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From: hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Physics in AD&D  (how to kill a beholder)
Message-ID: <1392@shark.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 21:20:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: shark.1392
Posted: Mon May 13 21:20:50 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 15-May-85 00:21:55 EDT
References: <401@ttidcc.UUCP> <862@mhuxt.UUCP>
Reply-To: hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison)
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 42
Keywords: Crush, Kill, Destroy, Exterminate
Summary: 

In article <862@mhuxt.UUCP> js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag) writes:
>> Here's a D&D physics question for you.  First, some background:
>> How to kill a beholder:
>> 	1. Take a ballista bolt or two and have a  high-level  mage  shrink
>> 	   them to crossbow bolt size.
>> 	2. Use a heavy crossbow to launch them at the beholder.
>> 	3. The beholder sees them coming, detects magic, and aims its anti-
>>            magic ray at them.
>> 	4. The shrink is dispelled, the beholder is  hit  by  the  ballista
>>            bolts which do it a world of hurt.
>> My DM assures me that this technique, and variations on it,  are  the  only
>> sure method he's heard of safely killing a beholder.
>
>     The really simple way, if you have enough room to manuver, is to simply
>plunk arrows at them from 15" away or so.  The poor beholder has no useful
>rays with ranges like that, and it can only go at 3"/rnd or so, so you have
>plenty of time to move a little between shots to maintain the proper range.
>It's always worked great for me.
>-- 
>Jeff Sonntag
>ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j
>    "A plot to takeover CBS was pushed today by some narrow-minded, manip-
>ulative, right-wing, flaky conservatives who think their weirdo views aren't
>being handled fairly by our more liberal and intelligent news staff!"

Since I don't play standard AD&D my suggestions might not be seen as real
close to the accepted standard, but I would think that any intelligent
creature with the power of a Beholder would set up a situation where there
would be no way for you to get close enough to shoot without it being also
close enough to shoot back.  Also, recall one of those eyes does telekinesis
and can be used to deflect arrows, to set off traps, to manipulate weapons
from a distance, etc.  Actually the best way to deal with a Beholder is
to use cunning, guile, and kamikaze effects.  In the case of one of my own
monster characters, a witch of some skill, she would write a symbol-spell
equivalent to Exploding Runes with a Conditional Detonation, roll the
parchment up and put it in a digestion-proof container, and feed it to a
charmed orc, kobold, etc.  The charmed critter would then be talked into
a battle frenzy and go after the Beholder, which would kill and eat the
bait.  It would then explode inside the body of the Beholder, some hours
later, as the protective container finally eroded away.

Hutch