D&D 5E Crafting armor from a Beholder's hide/scales

[aco175]

Typically in my games, the PCs take something like this and drop it off at a smith to make something. They just leave it and pay extra to have it done in a week instead of a month. They have also taken more that the mount needed for themselves and offer the extra to the smith as a discount on their armor.

I could see making scale mail for the 14AC, or something more like a chain shirt for 13AC. Depending on level, you can make it +1 armor. I tend to add cool powers instead of +1 basic. You can have something simple like;

at-will can use mage hand
1/rest cast levitate as per spell
1/day cast dispel magic or you can have something like reroll a save.

 

[Eltab]

Another kind of Beholder Armor might grant all-around vision. Mechanically you cannot be sneak attacked because one eyestalk or another will see it coming. And/or you cannot suffer the penalties from being flanked. Bonus to Perception checks as long as you are not in combat.

 

[Morrus]

Awww, man, this reminds me of the iron-armoured beholder I used which rose up out of a vertical shaft in its 3D lair (because why would a beholder have 2D lair?)

 

[Scott Christian]

I agree with @AcererakTriple6 on the +1 or +2.
As far as innate magic goes, I like the idea of blur, mirror image, see invisibility, and identify. Another route would be to take a bit of intelligence, like comprehend languages.
Not sure if anyone thinks that is too strong, but what is the harm in giving the druid something with several powers to choose from? (Except that it will slow the game down.)
And the cod piece is perfect.