Page 13 - Volo's Guide to Monsters

PETRIFICATION RAY abling you to create a custom beholder without altering
The most mundane function of the petritication ray is the monster's challenge rating. As another option, you
as a means of decorating a beholder's lair with statues. can switch any of the damaging eye rays in the Monster
Beyond that, this ray has a multitude of uses. An unruly Manual to an effect with a different damage type, such
minion could be turned to stone, eliminating the crea- as replacing the enervation ray with a combustion ray
ture as a threat and creating a permanent reminder of that deals fire damage instead of necrotic damage.
the price of disobeying the beholder. A beholder might Unless otherwise indicated, an alternative ability
use loosely scattered petrified creatures to create obsta- has the same range as the eye ray it is replacing, and it
cles in an open chamber, or pack them tightly in a cor- affects only one creature per use (even if the ability is
ridor to seal off an area, or use them as falling hazards based on a spell that normally affects an area or multi-
instead of heavy blocks in order to engender fear and ple targets) . The saving throw for an alternative ability
uncertainty among intruders. uses the same DC and the same ability score as the
spell the eye ray is based on.
DISINTEGRATION RAY
Antimagic Cone: mirage arcane, power word stun (affecting the
A beholder's disintegration ray is a useful tool for exca-
weakest non-stunned target in the cone each round)
vation. The beholder can also manipulate the ray with
Charm Ray: banishment (l minute), confusion (1 minute)
pinpoint control, enabling it to cut and shape objects
as though it were wielding a fine chisel, drill holes too Death Ray: circle of death (10-foot-radius sphere; 4d6 necrotic
small for an arrow to pass through, carve masonry damage to all creatures in the area),feeblemind
blocks out of raw stone, amputate limbs, or brand crea- Disintegration Ray: chain lightning (primary target takes 6d8
tures with burn-like scars. This ray and the telekinetic lightning damage; two secondary targets within 30 feet of the
ray are the basis for a beholder's ability to shape its lair primary target take 3d8 lightning damage each), eyebite (sick-
to its very specific and exacting needs, whether sculpt- ened effect; l minute)
ing rooms or fabricating traps.
Enervation Ray: create undead (usable regardless of the time of
day), polymorph (l minute)
VARIANT ABILITIES
Fear Ray: gaseous form (self or willing creature only), moonbeam
When a beholder's dream-imagination runs wild, the Paralyzing Ray: modify memory, silence (l minute)
result can be an offspring that has an unusual or unique
Petrification Ray: Otto's irresistible dance (1 minute), wall of ice
set of abilities. Rather than the standard powers of a be- (1 minute; one 10-foot-square panel}
holder's central eye and eyestalks, the creature has one
or more variant abilities-guaranteed to surprise any Sleep Ray: blindness/deafness, misty step (self or willing
creature only)
enemies who thought they knew what they were getting
themselves into. Slowing Ray: bestow curse (l minute), sleet storm (one
This section provides several alternative spell effects l 0-foot-cube)
for a beholder's eye. Each of these effects is designed Telekinesis Ray: geas (1 hour), wall of force (1 minute; one
to be of the same power level as the one it replaces, en- l 0-foot-sq uare panel)