Elder Orb (Southern Tunnels)

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This specific Elder Orb, along with a Beholder, is encountered upon entering the Southern Tunnels, which are reachable from within the Underdark during the events of Chapter 5. It is the first of two elder orbs that are encountered in Southern Tunnels.
This is also the elder orb sought by the party—the creature that has the component that the Matron Mother requires to conduct her summoning ritual as part of the The Drow Summoning Ritual side quest. (If this seems a bit too convenient, this scenario can be changed with installation of a challenge enhancing mod - see "Mod content" below for options.)
On the other hand, if the party is seeking the Eyestalk of an Elder Orb and only desires this to complete a quest item—and doesn't want to enter further within the tunnels—then the early access to the elder orb means the party can leave the tunnels with the loot and not be exposed to any other dangers (and miss out on the other experience and items that can be acquired within the tunnels as well).
Additional items dropped by this creature when defeated:
*Amulet of Spell Warding
*Blade of the Equalizer
A second Elder Orb is located further into the cave complex in the eastern side cave. It has the same stats as this elder orb, uses the same eye ray and wizard spells, but carries no droppable loot/items.
==Gameplay==
This elder orb has use of seven beholder eye ray capabilities as well as a bevy of wizard spells. It has more hit points than ordinary beholders. While it lacks the 10% resistance to all magical effects and 10% resistance to melee and ranged attacks, it possess 50% Magic resistance and it is also immune to backstab attacks. The creature will deploy two self-buff protective spells, Stoneskin and Spell Trap. Then the creature will go on the offensive by either casting further arcane spells or releasing eye rays of various types at the closest valid target. An Anti-Magic Ray is likely the first eye ray released.
If the monster isn't killed or disabled quickly, there is a danger that a party member could get exposed to some instant death eye rays, such as Death Ray or Flesh to Stone Ray. The longer the elder orb has to sequentially work through the eye rays and spells it possesses, the more dangerous it can be, as it can also unleash an Imprisonment and Maze spell.
In battle, the elder orb will utilize its eye rays and wizard spells in the following manner:
===Eye Rays===
*PC or Mage class seen: — Anti-Magic Ray
*General attacks: — Death Ray (target the party member with the highest remaining hit points)
*HP >65: — Cause Serious Wounds Ray (target closest party member)
*HP >55: — Death Ray (target the second closest party member)
*HP >45: — Cause Serious Wounds Ray (target the party member with the highest remaining hit points
*HP >35: — Slow Ray (target the second closest party member)
*HP >25: — Flesh to Stone Ray (target the third closest party member)
*HP >15: — Domination Ray (target closest party member)
*HP >5: — Cause Serious Wounds Ray (target the third closest party member)
===Spells===
*Spell immunity: — Minor Spell Turning 
*See enemy (battle prep): — Stoneskin and Spell Trap
*If silenced: — Vocalize
*Spell trigger: — True Sight, Remove Magic, Fireball
*Hit by weapon: — Stoneskin
*Battle spells: — Imprisonment, Maze (target nearest party member)
*Summons seen: — Death Spell together with Paralyze Ray
*Second summons seen: — Melf's Acid Arrow together with Paralyze Ray
*Target HP <60: — Power Word, Kill (target nearest party member)
==Gallery==
ST OG Elder Orb 1.png|The first of two Elder Orbs is immediately observed in the entry room of the Southern Tunnels area. If any invisible or hidden party members are in the group, the creature casts True Sight.
ST OG Elder Orb Fight 1.png|Concerned about Dispel Magic and Imprisonment - the PC has cast Spell Immunity. Saving throws will be automatic with a Potion of Magic Shielding. A Globe of Invulnerability is included for defense. The Elder Orb gets up a Spell Trap and Stoneskin.
ST OG Elder Orb Fight 2.png|Elder Orb's Spell Trigger launches a Dispel magic and Fireball.
==Mod content==
===Mods:===
The Sword Coast Stratagems mod moves the Elder Orb further back inside the tunnels. So, the first {and second Elder Orb) are deeper within the dungeon. The mod also makes a number of changes to the creature, including the AI scripts and also adds some additional powers and immunities to the creature. The Orb is now a level 20 creature with SCS. It is under a permanent Free Action (status effect), is immune to its own beholder rays (in case they were reflected upon itself), has a passive alacrity effect that allows multiple spell actions each round to include spell casting and beholder eye ray attacks in the same round without any cool down pause. It also speeds up the casting time for arcane spells.
When hostilities commence the Orb deploys a contingency that launches several spells simultaneously. These include Stoneskin {cast previously), Spell Shield, Spell Trap (or "Moment of Prescience" with the SR mod), and two Summon Djinni creatures are conjured for support. All of these spells instantly manifest and can't be interrupted.
Seconds later the Orb launches a rapid firing Cause Serious Wounds ray and then a Anti-Magic Ray - and simultaneously a Spell Sequencer containing a Web and a group of Giant Spider summoned creatures - which will be placed so as to completely surround the targeted party member. At the same time the Djinn will be casting their own spells. The battlefield will be full of extra opponents very quickly.
It will be absolutely much more challenging and dangerous than the unmodified version. It will behoove the party to take down the Orb as soon as practical to limit opportunities for the Orb to keep spamming spell casts and beholder rays in the same round (sometimes as many as three actions per round because of its permanent alacrity power). On the game difficulty setting of Hardcore and Insane the creature is markedly more effective in battle. Note that the creature will recognize the Shield of Balduran, the Cloak of Mirroring, Cloak of Reflection, and any spell protections upon a party member. It will use its "Telekinesis Ray" to steal the Shield of Balduran and the Cloak of Mirroring (as will any of the beholders) in this area.
The Orb has a large spell book of arcane magic memorized. It can cast Death Spell against summoned creatures, Ruby Ray of Reversal and Pierce Magic, Greater Malison, some offensive spells, and retains the Imprisonment spell.
The mod will install various Icewind Dale spells for the Orb to use if that component is selected. This will also work if the Spell Revisions and or the IWDification mods are also installed.
===Gallery:===
ST Second Elder Orb.png|A second Elder Orb chain casts preparatory buffs and summons two Mordenkainen's Sword creatures when a party member is detected. SCS and Spell Revisions mods shown in action.
==External links==
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Category:Enemies