So, in an upcoming campaign I will be running, I have a scene in mind and I'd like to ask for some help in coming up with the specifics.
I want the characters to encounter someone in a cage with a perm Darkness spell on it, who is asking to be released. I'd like it to be a dramatic reveal that this is a beholder, and that this beholder is potentially about to die from blood loss, about to change into a bloodkiss.
The beholder will have been captured by an antagonist group that will have been established earlier, a cult that operates within the city secretly. Medial level resources and influence.
What I am trying to figure out is - 1) How would they capture a beholder to begin with? 2) How do you neutralize a beholder's abilities without just killing it?
The group will encounter this set up at too low a power level to kill a normal beholder, and even killing the weakened one described here would be more dangerous than sensible.
While ultimately your call, just be mindful of the Beholder's Anti-Magic cone from its' central eye, which could easily negate the darkness that, presumably, prevents it from targeting its cage with other eyebeams.
Perhaps its central eye has been wounded or a plate has been affixed over it to keep it closed?
As for how one might capture a beholder - Initially one could use Hypnotic Pattern to distract and charm it, Blindness to mitigate the immediate danger of securing it and polymorph might be a short term option to transport it. Depending on what resources your villains have, a feeblemind spell (or scroll) could potentially shut down the beholder for a while - Perhaps they've had it for long enough that it's shaken off the effect of the spell and its wounds are from reagent harvesting - They harvest the valuable components from the mostly harmless beholder and occasionally heal it enough to restore the parts, ensuring that they can continue to sell said pieces. That the Beholder has shaken it's feeblemind spell may be the reason it is dying - It was wounded in the last harvesting attempt and it is too dangerous to drop the darkness and attempt to re-secure.
I'd say ... shackles and a permanent anti magic field is the only way to hold it. Stick it in normal darkness if that part is a requirement.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
It becomes permanent if you concentrate for the full duration, yea?
But it's a permanent polymorph. So if the beholder is reduced to 0 hp, it becomes a beholder again. To my mind, it would simply bash it's head against a wall until that happened.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
.. sure. Still, it could jump out and suffocate. The smaller the creature, really the easier it is to get rip of it's miniscule HP.
Of course a permanent anti magic field isn't really possible. So maybe you're right =)
Place the fishbowl over the lintel with the door ajar, so intruders will cause it to drop. They'll think 'what the hell?!' and move on, not giving a seconds thought to the poor goldfish suffocating. Then, BAM! Angry beholder munching on your ear while peppering you with eye beams.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Have True Polymorph cast so it’s permanent and hide a Create Bonfire in a Glyph of [spell] Warding that then “cooks” the fish releasing the Beholder
dress it up so the glyph triggers on something being moved or broken to access treasure or a shiny key or coin
have a Magic Mouth spell trigger a sentence to entice the adventurers to do the thing that triggers the glyph
If you really want them to have a bad day place another 9th level Glyph of Warding holding a 7th level Plane Shift under the shiny object - on a failed save sending the individual triggering the trap to layer 600 of the Abyss
So, in an upcoming campaign I will be running, I have a scene in mind and I'd like to ask for some help in coming up with the specifics.
I want the characters to encounter someone in a cage with a perm Darkness spell on it, who is asking to be released. I'd like it to be a dramatic reveal that this is a beholder, and that this beholder is potentially about to die from blood loss, about to change into a bloodkiss.
The beholder will have been captured by an antagonist group that will have been established earlier, a cult that operates within the city secretly. Medial level resources and influence.
What I am trying to figure out is - 1) How would they capture a beholder to begin with? 2) How do you neutralize a beholder's abilities without just killing it?
The group will encounter this set up at too low a power level to kill a normal beholder, and even killing the weakened one described here would be more dangerous than sensible.
Thoughts and suggestions?
1: There's a vast number of incapacitating spells out there.
2: To keep it contained, there's only three eyes that might be a problem: Antimagic, telekinesis, and disintegration. Plenty of others can be used on the jailers, but they can't free the beholder.
For anti-magic, as suggested above, you can block it. Fix a cover over it, and it's ineffective. The beholder has no manipulators (see below), so it can't remove it.
The other two, the easiest way is to cut them off. For less permanent but more squicky, sew the eyelids closed. (They could even do this to all the eyes, but then the beholder is not a threat.)
Also, given the nature of beholders, you've got to be prepared for the players not having any sympathy for its plight.
