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Jergmo
2009-07-28, 09:26 PM
I so wish I had a picture that could work for this abomination.

Tentacle-y Disco Ball of Annihilation
(Multiheaded Beholder)
Size/Type: Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 17d8+119 (195 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: fly 20 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 29 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +18 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+16
Attack: Eye rays +13 ranged touch and bite +11 melee (2d4)
Full attack: Eye rays +13 ranged touch and four bites +11 melee (2d4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special attacks: Eye rays
Special Qualities: All-around vision, antimagic cone, darkvision 90 ft., flight
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +15
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Hide +18, Knowledge(arcana) +23, Listen +28, Search +33, Spot +32, Survival +2(+4 following tracks)
Feats: AlertnessB, Improved InitiativeB, Combat ReflexesB, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Wingover, Ability Focus(eye rays), Dodge
Environment: Cold Hills
Challenge Rating: 19
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 18-23 HD (Large); 24-39 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

No one is quite sure how this creature came to be; one theory is that a number of fetal beholders became conjoined in the egg sac. In any case, the TDBoA is quite insane, and not just the garden variety of insane paranoia that most beholders suffer from due to having two separate minds. We're talking eight minds working in conjunction here; to be any more insane, it'd have to be a native of The Far Realm. The TDBoA is a horrific creature, wielding power to annihilate armies without effort as it spins around in flight.

Combat
The TDBoA plows right into large groups of creatures, its unique physiology allowing it to use 10 of its 40 eye stalks in each cardinal direction.

Eye Rays (Su): Each of a head's ten eye rays resembles a spell cast by a 13th-level caster. Each ray has a range of 150 feet and a save DC of 20. The save DCs are Charisma-based. The ten eyes include:
Charm Monster: The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by the spell. TDBoA uses this ray to confuse the opposition, usually employing it early in a fight. TDBoA generally instructs a charmed target to either restrain a comrade or stand aside.
Charm Person: The target mus suceed on a Will save or be affected as though by the spell. TDBoA uses this ray in the same manner as the charm monster ray.
Disintegrate: The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be affected as though by the spell. TDBoA likes to use this ray on any foe it considers a real threat.
Fear: This works like the spell, except that it targets one creature. The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by the spell. TDBoA like to use this ray against warriors and other powerful creatures early in a fight, to break up the opposition.
Finger of Death: The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be slain as through by the spell. The target takes 3d6+13 points of damage if its saving through succeeds. TDBoA uses this ray to eliminate dangerous foes quickly.
Flesh to Stone: The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be affected as though by the spell. TDBoA likes to aim this ray at enemy spellcasters. They also use it on any creature whose appearance they find interesting. (After the fight, TDBoA takes the statue to its lair as a decoration.
Inflict Moderate Wounds: This works like the spell, causing 2d8+10 points of damage (Will half)
Sleep: This works like the spell, except that it affects one creature with any number of Hit Dice (Will negates). TDBoA like to use this ray against warriors and other physically powerful creatures. They know their foes can quickly awaken the sleepers, but they also know that doing so takes time and can delay an effective counterattack.
Slow: This works like the spell, except that it affects one creature. The target can make a Will save to negate the effect. TDBoA often uses this ray against the same creature targeted by their disintegrate, flesh to stone, or finger of death ray. If one of the former rays fails to eliminate the foe, this ray might at least hamper it.
Telekinesis: TDBoA can move objects or creatures that weigh up to 325 pounds, as though with a telekinesis spell. Creatures can resist the effect with a successful Will save.
Antimagic Cone (Su): TDBoA's central eyes continuously produce a 150-foot cone of antimagic. This functions just like antimagic field (caster level 13th). All magical and supernatural powers and effects within the cone are suppressed—even TDBoA's own eye rays. Once each round, during its turn, TDBoA decides whether the antimagic cone is active or not (TDBoA deactivates the cone by shutting its central eyes.) Due to TDBoA's makeup, this antimagic cone extends into an all-around effect.

All-Around Vision (Ex): Beholders are exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can't be flanked. Additionally, each additional head adds a racial bonus of +2 to Listen, Search and Spot.

Flight (Ex): TDBoA's body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

Behold what I have wrought, and then imagine if it was a Beholder Mage. :smallamused:

The Mentalist
2009-07-28, 11:38 PM
I like it, I like it very much.

If regular Beholders are large should these not be huge? Also the flight maneuverability is good or perfect, there is no great.

Jergmo
2009-07-28, 11:41 PM
I like it, I like it very much.

