Homebrew Gazer Species Details

Physical Description

The gazer is an unusual type of beholder-kin. Rather than the typical spherical shape that most beholders are known for, the gazer resembles a humanoid female with gray skin and a large singular eye. The gazer's long, dark hair ends in large, tentacle-like eye-stalks from which it fires its various eye rays. The gazer's multitude of eyes and excellent vision in the dark allow it to remain constantly aware of its surroundings, making sneaking up on one a futile prospect for all but the stealthiest of creatures

History

On the rare occasions when a beholder dreams of beholders and imagines them in by different forms, the power of the beholder's mind changes reality itself to accommodate for these dreams, creating humanoids known as gazers, the only known humanoid member of the beholder-kin. Having a single main eye as well as many eye-stalks just like their horrific parent, and most sharing the same arrogance with their own illusions of grandeur.

Even as the same pride as an immensely powerful beholder is given to a gazer, their power, at least at first, is inferior to that of a beholder. The same desire to kill other beholders and prove itself as the best of the beholder-kin drives many gazers to become powerful and find allies to allow them to kill other beholders, making many gazers become accidental heroes of the people, slaying monsters merely to become stronger or find allies to help kill beholders. Some gazers may not care for people and just take in the recognition and respect without truly going above and beyond to become heroes, while others may try to become kind in return to the people.

Society

Even as a gazer may be able to tolerate or respect other sentient creatures, as well as the beholder, gazers are intensely aggressive to other gazers. When a gazer is created, it is supposed to be an exceedingly rare event, so the idea that another creature exists who is very much like what makes them unique is disgusting to them, and as long as they know another gazer lives nearby, they won't stop until one either retreats or is dead.

Because of their humanoid appearance, gazers are abhorred by their fellow beholder kin, even more so than usual. Other beholders view them as vile and blasphemous facsimiles of inferior beings and as disgusting perversions of the glorious beholder form.

However, gazers are perhaps even more arrogant than the average beholder, believing themselves to be the absolute epitome of beauty among all living beings, and will violently lash out at anyone they think is attempting to outshine them. Gazers absolutely adore flattery, but are also highly intelligent and know when they are being pandered to.

Personality

The gazer delights in hypnotising and toying with its victims. Its central eye contains powerful magic which temporarily charms any creature that gazes into it. Creatures charmed by the gazer's central eye are completely enraptured by it and will obey its every command. Long-term exposure to the gazer's charming magic will cause a creature to become permanently enslaved by it. The gazer will permanently enslave any creature that it has taken a particular liking to, keeping them as "pets" which shower the gazer with praise and admiration while the gazer has its way with them.

In combat, the gazer prefers to stay out of melee range, firing off its various eye rays from a distance while attempting to charm its opponents into fighting one another.

Gazer Names

Names: Quaervaxthanus, Thaluul, Manxam, Xaejil, Bairixis, Chelm, Irv, Eddalx, Nagish, Xeo, Ralakor, Vaxall, Xavlal, Xaejil, Shatevar, Orox, Zalshox, Famax, Khoa

Gazer Traits

Gazer

Ability Score Increase

You can increase any two scores of your choice by +2 and +1 respectively.

Age

Gazers pop into existence being fully mature, and age at extremely slow rates, most of them living several centuries to even a millennia.

Alignment

Gazers are typically very self-centered, making them have a tendency towards more malevolent alignments, though kinder gazers do rarely exist.

Size

Gazers are usually a foot or two shorter than humans, with their eyestalks making them appear larger than they actually are, and weigh almost twice as much as a human of the same height. Choose between either Medium or Small upon taking this race.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

All-Around Vision

You have proficiency in Perception and see in all directions at once.

Hover

You hover up to a foot off the ground, making you immune to being knocked prone. This trait has no effect in a anti-magical field.

Aberrant Nature

Your creature type is considered to be both aberration and humanoid.

Darkvision

Your eye and eye-stalks are well-adapted to sight in most conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Eye-Ray

As an action, you use of the following magical eye rays at one creature it can see within 90 feet. Roll a d6 to decide the Ray effect. This can be used a number of times equal to your total Proficiency modifier per short rest. The DC for this trait is 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your Wisdom Modifier.

Languages

You can speak, read and write Common, Deep Speech and Undercommon. You also gain telepathy out to 60 ft.

Eye Ray Table

1	Charm Ray. The targeted creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the gazer for 1 hour, or until the gazer harms the creature.
2	Paralyzing Ray. The targeted creature must make a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
3	Necrotic Ray. The targeted creature must make a Constitution saving throw, or take 1d8 necrotic damage and be subjected to the poisoned condition until the end of your next turn.
4	Fear Ray. The targeted creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
5	Sleep Ray. The targeted creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and remain unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens if it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and undead.
6	Blasting Ray. The targeted creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 1d10 force damage and is pushed up to 10 feet away. On a success, the target takes half the force damage but is not pushed.