Zaydos
2015-02-10, 02:24 AM
So I decided to update three species of beholderkin from the 2e Monstrous Manual, also appearing in the Spelljammer Monstrous Compendium Appendix I, tell me what you think.
Lensman
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30-ft
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 Natural)
BAB/Grp: +1/+3
Attack: Halberd +3 melee (1d10+3) or tentacle-whip +3 melee (1d6+3) or eyeray +2 ranged touch (eye power)
Full Attack: Halberd +3 melee (1d10+3) and tentacle-whip -2 melee (1d6+1) or eyeray +2 ranged touch (eye power).
Space/Reach: 5-ft/5-ft.
Special Attacks: Eye Power.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3.
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 6.
Skills: Listen +5, Search +0, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, EnduranceB.
Environment: Anywhere beholders can be found (Cold hills)
Organization: Squad (2-20).
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Evil.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: +2
A lensman has one eye set above a leery toothy jaw in the middle of a five-limbed body. Its body is covered in a soft chitin with short insect-like hairs springing from across it. They have two arms, two legs, and their fifth limb takes the form of a long, whip-like tentacle that they use to attack enemies. Each arm ends with a three-fingered, two-thumbed, clawed hand. Lensmen wear a mesh garment that is used to hold tools and weapons.
Their role in beholder society is that of menial labor, and they are treated as semi-mindless drones. Few lensmen ever strive above this lot, and advanced lensmen are rare.
Eye Power (Su): Similar to a beholder a lensman’s eye has power. They are able to fire off an eye ray from their single eye up to 60-ft as a standard action each round. Their eye can have one of the six following powers (although some come in pairs of effects), regardless of effect their caster level is 6. Save DC is always 11; it is Charisma based and includes a +2 racial bonus. All abilities are single target, requiring a successful ranged touch attack with the ray as well.
1. Remove Fear, Scare (no hit die cap), and Rage (only 1 ability at a time).
2. Cure Moderate Wounds
3. Dispel Magic
4. Tongues
5. Minor Image
6. Resist Energy (only one energy type active at a time, using another version will instantly end all previous instances)
Skills: A lensman gains a +2 racial bonus to Search and Spot checks.
Changes in Adaptation: In 2e they had Emotion, Heal, Dispel Magic, Tongues, Phantasmal Image, and Protections. The first was split into several spells in 3.5, the second would jack their challenge rating significantly higher due their ability as minions so I reduced it to Cure Moderate Wounds, the 5th became Silent Image but as it was weaker than the rest so I increased it by 1 spell level, and the last was actually a bunch of scroll effects which included protection from energy style effects, protection from petrification, and stuff to ward off specific types of creatures, so I just simplified it into Resist Energy. I also wanted to leave them playable, which meant at-will Good Hope (or Heroism)/Crushing Darkness/Fear/Rage was off the table as was Heal while both are appropriate to a monster and their CR could be increased to compensate/a note about their effect on encounters thrown in, these abilities would necessitate an unplayable LA. Their AC was originally 3/7, and while I can’t find a reference to which is the eye and the body in the main text, I went with giving them a decent AC for CR 1 (3 was fairly good low level AC, better than 15) but one still within the acceptable range for their challenge rating. I gave them high strength and constitution to make them better as labor, and basic guards, they’re thugs it fits, and 12 Dexterity because something about them always made me think they’d be somewhat Dexterous. I gave them a Charisma penalty to fit their thug stature, and a +2 racial bonus to their Save DC to make it where it could still be failed; the ability itself became supernatural setting the DC off of hit dice instead of spell level thus lowering the DC. I gave them LA +2, because with 2 racial hit dice and +4, +2, +4, -4, +0, -4 ability scores it felt fair. It worries me, because it can be infinite out of combat healing, but infinite healing comes online for binders at 6th/8th level (it’s possible at 6th but downright stupid, it’s feasible at 8th) and shadowsun ninjas at 6th level and both come at a lesser long term cost (assuming no LA buy off). I changed their alignment from Neutral Evil to Always Evil to make it more acceptable to have Lawful ones, or a Chaotic Lensman leading a revolt.
Lensmen as Characters:
Lensman characters possess the following racial traits.
— +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.
—Medium size.
—Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet.
