The Spell Shield thing is kind of a bug tbh and if you're taking a hard stance against cheese then that qualifies. Plus I'm pretty sure it doesn't work in SCS.
The Spell Shield thing is kind of a bug tbh and if you're taking a hard stance against cheese then that qualifies. Plus I'm pretty sure it doesn't work in SCS.
Dang. Back to square one.
Does the anti-magic ray annul potion buffs? (Such as saving throw bonuses?)
Can they see through Improved Invisibility? (I doubt the cannot-target-invisible limitation applies to beholders.)
Otherwise it seems that there is no reliable defense.
Question: Has anyone ever finish a SCS/no-reload run of BG2EE, I wonder? How did they manage beholders? (Illithids are a toy in comparison...)
The Spell Shield thing is kind of a bug tbh and if you're taking a hard stance against cheese then that qualifies. Plus I'm pretty sure it doesn't work in SCS.
Dang. Back to square one.
Does the anti-magic ray annul potion buffs? (Such as saving throw bonuses?)
Can they see through Improved Invisibility? (I doubt the cannot-target-invisible limitation applies to beholders.)
Otherwise it seems that there is no reliable defense.
Question: Has anyone ever finish a SCS/no-reload run of BG2EE, I wonder? How did they manage beholders? (Illithids are a toy in comparison...)
Yes. Potions disappear in a hearbeat.
They can use anti-magic ray on invisible characters (Actually, I believe even regular beholders can use all rays against an improved invisble character)
Against SCS beholders, the only reliable tactic was either to bomb them down with damage, or to use summoned skelettons (They can't pretty much do anything against their 90% MR)
This conversation reminds me of the cause of why I lose interest and restart so many BG games. I hate the cheese aspects of the game sometimes. The 'let me metagame for the following enemy' thing. It's less RPG than 'how well do I know the Monster Manual?'
That said, I only played through BG2 one time, as a monk. The beholders were all but irrelevant, so I either had a bunch of luck with saving throws, or that aspect of monkness really paid off. They are best as mage slayers, and Beholders were just like tough mages.
What is the cast rate of beholders? (Once per round? More?)
If it is only once per round, then, theoretically, a mage or sorcerer can keep renewing Spell Shield every round (while the other members nuke the beholder). Would that work at all?
Against SCS beholders, the only reliable tactic was either to bomb them down with damage, or to use summoned skelettons (They can't pretty much do anything against their 90% MR)
Sounds fine UNLESS you appear in front of the beholder to start with [I seem to remember that this happens in the Underdark upon entering Beholder cave; let alone resting there].
What is the cast rate of beholders? (Once per round? More?)
If it is only once per round, then, theoretically, a mage or sorcerer can keep renewing Spell Shield every round (while the other members nuke the beholder). Would that work at all?
Against SCS beholders, the only reliable tactic was either to bomb them down with damage, or to use summoned skelettons (They can't pretty much do anything against their 90% MR)
Sounds fine UNLESS you appear in front of the beholder to start with [I seem to remember that this happens in the Underdark upon entering Beholder cave; let alone resting there].
I typically use Glitterdust and/or Blindness to deal with beholders and elder orbs, although it can be a little tricky sometimes. If I know I'll be facing one (or worse, more than one) I'll use some defense spells on my point man (or woman) too, but they aren't really reliable with the anti-magic ray to contend with. That usually buys me just enough time to blind 'em, after which they aren't too difficult.
Someday I'll have to post a screenshot of my sorcerer taking on the beholder lair in old BG2. Project Image + Animate Dead = 20 skeleton warriors with their ridiculous MR swarming through the lair like army ants. It turned BG2 into a (really unbalanced) RTS. Good times.
My favorite method is to scout them out and then toss in a chaos (or two). They don't penetrate stealth so your thief/ranger can find out where they are and you can cast from safety. If they're confused they don't beam, and their save v. spell isn't that great. There are some that you can't do this to because they spawn on top of you, which is annoying.
