beholders and their kin

[person29]

I am planning on using a gauth in an upcoming session but I'm not quite sure how the eye rays and stunning gaze works

first eye rays - only 2 rays can be used on any subject in a 90 degree arc...in the stunning gaze description it says something about using all the eye rays because they are a free action...so can all 6 be used each round if the 90 degree arc rule is followed?

stunning gaze - does it affect all opponents or just one each round?

thanks...anything else I should be made aware of would be helpful as well

[person29]

anybody? bueller?

[Tvtyrant]

I will look it up in Lords of Madness. Hold on.

Not in Lords of Madness. Oh well. Anyway, rays work by making a ranged touch attack, and then the person who is hit is effected by the spell. If the stunning gaze is not said to be a ray it is a gaze (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#gazeAttacks)attack, with each person needing to make a save each turn against it.

Only 2 eyes can be aimed in any one 90 degree arc, but you can fire all of them in a turn if there are enemies 360 degrees around it.

[NecroRick]

You'd even be able to fire all of them in a 270 degree arc, since there are only 6 eyestalks and they are limited to maximum of 2 per 90 degrees.

The best thing would be to convince the players that it was a bad attempt at an illusionary beholder, but the illusionist had gotten the number of eyestalks wrong...

:D

[person29]

alright thank you very much

[Diarmuid]

Just to clarify, all 6 stalks can be used in a given round...but only 2 on any given target and I think the targets have to be in the 90' arc.

As for the stunning gaze, this is what the generic entry for Gaze attacks says, "Each character within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw (which can be a Fortitude or Will save) each round at the beginning of his turn.", so I would say it effects all characters in the range/area.

[faceroll]

Gaze attacks automatically affect every character within range of the creature that has a gaze attack, as there are no facing rules in D&D 3.5. So all creatures within, say, 30 feet of a medusa, have to make a save every turn, or be turned to stone.

Full gaze attack rules:
Gaze Attacks
While the medusa’s gaze is well known, gaze attacks can also charm, curse, or even kill. Gaze attacks not produced by a spell are supernatural.

Each character within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw (which can be a Fortitude or Will save) each round at the beginning of his turn.

An opponent can avert his eyes from the creature’s face, looking at the creature’s body, watching its shadow, or tracking the creature in a reflective surface. Each round, the opponent has a 50% chance of not having to make a saving throw. The creature with the gaze attack gains concealment relative to the opponent. An opponent can shut his eyes, turn his back on the creature, or wear a blindfold. In these cases, the opponent does not need to make a saving throw. The creature with the gaze attack gains total concealment relative to the opponent.

A creature with a gaze attack can actively attempt to use its gaze as an attack action. The creature simply chooses a target within range, and that opponent must attempt a saving throw. If the target has chosen to defend against the gaze as discussed above, the opponent gets a chance to avoid the saving throw (either 50% chance for averting eyes or 100% chance for shutting eyes). It is possible for an opponent to save against a creature’s gaze twice during the same round, once before its own action and once during the creature’s action.

Looking at the creature’s image (such as in a mirror or as part of an illusion) does not subject the viewer to a gaze attack.

A creature is immune to its own gaze attack.

If visibility is limited (by dim lighting, a fog, or the like) so that it results in concealment, there is a percentage chance equal to the normal miss chance for that degree of concealment that a character won’t need to make a saving throw in a given round. This chance is not cumulative with the chance for averting your eyes, but is rolled separately.

Invisible creatures cannot use gaze attacks. Gaze attacks can affect ethereal opponents.

Characters using darkvision in complete darkness are affected by a gaze attack normally.

Unless specified otherwise, a creature with a gaze attack can control its gaze attack and “turn it off ” when so desired. Allies of a creature with a gaze attack might be affected. All the creature’s allies are considered to be averting their eyes from the creature with the gaze attack, and have a 50% chance to not need to make a saving throw against the gaze attack each round.