—A lensman’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Racial Hit Dice: A lensman begins with two levels of
aberration, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1,
and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +0, and Will +3.
—Racial Skills: A lensman’s aberration levels give it skill points equal to 5 ×(2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Listen, Profession (any), Search, Spot. A lensman has a +2 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks.
—Racial Feats: A lensman’s aberration levels give it a single feat and Endurance as a bonus feat.
— +4 natural armor bonus.
—Special Attacks (see above): Eye Power (select 1 upon character creation).
—Automatic Languages: Beholder. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon.
—Favored Class: Fighter.
—Level adjustment +2.
Watcher
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: Fly 20-ft (good)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 Natural), t 11, FF 15
BAB/Grp: +3/+6
Attack: Tentacle-whip +4 melee (1d6-1 plus 2d6 electricity and unconsciousness) or Eye Ray +4 ranged touch (suggestion or message)
Full Attack: Tentacle-whip +4 melee (1d6-1 plus 2d6 electricity and unconsciousness) or Eye Ray +4 ranged touch (suggestion or message).
Space/Reach: 10-ft/5-ft.
Special Attacks: Eyes, Shocking Tentacle.
Special Qualities: All-Around Vision, Darkvision 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6.
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 14.
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +5, Search +2, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Anywhere beholders can be found (Cold hills)
Organization: Group (1-4).
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually True Neutral.
Advancement: 5-8 Hit Dice (Large).
Level Adjustment: -
Cowardly creatures by nature, watchers are semi-sentient beholder-kin. They are used as scouts and, as their name suggests, watchers by their more intelligent kin. A watcher’s usual tactics are to observe, often from behind an illusory wall or cover, and listen, parroting back the speech to their masters. They will release shadow evocations and teleport if threatened.
A watcher appears as a 6’ diameter sphere with three central eyes. On the ventral side of the orb is a long, barbed tentacle, which extends from just behind the watcher’s mouth, and on the dorsal side is a ring of six eye spots and a compound eye.
Eyes (Su): Unlike a true beholder a watcher’s eyes while containing mystical powers do not allow eye rays. Instead each eye grants it two magical powers, or three in the case of its compound eye, the eyelets do not have magical properties. All are effectively at Caster Level 7, and Supernatural abilities with a save DC (where appropriate) of 13. Each ability is usable as a standard action at will.
Eye 1: True Seeing, and Detect Thoughts.
Eye 2: Major Image, and Shadow Evocation but 3rd level and lower evocations only.
Eye 3: Telekinesis, and Teleport.
Compound Eye: Message (as a ray, ranged touch +4), Tongues, and Suggestion (as a ray, ranged touch +4).
Shocking Tentacle (Ex): A watcher’s tentacle is electrified releasing a powerful electric shock when it strikes a creature dealing 2d6 electricity damage and forcing a Fort save (DC 14); on a failure the struck creature is knocked unconscious for 1 minute.
All-Around Vision (Ex): A watcher is exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can’t be flanked.
Flight (Ex): A watcher’s body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.
Adaptation Notes: I increased their hit dice to 4 and reduced their ability from the equivalent of Greater Shadow Evocation to a nerfed Shadow Evocation to make them a reasonable encounter, even so their ability to knock out foes (thought about reducing to paralysis, or even 1 round daze) and combination of flight and ranged AoE spells make them a potent creature at low levels; a shadow fireball will deal on average anywhere from 2 to 25 damage to potentially an entire party dependent upon how many saves they successfully make. The CR is therefore an approximation, and depends heavily on the watcher’s tactics and party composition; if the watcher is hiding behind a false ceiling firing shadow fireballs onto a party below who will likely have to spend one or more rounds, after the surprise round, figuring out that fireballs are dropping out of the ceiling it might very well be much more potent, at the same time a prepared party can potentially one shot it, especially if it is in the open.
Examiner
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 20-ft (good)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 Dex, +9 Natural), t 12, FF 19
BAB/Grp: +6/+6
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6) or club +6 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: 4 Clubs +4/+4/+4/+4/+1 melee (1d6) and bite -1 melee (1d6).
Space/Reach: 5-ft/5-ft.
Special Attacks: Eyes, Multi-wand, Natural Artifice.
Special Qualities: All-Around Vision, Darkvision 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +8.
