Beholder Game Design :D

[Mahtasooma]

I was just exploring with my level 4 party, when I encountered a level 5 Beholder (whatever a level 5 beholder is), and he killed my entire party in one turn.

Not entirely sure what was going through the Devs mind from a game design perspective here...

[Goob🍻]

Originally posted by DnD Detective:

Hmm... an optional encounter against a Spectator in the Underdark (a notoriously dangerous place) where when you walk up to it you see people petrified.

I'm not sure what else the developers could have done to warn you here. Not every fight is going to be easy.

theres also a spectator in the bottle in the chest near the gnolls (if you dont give the chest to the zhentarim) that you would more realistically accidentally stumble on before youre ready for it

[Lord Adorable]

Originally posted by sauve1028:

As far as I know, there's no Beholder in the game. Unless there's one towards the end.

There are two Beholderkin in the first Act alone, but not the 'pure' type with 10 eyestalks.

[(ง ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)งBonesMcSpook]

Tip: Dont go to the underdark unprepared.
It's considered one of the most dangerous places for a good reason.
Maybe wandering into a garden of petrified drow wasnt a smart idea at level 4.

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Not even a real beholder.

I hope there's one of those somewhere in this game. I'd like to have a cup of tea with it.

[portalst0rm]

Yeah, I killed him 1st try with all level 4 characters in balanced mode. He was hard and downed half my group. But it can be done. Skill check boss for sure. If you can't beat him, go do another quest and level up.

[Vaemer-Riit]

If you attack any of the statues it starts the fight early so I had my ranger shoot a statue from inside the outpost and the Spectator had to waste its entire fist turn just getting to me.

[Lord Adorable]

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Not even a real beholder.

I hope there's one of those somewhere in this game. I'd like to have a cup of tea with it.

Now now, Spectators are very good philosophers. Imagine if he wasn't tasked with guarding those guys he petrified.

(This is not a joke by the way, D&D newcomers, as far as Beholderkin go, Spectators are actually quite nice creatures)

[Corthlan Soval]

There are 2 possible "Spectator" fights early in the game so it's prolly one of those. While it's not a Beholder, they aren't that hard to fight if you come at the fight from the strategy of fighting any large boss creature. you might also need more levels in the above map (I fought the underdark one at level 4, but level 5 gives you so much more dmg and action economy)

[PIll snorter]

can snipe him at level 3 , also dispel his charm with attacks

[Pan Darius Cassandra]

Come back after you unlock Hold Monster

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Lord Adorable:

Originally posted by Pan Darius Loveless:

Not even a real beholder.

I hope there's one of those somewhere in this game. I'd like to have a cup of tea with it.

Now now, Spectators are very good philosophers. Imagine if he wasn't tasked with guarding those guys he petrified.

(This is not a joke by the way, D&D newcomers, as far as Beholderkin go, Spectators are actually quite nice creatures)

And unreliable chest guards.

[Graevon]

Personally I thought the entire Underdark was ludicrously easy and was very disappointed. When I first heard they would be sending you into the Underdark at low levels I knew it was gonna be dumbed down but they dumbed it down so much it's just a bad joke. I am guessing like several others it surprised you, guessing also you did not bother to scout. Even looking at the nice petrified drow garden should have given some warning bells it's like hearing the game music change when you walk into a room you know something is about to happen. Nah lets just ignore we should be fine and I mean with a party you still should have been but.... Now what did we learn?

[Mahtasooma]

Well it's not clear there is a beholder. There's a cutscene, a beholder appears (though it's not called beholder I think), and he just kills everyone in one turn (he seems to have a bazillion actions). Maybe bad luck, but for sure bad game design.

[Kyutaru]

Originally posted by Mahtasooma:

Well it's not clear there is a beholder. There's a cutscene, a beholder appears (though it's not called beholder I think), and he just kills everyone in one turn (he seems to have a bazillion actions). Maybe bad luck, but for sure bad game design.

At level 5 you also get more actions. Warlocks get their extra beam, warriors get an extra attack. It's not bad game design to punish someone who entered a boss fight underleveled.

Also, how weak is your party that it dies to 20 dmg? He didn't kill you all in one turn.

[Furiand]

Thats not a Beholder, thats a Spectator with a rating challenge of 3 they exist https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Spectator and are from the beholder type but not comparable to a Beholder.