Ophtalmic creatures are the results of strange beholder experiments with the purpose to produce worthy servants with some attributes close to “true” beholderkind, formed out of the “mishappen” creatures that inhabit the beholder’s worth.

The exact way of breeding ophtalmic creatures is unknown, but it is assumed, that they grow in special fertilization pods crafted by beholders and filled with luckless captives, which undergo some kind of horrid transmogrification. Another theory implies that creatures may be swallowed by a beholder or beholder-kin and not digested, but instead incubated with beholder tissue, transforming the victim inside the eye tyrant until it is regurgitated forth as an ophtalmic creature.

Theories aside, ophtalmic creatures all are somehow tied each to a single beholder-kin, which obviously created the creature in question. By that fact, an ophtalmic creature shares its “progenitor’s” view of how a “true beholder” should look like and tends to contempt other beholder-kin and ophtalmic creatures not begotten by its master as abominations. Only the ability of hive mothers and overseers to dominate beholderkin – which also works upon ophtalmic creatures – may keep that hatred in check.

Ophtalmic creatures are well-armored with the chitinic exoskeleton also found on beholders reinforcing their epidermis on most places over their body, giving many ophtalmic creatures a shaggy, mangy appearance. One to ten eye stalks grow out of their bodies, usually from the head, shoulders, or upper torso, provided the creature possesses these. Where sane variants of an ophtalmic creature possesses eyes, these are usually merged to a large single eye dominating the ophtalmic creatures visage. Otherwise, a single large eye opens on a central spot of the creatures body.

Ophtalmic creatures usually have long and sharp teeth, too, but unless their normal counterparts don’t possess bite attacks, their jaws aren’t really built for an effective bite.

Creating an ophtalmic Creature

“Ophtalmic” is an inherited template that can be added to any living creature (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”), except to beholders and their kin. An ophtalmic creature has all the base creature’s characteristics except as noted here.

Ophtalmic creatures that are able to speak can speak Beholder in addition to all other languages known to them.

Type: An ophtalmic creature’s type changes to aberration

Armor Class: An ophtalmic creature’s skin is hardened by tough chitinous plates, changing the creatures appearance dramatically. These plates improve the creatures natural armor by +5.

Special Attacks: An ophtalmic creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains the following special attack:

Eye rays (Ex): An ophtalmic creature grows a number of flexible eye stalks from its head, shoulders, or body depending on its number of hit dice. Each of the ophtalmic creatures eyes can produce a specific magical ray once per round as a free action. During a single round, an ophtalmic creature can aim a maximum number of eye rays at targets in any one 90-degree arc (up, forward, backward, left, right, or down) depending on its size as shown in the following table.

The maximum range of the eye rays depends on size as well.

Base Creature’s size	Eye Rays in 90-degree arc	Eye Rays’ range
Tiny or smaller	1	35 ft.
Small	2	50 ft.
Medium	2	100 ft.
Large	3	150 ft.
Huge	3	200 ft.
Gargantuan	4	250 ft.
Colossal	4	300 ft.

Depending on the base creature’s hit dice, an ophtalmic creature gains the following eye rays.

HD	Eye Rays
1 – 2	Charm person
3 – 4	Sleep
5 – 6	Inflict moderate wounds
7 – 8	Slow
9 – 10	Fear
11 – 12	Charm Monster
13 – 14	Telekinesis
15 – 16	Flesh to Stone
17 – 18	Disintegrate
19+	Finger of death

The rays gained are cumulative, and each ray is tied to a specific eye stalk the creature has grown. So, a 5 HD ophtalmic creature can use a charm person, sleep, and inflict moderate wounds ray, and thus possesses three eye stalks (in addition to any other eyes it may have).

The caster level of the eye rays’ magical effects equals the creature’s HD. Their save DCs are 10 + the ophtalmic creature’s Charisma modifier + one half the ophtalmic creature’s hit dice.

The eye rays are primary attacks. All other attacks of the creature become secondary attacks.

The eye rays work as follows:

• Charm Person: The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as by the spell.
• Sleep: This works like the spell, except that it affects one creature with any number of hit dice (Will negates).
• Inflict Moderate Wounds: This works like the spell, causing 2d8 + caster level (max. +10) points of damage (Will half)
• Slow: This works like the spell, except that it affects one creature (Will negates).
• Fear: This works like the spell, except that it targets one creature. The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as by the spell.
• Charm Monster: The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as by the spell.
• Telekinesis: An ophtalmic creature can move objects or creatures that weigh up to 25 pounds per HD (maximum 375 pounds), as though with a telekinesis spell. Creatures can resist this effect with a Will save.
• Flesh to Stone: The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be affected as by the spell.
• Disintegrate: The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be affected as by the spell.
• Finger of Death: The target must succeed on a Fortitude save or be affected as by the spell. The target takes 3d6 + caster level (max. +25) points of damage on a successful save.

Special Qualities: A ophtalmic creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains the following qualities:

Darkvision (Ex): An ophtalmic creature gains 60 ft. darkvision if the base creature already hasn’t darkvision.

All-around vision (Ex): Due to their extra eyes, ophtalmic creatures are exceptionally alert and gain a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. They cannot be flanked.

Antimagic Cone (Su): An ophtalmic creature possesses a single, large central eye. If the base creature possesses a distinct head or facial area, all its eyes are usually merged together into one single eye. Otherwise, the creature’s central eye sits in the front center of its body, or whatever part of its body qualifies most for it.

