Beholder VS level 11 party [Archive] - Wizards Community

Beholder VS level 11 party [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
NinjaVitis
09-06-03, 02:31 AM Hey, the local Cleric in a gaming group has just dropped out, and I've been invited into the game. Thing is, the party is at level 11 and I've only played up to level 7 before.

I know I'm going to play a Cleric, because they seem to need one (with the old one quitting) and I like Clerics fine.

The rest of the party is a Paladin, a nuker Sorc and an Enchanter Wizard.

The only things I know about the campaign (so far, I still have 2 weeks before the group starts up again) is that magic is very hard to buy, everyone is alittle magic poor, that the game is generally core only with splat prestige class (at DM's descretion) and that the last thing they fought was a Beholder that kicked their asses and they will fight it again most likely.

I want to play a really arrogant character, so over the gaming table when I'd "learn" about how the Beholder killed the last Cleric (for roleplaying reasons) *my*cleric would tell the group how a Beholder is nothing to worry about, and how I've killed 5 before when I did my work for the church.

Like I said, I want my character to be arrogant. But a level 11 cleric taking on a Beholder no-problem is quite a task! I've been racking my brain trying to figure out an easy way to pull it off. I think I've found it... maybe.

Insect Plague is a 5th level Cleric spell. It has a casting time of 1 full round. Long Range, 90 ft radius. The spell does 1 damage a round, and revents spell casting. It also prevents sight for more than 10 ft.

Since the Beholder's speed is 20 ft, flying, I imagine I can cast this spell right ontop of him. It would take 5 rounds for the beholder to escape the Insect plague (being so slow) and it wouldn't be able to use any of it's rays. Disintigrate wouldonly kill 1 insect, and that's pretty useless. While the beholder is dealing with these insects, our Nuker Sorc and my Cleric could cast Lighting Bolts and Holy Fires into the centre of the plague, eventually killing the Beholder.

What I worry about is if a Beholder can do a double move flying (so it flies 40 ft in a round). I can't seem to find rules on that. Also, does a running fly exist? If the Beholder can move 100 Ft in 1 round, it sort of negates my plan.

What do you guys think? Would this work? Are there other good ways to for a 11 Cleric to more or less dominate a Beholder?

I've got poor AC versus rays (AC 10 versus ranged touch in an antimagic field, AC 11 outside of an antimagic field) but my saves are good. 14 Will save and 12 Fortitude.

We'll probably be fighting in an open field, with the beholder very far in the air when it attacks. Either that or underground.

Thanks in advance.
Mr.Waesel
09-06-03, 04:21 PM You seem to be using 3.0. In that case, spell immunity is a good choice, as are shield of faith (AC boost), entropic shield (works against all ranged attacks IIRC), and flame strike, to kill it in one fell swoop, since it's eye doesn't point upward. Just ready an action to cast Flamestrike as soon as you are out of it's antimagic field.
Kaminton
09-07-03, 02:29 AM There's always the archer-cleric... with only 60 hp and 20 AC, it can't be that hard. Also, if you engage the beholder from pretty far out, most of the buffs are on YOU, not the arrows, so you can probably kill the beholder in one round, maybe two, before it gets close enough to use its eye rays.

Assuming you're using 3.0:

Divine Power gives you the BAB of a fighter. With rapid shot, that's 4 shots per round. Greater Magic Weapon on your both bows and arrows will give you a net +6 to hit and damage. Divine Favor gives you another 3. Righteous Might will increase your weapon size, so it does 2d6 instead of 1d8 base damage. Haste from either a potion or the mages would help you get all this stuff cast, although you should make it standard practice to cast greater magic weapon before you start adventuring for the day.

The full archer-cleric build involves alot of other spells and domains, but the gist of this is that with average luck it shouldn't be that hard to kill the beholder if you encounter it at a sufficient distance. Assuming a 16 dex (not hard with either an elf, or gloves of dexterity) and haste, your attack bonuses should be: +20/+20/+20/+15/+10, each attack dealing 2d6+9 damage (more if you have the strength and a mighty composite longbow), if you're shooting from between 110 and 220 feet (more if you have either far shot or a distance enchantment). You'll want to shoot while the beholder is over 150 feet away, though. Your first 3 attacks will hit, your fourth attack will hit 80% of the time, and your fifth attack will hit 55% of the time. That's an average of 70 damage in one full attack, again assuming that you have a strength of 10. If the beholder has its antimagic ray on in your direction (but not actually reaching you), then you deal 27 less damage since the arrow is no longer enchanted. This is all ignoring criticals, by the way.