If regular Beholders are large should these not be huge? Also the flight maneuverability is good or perfect, there is no great.

Right, I was thinking perfect, thank you. And it says the size is unchanged, and based on how I'm imagining it, it might be eligible for Huge, but I reckon it could still work as the high-end of Large. Regular beholders are 8 feet in diameter and Large could take them up to 16 feet around. They're also not Huge until 18 HD.

The Mentalist
2009-07-28, 11:46 PM
I suppose that makes sense. I was just looking and the CR may be a bit high, if only because the saves on spells are low. You may want to give it a bonus to Int with the whole eight minds thing going on.

Jergmo
2009-07-28, 11:59 PM
I suppose that makes sense. I was just looking and the CR may be a bit high, if only because the saves on spells are low. You may want to give it a bonus to Int with the whole eight minds thing going on.

They are a bit low, but keep in mind, it has forty eye stalks, which are used as free actions. I thought "Hey, they've gotta fail eventually, right?" Plus, a couple of them offer no saves and one is save for half damage. And it's shooting off 3d6+13 four times per round for free if the more horrific effect doesn't work.

Well, and I was just going off of what the template says. (And I forgot bonus attribute points from HD, I'll fix that.) +1 CR per head, +1 CR per special attack of bonus heads.

The Mentalist
2009-07-29, 12:02 AM
That template is a bit wonky at times, it's a tasty monster though.

Jergmo
2009-07-29, 12:05 AM
Gracias. Technically it can't exist because a beholder is a head with everything inside, but there are potential loopholes in everything. A series of very random ideas led to it, as the most awesomely ridiculous monsters are wont to be. :smalltongue:

Debihuman
2009-07-29, 09:06 AM
is this 4 heads or 8 heads? In the text you indicate it is 8 but the stats seem to indicate 4.

Debby

The Mentalist
2009-07-29, 12:52 PM
Four heads with 8 minds, Beholders have two minds so with four of them there it's eight.

Debihuman
2009-07-31, 02:36 AM
The 4 heads with 8 minds confused me. As far as I knew, beholders don't have 2 minds, unless this is information is found somewhere other than in the Monster Manual. What's the source for this?

Also, if it is a Large beholder, it should be limited to 3 heads [see chart page 125 Savage Species]. In order to have 4 heads, it has to be Huge (and can have up to 11 heads).

Debby

Owrtho
2009-07-31, 11:32 AM
As far as I knew, beholders don't have 2 minds, unless this is information is found somewhere other than in the Monster Manual. What's the source for this?

Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations page 40, in the section titled 'The Beholder's Mind'.

Owrtho

Jergmo
2009-07-31, 11:41 AM
The 4 heads with 8 minds confused me. As far as I knew, beholders don't have 2 minds, unless this is information is found somewhere other than in the Monster Manual. What's the source for this?

Also, if it is a Large beholder, it should be limited to 3 heads [see chart page 125 Savage Species]. In order to have 4 heads, it has to be Huge (and can have up to 11 heads).

Debby

I remember reading "up to 3 additional heads". Also, the source is Lords of Madness.

Edit:
Up to medium: 1 maximum additional head.
Large: 3 maximum additional heads.
Huge: 11 maximum additional heads.
Gargantuan: 19 maximum additional heads.
Colossal: 29 maximum additional heads.

Debihuman
2009-07-31, 01:54 PM
Ahh. I didn't think to look at Lords of Madness. I seen now my error on the Large creature having 3 additional heads. I should know better than to post so late at night. :smallsigh:

The split mind thing is really weird. It divides rationality from intuition to explain why they are so xenophobic and paranoid. Considering how beholder society works, it's amazing that even one of these would survive long enough without the rest of the beholders trying to wipe it out. Yeah, that would make it crazy indeed.

Debby

Stormthorn
2009-09-22, 11:55 AM
Ahh. I didn't think to look at Lords of Madness. I seen now my error on the Large creature having 3 additional heads. I should know better than to post so late at night. :smallsigh:

The split mind thing is really weird. It divides rationality from intuition to explain why they are so xenophobic and paranoid. Considering how beholder society works, it's amazing that even one of these would survive long enough without the rest of the beholders trying to wipe it out. Yeah, that would make it crazy indeed.

Debby

Their are two subspecies that exist just to keep other beholders form killing each other.

If i where the DM, iw oudl give it Whirlwind attack and claim that that lets it shoot all 40 rays in any direction it wants.