PCat, did you give the Beholder threatening reach? Otherwise it shouldn't be getting OAs unless folks are adjacent.
Also, the attack is usually at the beginning of an adjacent enemy's turn, not the beginning of the Beholder's turn. I guess you did that for convenience?
Since you guys are going back to fight the same monster again, PCat are you going to spice it up mechanically, or change something, or will it be another slog?
1. Yeeeessss. Yesss, I did. (whistles casually)
Actually, there are two parts to this answer. Part 1: threatening reach? What the hell is.. oh. Whoops. Part 2: While I didn't realize that reach is no longer commensurate with size, I pictured it as having threatening reach from the beginning. If I had known, this is what I would have added when I was customizing the monster; I would have added it in exchange for that problematic immediate interrupt that I removed. So I'm fine with my ruling. My DM ignorance aside, threatening reach was part of the monster build no matter how you look at it.
2. (rereads the aura description) No, I screwed up and read it wrong. My fault. I don't think it had any effect game-wise other than concentrating when damage occurs, and that wouldn't have helped Toiva because I missed so many times. I'll be playing the aura correctly next time we play.
3. It wasn't a slog this time! That was one exciting fight. I'm not going to say what will be different, if anything, when the group returns to kick its ass. I will say that I'm not going to change the beholder mechanically (other than playing the aura correctly.)
While a character death is never fun, regardless, I am somewhat surprised that a Raise appears out of the question. Component of the campaign or how she died?
Good question, Vic. A
raise dead is definitely an option (with some story complications and consequences) if Aravis feels strongly about it, but I'm not emphasizing that as the best solution.
- Story-wise, life is cheap in the Grey Guard and most people die quickly. It's unusual (but not unheard of) to get raised.
- The Bressail Grey Guard's ritualist is currently hanging upside down from a hook in the beholder's lair. They'd need to find someone else.
- It was a GREAT death. Talk about going out on a high point.
- There are a lot of cool character options out there for the player to try, and I want him to have that option if he wishes it.
So, umm... did you know that forced movement in 4e generally doesn't move creatures vertically?
-blarg
I do. This was a deliberate exception; the beholder was using its bloodcall power to yank its prey around by the blood in its body. It wouldn't have been able to do this to Stron or Bramble, as they have no blood. I was careful to play this consistently the whole fight.