Beholder

{{infobox-monster
 * image          = Monster_Beholder_official.jpg
 * type           = Aberration
 * race           = Beholder
 * alignment      = Lawful Evil
 * boss           = no
 * attack         = Ten eye-rays, each of which can kill or disable a character who fails a saving throw.
 * qualities      = Anti-magic cone, which prevents spellcasting and removes ongoing spells (which includes turning summoned creatures against you)
 * organisation   = Usually solitary
 * habitat        =
 * description    = The notorious Beholder is one of D&D's signature monsters and the bane of buffed, non-Warforged players everywhere. It has ten offensive eyes on stalks, and one large antimagic eye on its face.  The large fangs are an afterthought compared to the incredible magic damage a Beholder can cause.

While a beholder is physically weak, it's ability to strike a unprepared player dead instantly in several different ways makes it one enemy that you cannot take lightly.

You find many, many beholders that must be slain in the level 12 quest, Invaders!.

A Beholder's eye-beam attacks
FRONT EYE:
 * Disintegrate (Fortitude save or take 120+ damage)
 * Enervation (Save or take 1-4 temporary negative levels. Prevented by Death Ward--provided that the beholder hasn't used Anti-magic on you and removed that spell...)
 * Telekinesis (thrown through the air, can take no actions)
 * Anti-magic cone: The anti-magic cone is cast by the Beholder's central main eye every 3-4 seconds. Spell casters hit by this anti-magic cone are unable to cast any kind of spells for 3 seconds. The anti-magic cone effectively dispels any and all arcane and divine spells currently on the player EXCEPT:
 * Bard songs
 * Buffs from Guild Ship amenities
 * Buffs from a Monk in Harmonious Balance philosophy (the "Light Monk")

LEFT EYES:
 * Flesh to Stone (Fortitude save or be petrified until succeeding a later saving throw, one chance per minute)
 * Slow;

BACK EYES:


 * Finger of Death (Fortitude save or die, prevented by Deathblock and Deathward)
 * Scorching Ray
 * Bestow Curse

RIGHT EYES:
 * Hold Monster (Will save or be immobilized.)
 * Inflict Serious Wounds

Other abilities: See Invisibility and Levitate

Essential Tools for Any Player
Weapons to use: Holy, Pure Good, True Chaos, Anarchic, Aberration Bane, Weakening, Paralyzing

Spells to use: Destruction, Finger of Death, Phantasmal Killer, Flesh to Stone, Feeblemind

Things to Wear: Anything with Deathblock and spell absorption abilities.

Spell Absorption and Negative Energy Tactics
While the Death Ward spell can deflect several of a Beholder's rays, the monsters often dispel all such protection at the start of any combat.

A permanent Deathblock item, while only good against the Finger of Death, cannot be dispelled. Alternately, the Silver Flame Talisman (3rd tier necklace upgrade of the Silver Flame Nugget) has Protection from Evil, Deathblock AND Negative Energy Absorption (10/rest) making it a very handy item for battling Beholders.

Alternately, the Mantle of the Worldshaper absorbs 5 spells per rest; the unsuppressed version of the Pale Lavender Ioun Stone, which provides 12 - 50 levels of enervation (1-4 per shot) and recharges at a rate of 15/rest; and the handy but disposable Scarab of Protection provides up to 12 absorptions as well as Deathblock--but once the charges are consumed, this trinket is destroyed, leaving a player unprotected. Other items to combat level drain and negative energy include the Eye of the Beholder and the Beholder Optic Nerves.

Restoration spells (Lesser Restoration does not work) will restore negative levels, if waiting 3 minutes per negative level restoration or single rest at a shrine does not suit you.

A convenient idea to have a font of Restoration spells may be to bring in the Cleric hirelings Fergus or Laerathor (levels 8 and 7, respectively), placing him deep at the quest's start where no monster can see them. Set the hireling's behavior to passive so that they do no automatic actions. Come to the hireling to remove negative levels as required.

Attacking a Beholder
Fortunately, a beholder's defenses are not equivalent to their tremendous damage, and the aberration can be quickly dispatched if you react fast.

Casters:

The Phantasmal Killer or Finger of Death spells are notably worthwhile for an arcane caster; similarly, Destruction for a divine caster. If you're able to get a Wall of Fire spell off before an anti-magic cone strikes you, that's fine, too.

A useful tactic for spell casters to quickly dispatch a beholder is to either use the Enlarge Spell feat to kill them from a safe distance without being affected by their anti-magic cone, or to simply wait for it to turn its backside to you and cast spells at it then.

Melee classes:

A Weakening weapon will quickly reduce a beholder's attack as their STR is very low.

Short of a lucky spell caster with their own anti-planar spells ready, a Monk possessing the Shintao Monk III enhancements may be the most efficient beholder slayer, since their speed (especially Abundant Step), Stunning Fist, Jade Strike, Tomb of Jade, and Dismissing Strike banishing attacks can rapidly stun, freeze or banish a beholder outright. As the Monk uses buffs that cannot be dispelled and is an extremely fast class with great saves and little to lose to a beholder's wrath (at least as long as they save once to a Disintegrate spell), a Monk may need only to recharge their HP after he quickly ends a beholder's existence.

Warforged can bring the smackdown, too. Not quite living, they are immune from negative energy damage.

Next to Warforged, Paladins may have the best inherent protection, becoming resistant to beholder effects by using the Hunter of the Dead II or III enhancement. They cannot be affected by any energy drain and take less damage from negative energy effects.