Beholders and Blindess

[comareddin]

Can the central eye of a beholder be pointed at himself? (Or perhaps: when was the last time you were able to see your chin without a mirror? )

I doubt this would be possible as this would make the beholder immune to magic and at the same time able to use his rays really nicely outside the arease not affected by the cone he produces.

Com

 

[azhrei_fje]

It's not that he needs to point the eye at himself, it's merely that the starting square of the effect includes (possibly) the beholder.

Well, and why not use the ray to generate the cone, then take a 5-ft step into the area?

 

[Testament]

Well, and why not use the ray to generate the cone, then take a 5-ft step into the area?

What? The antimagic field is a cone shaped emanation, when the Beholder five foot steps forwards, the cone moves with it.

 

[Dingleberry]

I don't have any specific rules support, but I like the middle ground of having the blindness affect all of the beholder's eye stalks but not the central eye, since that generates the antimagic cone (maybe the cone starts at the back of that eye). Keeps it interesting, since the thing can only see if it keeps the big eye open and the antimagic in effect.

 

[Felix]

Keeps it interesting,

But if you do that, you've made the Beholder effectively immune to the Blindness effect... there's no facing so only being able to see out of one eye will not mean that the beholder can't aim his eyestalk rays, just that he can't see out of them; I fully support the Blinded Beholder = Buggered Beholder faction.

 

[andargor]

A cone-shaped spell shoots away from you in a quarter-circle in the direction you designate. It starts from any corner of your square and widens out as it goes.

This pretty clearly indicates that even though you can choose any corner of the beholder's square, the cone shoots away from it. So it is not within its own antimagic field.

Andargor

 

[Tharen the Damned]

But if you do that, you've made the Beholder effectively immune to the Blindness effect... there's no facing so only being able to see out of one eye will not mean that the beholder can't aim his eyestalk rays, just that he can't see out of them; I fully support the Blinded Beholder = Buggered Beholder faction.

Hmm,

Blindness is a permanent effect, so it is nullified when in an antimagic effect. The abilities of the exes will not be effected by blindness so the AMF should work.

The Beholder can even use the other eyestalks with the central eye.
BUT
He has to shoot the rays in the direction his central eye is facing (for Beholders you have to use facing for the central eye)
AND
He can not close the central eye, so all eyestalk effects will be negated by the AMF.
SO
The other effects have no effect!

Thanks for your replies!
Lets see if i can pass the save for my poor Beholder next week when we play.

 

[andargor]

Blindness is a permanent effect, so it is nullified when in an antimagic effect. The abilities of the exes will not be effected by blindness so the AMF should work.

Yes, the AMF would work. But just to be clear, the beholder would still be blind.

The Beholder can even use the other eyestalks with the central eye.
BUT
He has to shoot the rays in the direction his central eye is facing (for Beholders you have to use facing for the central eye)
AND
He can not close the central eye, so all eyestalk effects will be negated by the AMF.
SO
The other effects have no effect!

I do not see any mention that the other eyes have to shoot in the same direction as the central eye. They can therefore shoot anywhere, even behind the beholder. As long as they shoot outside the AMF cone, they should work.

Andargor

 

[Tharen the Damned]

Yes, the AMF would work. But just to be clear, the beholder would still be blind.

Blind he is, but you can argue that the AMF negates the Blindness for his central eye.

I do not see any mention that the other eyes have to shoot in the same direction as the central eye. They can therefore shoot anywhere, even behind the beholder. As long as they shoot outside the AMF cone, they should work.

Andargor

Sure they work, I was referring to the suspended Blindness of the central eye in the AMF. But if the Beholder uses his central eyes eyesight to direct the blind eystalks, he can only "see" in the direction his AMF is facing.
ditto eyestalks are of no use.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Sure they work, I was referring to the suspended Blindness of the central eye in the AMF. But if the Beholder uses his central eyes eyesight to direct the blind eystalks, he can only "see" in the direction his AMF is facing.
ditto eyestalks are of no use.

Well, a human's visual field of view is a lot wider than the AMF cone (about 180 degrees or higher vs. 90 degrees). So, IMO the beholder should be able to see outside the AMF cone and his eye stalks that are capable of firing with those arcs would not be affected by the blindness.

Of course, all of this is speculation and you'll have to decide if a beholder's field of view with his central eye is exactly 90 degrees or not. It's obviously not included in the rules. If someone could check the book on beholders (or maybe Lords of Madness), that would be nice. I have neither so cannot help.