Beholder

Beholders are extraplanar creatures that are able to project magical energy in the form of Beholder Eye Rays from their central eye and eyestalks. They are usually encountered in any dark, underground, or cave-like location but may also occasionally be found lurking in a dungeon.
They move about via flotation, and due to this style of locomotion, beholders are immune to entanglement-type spells, and they cannot be slowed or held/paralyzed by such spells or wands. Unlike the Elder Orb and Hive Mother subraces, beholders and the Death Tyrant subrace have no damage resistances to magical or physical attacks.
Beholders have smaller, weaker beholderkin, the Gauth, who occasionally appear alongside them, usually in groups of two.
Beholders can be encountered as early as . If the Investigate and Destroy the Cult of the Eyeless side quest is undertaken for the Temple of Helm, access will be allowed into The Old Tunnels.
Beholder & two Gauth in the Southern Tunnels 
==Physical description==
A beholder is a floating, spherical body averaging about 8 feet wide with one single, cyclops-like central eye and a large gaping, toothy maw that tends to drool, located directly beneath the eye. The mouth contains a long muscular tongue that is swiveled about when the monster is agitated and on the alert. From the upper half of the body sprout ten smaller eyestalks, each of which has a small eye at its tip. These wriggling eyes provide a beholder with all-around vision, thus eliminating the ability to sneak up on the creature. Furthermore, each eye is capable of projecting a different spell-like effect in the form of a beholder eye ray. The brain and nervous system are where gathered magical energies are stored and amplified before they are directed to the eyestalks, which send the magical energy back into the eye via the retinas. The central eye is capable of projecting an anti-magic ray in a narrow cone in front of the monster that removes all spell effects that the target creature is currently under.
A beholder's internal organs provide the natural buoyancy that gives the creature the appearance of levitating in the air, and it is this natural buoyancy that allows the creature to float and fly.
Although a beholder's hideous maw can bite, their preferred method of combat is by releasing multiple eye rays at their enemy, causing mayhem and dealing damaging spell effects in the form of magical energy, lightning, paralysis, petrification, domination, or even instant death. Beholders in the EE game have a permanent alacrity power that allows them to have no "weave cool-down" period after firing an eye ray and gives them the ability to release multiple eye rays per round.
==Abilities==
When a beholder eye ray strikes the target creature, it will cause a particular spell effect. Most eye ray effects can be blocked by magic resistance and have saving throws to negate or reduce their potency. Also, since the eye rays are spell effects, protective magics such as Minor Globe of Invulnerability, Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Deflection and similar can protect the target creature, but this is dependent on the specific eye ray type and its associated spell power level. Most standard beholders typically project the following magical energy eye ray effects: 
*Anti-Magic Ray: no save, bypasses magic resistance, Dispel Magic applied to any dispellable effect on the target and causes spell casting failure on the target for a few rounds, spell level 3. An Abjurer School and Magic Attack Type Spell. Can be blocked by Spell Shield. See the anti-magic ray page for further discussion and methods to avoid the ray. Note that this eye ray can't be blocked with Spell Immunity. 
*Cause Serious Wounds: deals 17 magic energy damage, no saving throw, spell level 4. A Necromancy School and Offensive Damage Type spell. This is the most common and frequently fired attack, sometimes two of these can strike a target each round. Can be bounced back by the Shield of Balduran. Can be deflected by the Cloak of Mirroring. 
*Charm Person: save vs. spell (with +3 bonus) or be Charmed, spell level 1. An Enchanter School and Disabling Type Spell.
*Death Ray: save vs. death or be instantly killed, spell level 7. A Transmuter School and Offensive Damage Type spell.
*Domination: save vs. spell (with a -2 penalty) or be under a dominated, spell level 5. An Enchanter School and Disabling Type spell.
*Fear: save vs. spell or be under a Panic effect, spell level 2. An Enchanter Spell School and Disabling Type spell.
*Flesh to Stone: save vs. spell or be Petrified, spell level 6. A Transmuter School and Offensive Damage Type spell.
*Paralyze: save vs. spell (with a -1 penalty) or be Held, spell level 5. An Enchanter Spell School and Disabling Type spell.
