Beholder Eye Attacks [Archive] - Wizards Community

Beholder Eye Attacks [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
KevenSimmons
02-04-06, 11:33 AM Ya know, I'm sure that this question has been asked and answered before but without a forum search function I'm pretty much stuck asking again, for which I simultaneously apologize, and chastise WotC.

Can a beholder attack with *all* it’s eye-rays every round, or is it restricted to one such attack per round? It doesn’t have the multi-attack feat listed, but the description of it’s standard attack says “eye rays” (plural).
steventirey1985
02-04-06, 12:10 PM It can fire all of them, though it is limited in the number it can fire in a single direction, as stated in its description in the Monster Manual.
KevenSimmons
02-04-06, 12:26 PM I'm either blind or looking in the wrong place 'cause I have the 3.5 MM open in front of me and I can't find anything in the beholder description about limiting the number of ray attacks in a particular direction. I recall something of the sort being in 2nd Ed. but this is the first time I've used the critter in 3e and I can't find the equivalent info. Maybe there's an errata I need to get?
sorites
02-04-06, 12:35 PM Read the description of Eye Rays (su) in the Beholder entry in the MM.

As a free action, it can fire each of its eye rays each round, but if it's got its anti-magic central eye open (and therefore active), it is limited to using the eye rays in the two side arcs and the rear arc (it cannot fire them at opponents within the anti-magic ray). Also, only three eye rays can fire at any single arc on any given round. And you don't have to remember which eye rays fired in which arc last turn because this turn it can fire different rays in that arc.
Golem011
02-04-06, 12:38 PM Ah, I know why. You must be looking at the description under the actual beholder entry, after the Gauth. You need to look at the description of Eye Rays under the WHOLE entry, not just the beholder creature entry. If that made sense.
KevenSimmons
02-04-06, 01:15 PM Aha! There's the information I was missing - answers all my questions. I was indeed looking at the Beholder description (pg. 26) instead of the .. um... Beholder description (pg 25). I thought that it was strange there wasn't a more definitive description of the eye attacks. It all makes sense now. Thanks!!
Golem011
02-04-06, 01:37 PM Any time. :D Just glad to be of service.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KevenSimmons 02-04-06, 11:33 AM	Ya know, I'm sure that this question has been asked and answered before but without a forum search function I'm pretty much stuck asking again, for which I simultaneously apologize, and chastise WotC. Can a beholder attack with all it’s eye-rays every round, or is it restricted to one such attack per round? It doesn’t have the multi-attack feat listed, but the description of it’s standard attack says “eye rays” (plural).
steventirey1985 02-04-06, 12:10 PM	It can fire all of them, though it is limited in the number it can fire in a single direction, as stated in its description in the Monster Manual.
KevenSimmons 02-04-06, 12:26 PM	I'm either blind or looking in the wrong place 'cause I have the 3.5 MM open in front of me and I can't find anything in the beholder description about limiting the number of ray attacks in a particular direction. I recall something of the sort being in 2nd Ed. but this is the first time I've used the critter in 3e and I can't find the equivalent info. Maybe there's an errata I need to get?
sorites 02-04-06, 12:35 PM	Read the description of Eye Rays (su) in the Beholder entry in the MM. As a free action, it can fire each of its eye rays each round, but if it's got its anti-magic central eye open (and therefore active), it is limited to using the eye rays in the two side arcs and the rear arc (it cannot fire them at opponents within the anti-magic ray). Also, only three eye rays can fire at any single arc on any given round. And you don't have to remember which eye rays fired in which arc last turn because this turn it can fire different rays in that arc.
Golem011 02-04-06, 12:38 PM	Ah, I know why. You must be looking at the description under the actual beholder entry, after the Gauth. You need to look at the description of Eye Rays under the WHOLE entry, not just the beholder creature entry. If that made sense.
KevenSimmons 02-04-06, 01:15 PM	Aha! There's the information I was missing - answers all my questions. I was indeed looking at the Beholder description (pg. 26) instead of the .. um... Beholder description (pg 25). I thought that it was strange there wasn't a more definitive description of the eye attacks. It all makes sense now. Thanks!!
Golem011 02-04-06, 01:37 PM	Any time. :D Just glad to be of service.