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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 2983069" data-attributes="member: 2011">I do not think this is the intent. I think the sentences:mean that the Beholder cannot pan around and fire all 9 rays up (for example).Instead, the Beholder does pick (effective) cardinal directions when he decides to fire his first arc. The rest of the arcs are at that point defined. This does not prevent the Beholder from moving around his target and being able to target with multiple arcs, but it does prevent:[code]9 . . . .9 9 . . .9 9 9 . .9 9 9 9 B9 9 9 9 .9 9 9 . .9 9 . . .9 . . . .[/code]Otherwise, those sentences make no sense.Instead, I think the Beholder can do North, South, East, and West (and Up and Down) arcs, but it has to move around to get a huge advantage from this. So, this tactic has limited utility. In order to get all 9 arcs firing into some squares, the Beholder would have to be real close to his targets and double move (no attack with the bite). This is a max move of 8 squares. So, say the Beholder started at location a, in order to get all 9 rays on opponents, it would have to move in a curve somewhat like the following:[code]3 3 . . . . . 3 3 3 3 33 3 3 . . . 3 3 3 3 3 33 3 3 3 . 3 3 3 3 3 3 33 3 3 3 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 33 3 b 6 c 6 d 3 3 3 3 33 a 6 9 9 6 6 e 3 3 3 33 3 9 9 9 9 6 f 3 3 3 36 6 6 9 9 9 6 3 3 3 3 36 6 6 6 9 6 6 6 3 3 3 36 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 3 3 3[/code]Following the arc rules in the DMG, if the beholder moves a, b, ... e, f and fires 3 rays at points a, c, and f, the squares would get the maximum number of rays each shown above (3, 6, or 9).This is a fairly tight arc and only 10 squares get attacked by all 9 attacks.Typically, PCs do not bunch up this closely, plus several of the squares that have the max 9 attack in them also would result in Attacks of Opportunities if threatening PCs were in them.So at long range, the Beholder is limited to 3 rays because he cannot move fast enough to get to the other side of the party to get more.At close range (like the example above), it can get up to 9 rays working, but it is taking a considerable risk in doing so.And if it tries to Bite, it is really difficult to get 9 ray attacks on squares with a single 20 foot move. Firing at a, c, and d below results in 3 9 ray squares max (due to how the arc rules work, the arc at a shifts down one, the arc at d shifts up one, and the arc at b shifts to the left one):[code]3 3 3 3 3 33 3 b c 3 33 a 9 9 d 33 6 9 6 6 36 6 3 6 6 6[/code]Adjudicating this way both allows the Beholder to be tough at close range, but at the same time, it prevents the Beholder from doing 9 rays in the same round from 150 feet away.Also, the game really does not have much in the way of facing rules. Declaring that facing exists for a few creatures like a Beholder, but not for the vast majority of other creatures seems like a dichotomy. IMO.Finally, the Beholder can actually increase the number of attacks per square at close range. If it uses Telekinesis, it can pick up PCs and move them to squares that it is planning on frying with other rays. Plus, it can disintegrate the ground under the PCs, have them fall, and attack with several arcs of rays from various sides of a "pit". All in all, beholders can be extremely tough if played correctly, even using the limitations illustrated above.</blockquote>

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