*Slow: save vs. spell (with a -4 penalty) or be affected by Slow, spell level 3. A Transmuter School and Disabling Type spell.
The (CULTBH3.cre) creature is a weaker variant of the standard beholder and is only capable of releasing the following magical energy eye rays: 
*Cause Serious Wounds:
*Paralyze:
*Slow:
*Hold Person: save vs. spell (with a -1 penalty) or be Held, spell level 3. An Enchanter Spell School and Disabling Type spell.
*Lightning Bolt: deals 5d6 electrical damage, save vs. spell for half, spell level 3. An Invoker School and Offensive Damage Type spell.
All beholders except the (CULTBH3.cre):
*are able to cast a single, uninterruptible Death Spell upon seeing a summoned creature in range. As such, summoned creatures will most likely be banished. Using summoned creatures against a beholder isn't infeasible but may not be enough to win an encounter on its own. Multiple beholders in the same area will quickly destroy a group of summoned assailants.
*have a number of immunities to movement-modifying effects like Hold Creature, Paralyze, Slow, and Stun.
*are under permanent Free Action, and since they are naturally buoyant, Web, Entangle, and Grease don't work on these creatures either.
The beholder that is smuggling adamantite (UDBEHO01.cre) is the only beholder that can detect invisibility.
All beholders, including the (CULTBH3.cre), are immune to backstab.
==Locations==
===The Old Tunnels===
*Lower Reaches
**a hidden proximity trap will spawn the following behind the Broken Bridge: 
***one beholder and two gauths if Gorion's Ward has an XP value between 1000000 & 1999999.
***three beholders and two gauths if the Ward's XP value is 2000000 or greater.
*Beholder Hideout
**both of the CULTBH3.cre beholders are encountered within this area. One is located in the side cave on the north side of the area and the other is located in the side cave on the south side of the area.
**the same hidden proximity trap found in the Lower Reaches will spawn the same creatures in the southern tunnel on the map (the same spot where a solitary gauth is located). This location is just beyond the tunnel entrance for the southern side cave.
===Spellhold===
*Bodhi's Hunt Level 2
**during exploration of this area, the fifth click of the ancient tome with yellowed pages spawns a single beholder.
===Underdark===
*Southern Tunnels
**there are four beholders waiting within the cave complex.
**there are two of the same hidden proximity traps found in the Lower Reaches located within the first tunnel of the cave that will spawn the same XP-dependent creatures in the center of the cave and in a tunnel to the east of the center of the cave.
**a beholder will spawn in the southeast of the cave complex, near the tunnel entrance to the eastern side cave.
*Western Tunnels
**a beholder and two gauths are located in the western chamber of the cave complex.
*Ust Natha
**the Matron Mother wants a beholder that is in the city smuggling adamantite killed.
**a beholder is the fourth and final monster battled in the "Pit Fights" inside the Ust Natha Tavern.
===Temple District===
*Sewers
**if the sewers are explored during Chapter 6, a hidden proximity trap will spawn a beholder and two gauths in the southwest tunnel intersection (just north of the location of the Sea Troll).
===Abazigal's Lair Iycanth the Mad Bondari===
*Elder Orb Cave
**attempting to rest within the cave may spawn a beholder.
==Gameplay==
*The Shield of Balduran reflects or bounces some beholder eye rays. Mostly, the shield saves the wielder from getting "machine-gunned" by multiple rapid-fire Cause Serious Wound rays . This is the most frequent attack by any beholder. Thus, most fights against beholders can be managed without death, by sending in a fighter equipped with this shield. Without that shield, those fights are much harder. Note that Sword Coast Stratagems provides Beholders with a "Telekinesis" Ray to counter this shield (see Mod Content below).
*As a beholder's eyes project magical energy, it is not possible to "disrupt" these attacks, like it is with a spellcaster attempting to cast a spell, by damaging the creature.
*Beholders have several rays of level 4 or greater that will penetrate the Minor Globe of Invulnerability, and they also have several that will penetrate the Globe of Invulnerability. The beholder Anti-magic ray will penetrate the globes (and possibly affect underlying buffs and spells effects on the target) but won't dispel the globes.