An ophtalmic creatures central eye produces a cone of antimagic. This functions just like antimagic field (caster level equals the ophtalmic creature’s HD). All magical and supernatural powers and effects within the cone are suppressed – even the ophtalmic creature’s own eye rays. Once each round, during its turn, the ophtalmic creature decides, if its antimagic cone is active or not (by closing or opening its central eye.)

The range of the antimagic cone depends on the ophtalmic creature’s size and equals the range of its eye rays.

Abilities: Ophtalmic creatures gain +4 Intelligence and +2 Wisdom and Charisma.

Feats: An ophtalmic creature gains Alertness as a bonus feat, unless the base creature already has that feat.

Environment: Cold hills

Organization: Solitary, pair or cluster (3–6 ophtalmic creatures of various kinds)

Challenge Rating: HD 4 or less: Same as the base creature +2; HD 5 to 14: Same as the base creature +3; HD 15 or more: Same as the base creature +4;

Treasure: Same as the base creature or standard, if base creature would have None

Alignment: Usually lawful evil

Advancement: Same as the base creature

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +6

Sample Ophtalmic Creature

This example uses a juvenile white dragon as the base creature.

 

Ophtalmic juvenile white dragon

Medium Aberration

Hit Dice: 12d12 +24 (102 hp)

Initiative: +4

Speed: 60 ft. (12 sq.), burrow 30 ft., swim 60 ft., fly 200 ft. (poor)

AC: 26 ( +16 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 26

Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+15

Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d8+3/19–20) and eye rays +12 ranged touch

Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (1d8+3/19–20)), 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+1/19–20)), 2 wings +13 melee (1d4+1) and eye rays +12 ranged touch

Special Attacks: Breath weapon 4d6 cold (60-ft.-cone, DC 20), fog cloud 3/day, eye rays (range 100 ft., 2 per 90-degree-arc, DC 15: charm person, charm monster, fear, inflict moderate wounds (2d8+10), sleep, and slow)

Special Qualities: All-around vision, antimagic cone 100 ft., blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., keen senses, icewalking, immunity to cold, sleep, and paralysis, vulnerability to fire

Face/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.

Saves: Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +8

Abilities: Str 17, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10

Skills: Hide +12, Intimidate +12, Listen +15, Move Silently +12, Search +17, Spot +19, Survival +13, Swim +20, Tumble +12

Feats: Ability Focus (breath weapon), Alertness^B, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claws)

Environment: Cold hills

Organization: Solitary, pair or cluster (3–6 ophtalmic creatures of various kinds)

Challenge Rating: 9

Treasure: Triple standard

Alignment: Always chaotic evil

Advancement: 13–14 HD (Medium)

Level Adjustment: +11

 

The dragon-like creature has a beaked nose, spuny dewlaps, and a crest supported by a single, back-curving spine. A large single eye gleams from its fore head, and six white eye-stalks sprout from its shoulders. A crisp, faintly chemical odor accompanies the monster, which is not covered with scales, like an ordinary dragon, but with thick knotty chitinous plates, which glisten like snow.

 

 

White dragons are favored by beholders to be transformed into ophtalmic creatures, since they are easy to be controlled because of their relatively low intelligence, but still smart enough to put their new-gained powers to good use. Beyond that, they possess formidable fighting capabilities and are useful scouts. Additionally, they are often to be found close to regions frequented by beholders.

 

Combat

Like their non-ophtalmic counterparts, ophtalmic white dragons prefer sudden assaults, swooping down from aloft or bursting from beneath water, snow, or ice. They loose their breath weapon, then try to knock out a single opponent with a follow-up attack, while keeping other opponents in check with their eye rays.

Antimagic Cone (Su): An ophtalmic juvenile white dragon possesses a single, large central eye on its forehead.

This central eye produces a cone of antimagic. This functions just like antimagic field (caster level 12). All magical and supernatural powers and effects within the cone are suppressed – even the ophtalmic juvenile white dragon’s own eye rays. Once each round, during its turn, the ophtalmic juvenile white dragon decides, if its antimagic cone is active or not (by closing or opening its central eye.)

The range of the antimagic cone is 100 ft.

Breath Weapon (Su): An ophtalmic juvenile white dragon’s breath weapon does 4d6 points of cold damage within a 60-ft.-cone. A Reflex save (DC 20) halves that damage. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 bonus for the Ability Focus feat.

Eye rays (Ex): An ophtalmic juvenile white dragon possesses the following eye rays

• Charm Person: The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as by the spell.
• Sleep: This works like the spell, except that it affects one creature with any number of hit dice (Will negates).
• Inflict Moderate Wounds: This works like the spell, causing 2d8+10 points of damage (Will half)
• Slow: This works like the spell, except that it affects one creature (Will negates).
• Fear: This works like the spell, except that it targets one creature. The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as by the spell.
• Charm Monster: The target must succeed on a Will save or be affected as by the spell.

During a single round, an ophtalmic juvenile white dragon can aim a maximum of two eye rays at targets in any one 90-degree arc (up, forward, backward, left, right, or down)

 

The eye rays have a range of 100 ft. and their magical effects have an effective caster level of 12. Their save DCs are 15. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Icewalking (Ex): This ability works like the spider climb spell, but the surfaces the creature climbs must be icy. It is always in effect.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—fog cloud.

Skills: Hide, Move Silently, and Swim are considered class skills for white dragons.