Have True Polymorph cast so it’s permanent and hide a Create Bonfire in a Glyph of [spell] Warding that then “cooks” the fish releasing the Beholder
dress it up so the glyph triggers on something being moved or broken to access treasure or a shiny key or coin
have a Magic Mouth spell trigger a sentence to entice the adventurers to do the thing that triggers the glyph
If you really want them to have a bad day place another 9th level Glyph of Warding holding a 7th level Plane Shift under the shiny object - on a failed save sending the individual triggering the trap to layer 600 of the Abyss
Just a note: Making True Polymorph permanent until dispelled means dropping to 0 doesn't kick it out of its form. That condition of the spell is one replaced by permanent until dispelled.
Just a note: Making True Polymorph permanent until dispelled means dropping to 0 doesn't kick it out of its form. That condition of the spell is one replaced by permanent until dispelled.
Says who? The description of the spell certainly doesn't.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Just a note: Making True Polymorph permanent until dispelled means dropping to 0 doesn't kick it out of its form. That condition of the spell is one replaced by permanent until dispelled.
Says who? The description of the spell certainly doesn't.
"The spell lasts for the duration, or until the target drops to 0 hit points or dies. If you concentrate on this spell for the full duration, the spell lasts until it is dispelled."
The last sentence there replaces all prior conditions for True Polymorph to end.
True, it would need to be Dispel Magic at L9 replacing the Bonfire which would make placing it within the L9 glyph problematic without a L9 spell scroll.
stupidly expensive, but if you have the power to be messing with beholders as playthings why not?
The prison is a device that prevents the beholder from closing its central eye, plus a large mirror with the exotic property of reflecting the central eye's beam...
This is a bit of a brutal solution, but unless the Beholder's captors want to make use of its antimagic cone ability, that ability is efficiently and permanently shut down by simply removing the Beholder's central eye. At that point, the creature's eye rays can be foiled by any spell which restricts its vision; the captors could use something as simple as Darkness, or as involved as Guards and Wards.
As far as capturing the Beholder in the first place, I've always thought of Beholders as extremely vain creatures, unlikely to fight to the death if grievously wounded. They also think they're smarter than all other creatures, so a Beholder at a disadvantage might surrender and submit to being confined if it felt confident it could outwit its jailers at a later time. Of course, by the time the Beholder realized it had underestimated its foes, it could well be too late to escape.
Beholders are also massively narcissistic, so I'm not entirely sure they'd be open to surrender if someone truly had beaten them; would make more sense if it was part of a gambit from the outset, imo.
For holding one, I'd just go with the classic "tailor made magic prison" bit; have some kind of magic runes or focus that negates all magic eye powers in the prison. It also makes a good hook if letting the beholder out isn't a major plot point; if someone thinks to make an Arcana check on whatever is keeping the prison running you could clue them in on what's being held by it.
I probably should have mentioned that I don't see this antagonist group as having lot of magical resources, and I definitely see them as punching above their weight class even trying to capture a beholder.
In a different forum medical adhesive strips were mentioned for keeping eyes closed, which I feel like could be done once you've actually captured it. Maybe not for the central eye. Mulling that over.
I probably should have mentioned that I don't see this antagonist group as having lot of magical resources, and I definitely see them as punching above their weight class even trying to capture a beholder.
In that case, they probably die horribly.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
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So, in an upcoming campaign I will be running, I have a scene in mind and I'd like to ask for some help in coming up with the specifics.
I want the characters to encounter someone in a cage with a perm Darkness spell on it, who is asking to be released. I'd like it to be a dramatic reveal that this is a beholder, and that this beholder is potentially about to die from blood loss, about to change into a bloodkiss.
The beholder will have been captured by an antagonist group that will have been established earlier, a cult that operates within the city secretly. Medial level resources and influence.
What I am trying to figure out is -
1) How would they capture a beholder to begin with?
2) How do you neutralize a beholder's abilities without just killing it?
The group will encounter this set up at too low a power level to kill a normal beholder, and even killing the weakened one described here would be more dangerous than sensible.
Thoughts and suggestions?
In 5E, the answer is almost always "a plot device".
While ultimately your call, just be mindful of the Beholder's Anti-Magic cone from its' central eye, which could easily negate the darkness that, presumably, prevents it from targeting its cage with other eyebeams.
Perhaps its central eye has been wounded or a plate has been affixed over it to keep it closed?
As for how one might capture a beholder - Initially one could use Hypnotic Pattern to distract and charm it, Blindness to mitigate the immediate danger of securing it and polymorph might be a short term option to transport it.
Depending on what resources your villains have, a feeblemind spell (or scroll) could potentially shut down the beholder for a while - Perhaps they've had it for long enough that it's shaken off the effect of the spell and its wounds are from reagent harvesting - They harvest the valuable components from the mostly harmless beholder and occasionally heal it enough to restore the parts, ensuring that they can continue to sell said pieces.