*Spell protections such as Shield of the Archons, Spell Deflection and Spell Turning are effective, until the repeated rays "burn through" the spell protection, destroying the capacity of its power level protection limit, due to accrued spell level attacks. Spell Trap will be able to take more attacks, but it too can be overcome by repeated ray hits. Spell Immunity protects against individual rays indefinitely depending on their type (e.g. Spell Immunity: Necromancy against the Cause Serious Wounds ray). The Anti-magic ray will not affect these kind of spell protections, but they won't prevent the Anti-magic ray from getting through to the target either. Spell Shield can block the Anti-magic ray. 
*Improved Invisibility will not help you once you transition to the weak invisibility state after breaking the Improved invisibility through some kind of action. You can be targeted by all rays at that time. Despite their many eyes, Beholders cannot see through full invisibility, so Mislead can work against them (and they only target the mislead clone with bites, being unable to use their rays against it for some reason). Mirror Image does also work against the eye rays.
*Use a combination of Spell Turning, Haste, Chaotic Commands, carry several Potions of Extra Healing. The Cloak of Mirroring will guard against offensive damage type eye rays. Edventar's Gift or Free Action further helps by preventing effects such as being held or slowed. Most rays can be blocked by magic resistance. To negate the damaging, rapid-fire Cause Serious Wounds ray, you can use Protection From Magic Energy. Death Ward protects against the Death ray. Protection From Petrification blocks the Flesh to Stone ray. The Fear Ray can be blocked by anything that counteracts panic (Resist Fear, Remove Fear, Bard song...). Potion of Magic Shielding makes all saving throws succeed. An arcane caster can protect these buffs with Spell Shield, which stops the Anti-magic ray.
*Blind the beholder. This prevents it from using its eye ray attacks. The best way to blind them is using the spell Power Word, Blind because it allows no saving throw. However, any lower-level spell will work if the beholder fails its saving throw.
*Cast several AoE spells; such as Fireball, Cloudkill, Holy Smite, or Abi Dalzim's Horrid Wilting; while staying outside the visual range of the beholder. Disabling AoE spells may work if a saving throw is missed - such as Confusion. This tactic works well because beholders don't have any magic resistance.
*Transform into a creature with 100% magic resistance, like a Mustard Jelly, and attack them in this form. This works well because beholders have weak physical attacks. Some ways of achieving this transformation are using the Cloak of the Sewers and the wizard spell Polymorph Self (Nalia de'Arnise has it in her spell book). This tactic will not work very well against a Sword Coast Stratagems Hive Mother, see Mod content below.
*Another way for protection is using combination of Death Ward, Chaotic Commands, Spell Shield and Globe of Invulnerability (you may change globe of invulnerability to combination of Remove Fear, Protection from Petrification and Protection from Magic Energy). Then use this combo for magical tanking and casting aoe offensive spells.
==Notable Beholders==
===Black Pits===
* Ghlouralk
===Baldur's Gate II===
* Unseeing Eye
* Vaxall
====Subraces====
* Death Tyrant
* Elder Orb
* Hive Mother
====Beholderkin====
* Director
* Gauth
* Spectator
== Gallery ==
SH2Beholder1.png|Beholder blasts Anti-Magic Ray at Jaheira. Encounter with the Ancient Tome in Bodhi's Hunt Level 2.
SH2BehCauseSerious Wounds.png|Beholder's last dying eye beam is a Cause Serious Wounds ray, dealing 17 Magical damage, no saving throw.
Beholder Paralyze.png|In the Ust Natha Tavern Beast fighting Pit, a beholder attacks with a Paralyze blast.
Beholder Flesh to Stone.png|The beholder aims a Petrification Flesh to Stone blast. Viconia's innate Magic resistance can help survival.
Beholder Death Ray.png|An instant Death Ray blast is attempted.
Beholder Destroyes Summoned Creature.png|A summoned Skeleton Warrior pair are resistant to many beholder attacks. Their magic resistance will likely prevail against most. 