Confusion works as well but I love that extra 20% chance of working.
I usually play an assassin or some other backstab class. Would it work to just go in there with some invis potions and my trusty cloak of non detection, backstab, invis potion or sandthiefs ring, backstab again... with good rolls and/or staff of striking, there goes a lot of damage.
Honestly my beating up Beholders was pretty much involving me buffing up and going YOLO on them with phys attacks. Sometimes it works, sometimes it ends HORRIBLY. That's pretty much the brain-dead way to do it, but the "smart" ways to do it involve, well. "cheese".
I did send in the monk - alone. He liked to play with the orb(s), and his magical resistance is natural (you could help with some poison clouds, he's also imune to poison). Btw, I don't know why, but sometimes the beholdres and their smaller kin were shooting their waves in the total wrong direction (critical miss, bug?).
The best way to defeat beholders is indeed a monk. His magic resistance puts groups of beholders into coffins. Depending on his resistance score you need a few heal potions or noone.
Carsomyr/Kagaxx Ring/Amu paladin would also work nicely.
In their lair I usually drink potions to raise Magic Resistance to 100% and then cast Cloud Kills from the wand at the general direction of beholders group congregation to lure them to follow me. Then I just go to the exit (or far end of the map) and on the way cast more Cloud Kills behind me. If done with two spellcasters and two wands rarely any beholder survives till the exit (or far end of the map). This also works during the test at the end of SoA - send baits with 100% MR at the front while others use ranged attacks and spells. Too bad that Cloud Kill wand no longer works on illithids - they are a real headache to deal with. If it's only one beholder then I just rush him with the group - it usually fails to cast something nasty in time.
Comments
I dislike how beholders were rendered in BG2, they are way too cheesy, casting six spells per round
Dang.
Back to square one.
Does the anti-magic ray annul potion buffs? (Such as saving throw bonuses?)
Can they see through Improved Invisibility? (I doubt the cannot-target-invisible limitation applies to beholders.)
Otherwise it seems that there is no reliable defense.
Question: Has anyone ever finish a SCS/no-reload run of BG2EE, I wonder? How did they manage beholders? (Illithids are a toy in comparison...)
They can use anti-magic ray on invisible characters (Actually, I believe even regular beholders can use all rays against an improved invisble character)
Against SCS beholders, the only reliable tactic was either to bomb them down with damage, or to use summoned skelettons (They can't pretty much do anything against their 90% MR)
That said, I only played through BG2 one time, as a monk. The beholders were all but irrelevant, so I either had a bunch of luck with saving throws, or that aspect of monkness really paid off. They are best as mage slayers, and Beholders were just like tough mages.
What is the cast rate of beholders? (Once per round? More?)
If it is only once per round, then, theoretically, a mage or sorcerer can keep renewing Spell Shield every round (while the other members nuke the beholder). Would that work at all?
Sounds fine UNLESS you appear in front of the beholder to start with [I seem to remember that this happens in the Underdark upon entering Beholder cave; let alone resting there].
Power Word : Silence
And you're fine :d
What is the Elder Orb hitpoints, by the way? PW:Stun needs <90 to have any effect. (And then there is magic resistance...)
I am the Nameless One.
Yemeth.
Incarnations End.
Adhan.
Lost One.
AoE blind with no save for six rounds, instant cast time = What beholders ?
Confusion works as well but I love that extra 20% chance of working.
Probably something to do with their 360° vision?
Btw, I don't know why, but sometimes the beholdres and their smaller kin were shooting their waves in the total wrong direction (critical miss, bug?).
Depending on his resistance score you need a few heal potions or noone.
Carsomyr/Kagaxx Ring/Amu paladin would also work nicely.
That's the best thing I ever saw!
Since they're "created" and not summoned, I would think that Skeleton Warriors would be immune.
If it's only one beholder then I just rush him with the group - it usually fails to cast something nasty in time.