I need beholder tactics

[k3ndawg]

Keep in mind that each ray has a different save. Use Disintegration against those with crappy fort saves (wizards, rogues) use charm agains the fighter and keep going from there.

 

[ChefOrc]

Check again. The gauth can only aim two at a single target. The beholder can aim three.

oops ... a typo.

twisting and turning to get all the eye rays on a single target if it so chooses

hmmm ... what you wrote sounds like it works rule-wise, but I wonder if this is really what the designers had in mind when assigning the CR. This kind of tactic almost guarantees a PC kill every round. And I still think they would not have gone to all the trouble of explaining the 90-degree arcs if you could circunvent the limitation that easily ...

 

[Gansk]

hmmm ... what you wrote sounds like it works rule-wise, but I wonder if this is really what the designers had in mind when assigning the CR. This kind of tactic almost guarantees a PC kill every round. And I still think they would not have gone to all the trouble of explaining the 90-degree arcs if you could circunvent the limitation that easily ...

It is a calculated risk by the beholder, because using all ten rays means it has to keep its central eye closed. If the other party members blast it, then it traded one PC life for its own, not a good deal for its perspective.

If the beholder doesn't know anything about the party, it should shoot all of its rays except the front ones in the first round, spreading them out amongst the party to put the fear of god into them while keeping the central eye open. If someone manages to do non-magical damage or moves out of central eye range in retaliation, it might then focus seven rays on the offender, while keeping its central eye on the rest of the party. It should only risk all ten rays on someone who is an extreme threat, like a flyer with good melee damage.

 

[Plane Sailing]

My personal favorite is using the Antimagic cone to cover its melee minions while blasting foes that maneuver around the cone with eye rays as appropriate. If your PCs can reach the beholder, be sure it's high in the air where flying spells will be dismissed dramatically.

What, is that the charmed melee minions? Into the antimagic cone? Why would the now uncharmed creatures press the attack, eh?

Uncharmed allies though, sure. Giants are especially good

Plus, there are some eye rays that you can indirectly use against people who are inside the antimagic cone

e.g. disintegrate sections of ceilings to cause collapses as already mentioned, or use telekinesis as 'violent thrusts' to launch a bunch of rocks at party members who are inside the cone (assuming you allow that eye to be actual telekinesis, and not just 'moving things as if by telekinesis')