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 14.
Skills: Craft (any one) +15, Hide +13, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Listen +8, Search +11, Spellcraft +17, Spot +11, Use Magic Device +13
Feats: AlertnessB, any one Item Creation Feat, Improved Initiative, Great Fortitude, Multi-weapon Fighting[sup]B[/b].
Environment: Anywhere beholders can be found (Cold hills)
Organization: Cabal (1-6).
Challenge Rating: 4 (without items), 5+ with wands.
Treasure: Triple standard magic items
Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral.
Advancement: 9-10 Hit Dice (Medium), 11-16 Hit Dice (Large) or by character class (favored class Wizard).
Level Adjustment: -
An examiner is a 4’ diameter sphere. It is crowned by four small eyes set on antennae like stalks, and lacks any larger “central eye”. The bottom of its body has four limbs ending in gripper pads which show a surprising manual dexterity and allow it to carry and manipulate objects, and between them on the bottom of its body is a lamprey-like mouth.
An examiner’s true strength lies in their talent with manipulating objects both mundane and magical, and their ability to wield magical items. Most examiners maintain a collection of magical wands which they use when needed in combat, although they prefer flight whenever possible, working to maintain the arsenal of the beholder hive.
Eyes (Su): Unlike a true beholder an examiner’s eyes while containing mystical powers do not allow eye rays. Instead each eye grants it two magical powers. All are effectively at Caster Level 8, and Supernatural abilities with a save DC (where appropriate) of 16. Each ability is usable as a standard action at will.
Eye 1: Enlarge or Reduce (this functions as Enlarge or Reduce Person but may target any creature or object).
Eye 2: Identify or Legend Lore
Eye 3: Transmute Form (this functions as Stone Shape usable on any non-magical material).
Eye 4: Spell Turning
Multi-Wand (Ex): An examiner can activate two wands with a single standard action.
Natural Artifice (Su): An examiner can make magic items (limited by the item creation feats they possess) as an artificer of their level and may take 10 on Use Magic Device checks, even when threatened.
All-Around Vision (Ex): An examiner is exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can’t be flanked.
Flight (Ex): An examiner’s body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.
Adaptation Notes: Examiners had no game mechanic ability stating they could make magic items in 2e, but such would have been out of place and since they were described as being involved in magic item (and spell) creation I gave it to them basing it off of the artificer for ease. I did little else to adapt them other than give them multi-weapon fighting and the sheer minimum, although I will note I improved their flight maneuverability from grade C (aka average) to good (grade B) just so they could actually hover.
Lensman Paragon
Hit Dice: d10.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skill points per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
LENSMAN PARAGON
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Growing Eye Power, Greater Eye Power
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Versatile Eye Power I
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
+2 Int and Cha, Versatile Eye Power II
Growing Eye Power: A lensman paragon’s eye power(s) use a caster level of 6 + twice their lensman paragon level plus their levels in all classes.
Greater Eye Power (Su) At 1st level a lensman paragon’s eye power improves, depending upon which eye power they have.
1. Heroism and/or Crushing Despair.
2. Cure Serious Wounds and ability to use eye as a swift action to heal 1d4+5 hit points.
3. Greater Dispel Magic.
4. See Invisibility
5. Major Image
6. Protection from Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law (only one type may be active at a time, using it against another alignment ends all previous instances).
Versatile Eye I (Su) At 2nd level a lensman paragon gains the ability to use two additional eye powers (chosen when this feature is gained) each power is usable at will. They do not gain the greater eye powers for these eye powers.
Versatile Eye II (Su) A 3rd level lensman paragon is able to use all 6 eye powers available to lensmen. In addition the lensman paragon gains the greater eye powers for 2 additional eyes.
+2 Int and Cha A 3rd level lensman paragon gains a +2 bonus to Intelligence and Charisma.
Lensman
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30-ft
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 Natural)
BAB/Grp: +1/+3
Attack: Halberd +3 melee (1d10+3) or tentacle-whip +3 melee (1d6+3) or eyeray +2 ranged touch (eye power)
Full Attack: Halberd +3 melee (1d10+3) and tentacle-whip -2 melee (1d6+1) or eyeray +2 ranged touch (eye power).
Space/Reach: 5-ft/5-ft.
