I forget, do beholders have true sight? Or is there some method to scout them? The name of the dungeon crawling game has always been information, whether from rumors at bars or adventuring school, or whatever.
Seems to me the problem with beholders is that they are pretty darn hard in a straight up knock down drag out fight unless you know they are there and are appropriately prepared.
It reminds me of the basilisk area and Korax in BG1. It feels like it was put there to be a quick trip to level 5 so that you can play early game without having to worry about getting chunked due to the terrible way D&D HP works.
similarly, the shield is just a quick way to handle the cult quest without having to wait until you find the cloak. Also, it was legitimately a collectors edition only bonus back in the day, like most of those really good items you can get off those vendors.
I forget, do beholders have true sight? Or is there some method to scout them? The name of the dungeon crawling game has always been information, whether from rumors at bars or adventuring school, or whatever.
I've never had a Beholder cast detection, so it's perfectly possible to scout them (or even skip them if you're so inclined). They are immune to backstabs, though, so you can't really use hit 'n' hide tactics like you can against other tough enemies.
It is weird that an whole monster class whose entire shtick is having great eyes can't see through Invisibility.
If you were playing by-the-book AD&D (random stats, random HP rolls) with a less exotic and powerful magical equipment selection than Baldur's Gate I just don't see how a level 8/9 party handles the Unseeing Eye quest. The second you're fighting more than one Gauth/Beholder at a time I think any semblance of tactics just completely vanishes as half your party succumbs to Charm and Fear and the other half gets hammered by Cause Serious Wounds and Flesh to Stone. Perhaps they were made more powerful in Baldur's Gate, though.
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Seems to me the problem with beholders is that they are pretty darn hard in a straight up knock down drag out fight unless you know they are there and are appropriately prepared.
It reminds me of the basilisk area and Korax in BG1. It feels like it was put there to be a quick trip to level 5 so that you can play early game without having to worry about getting chunked due to the terrible way D&D HP works.
similarly, the shield is just a quick way to handle the cult quest without having to wait until you find the cloak. Also, it was legitimately a collectors edition only bonus back in the day, like most of those really good items you can get off those vendors.
It is weird that an whole monster class whose entire shtick is having great eyes can't see through Invisibility.
If you were playing by-the-book AD&D (random stats, random HP rolls) with a less exotic and powerful magical equipment selection than Baldur's Gate I just don't see how a level 8/9 party handles the Unseeing Eye quest. The second you're fighting more than one Gauth/Beholder at a time I think any semblance of tactics just completely vanishes as half your party succumbs to Charm and Fear and the other half gets hammered by Cause Serious Wounds and Flesh to Stone. Perhaps they were made more powerful in Baldur's Gate, though.