In the Monster Compendium Monsters of Faerun there is a beholderkin monster called the Eyeball, a CR 1/2 miniature beholder basically. What I'm thinking of doing is by some means, illusion or some such, tricking my players into thinking it's a full-sized beholder (albeit one with only four eyestalks, which could be a clue. As I said, I could use illusion, but I'd prefer a more clever means (if such a thing can be devised).
Instead of casting the spell shadow, just have it stand in front of a light source and cast its shadow onto a wall where the adventurers can see it around the corner.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BigShadowLittleCreature
I love this! More power to you and here's hoping it works well!
Basically, all it needs is a projection apparatus, a magnifying mirror, and some sort of good acoustics from a whispering gallery so it can go "I am Oz, the great and terrible! Pay no attention to that little eyeball behind the curtain!"
Look up the "Pepper's Ghost" illusion and combine that with a magnifying mirror, a few torches with continual flame, and a whispering gallery which will let the little eyeball go down in the place below the stage where the priest formerly went and project his magnified image above. Let him lie about where his other eyestalks went, saying they were lost in a great battle, and get him to try to trick the adventurers into leaving their treasures before he disintegrates them. It will be fun when/if they discover it's the little pipsqueak eyeball trying to flim-flam them.
Hmmm, do the PCs know how big a Beholder is "supposed" to be? Does someone have Knowledge (Dungeoneering) at about +14, for example?
I am not sure that a knowledge check should be required for characters to realize that one of the most feared monsters they could encounter is supposed to be larger than a tangerine... now the correct number of eye stalks, that's another matter.
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Hmmm, do the PCs know how big a Beholder is "supposed" to be? Does someone have Knowledge (Dungeoneering) at about +14, for example?I am not sure that a knowledge check should be required for characters to realize that one of the most feared monsters they could encounter is supposed to be larger than a tangerine... now the correct number of eye stalks, that's another matter.
Well, is that a pseudo-dragon or a baby red?
That said... expansion fully augmented would get it up to size medium.