The only real problem with this, of course, is that it takes at least 2 rounds of buffing before you actually start shooting. And this doesn't work underground, because 3 of the spells only last about a minute.

Things that could cause a problem:
1) The beholder has been advanced. This means more hp, so you might not be able to take down the beholder before it gets close enough to use its eye rays. Note that when its antimagic ray is on, it cannot shoot its eye rays. That means that the paladin should get into melee while the antimagic field is on - I don't think the beholder's bite scares the paladin.
2) The beholder may have class levels, or spellcasting allies. What really kills this approach is some form of ranged protection, like wind wall or protection from arrows. In this case, try landing a dispel magic first - you can throw one from 210 feet, about the distance you want to shoot anyway :)
Boondoggle
09-07-03, 04:03 AM Blindness. I doubt anything could be more insulting to the eye tyrant than not being able to see. His pawltry +4 fort save won't help much either. You'll have a range of 210', well outside of his 150' anti-magic cone. Then sit back and watch as his eye rays shoot into randoms squares with a 50% miss chance even if he does guess correctly. Add to that his 'All around vision' ability being negated, and he becomes even easier to kill.

With your cleric having a wis of 20, the DC for blindness is 17, and that's without any spell focus. Heck, prepare two incase the poor sod gets lucky.

As for your character, I'd make him lawful neutral and spend much of your time impressing on other characters just how good of a cleric you are thanks to the teachings of your church. If they would convert and defer to your great wisdom and leadership, the party will be able to perform even greater feats.
Mind Rogue
09-07-03, 06:11 PM Ummm, the Anti-Magic Field will block your line of effect, making it impossible for you to target the Beholder with blindness, even if you are outside of it's range. You would need to sneak up behind it, a task that is not easy with its all-around vision. You would have to ready your Blindness spell, or whatever you plan on casting, until it closes it's main eye. And by tht time, of course, it will shoot you with all ten of its eyes by turning its head (it can aim them all straight up)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
NinjaVitis 09-06-03, 02:31 AM	Hey, the local Cleric in a gaming group has just dropped out, and I've been invited into the game. Thing is, the party is at level 11 and I've only played up to level 7 before. I know I'm going to play a Cleric, because they seem to need one (with the old one quitting) and I like Clerics fine. The rest of the party is a Paladin, a nuker Sorc and an Enchanter Wizard. The only things I know about the campaign (so far, I still have 2 weeks before the group starts up again) is that magic is very hard to buy, everyone is alittle magic poor, that the game is generally core only with splat prestige class (at DM's descretion) and that the last thing they fought was a Beholder that kicked their asses and they will fight it again most likely. I want to play a really arrogant character, so over the gaming table when I'd "learn" about how the Beholder killed the last Cleric (for roleplaying reasons) mycleric would tell the group how a Beholder is nothing to worry about, and how I've killed 5 before when I did my work for the church. Like I said, I want my character to be arrogant. But a level 11 cleric taking on a Beholder no-problem is quite a task! I've been racking my brain trying to figure out an easy way to pull it off. I think I've found it... maybe. Insect Plague is a 5th level Cleric spell. It has a casting time of 1 full round. Long Range, 90 ft radius. The spell does 1 damage a round, and revents spell casting. It also prevents sight for more than 10 ft. Since the Beholder's speed is 20 ft, flying, I imagine I can cast this spell right ontop of him. It would take 5 rounds for the beholder to escape the Insect plague (being so slow) and it wouldn't be able to use any of it's rays. Disintigrate wouldonly kill 1 insect, and that's pretty useless. While the beholder is dealing with these insects, our Nuker Sorc and my Cleric could cast Lighting Bolts and Holy Fires into the centre of the plague, eventually killing the Beholder. What I worry about is if a Beholder can do a double move flying (so it flies 40 ft in a round). I can't seem to find rules on that. Also, does a running fly exist? If the Beholder can move 100 Ft in 1 round, it sort of negates my plan. What do you guys think? Would this work? Are there other good ways to for a 11 Cleric to more or less dominate a Beholder? I've got poor AC versus rays (AC 10 versus ranged touch in an antimagic field, AC 11 outside of an antimagic field) but my saves are good. 14 Will save and 12 Fortitude. We'll probably be fighting in an open field, with the beholder very far in the air when it attacks. Either that or underground. Thanks in advance.
