How to Challenge Your Players with a Gazer, the Miniature Beholder

by Angry Golem Games

How to build challenging encounters with a Gazer

The gazer is a creature that might seem harmless at first glance, but can prove to be a formidable opponent for any adventurer. A gazer is a tiny aberration that resembles a miniature beholder, a creature with a large spherical body and multiple eye stalks. Each eye stalk has a different magical power, such as charming, frightening, freezing, or moving its enemies. A gazer’s central eye can also negate any magic in a cone-shaped area in front of it. A gazer is loyal to its creator, a beholder, or its master, a spellcaster, and often acts as a spy or a guard for them. A gazer can also communicate telepathically with its creator or master, and see through their eyes. A gazer can be a challenging encounter for any party of adventurers, especially if they are not prepared for its eye rays and antimagic cone. In this article, we will explore the gazer’s description, combat abilities, habitat, society, and ecology, and provide some tips on how to create and run a gazer encounter in D&D 5e.

Eye Rays of Doom: How to Use the Gazer’s Signature Ability

One of the most distinctive and dangerous features of the gazer is its eye rays, which are miniature versions of the beholder’s eye rays. A gazer has four eye stalks, each with a different magical power that it can use to attack, manipulate, or control its enemies. A gazer can shoot two eye rays at a time, choosing one or two targets that it can see within 60 feet of it. The eye rays are as follows:

  • Dazing Ray: This ray can charm a creature, making it incapacitated and unable to move until the start of the gazer’s next turn. This ray is useful for disabling a single enemy or preventing an ally from being attacked.
  • Fear Ray: This ray can frighten a creature, making it run away from the gazer until the start of the gazer’s next turn. This ray is useful for creating panic and chaos among the enemies, or for separating them from their allies.
  • Frost Ray: This ray can freeze a creature, dealing cold damage to it. This ray is useful for damaging a single enemy or slowing down its movement.
  • Telekinetic Ray: This ray can move a creature or an object that is Medium or smaller, up to 30 feet in any direction. This ray is useful for manipulating the environment, such as opening doors, grabbing items, or throwing enemies off balance.

The gazer’s eye rays are random and unpredictable, so the gazer cannot choose which ones to use. However, the gazer can still use its intelligence and cunning to make the best use of its eye rays, depending on the situation. For example, a gazer can use its dazing ray to charm a spellcaster and prevent it from casting spells, or use its fear ray to frighten a melee fighter and make it drop its weapon. A gazer can also use its frost ray to freeze a flammable object and create an explosion, or use its telekinetic ray to move an ally out of harm’s way.

The gazer’s eye rays are not only powerful, but also versatile and creative. A gazer can use its eye rays to create various effects and scenarios that can challenge and surprise any adventurer. A gazer can also combine its eye rays with its antimagic cone, which is emitted from its central eye and negates any magic in a cone-shaped area in front of it. A gazer can use its antimagic cone to protect itself or its allies from hostile spells or magical effects, or to expose its enemies’ weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

The gazer’s eye rays are the main source of its offense and defense, and they can make any encounter with a gazer exciting and unpredictable. A gazer can use its eye rays to attack, manipulate, or control its enemies, depending on its mood and strategy. A gazer can also use its eye rays to create various effects and scenarios that can challenge and surprise any adventurer. A gazer’s eye rays are not only powerful, but also versatile and creative. A gazer’s eye rays are the eye rays of doom.

What Drives a Gazer: The Psychology of a Mini Beholder

A gazer is a creature that is born from the dreams of a beholder, and as such, it shares some of its creator’s personality and appearance. A gazer is loyal to its creator, but it can also be rebellious and mischievous at times. A gazer can communicate with its creator telepathically, and it can also see through its creator’s eyes. A gazer often forms small packs with other gazers that patrol their master’s lair for vermin to kill and lone creatures to harass. A gazer can also serve as a familiar for a spellcaster who is at least a 3rd-level spellcaster. The spellcaster can sense what the gazer senses as long as they are within 1 mile of each other.

But what motivates a gazer to act the way it does? What are its goals and desires? What are its fears and weaknesses? To answer these questions, we need to understand the psychology of a mini beholder.

A gazer is a creature that is driven by two main forces: curiosity and loyalty. A gazer is curious about the world around it, and it likes to explore, experiment, and learn new things. A gazer is also loyal to its creator or master, and it will follow their orders and protect them from harm. However, these two forces can also conflict with each other, and cause a gazer to act in unpredictable ways.

A gazer is curious about the world around it, but it is also wary of the unknown. A gazer likes to observe and study new creatures, objects, or phenomena, but it is also afraid of being attacked or harmed by them. A gazer will use its eye rays to test and probe its targets, trying to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. A gazer will also use its eye rays to manipulate and control its targets, trying to make them do what it wants. A gazer will sometimes play with its targets, either for fun or for cruelty. A gazer will also collect interesting or valuable items that it finds, and store them in its lair or give them to its creator or master.

