Page 45 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

all the creature’s spells. If a spell normally requires a material
component that carries with it a gold-piece cost, the beholder BEHOLDER FEATS
mage instead spends a number of experience points equal to Beholders are highly intelligent creatures with an ancient
one-fifth of the normal gold-piece cost (minimum of 1 experi- history, so it should come as no surprise that they have devel-

ence point). The somatic components of a beholder mage’s spells oped unique feats to further enhance their already formidable
are supplied by the weaving and waving of its spell-stalks. The abilities.
verbal component of a beholder mage’s spells is the creature’s
special spellcasting song. The song takes effort; a beholder AGILE TYRANT
mage that is casting spells cannot speak or use its mouth to do A creature with this feat develops longer, more flexible

eyestalks than its kin. This extra flexibility allows it to bring
anything else that round, including making bite attacks.
CHAPTER 3 THE EYE TYRANTS to manipulate objects as if with a mage hand spell. This ability is additional eye rays to bear against its foes.
Arcane Hands (Su): A beholder mage develops the ability
Prerequisite: True beholder or beholderkin.
Benefit: The creature can direct an extra eye ray into a single
constantly active and can not only manipulate objects but also

use magic items like wands, staffs, rods, and some wondrous
90-degree arc.
items (like a bag of tricks). The hand cannot activate items that
must be worn to utilize an effect (such as a helm of brilliance). BANE OF THE UNCLEAN
A beholder mage’s arcane hand has an effective Strength A creature with this feat hates aberrant beholders so strongly
score equal to the creature’s beholder mage class level. An that it gains bonuses when fighting them.

arcane hand can be used to perform any attack or defensive Prerequisite: True beholder or must have aberration as a
action for which a regular hand can be used. Using an arcane favored enemy.
hand to make an unarmed strike provokes attacks of oppor- Benefit: The creature gains a +2 morale bonus on attack

tunity unless the beholder mage has the Improved Unarmed rolls, weapon damage rolls, touch Armor Class, and saving

Strike feat. Theoretically, a beholder mage with monk levels throws when fighting a beholderkin.
could use its arcane hand for its unarmed attacks. Special: If the creature is a true beholder, the benefits of this

Ocular Transformation (Su): At 10th level, a beholder feat apply to other true beholders as well as to beholderkin.
mage’s ruined central eye undergoes a supernatural transfor-
mation and can absorb magic energy directed at the beholder. DISINTEGRATION FINESSE
This grants the beholder spell resistance equal to its Hit Dice A creature with this feat can use disintegrate effects to affect
+5 (maximum spell resistance of 30). smaller, more exacting areas.
If the creature’s spell resistance succeeds in preventing the Prerequisites: Dex 13, ability to cast disintegrate as a spell
effect of a spell, its central eye begins to glow with red light or use it as a spell-like or supernatural ability.
equivalent to that of a torch. While it glows, the eye no longer Benefit: When the creature uses disintegrate on a target, it

grants spell resistance. In order to regain spell resistance, the can elect to disintegrate only portions of the target. Against
beholder must spend a full-round action to absorb the energy living targets, it still does the normal amount of damage, but
stored in the eye. At the end of the full-round action, the eye any parts of the target it wishes to spare remain unaffected by
stops glowing, and the beholder’s spell resistance is again the spell. The creature could, for example, disintegrate only
effective. a target’s skeleton, leaving its skull untouched. It also can
Absorbing the energy stored in the eye does not provoke voluntarily reduce the amount of damage dealt.
attacks of opportunity, and it heals the beholder of 5 points of Against nonliving targets, the creature can use disintegrate
damage per spell level absorbed. Hit points gained in excess to sculpt and reshape the object in any manner desired, as long
of the beholder’s normal maximum are lost. as the result is no larger in volume or size than the original

Table 3–1: The Beholder Mage Hit Die: d4
Base
Attack Fort Ref Will ———— ———— Spells Per Day ———————
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Arcane hands 6 3 — — — — — — — —
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 — 6 5 3 — — — — — — —
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 — 6 6 5 3 — — — — — —
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 — 6 6 6 3 — — — — —
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 — 6 6 6 6 5 3 — — — —
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 — 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 — — —
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 — 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 — —
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 — 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 —
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 — 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Ocular transformation 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Appraise, Concentration, Craft (alchemy), Decipher Script, Knowledge (any), Speak
Language, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device.
44