Help with Beholder Crime Lord

[Vivar]

I need help with a Beholder NPC.

It´s a common beholder, maybe with advanced HD, and access to some expensive magical items. It spends a lot of time disguised/polymorphed so it can move undetected while overseeing its humanoid minions and vast merchantile and criminal organization(s).

I have already worked how it can spend a lot of time disguised as humanoid: If it uses Polymorph Any Object to turn himself into a medusa, it would last a week (lower int. and same kingdom), would have enough eyes to use all his powers, and could use a Hat of Disguise to appear totally human.

Now for his second disguise, I want it to turn into an small-sized or smaller monster, with enough eyes as to use all his powers, and a not too-low intelligence, so it can pass itself as the familiar of its enslaved low-level pet wizard.

The monster doesn´t need to be really eligible as a familiar (how many characters would know the whole list of eligible monsters, anyway?) but the amount of time the Polymorph Any Object would last IS relevant (the more, the better), since I´m going to have to introduce a custom magical item that allows him to use that spell, and I don´t want the item to be too overpowered (the less time per week it can be used, the better).

Any suggestion?

[Jarleth]

I don't believe your beholder would retain its eye rays while polymorphed. The spell Polymorph specifically states you don't gain the supernatural abilities of the creature you change into but it also doesn't state what happens with supernatural abilities you already have, probably because pc races don't normally have them. That said a ring of invisiblity might be better since most people don't go around with see invisible cast on them.

[LazarX]

Waterdeep had a Beholder ruling it's (officially nonexistant) theive's guild. Disguise was not an issue for it, as it ruled through human lieutennats it kept in line through other means.

[Jarleth]

I think the beholder crime boss is a great idea. Its the polymorphing into another form and keeping your eye rays I am not sure about. If you don't get to keep the eye rays than it really doesn't matter into what you polymorph.

[the David]

Orbius Valantru did this in Shackled City.

[Jarleth]

did what? Polymorphed from a beholder into some other creature and kept his eye rays.

[the David]

Actually, no. He wears a simulacrum suit...

[Jarleth]

I'll have to dig out my shackled city and famaliarize myself with Orbius.

[Vivar]

Jarleth wrote:

I think the beholder crime boss is a great idea. Its the polymorphing into another form and keeping your eye rays I am not sure about. If you don't get to keep the eye rays than it really doesn't matter into what you polymorph.

Wow, since nobody answered my post for a week, I had completely forgotten about this thread.

The Beholder would keep his eye rays so long as he has enough eyes; Wizards of The Coast says:

"The subject retains the supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of its normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have."

Make a google search for the articles "Polymorphing Revisited" By Skip Williams and "Polymorphing" By Skip Williams. He solves most doubts about polymorphing (well, except those about stacking several Polymorph Any Object spells).