Special Attacks: Eye Power.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +3.
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 6.
Skills: Listen +5, Search +0, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, EnduranceB.
Environment: Anywhere beholders can be found (Cold hills)
Organization: Squad (2-20).
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Evil.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: +2
A lensman has one eye set above a leery toothy jaw in the middle of a five-limbed body. Its body is covered in a soft chitin with short insect-like hairs springing from across it. They have two arms, two legs, and their fifth limb takes the form of a long, whip-like tentacle that they use to attack enemies. Each arm ends with a three-fingered, two-thumbed, clawed hand. Lensmen wear a mesh garment that is used to hold tools and weapons.
Their role in beholder society is that of menial labor, and they are treated as semi-mindless drones. Few lensmen ever strive above this lot, and advanced lensmen are rare.
Eye Power (Su): Similar to a beholder a lensman’s eye has power. They are able to fire off an eye ray from their single eye up to 60-ft as a standard action each round. Their eye can have one of the six following powers (although some come in pairs of effects), regardless of effect their caster level is 6. Save DC is always 11; it is Charisma based and includes a +2 racial bonus. All abilities are single target, requiring a successful ranged touch attack with the ray as well.
1. Remove Fear, Scare (no hit die cap), and Rage (only 1 ability at a time).
2. Cure Moderate Wounds
3. Dispel Magic
4. Tongues
5. Minor Image
6. Resist Energy (only one energy type active at a time, using another version will instantly end all previous instances)
Skills: A lensman gains a +2 racial bonus to Search and Spot checks.
Changes in Adaptation: In 2e they had Emotion, Heal, Dispel Magic, Tongues, Phantasmal Image, and Protections. The first was split into several spells in 3.5, the second would jack their challenge rating significantly higher due their ability as minions so I reduced it to Cure Moderate Wounds, the 5th became Silent Image but as it was weaker than the rest so I increased it by 1 spell level, and the last was actually a bunch of scroll effects which included protection from energy style effects, protection from petrification, and stuff to ward off specific types of creatures, so I just simplified it into Resist Energy. I also wanted to leave them playable, which meant at-will Good Hope (or Heroism)/Crushing Darkness/Fear/Rage was off the table as was Heal while both are appropriate to a monster and their CR could be increased to compensate/a note about their effect on encounters thrown in, these abilities would necessitate an unplayable LA. Their AC was originally 3/7, and while I can’t find a reference to which is the eye and the body in the main text, I went with giving them a decent AC for CR 1 (3 was fairly good low level AC, better than 15) but one still within the acceptable range for their challenge rating. I gave them high strength and constitution to make them better as labor, and basic guards, they’re thugs it fits, and 12 Dexterity because something about them always made me think they’d be somewhat Dexterous. I gave them a Charisma penalty to fit their thug stature, and a +2 racial bonus to their Save DC to make it where it could still be failed; the ability itself became supernatural setting the DC off of hit dice instead of spell level thus lowering the DC. I gave them LA +2, because with 2 racial hit dice and +4, +2, +4, -4, +0, -4 ability scores it felt fair. It worries me, because it can be infinite out of combat healing, but infinite healing comes online for binders at 6th/8th level (it’s possible at 6th but downright stupid, it’s feasible at 8th) and shadowsun ninjas at 6th level and both come at a lesser long term cost (assuming no LA buy off). I changed their alignment from Neutral Evil to Always Evil to make it more acceptable to have Lawful ones, or a Chaotic Lensman leading a revolt.
Lensmen as Characters:
Lensman characters possess the following racial traits.
— +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.
—Medium size.
—Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet.
—A lensman’s base land speed is 30 feet.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Racial Hit Dice: A lensman begins with two levels of
aberration, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1,
and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +0, and Will +3.
—Racial Skills: A lensman’s aberration levels give it skill points equal to 5 ×(2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Listen, Profession (any), Search, Spot. A lensman has a +2 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks.
—Racial Feats: A lensman’s aberration levels give it a single feat and Endurance as a bonus feat.
— +4 natural armor bonus.
—Special Attacks (see above): Eye Power (select 1 upon character creation).
—Automatic Languages: Beholder. Bonus Languages: Common, Undercommon.
—Favored Class: Fighter.
—Level adjustment +2.
