ciao
Dave

 

[mhensley]

How about my undead Tarrasque that has a Beholder in each eyesocket? How many attacks does it get?