Help Our DM has gone Rat Bastard on us

[Radiating Gnome]

do i have a shot.. str 12 halfling ranger 6/rogue 4 vs. beholder ?

edit: does my body block the central eye... and allow the others to rain fire down on the ball?

Being small hurts . . . hurts a lot, actually. Your grapple check base is something like 6+3+1-4=6. The Beholder's is large size, so he's got a huge advantage over your halfling just based on size alone.

If I were your DM, and you wanted to prevent the central eye from working in a grapple, it would require a pin.

I'd say the halfling's best move, as the first action, is getting some light up so the others can act -- if they're still able.

Still, sounds like a TPK is immanent. You're up against a 13 CR creature, by 3.5 standards -- a challenge that should be a very tough fight for a party of 9-10th level PCs. Your advantage in a fight against one big creature is that your party has numbers -- you get more actions that the creature does. But the beholder's multiple eyes pretty well counter that advantage.

Your Halfling's other option, and not a good one, is to get the heck out of there, save himself, and make sure someone survives. I'm wired more along the "hold the line and let the others escape" path, but they're blind and basically screwed, and if you can't get the, back into the action then the Beholder, if it's smart (and it's certainly smart) is going to focus it's attention on finishing off you first, since you can see it. If I were your DM, you would be my first target.

There is, of course, another option. Surrender. If you can manage to live to fight another day, it at least won't be a TPK.

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I didn't think you'd like that one, either.

-rg

 

[JoeGKushner]

What are the characters? I checked your story hour but man, it popped me onto page 18.

 

[diaglo]

fiddle: halfling ranger6/rog4

alya: deep halfling bard 9
sully: gnome sorc 10
darian: human ft2/cleric4?/ prc of lathander the rest = 10 lvl
calrom: half-elf ranger 10
vlad: human rog5/ft4

and NPC deep gnome scout who ran already... ranger 6 or so..

the DM already took two pot shots at me(fiddle) and missed both times with touch attack... my ac = 16 he rolled 15 both times.

edit: and i only know where the beholder is b/c of the shots he took. i can't see him either.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

1. Negotiate with the Beholder.

If that fails . . .

2. Negotiate with the GM.

If that fails . . .

3. Pray to Gary Gygax that he may strike down your GM before he rolls against your character.

 

[Enkhidu]

Who's got the now supressed lights?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

1. Cry. A lot. Maybe you'll get a sympathy point or four.

2. Cry more.

3. Revolt...errr, I don't recommend this one.

 

[Shallown]

If you have magical light sources that are portable throw them behind the Beholder. Get them out of the cone of effect. Use a run rod they are non magical. Mainly get alight source the try the grapple. You could ask the GM sine it has no limbs if you can get a bonus on the grapple check. Some multi limb creatures gain one. I can't remember if the eye stalks draw attacks of opportunity when you use them (ie are they spell like or supernatural) but try to take advantage of that. Getting it surrounded as quickly as possible will hurt it since it is a pretty low hit point creature and the grapple idea works well. They are large but not a lot of strength if I remember correctly.

later

 

[Lord Judas]

The Npc had the right idea.

 

[diaglo]

Who's got the now supressed lights?

the center of the chamber has a daylight spell in effect

 

[fafhrd]

The beholder likely already knows what square you're in. Start yelling to let your buds know your location, move then attack. Hopefully your party has decent listen checks and can close in on the beholder. They can use touch attacks to find which square its in. The ranger can try and do the grapple thing. If the lights come back on, the rogues can sneak attack. With it being grappled and large(easier flanking) you might be able to disable it quickly.

Pray the 50% miss chances save your collective butts.