Mr.Waesel 09-06-03, 04:21 PM	You seem to be using 3.0. In that case, spell immunity is a good choice, as are shield of faith (AC boost), entropic shield (works against all ranged attacks IIRC), and flame strike, to kill it in one fell swoop, since it's eye doesn't point upward. Just ready an action to cast Flamestrike as soon as you are out of it's antimagic field.
Kaminton 09-07-03, 02:29 AM	There's always the archer-cleric... with only 60 hp and 20 AC, it can't be that hard. Also, if you engage the beholder from pretty far out, most of the buffs are on YOU, not the arrows, so you can probably kill the beholder in one round, maybe two, before it gets close enough to use its eye rays. Assuming you're using 3.0: Divine Power gives you the BAB of a fighter. With rapid shot, that's 4 shots per round. Greater Magic Weapon on your both bows and arrows will give you a net +6 to hit and damage. Divine Favor gives you another 3. Righteous Might will increase your weapon size, so it does 2d6 instead of 1d8 base damage. Haste from either a potion or the mages would help you get all this stuff cast, although you should make it standard practice to cast greater magic weapon before you start adventuring for the day. The full archer-cleric build involves alot of other spells and domains, but the gist of this is that with average luck it shouldn't be that hard to kill the beholder if you encounter it at a sufficient distance. Assuming a 16 dex (not hard with either an elf, or gloves of dexterity) and haste, your attack bonuses should be: +20/+20/+20/+15/+10, each attack dealing 2d6+9 damage (more if you have the strength and a mighty composite longbow), if you're shooting from between 110 and 220 feet (more if you have either far shot or a distance enchantment). You'll want to shoot while the beholder is over 150 feet away, though. Your first 3 attacks will hit, your fourth attack will hit 80% of the time, and your fifth attack will hit 55% of the time. That's an average of 70 damage in one full attack, again assuming that you have a strength of 10. If the beholder has its antimagic ray on in your direction (but not actually reaching you), then you deal 27 less damage since the arrow is no longer enchanted. This is all ignoring criticals, by the way. The only real problem with this, of course, is that it takes at least 2 rounds of buffing before you actually start shooting. And this doesn't work underground, because 3 of the spells only last about a minute. Things that could cause a problem: 1) The beholder has been advanced. This means more hp, so you might not be able to take down the beholder before it gets close enough to use its eye rays. Note that when its antimagic ray is on, it cannot shoot its eye rays. That means that the paladin should get into melee while the antimagic field is on - I don't think the beholder's bite scares the paladin. 2) The beholder may have class levels, or spellcasting allies. What really kills this approach is some form of ranged protection, like wind wall or protection from arrows. In this case, try landing a dispel magic first - you can throw one from 210 feet, about the distance you want to shoot anyway :)
Boondoggle 09-07-03, 04:03 AM	Blindness. I doubt anything could be more insulting to the eye tyrant than not being able to see. His pawltry +4 fort save won't help much either. You'll have a range of 210', well outside of his 150' anti-magic cone. Then sit back and watch as his eye rays shoot into randoms squares with a 50% miss chance even if he does guess correctly. Add to that his 'All around vision' ability being negated, and he becomes even easier to kill. With your cleric having a wis of 20, the DC for blindness is 17, and that's without any spell focus. Heck, prepare two incase the poor sod gets lucky. As for your character, I'd make him lawful neutral and spend much of your time impressing on other characters just how good of a cleric you are thanks to the teachings of your church. If they would convert and defer to your great wisdom and leadership, the party will be able to perform even greater feats.
Mind Rogue 09-07-03, 06:11 PM	Ummm, the Anti-Magic Field will block your line of effect, making it impossible for you to target the Beholder with blindness, even if you are outside of it's range. You would need to sneak up behind it, a task that is not easy with its all-around vision. You would have to ready your Blindness spell, or whatever you plan on casting, until it closes it's main eye. And by tht time, of course, it will shoot you with all ten of its eyes by turning its head (it can aim them all straight up)