Dungeons & Dragons Monsters — Monster vs. Monster! Beholder and Lich
Hello again loyal fans and newcomers alike. It is I Nerdarchist Ted here to bring you another article on Dungeons and Dragons Monsters. But as opposed to to doing our normal how to make a monster better I am pitting one monster versus another. We get to combat the spell slinging Lich against the eye-stalk menace Beholder.
Normally we try to make what the book says better, but as each Nerdarchist could prepare their monster in new and interesting ways we decided to compare them right out of the book as if each were seeing the other as a random encounter.
For this battle we are using them as they appear in the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Monster Manual. And the great part about how they appear here is that they are both listed as a Challenge Rating 13.
And while we all know that there are so many factors in determining CR and some feel that the CR system is hogwash, the book says that they are even so LET US COMPARE AND FIGHT!!
Dungeons and Dragons Monster Beholder Breakdown
The beholder is a great monster in so many ways. He is easy to use in this contest as he hates and wishes to destroy anything that is not exactly like him. Beholders come in all shapes and sizes and if your coloring or pattern is different you are fair game let alone something that is not even another beholder.
So the major advantages over the Lich that the Beholder has is all his eye ray attacks that he can use every round. Just ridiculous. He has a better Armor class making it hard to hit. he has a higher initiative bonus which will mean in most fights he will go first. His saving throws are slightly better which means that he will take less of an effect to no effect more often than the Lich will. Because of it having a nice constitution score the Beholder has on average more hits points as well. the Beholder also has a caster level of 13.
Dungeons and Dragons Monster Lich Breakdown
The Lich what can I say is one of those things players hate because a well prepared lich will never truly be defeated. Why do you ask. All I need say is Phylactery. All a Lich need to to ensure Immortality is to create its own dimension and place the phylactery there where it cannot be found.
Looking at the above you might ask how on earth(?) could a Lich have a chance to bring down the mighty Beholder. The lich has a Paralyzing Touch. The save on this would sadly only be a 16 which means that the beholder only needs a 5 or better but failing once means he is permanently paralyzed.
The Lich comes with Damage reduction of 15/ bludgeoning and magic to which the beholder has no chance of getting with his pathetic bite of only 2d4 with no pluses. Liches are also immune to polymorph, cold, electricity, mind affecting spells shutting down some of the Beholders eye rays and two inflict moderate wounds and finger of death would actually heal the Lich so that one is in favor of the Lich as well.
FIGHT!!!
So looking at the evidence here is how Nerdarchy sees it going down.
The beholder out patrolling its domain rounds the corner of an underground passage, The lich looking for lost magic or new servants rounds the corner at the other end of the chamber. Hatred fills them both. They both recognize their opponent from the vast knowledge they have accrued.
The lich knows that the anti-magic cone from the central eye will nullify his magic items and spells while he is being looked at and at the same time that same magic prevents the physically pathetic living creature from offering any harm to the Lich.
The Beholder seeing the disgusting undead so vile with its legs and arms now where near the perfection of a beholder knows that he will have to close his eye and keep the creature at a distance if he wants it to avoid touching him.
The Beholder goes first and closes his central eye and unloads a volley of death toward the undead creature. Most having no effect the liches immunity to mind effecting abilities offers the greatest advantage. A blast from disintegration and telekinesis hurts the lich and pushes it further away.
Sadly the Lich cares not about travel distance and casts teleport to appear behind the above the beholder dropping on top of it. The touch failing to cause paralysis this round the Beholder shakes the undead thing off and blasts it again. With the second blast of disintegration bringing the Lich down near Death (And taking into account that this has to be a fight to the death for whatever reason you choose) the lich responds with his own powerful spell.
The Liches most potent spell mimics the eye ray giving him the most grief but it is not enough to bring the might creature down.
The beholder smiles and again aims his terrible disintegration eye at the lich and reduces him to fine dust. 1d10 days later the Lich rematerializes in this realm and plots his revenge. Eventually that beholder will go down. The lich will see to it. Even if it only takes time. As we all know the Lich has plenty of that on his side.
Dice (Photo credit: Gurney5)
So there you have it our interpretation as what would happen if these two met each other as a random encounter strait out of the book. I am sure that there would be a lot more mess, more blood shed and lots of destruction if both decided to plan to take down the other.
Until Next time Stay Nerdy my friends.
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