Wanted: Rat Bastard Beholder tricks

[Varianor Abroad]

How high is this cavern ceiling? Is it at least 60 feet up? The beholder should be able to float all the way up there and turn it's eye down so that the cone of antimagic covers the entire cavern. Then pick a tactic you want from the rest to torture the party with.

By the way, is it just me or is the DC 17 a weak level of save for a CR 13 critter? It seems okay for this level 9-10 party, but I just got done DMing some 14th-15th level types and they would laugh at DC 17 saves.

 

[Nifft]

Anti-magic cone + TK ray allows you to drop stuff on people -- TK the stuff over the AM cone area, and let non-magical gravity do the rest.

Anti-magic cone + Disintegrate ray allows you to drop even more stuff, if the ceiling has stuff hanging -- stalactites, big metal spheres on chains, the usual.

A floor covered with rat swarms provides good synergy.

Give the Beholder a nice Kobold Druid cohort, who spends all his time Wild Shaped into a bird (to pick food out of the Beholder's teeth, or sit on his head and cast spells). He can summon rat swarms, cast call lightning, cast protection from elements and wind wall and stuff... ooo, this is so evil. No-one ever expects a beholder to have decent defenses.

-- N

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

By the way, is it just me or is the DC 17 a weak level of save for a CR 13 critter? It seems okay for this level 9-10 party, but I just got done DMing some 14th-15th level types and they would laugh at DC 17 saves.

Yeah, DC 17 saves are pretty weak, even for level 10 characters (though the virtual save-or-die effects of some of the rays perhaps justifies the low number).

The aftermath -- the beholder went down in 1 1/2 rounds.

They got two meat shields up to the beholder, and two spellcasters out free of the antimagic cone who fired off damaging spells.

To do maximum damage, the beholder stepped back, closed his eye, and got off seven eye rays (party conveniently spread out). Sadly for him, he missed a bunch of touch attack rolls, and the few he made, the PC made the save.

At the start of the next round, additional damage and a crit from one character brought the beholder down before he could retreat out of range.

They beat a retreat before the "reinforcements" showed up -- but went the wrong way, had to backtrack, and ran into them later.

Ironically, given the low rolls, this CR13 beholder was much less dangerous than the CR7 Bulette they encountered later, which nearly killed two characters. And a Grimlock Bbn 12 a little while after that did kill one character and put two more near death.

So it goes!

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Ironically, given the low rolls, this CR13 beholder was much less dangerous than the CR7 Bulette they encountered later, which nearly killed two characters. And a Grimlock Bbn 12 a little while after that did kill one character and put two more near death.

So it goes!

Yeah! Thanks for letting us know how it went. I had the reverse happen a month ago. A Bulette had crappy rolls and the party toasted it quickly. So the moral of the story is that Beholders need minions if they're rolling bad.

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Sounds like bad tactics from a genius-level beholder.

If I was running the beholder, I would:

1) have monstrous minions charmed and between me and the party (sure, the anti-magic ray might free the monstrous minions, but if the creature is dumb, it will probably still attack the party)

2) kept some distance between myself and the party, preferably vertical

3) used anti-magic on anyone attempting to levitate their way up to see me

4) stationed some mirrors conveniently around the lair, for those trick 'bank shots'

At least, that's what I'd do. At the very least, the beholder should have levitated out of range of the party--most beholder lairs are more vertical than horizontal. And definitely I would have had some minions (archers to target the blasters, and some muscle to distract the tanks; maybe someone with high Spot to target the sneaks).

 

[Heretic Apostate]

Darn delays...

 

[Anthelios]

The last beholder I had was around a corner in a hallway, protecting its lair. The group wasn't expecting it. The fighter went around the corner first, a good 10 feet from the party. He was struck by a fear beam and failed his save. Running away, the party had no idea what was there. Cleric stepped up next with the other fighter, fighter turns to run, cleric is hit but the rest of the party assumes hes unaffected..

In fact, the cleric was charmed. The monk walks up, and the Cleric takes his attack of opportunity, rolling an insta kill double 20. Party is seriously wounded before even engaging.

The charm/fear effects are great for melee types with low will saves, and the flesh to stone & deathtouch rays are excellent for the wizards.

 

[ruemere]

Mirrors. To enable attacking with all eyestalks. Every round.

Regards,
Ruemere

 

[Testament]

Hole in the roof, hover upside down in it, gaining max cover. Snipe with eyestalks.

Have a set of linked holes that you can dart through, and get into the middle of the party whenever possible. Once that happens, antimagic cone the caster, and let fly with every other stalk.

Have minions.

 

[diaglo]

i'm glad i didn't see this thread earlier.

RAT BASTARD...


couple points.

where in the rules does it say mirrors reflect spells? or supernatural abilities?

the beholder did have 2 charmed 9th lvl drow female fighters. we took care of them first.

the ceiling was low. and only over the hole he entered did he have an escape.