[3.5] Fun with a Beholder

[AngelOmnipotent]

One of my groups we have just killed a Beholder. Now, one player has a Lawful Evil Gnome Wizard with the aim of becoming a Lich (makes the roleplaying very interesting). Being a Gnome, he's very good at seeing things outside of the box and coming up with something inventive and amusing.

He wants to make the Beholder into an undead (intelligent, preferably), and shrink it small enough so it will fit into a hat that he can wear on his head. Sounds completely silly, but having an undead beholder hiding in your hat that takes verbal commands has to be novel for a gnomish wizard.

How exactly could he go about this, and is it even possible? He's a 12th level Wizard and a whole bucket of gold to play with from the current adventure, and all WotC books to reference.

[Flickerdart]

Polymorph Any Object to make the corpse Tiny would have a Permanent duration, though he'll have to buy a scroll. Animate Dead would be useless for this, though, and I'm not sure how he can bring it undeath. I think there was a spell that worked like Raise Dead but in reverse somewhere.

[arguskos]

Well, there is precedence for undead beholders (go look up Death Tyrants, in one of the Faerun books, I think Faiths and Pantheons), and with Shrink Object beforehand, he can make a tiny one. Probably just be expensive and take some time.

[Starbuck_II]

One of my groups we have just killed a Beholder. Now, one player has a Lawful Evil Gnome Wizard with the aim of becoming a Lich (makes the roleplaying very interesting). Being a Gnome, he's very good at seeing things outside of the box and coming up with something inventive and amusing.

He wants to make the Beholder into an undead (intelligent, preferably), and shrink it small enough so it will fit into a hat that he can wear on his head. Sounds completely silly, but having an undead beholder hiding in your hat that takes verbal commands has to be novel for a gnomish wizard.

How exactly could he go about this, and is it even possible? He's a 12th level Wizard and a whole bucket of gold to play with from the current adventure, and all WotC books to reference.

Do you mean an undead (zombie) Beholder?

Or a Beholder that retains its powers?

[AngelOmnipotent]

Do you mean an undead (zombie) Beholder?

Or a Beholder that retains its powers?

Ideally something that retains its powers so he can have disintegrates coming out of his hat (disintegrating one limb at a time!), and an anti-magic area put around him without people knowing what its coming from ;)

Unfortunately we just ended up laughing when we realised a zombie beholder wouldn't be able to fly anymore, so it would just randomly roll around on the floor like a turtle waiting for someone to pick it up and carry it home

[AngelOmnipotent]

Well, there is precedence for undead beholders (go look up Death Tyrants, in one of the Faerun books, I think Faiths and Pantheons), and with Shrink Object beforehand, he can make a tiny one. Probably just be expensive and take some time.

This would be ideal, but turning a Beholder corpse into a Death Tyrant is the problem. I can't just throw in a Death Tyrant into the dungeon because it would be obvious that it would only be there to be controlled and shrunk

[arguskos]

This would be ideal, but turning a Beholder corpse into a Death Tyrant is the problem. I can't just throw in a Death Tyrant into the dungeon because it would be obvious that it would only be there to be controlled and shrunk

Well, clearly SOMEONE can make them, so alter the ritual, make it clear that he can learn said ritual, and have him cart around the smaller corpse for awhile til he finds a copy of said ritual. Make it a sub-plot for the character.

[AngelOmnipotent]

Well, clearly SOMEONE can make them, so alter the ritual, make it clear that he can learn said ritual, and have him cart around the smaller corpse for awhile til he finds a copy of said ritual. Make it a sub-plot for the character.

This is the same party that killed a cow, gentle reposed it to stop it from decomposing, then animated it. This created a walking Steak that didn't mind having half of its leg cut off to be cooked. So yes, I don't think him carrying around the tiny corpse of a beholder would be an issue. He'd probably stick his hand in it and use it as a glove puppet...

[arguskos]

This is the same party that killed a cow, gentle reposed it to stop it from decomposing, then animated it. This created a walking Steak that didn't mind having half of its leg cut off to be cooked. So yes, I don't think him carrying around the tiny corpse of a beholder would be an issue. He'd probably stick his hand in it and use it as a glove puppet...

I see the joke there. Some Hitchhiker's Guide fans in your group then?

Also, yeah, so, problem solved.

[bobspldbckwrds]

wow...

i wish i could play with a group like that.

anywho, im sure i am not the first one to say this, but if you cant find it in a book, then homebrew it. something like this isnt something that a wizard would usually do, and he might have to do some things that are out of the ordinary to do it, like taking ranks in UMD to use a divine scroll, researching a brand new spell that he can sell scrolls of at MASSIVE profit, or just asking a cleric to help him out.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Actually, Zombie BVeholders can fly. As can Skeletal ones. Magical flight is always retained by undead, and Zombies always retain all movement modes.