A gazer is loyal to its creator or master, but it is also independent and stubborn. A gazer will follow the orders and wishes of its creator or master, but it will also question them or disobey them if it thinks they are wrong or foolish. A gazer will protect its creator or master from harm, but it will also challenge them or compete with them if it thinks they are weak or unworthy. A gazer will respect its creator or master, but it will also mock them or prank them if it thinks they are boring or annoying.

A gazer is a creature that has a complex and contradictory personality, just like a beholder. A gazer can be friendly or hostile, helpful or harmful, obedient or rebellious, depending on the situation and its mood. A gazer can be a challenging encounter for any adventurer, not only because of its eye rays and antimagic cone, but also because of its unpredictable behavior and attitude. A gazer can be a loyal ally or a deadly enemy, depending on how you treat it and what you offer it.

How to Outsmart Your Enemies: The Gazer’s Preferred Combat Tactics

A gazer is not a mindless beast that attacks blindly. A gazer is a cunning and intelligent creature that uses its eye rays and antimagic cone to outsmart and overpower its enemies. A gazer can adapt to different situations and use different tactics, depending on its goals and allies. Here are some of the gazer’s preferred combat tactics:

  • Ambush: A gazer can use its stealth skills and darkvision to hide in the shadows and surprise its enemies with its eye rays. A gazer can also use its telekinetic ray to move objects or creatures to create distractions or traps. A gazer can also use its antimagic cone to disable any magical defenses or sensors that its enemies might have.
  • Harass: A gazer can use its eye rays to harass and annoy its enemies, either for fun or for cruelty. A gazer can use its dazing ray to charm a creature and make it do silly or embarrassing things, or use its fear ray to frighten a creature and make it run away. A gazer can also use its frost ray to freeze a creature’s clothes or equipment, or use its telekinetic ray to move a creature’s belongings or body parts.
  • Support: A gazer can use its eye rays and antimagic cone to support its allies, either its creator, master, or other gazers. A gazer can use its dazing ray to charm an enemy and make it stop attacking, or use its fear ray to frighten an enemy and make it flee. A gazer can also use its frost ray to freeze an enemy and make it easier to hit, or use its telekinetic ray to move an ally out of danger or into a better position. A gazer can also use its antimagic cone to protect itself or its allies from hostile spells or magical effects, or to expose the enemies’ weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
  • Escape: A gazer can use its eye rays and antimagic cone to escape from a dangerous situation, either alone or with its allies. A gazer can use its dazing ray to charm an enemy and make it let go of it, or use its fear ray to frighten an enemy and make it back off. A gazer can also use its frost ray to freeze an obstacle or a pursuer, or use its telekinetic ray to move itself or an ally away from harm. A gazer can also use its antimagic cone to negate any magic that might prevent it from escaping, such as walls, barriers, or bindings.

A gazer is a creature that knows how to use its eye rays and antimagic cone to their full potential. A gazer can use different tactics depending on the situation and its mood. A gazer can ambush, harass, support, or escape from its enemies, using its eye rays and antimagic cone in creative and effective ways. A gazer is a creature that knows how to outsmart its enemies.

Encounters with a Gazer: How to Spice Up Your D&D Adventures

A gazer can be a great addition to any D&D adventure, as it can provide different levels of challenge and fun for the players. A gazer can be encountered in various situations and locations, depending on its creator, master, or goals. Here are some examples of encounters with a gazer that you can use or modify for your own campaigns:

  • A gazer is hiding in a dark corner of a dungeon, waiting for an opportunity to ambush the adventurers. It uses its eye rays to attack and harass them, trying to steal their items or make them do silly things. The gazer is not really interested in killing them, but rather in having some fun at their expense. The adventurers can try to fight back, negotiate with the gazer, or escape from its lair.
  • A gazer is serving as a familiar for a spellcaster who is the main villain of the adventure. The gazer acts as a spy and a guard for its master, using its telepathy and vision to communicate and report on the adventurers’ movements. The gazer also uses its eye rays and antimagic cone to support its master in combat, disabling or harming the adventurers. The adventurers can try to detect and avoid the gazer, or find a way to break its bond with its master.
  • A gazer is part of a pack of gazers that patrol their creator’s lair, a beholder who is the final boss of the adventure. The gazers are loyal and aggressive, and they will attack any intruders on sight. The gazers also cooperate and coordinate their eye rays and antimagic cones, creating various effects and scenarios that can challenge and surprise the adventurers. The adventurers can try to fight or sneak past the gazers, or find a way to turn them against their creator.
  • A gazer is wandering around the city, looking for new and interesting things to see and do. It is curious and mischievous, and it uses its eye rays to manipulate and control the people and objects around it. The gazer causes chaos and confusion in the city, attracting the attention of the authorities and the adventurers. The adventurers can try to catch or stop the gazer, or find out why it is there and what it wants.

