How often have you used Beholders?

[Mark Hope]

I've used them quite a few times, but wouldn't describe them as common. Every one of my campaigns has had a beholder or two in it here or there. I've used the ones that appear in Skullport, Wildspace, Curse of the Azure Bonds, of course. I had a iconic Elder Orb NPC in Undermountain that guarded a hall of portals that I devised up on level 1. It harrassed the PCs for several sessions until it was finally disintegrated by my sister's 20th level magic-user. I had a hive mother (caled Iris) that was not particularly malevolent and acted as a sort of seer. I placed a whole hive of the things in the Greyhawk Ruins adventure and dropped another one or two here or there over the years. Properly placed and used intelligently, they make for great opponents, especially of the long-term variety. I'm hoping to use the Eye of... series on my current group at some point, so that will be a laugh. Well, for me at least...

 

[Vanye]

I've used one 3 times - twice in Undermountain (two separate locations, two separate beholders), and one more recently.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

JRR, I would call that some. Sounds like they've appeared in just about every campaign you've run.

Some, sure, but I wouldn't call it common. And I've ran well over a dozen campaigns over the years. Probably as many as 30. To me, beholders are like dragons. They're out there, and everyone has heard stories, but no one ever sees one - and lives to tell about it at least. Now, in my current wilderlands campaign, the pcs did see a beholder floating down the street minding it's own business. I think the fact that no one ran screaming from it freaked them out more than the appearance of the beholdeer itself.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I usually have one plot-arc involving beholders in each campaign that I run... Whether the players actually become involved in that plot-arc or not is another question entirely. I plan for beholders all the time, but actually use them only sometimes.

Later
silver

 

[Rhuvein]

I've never used one, but would very much like to with my current group who are younger and new to the game. I'll just have a wait until they level up a bit before they see this nasty beast. But I think they'll love it (assuming they don't get kilt)!!!