[IronDragon]

I always hated that particular battle as well until I tired something radical.

Previously I had always buffed my party to the max, used the items of cheese and gone in swinging only to get my rear end handed to me by those gas bags.

Remote chance of spoilage:
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You were warned.

My answer to the gang of Beholders?.... Nalia

Yes Nalia

Equip Nalia with boots if speed, a fully charged wand of cloudkill and as many potions of invisibility as you can muster. (the staff of the Magi works here too) Make sure she doesn’t have her bow equipped or she will try to be helpful and shoot at an elder orb.

Sequester everyone else off somewhere far far away, near the entrance is good, give them a deck of cards or Twister to keep them occupied.

Down a potion of invisibility and go hunting gas bags. When you get near them get just out of sight AND near a corner. Shoot off a cloud kill from the wand and run around the corner. the second you shoot off the wand Nalia becomes visible and if the gas bags see her she is toast. Gulp another invisibility (or reinstall the staff) and have Nalia hold still.
The gas bags will get all upset and start hunting for their attacker. Not finding any attacker they soon float right back to their starting positions in the poison cloud. Repeat the process being careful to keep Nalia out of the cloud and to keep her out of sight.
As stupid as the gas bags are once they spot Nalia they somehow figure out where the rest of your party is and head straight for them.

Rest assured this will not solve ALL your problems. The elder orb is highly resistant to magic so while it may take a few points damage from the cloud it probably wont die from it.

Once all its friends are dead then you can take on the elder orb in the more traditional way. Buff buff buff and attack fast and hard.

Cheesy? You bet it is. But so is the shield of Baulduron.


Personally the main reason I’m wandering around a Beholder Lair in the Underdark is to get the Greenstone amulet not some slimy eyestalk.