That the Beholder has shaken it's feeblemind spell may be the reason it is dying - It was wounded in the last harvesting attempt and it is too dangerous to drop the darkness and attempt to re-secure.
I'd say ... shackles and a permanent anti magic field is the only way to hold it. Stick it in normal darkness if that part is a requirement.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
True Polymorph
Force it unconcious and blindfold or cut off it's tendrils?
It becomes permanent if you concentrate for the full duration, yea?
But it's a permanent polymorph. So if the beholder is reduced to 0 hp, it becomes a beholder again. To my mind, it would simply bash it's head against a wall until that happened.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Turn it into a fish and have it in a fishbowl
.. sure. Still, it could jump out and suffocate. The smaller the creature, really the easier it is to get rip of it's miniscule HP.
Of course a permanent anti magic field isn't really possible. So maybe you're right =)
Place the fishbowl over the lintel with the door ajar, so intruders will cause it to drop. They'll think 'what the hell?!' and move on, not giving a seconds thought to the poor goldfish suffocating. Then, BAM! Angry beholder munching on your ear while peppering you with eye beams.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Have True Polymorph cast so it’s permanent and hide a Create Bonfire in a Glyph of [spell] Warding that then “cooks” the fish releasing the Beholder
dress it up so the glyph triggers on something being moved or broken to access treasure or a shiny key or coin
have a Magic Mouth spell trigger a sentence to entice the adventurers to do the thing that triggers the glyph
If you really want them to have a bad day place another 9th level Glyph of Warding holding a 7th level Plane Shift under the shiny object - on a failed save sending the individual triggering the trap to layer 600 of the Abyss
1: There's a vast number of incapacitating spells out there.
2: To keep it contained, there's only three eyes that might be a problem: Antimagic, telekinesis, and disintegration. Plenty of others can be used on the jailers, but they can't free the beholder.
For anti-magic, as suggested above, you can block it. Fix a cover over it, and it's ineffective. The beholder has no manipulators (see below), so it can't remove it.
The other two, the easiest way is to cut them off. For less permanent but more squicky, sew the eyelids closed. (They could even do this to all the eyes, but then the beholder is not a threat.)
Also, given the nature of beholders, you've got to be prepared for the players not having any sympathy for its plight.
Just a note: Making True Polymorph permanent until dispelled means dropping to 0 doesn't kick it out of its form. That condition of the spell is one replaced by permanent until dispelled.
Says who? The description of the spell certainly doesn't.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
"The spell lasts for the duration, or until the target drops to 0 hit points or dies. If you concentrate on this spell for the full duration, the spell lasts until it is dispelled."
The last sentence there replaces all prior conditions for True Polymorph to end.
True, it would need to be Dispel Magic at L9 replacing the Bonfire which would make placing it within the L9 glyph problematic without a L9 spell scroll.
stupidly expensive, but if you have the power to be messing with beholders as playthings why not?
The prison is a device that prevents the beholder from closing its central eye, plus a large mirror with the exotic property of reflecting the central eye's beam...
This is a bit of a brutal solution, but unless the Beholder's captors want to make use of its antimagic cone ability, that ability is efficiently and permanently shut down by simply removing the Beholder's central eye. At that point, the creature's eye rays can be foiled by any spell which restricts its vision; the captors could use something as simple as Darkness, or as involved as Guards and Wards.
As far as capturing the Beholder in the first place, I've always thought of Beholders as extremely vain creatures, unlikely to fight to the death if grievously wounded. They also think they're smarter than all other creatures, so a Beholder at a disadvantage might surrender and submit to being confined if it felt confident it could outwit its jailers at a later time. Of course, by the time the Beholder realized it had underestimated its foes, it could well be too late to escape.
Beholders are also massively narcissistic, so I'm not entirely sure they'd be open to surrender if someone truly had beaten them; would make more sense if it was part of a gambit from the outset, imo.
For holding one, I'd just go with the classic "tailor made magic prison" bit; have some kind of magic runes or focus that negates all magic eye powers in the prison. It also makes a good hook if letting the beholder out isn't a major plot point; if someone thinks to make an Arcana check on whatever is keeping the prison running you could clue them in on what's being held by it.
I probably should have mentioned that I don't see this antagonist group as having lot of magical resources, and I definitely see them as punching above their weight class even trying to capture a beholder.
In a different forum medical adhesive strips were mentioned for keeping eyes closed, which I feel like could be done once you've actually captured it. Maybe not for the central eye. Mulling that over.
In that case, they probably die horribly.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.