A gazer is a creature that can make any encounter with it exciting and unpredictable. A gazer can be encountered in various situations and locations, depending on its creator, master, or goals. A gazer can provide different levels of challenge and fun for the players, depending on how you use its eye rays and antimagic cone. A gazer can be a great addition to any D&D adventure, as it can spice up your D&D adventures.

Tips and Tricks for the Game Master: How to Make the Most of the Gazer

A gazer is a creature that can add a lot of flavor and fun to your D&D adventures, as it can provide different levels of challenge and fun for the players. A gazer can be encountered in various situations and locations, depending on its creator, master, or goals. However, a gazer can also be a tricky creature to run as a game master, as it requires some creativity and improvisation to make it behave and act in a realistic and interesting way. Here are some tips and tricks for the game master on how to make the most of the gazer:

  • Know your gazer: A gazer is not a generic monster that acts the same in every encounter. A gazer is a unique creature that has its own personality, appearance, and motivations, depending on its creator, master, or goals. As a game master, you should know your gazer well, and give it some distinctive traits and quirks that make it memorable and engaging for the players. For example, you can give your gazer a name, a voice, a favorite eye ray, a hobby, a flaw, or a secret. You can also use the information from the Angry Golem Games Blog or other sources to inspire you.
  • Roleplay your gazer: A gazer is not a silent beast that only attacks or flees. A gazer is a cunning and intelligent creature that can communicate telepathically with its creator or master, and mimic simple sounds of speech it has heard. As a game master, you should roleplay your gazer as much as possible, and make it interact with the players and the environment in various ways. For example, you can make your gazer talk to its creator or master, taunt or mock the players, comment on the situation, or express its emotions. You can also make your gazer use its eye rays creatively and effectively, depending on the situation and its mood.
  • Vary your encounters: A gazer is not a one-dimensional creature that only has one goal or tactic. A gazer is a versatile and adaptable creature that can have different goals and tactics, depending on the situation and its allies. As a game master, you should vary your encounters with the gazer, and make them different and unpredictable for the players. For example, you can make your gazer ambush, harass, support, or escape from the players, using its eye rays and antimagic cone in creative and effective ways. You can also make your gazer cooperate or compete with other gazers or creatures, creating various effects and scenarios that can challenge and surprise the players.

A gazer is a creature that can add a lot of flavor and fun to your D&D adventures, as it can provide different levels of challenge and fun for the players. However, a gazer can also be a tricky creature to run as a game master, as it requires some creativity and improvisation to make it behave and act in a realistic and interesting way. By following these tips and tricks for the game master, you can make the most of the gazer, and make your D&D adventures more exciting and memorable.

The Gazer: A Tiny but Terrifying Foe for Your D&D Adventures

A gazer is a creature that might seem harmless at first glance, but can prove to be a formidable opponent for any adventurer. A gazer is a tiny aberration that resembles a miniature beholder, a creature with a large spherical body and multiple eye stalks. Each eye stalk has a different magical power that it can use to attack, manipulate, or control its enemies. A gazer’s central eye can also negate any magic in a cone-shaped area in front of it. A gazer is loyal to its creator, a beholder, or its master, a spellcaster, and often acts as a spy or a guard for them. A gazer can also communicate telepathically with its creator or master, and see through their eyes.

In this article, we have explored the gazer’s description, combat abilities, habitat, society, and ecology, and provided some tips on how to create and run a gazer encounter in D&D 5e. We have learned that:

  • A gazer is created by the dreams of a beholder, and it inherits some of its creator’s personality and appearance.
  • A gazer has four eye stalks, each with a different magical power that it can use to attack, manipulate, or control its enemies.
  • A gazer can shoot two eye rays at random, choosing one or two targets it can see within 60 feet of it.
  • A gazer’s eye rays are: dazing ray (charms), fear ray (frightens), frost ray (freezes), and telekinetic ray (moves).
  • A gazer’s central eye can emit an antimagic cone, which negates any magic in a cone-shaped area in front of it.
  • A gazer can mimic simple sounds of speech it has heard, in any language, but it cannot speak any languages itself.
  • A gazer can serve as a familiar for a spellcaster who is at least a 3rd-level spellcaster.
  • A gazer often forms small packs with other gazers that patrol their master’s lair for vermin to kill and lone creatures to harass.
  • A gazer is driven by curiosity and loyalty, but it can also be rebellious and mischievous at times.
  • A gazer can use different tactics depending on the situation and its mood, such as ambush, harass, support, or escape.

We hope that this article has given you some useful information and inspiration on how to use the gazer in your D&D adventures. A gazer is a creature that can add a lot of flavor and fun to your D&D adventures, as it can provide different levels of challenge and fun for the players. A gazer can be encountered in various situations and locations, depending on its creator, master, or goals. However, a gazer can also be a tricky creature to run as a game master, as it requires some creativity and improvisation to make it behave and act in a realistic and interesting way.