As for keeping the powers, I can't think of any ways. Even the alternate rules for Dragons and the Awaken Undead spell only give back EX abilities. That would have to fall under Homebrew, probably with an XP cost.

[Jack_Simth]

One of my groups we have just killed a Beholder. Now, one player has a Lawful Evil Gnome Wizard with the aim of becoming a Lich (makes the roleplaying very interesting). Being a Gnome, he's very good at seeing things outside of the box and coming up with something inventive and amusing.

He wants to make the Beholder into an undead (intelligent, preferably), and shrink it small enough so it will fit into a hat that he can wear on his head. Sounds completely silly, but having an undead beholder hiding in your hat that takes verbal commands has to be novel for a gnomish wizard.

How exactly could he go about this, and is it even possible? He's a 12th level Wizard and a whole bucket of gold to play with from the current adventure, and all WotC books to reference.

He's 12th level and is looking to have Disintegrate at-will as a Su ability (plus several save-or-lose spells), along with a directional antimagic cone? Question: Do you think the DM will make his SAN check?

Also, looks like the Death Tyrant is in Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Statted up as a Zombie Beholder that somehow manages to retain most of it's abilities ... mindless, but acting in an intelligent manner in combat.

[Lycanthromancer]

Actually, Zombie BVeholders can fly. As can Skeletal ones. Magical flight is always retained by undead, and Zombies always retain all movement modes.

As for keeping the powers, I can't think of any ways. Even the alternate rules for Dragons and the Awaken Undead spell only give back EX abilities. That would have to fall under Homebrew, probably with an XP cost.

Beholders are naturally buoyant (it's an Ex ability), and so should be retained regardless of what kind of corporeal undead it's turned into. Incorporeal undead can fly anyway, so...

[AngelOmnipotent]

He's 12th level and is looking to have Disintegrate at-will as a Su ability (plus several save-or-lose spells), along with a directional antimagic cone? Question: Do you think the DM will make his SAN check?

Also, looks like the Death Tyrant is in Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Statted up as a Zombie Beholder that somehow manages to retain most of it's abilities ... mindless, but acting in an intelligent manner in combat.

It's been ruled that because the Beholder will be tiny there will be some common sense involved, as in the Disintegrate will only be able to do small amounts of damage, the antimagic cone is a very short distance, and other similar penalties for it being turned into a gimmick.

Beholders are naturally buoyant (it's an Ex ability), and so should be retained regardless of what kind of corporeal undead it's turned into. Incorporeal undead can fly anyway, so...

Thanks for that info. Nice to know as well. It was still funny to think of one flopping around on the floor though.

[Myrmex]

When you slay beholders (according to Lords of Madness), they float up, their blood pooling on the ceiling.

[Starscream]

When you slay beholders (according to Lords of Madness), they float up, their blood pooling on the ceiling.

Yeah, forget the hat idea, I want a ZomBieholder on a string that bobs around like a balloon.

[Telonius]

Yeah, forget the hat idea, I want a ZomBieholder on a string that bobs around like a balloon.

A low-wisdom member of my party actually did that to

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Lord Valantru

in Shackled city. Dragged him all the way down the streets of Cauldron like a kid with his balloon.

[Starscream]

A low-wisdom member of my party actually did that to

Spoiler

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Lord Valantru

in Shackled city. Dragged him all the way down the streets of Cauldron like a kid with his balloon.

I love the fact that you felt you had to mention he was low wisdom.

[BobVosh]

I can't find it right now, but someone on this forum had a fun mage "throne." Basically they made a zombie beholder, hollowed out the skull, floating around in it. After removing the eye, and of course gentle repose on it so it doesn't stink, they would snipe out the eye hole. Total cover as they just lean out for LoS. They had legions of flying skeletons (just because, they weren't really combat effect. Had a nice effect of lots of spot/listen checks though.) Also they had a succubus bound to protecting them. With thier rather large bonus to spot, and a permancy see invisible, they were almost guaranteed to see anything coming and tell the mage.

So he would sit in his throne, drifting gently at 10ft/6 seconds. I loved that concept, he did it at about 12.

[sbarrie]

A low-wisdom member of my party actually did that to

Spoiler

Show

Lord Valantru

in Shackled city. Dragged him all the way down the streets of Cauldron like a kid with his balloon.

My barbarian paraded the same character's corpse around Cauldron on the tip of his flaming spear.

\good times