MBEHG23_cycle0.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle1.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle2.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle3.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle4.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle5.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle6.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle7.GIF
MBEHG23_cycle8.GIF
180° melee attack mode cycle
== Mod content==
===Mods:===
Installation of Sword Coast Stratagems Mod and the "Smarter Beholders" component will change beholder intelligence and some other abilities in your game. Note that Gauths are less likely to have some of the more deadly eye stalk beholder blast rays. From the Mod Author:
This component upgrades the AI of the beholders, gauths, elder orbs and hive mothers in SoA and ToB. It basically tries to do it non-cheesily, but it's hard to define this exactly since beholder powers are almost all scripted. Beholders get to use their eyestalks about once per ten seconds each, but they will tend to manage to get through more of them in a round; their targeting has also been drastically improved (the new scripts are about 150 times the length of the old ones!)
In accordance with the 2nd edition rules, beholders are now immune to most (not all) of their own eyestalks, which makes them more willing to bombard their way through Spell Deflection. I have added a Telekinesis eyestalk (more for fun than for increased challenge). And I have borrowed, with thanks, the Quest Pack component which allows beholders to lose their eyestalks when damaged. Beholders are also unable to use eyestalk powers when blinded (although their allies may use anti-magic rays to remove the blindness).
This component is sensitive to the difficulty setting:
* BASIC: Beholders use mostly their less-lethal eyestalks (Charm, Fear, Domination, Paralysis, Cause wounds, Slow) and do not use their magic-suppressing central eye. Hive Mothers use only their weaker magic.
* IMPROVED: Beholders also use their central eye against mages and party defenses. Hive Mothers use their full range of spells.
* TACTICAL: Beholders use their Death, Petrification and Telekinesis eyestalks; they use the Telekinesis eyestalk to steal some party items (notably the Shield of Balduran, if you have it).
* HARDCORE: Beholders steal items slightly more quickly.
* INSANE: Beholders use their Disintegrate eyestalk.
With this mod, beholders are given different colored animations to distinguish between normal beholders, Death Tyrant, Elder Orb and Hive Mother varieties.
Most SCS beholders have a special Death Ray that is scripted for use when they detect hostile "Summoned" creatures, such as Mordenkainen's Sword, Skeleton Warrior or similar. The ray acts as a single target Death Spell, which will destroy/banish a struck summoned creature brought forth by the party (no saving throw). This Death Ray is different than the ordinary one fired at non summoned creatures. It can only affect one creature at a time. This ray is however blocked by Magic resistance - which means that summoned creatures with a high MR are still quite effective against a beholder. (Reference dw#besud.spl) 
Speaking of the Death Ray, SCS will use another version of the ray than the unmodified game. It still is a level 7 Power level attack, but even if the target has a spell protection, the ray will always inflict 2d8 Magical damage, because it has a component that is a level 0 effect. Magic resistance can still block it. This will even go through a character with a Protection From Magic scroll. (Reference dw#befod.spl) 
SCS Hive Mother Beholders have been provided with a more potent Anti-Magic Ray (SPIN550.SPL), that drains spells from memory and charges from items and wands in quick slots or if equipped. The Hive Mother's rapid firing Cause Serious Wounds ray (SPIN551.SPL) now bypasses magic resistance and deals 5d8 Magic energy damage and has power level 0 so it will ignore spell level protections such as Spell Trap and Spell Deflection. And finally, the Hive Mother has a super potent Disintegration eyestalk (SPIN552.SPL), that has a -4 penalty to saving throws. If you are playing SCS with Spell Revisions, the disintegrate beam also deals massive magic energy damage (35d6), even if you make your saving throw, you'll take at least 5d6. The Hive Mother's telekinesis eyestalk will steal the Shield of Balduran and or the Cloak of Mirroring from an opponent in range, after a few rounds.
With the Spell Revisions mod, a Minor Globe of Invulnerability or Globe of Invulnerability will be destroyed by an Anti-magic Ray.
===Gallery:===
SCS Death Ray Summons.jpg|thumb|Party mage hit by Anti-magic Ray, then Beholder kills the summoned Elemental with SCS Death Ray, no saving throw for summoned creatures.
SCS BEHOLD01 Battle.jpg|thumb|SCS BEHOLD01 ordinary Beholder faces off against Viconia (with 65% MR). Two rounds of combat.
==External links==
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Category:Enemies