Stupid beholders!

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I know I know, it seems of newbie-ish to complain about beholders when there's mind flayers and dragons around, buuuut I'm stuck in the Underdark, in the "beholder" area, south of the main Underdark map. Meeting just one or two beholders, with a few Gauths (sp?) wasn't too hard, but then there's this area in the southwest where you, no matter what you do, will end up fighting about 5 beholders, one elder beholder, plus a few gauths, and it's just a bit too much! Especially when they start turning my characters into stone.

The last time I tried it I actually managed to kill them all, but that left me with just my main character and imoen alive, two dead, two turned into stone and then ummm gone. I guess that means the beholders crushed the stone?

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions for a tactic when facing many beholders at once? I guess a Protection from Petrification scroll could come in handy, but it's too late for that now, those gnomes don't have any.

Oh and I tried going west first, but I didn't think it too much fun to be caught by mind flayers at once, so I went south first, will that work?

[This message has been edited by idoru (edited July 01, 2001).]

 

What I do with groups of beholder-type thingys is: advance my thief, hidden in shadows, until I can see them. Then, making a mental note of distinguishing features of the landscape around them, I back away until the red "enemy" circle disappears, so they can no longer see me. Next I bombard the terrain just in front of them with fireballs so that when they come forward to see who is attacking them, they have to charge through a wall of flame. From there you can finish them off with missile weapons without too much difficulty since they are pretty badly weakened by that point.

The spell that is most helpful with beholders is Spell Turning- by now you should have a ring and a cloak that turn spells too. Not only do they protect you from the spells, but it's entertaining to watch how much damage the beholders do themselves as their attacks ricochet off your character.

Maybe you already know this, but... when someone gets turned to stone they automatically leave your party, so if you are looking at the portraits in the right hand frame you might think your NPC was disintegrated. First you have to cast "stone to flesh" to de-petrify them, then invite them back into your party. Good luck!

 

take a one character the cloak of mirroring
which you get in water city

 

*POSSIBLE SPOILER!*
You get the cloak of mirroring by the priestess in the underwater city.
I think...

 

if you dont have any of the nifty things that make beholders shoot themselves, you could summon some creatures. Beholders wont use their beholder rays against summoned creatures (dont know why though). Though elder orb is still using spells. But this works rather nice

 

Well, I found when I tried to fight these groups my game was bugged or my PC had a problem and the game would crash every time with a CHR ini error or something. SO, I knoew I wanted the treasure in the North end, so I cast Sanctuary and went and got it and left the lair. I would have rather tried to fight them, but oh well. At least I got all the Flayers.

 

well I have the cloak, but not the ring.. I think! Where is it?

I usually let my summoned elementals and those do almost all the fighting (yes, I know it's a bit chicken), but when I try here, the elder beholder jsut throws that death word spell that kills them all instantly...

One problem with these guys is that they don't just throw cause serious wounds, so the cloak doesn't solve everything!

Hmm I have the treasure, I think.. and the beholder eye... do I need anything else in there, or can I jsut leave it, and get back some other time?

 

Cast these on your char with the cloak of mirroring for maximum effect 9unfortunately these will probably get dispelled fairly quickly)

1) Chaotic commands
2) Protection form fear
3) Free Action

It should prevent you from harm for a little bit.

Also there is a part of the equaliser in that dungeoun as well on one of the eldar orbs which you might want to get. There is lots of treasure scattered through out the level.

[This message has been edited by Wildfire (edited July 02, 2001).]

 

You see.. I never found that damn cloak! So my method is a bit more pain staking and alot cheaper. If you summon up a pile creatures (see my awesome guide to Summoning in the appropriate thread) the beholders seem relectant to use spells upon them. Thus they become reliant on their pathetic bite attacks... leave your summoned hoardes tank and them move in for the kill. It is sometimes best to send wizard eye in, in conjunction with Project Image which effectyively doubles your Summoning Capacity and eliminates threats to your NPCs who can his behind a door or out of sight.

 

2 things that don't seem to have been mentioned so far. Firtsly, the shield of Balduran is the easy way to deal with beholders. It can be found on the merchants CD available from Sorcerer's. See an earlier post about it here:
http://www.sorcerers.net/ubb/Forum2/HTML/002907.html

and the download:
http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG2/index_editors2.php

I also seem to remember that protection from electricity scrolls are useful in this area if you're playing it as a straight fight.

Generally I used the ideas being suggested already though. Scout out the area, soften them up with area affect spells, draw them out a few at a time, use some protected and boosted fighters (bless, electricity, magic, strength, speed, etc) to wade in close up, pummel with ranged weapons from your support party members. be prepared to use rods of resurection after each encounter, be prepared to reload.

PS to the original post, I found Beholders one of the hardest areas in the whole game too. they mat not be as tough as some of the later stuff but you are at a lower level when you meet them. As you'll see in my other post, I hated that dungeon and so used the shield in later games.

PPS sorry just noticed your in the Underdark beholder area not the one in the sewers. Ah, so scratch that first PS. Anyway, I'm sure that this dungeon is optional. I don't know if you've gone into the Drow city yet but if you do: SPOILER you will be given a quest to find some blood or an eye. This can be completed by going into the Flayer dungeon, OR the Beholder dugeon OR the third dungeon with the Prince of something. This third dungeon is hareder to find as it is not marked. Wander about on the far left middle of the screen and you will find it. So, to sum up, you can skip the Beholders dungeon if they are proving too troublesome.

[This message has been edited by Slappy (edited July 02, 2001).]

 

ummm as far as I know, the only two exits are the mind flayer place, and the beholder place... where do I get into drow city? And where are those damn stairs that the gnomes talk about? I have the light gem, but I can't seem to find where to use it!

oh and, I have the beholder eye, and the equalizer part, is there anything else in there worthwhile? Say in the southeast corner?

[This message has been edited by idoru (edited July 02, 2001).]

 

Can't remember if there is anything else useful in there apart from the eye and sword part. Possibly a necklace that helps protect againt Flayer attacks but I can't remember.

As for exits:

- The stairs for the Light Gem are top middle of the map. Just a bit to the right of the far edge of the Gnomes village but you have to go the long way around (back to the middle and then up - sort of).

- The entrance to the Drow city is slightly to the right of those stairs - MILD SPOILER - you won't be able to enter the city safely until you have been down the stairs.

- The third dungeon crawl area is in the middle left but it is unmarked. It's slightly south of where the gnomes guard the bridge I think. You'll need to do a fair bit of 'hunt the cursor change' to find it. The reason it is so difficult to find is partly related to the plot that develops when you go down the stairs. However, it is there if you to look.

 

thanks all.. I found the entrance.. turns out I jsut hadn't looked around enough.. I feel stupid!