The Fearless DM

If you aren’t using a beholder at some point, you are missing out…

I was reading a discussion between a group of rpg blogger DMs about how often they’d used(or faced) a beholder in an adventure, and they all eventually admitted that they’d never used or actually fought one. For me, it just isn’t D&D unless you’ve used one at least once in a campaign… (Well, the same goes for mind flayers, and I love the purple worm as well).

The main problem with beholders is they are high level monsters, so you may never reach the point where it’s cool throwing one into an adventure. But I say, don’t let that stop you- use them as NPCs! A beholder as an NPC villian can make an appearance even in the earliest stage of a campaign, just because it’s a very intelligent menace. Perhaps a beholder is the secret local crimelord or ruler of a dungeon.. they tend to be pretty powerful. I plan on introducing one into Majestrix soon- and that group hasn’t even hit 2nd level yet (they will in one more adventure, though..)

…and then you have all of the ‘knock-off’ beholders- the gauths, the gas spores, the gorbels. Beholders are awesome.

I drew this one…;)