Watcher
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (26 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: Fly 20-ft (good)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 Natural), t 11, FF 15
BAB/Grp: +3/+6
Attack: Tentacle-whip +4 melee (1d6-1 plus 2d6 electricity and unconsciousness) or Eye Ray +4 ranged touch (suggestion or message)
Full Attack: Tentacle-whip +4 melee (1d6-1 plus 2d6 electricity and unconsciousness) or Eye Ray +4 ranged touch (suggestion or message).
Space/Reach: 10-ft/5-ft.
Special Attacks: Eyes, Shocking Tentacle.
Special Qualities: All-Around Vision, Darkvision 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6.
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 14.
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +5, Search +2, Spot +10
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Anywhere beholders can be found (Cold hills)
Organization: Group (1-4).
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually True Neutral.
Advancement: 5-8 Hit Dice (Large).
Level Adjustment: -
Cowardly creatures by nature, watchers are semi-sentient beholder-kin. They are used as scouts and, as their name suggests, watchers by their more intelligent kin. A watcher’s usual tactics are to observe, often from behind an illusory wall or cover, and listen, parroting back the speech to their masters. They will release shadow evocations and teleport if threatened.
A watcher appears as a 6’ diameter sphere with three central eyes. On the ventral side of the orb is a long, barbed tentacle, which extends from just behind the watcher’s mouth, and on the dorsal side is a ring of six eye spots and a compound eye.
Eyes (Su): Unlike a true beholder a watcher’s eyes while containing mystical powers do not allow eye rays. Instead each eye grants it two magical powers, or three in the case of its compound eye, the eyelets do not have magical properties. All are effectively at Caster Level 7, and Supernatural abilities with a save DC (where appropriate) of 13. Each ability is usable as a standard action at will.
Eye 1: True Seeing, and Detect Thoughts.
Eye 2: Major Image, and Shadow Evocation but 3rd level and lower evocations only.
Eye 3: Telekinesis, and Teleport.
Compound Eye: Message (as a ray, ranged touch +4), Tongues, and Suggestion (as a ray, ranged touch +4).
Shocking Tentacle (Ex): A watcher’s tentacle is electrified releasing a powerful electric shock when it strikes a creature dealing 2d6 electricity damage and forcing a Fort save (DC 14); on a failure the struck creature is knocked unconscious for 1 minute.
All-Around Vision (Ex): A watcher is exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can’t be flanked.
Flight (Ex): A watcher’s body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.
Adaptation Notes: I increased their hit dice to 4 and reduced their ability from the equivalent of Greater Shadow Evocation to a nerfed Shadow Evocation to make them a reasonable encounter, even so their ability to knock out foes (thought about reducing to paralysis, or even 1 round daze) and combination of flight and ranged AoE spells make them a potent creature at low levels; a shadow fireball will deal on average anywhere from 2 to 25 damage to potentially an entire party dependent upon how many saves they successfully make. The CR is therefore an approximation, and depends heavily on the watcher’s tactics and party composition; if the watcher is hiding behind a false ceiling firing shadow fireballs onto a party below who will likely have to spend one or more rounds, after the surprise round, figuring out that fireballs are dropping out of the ceiling it might very well be much more potent, at the same time a prepared party can potentially one shot it, especially if it is in the open.
Examiner
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 8d8+24 (60 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 20-ft (good)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 Dex, +9 Natural), t 12, FF 19
BAB/Grp: +6/+6
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6) or club +6 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: 4 Clubs +4/+4/+4/+4/+1 melee (1d6) and bite -1 melee (1d6).
Space/Reach: 5-ft/5-ft.
Special Attacks: Eyes, Multi-wand, Natural Artifice.
Special Qualities: All-Around Vision, Darkvision 60-ft.
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +8.
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 14.
Skills: Craft (any one) +15, Hide +13, Knowledge (Arcana) +15, Listen +8, Search +11, Spellcraft +17, Spot +11, Use Magic Device +13
Feats: AlertnessB, any one Item Creation Feat, Improved Initiative, Great Fortitude, Multi-weapon Fighting[sup]B[/b].
Environment: Anywhere beholders can be found (Cold hills)
Organization: Cabal (1-6).
Challenge Rating: 4 (without items), 5+ with wands.
Treasure: Triple standard magic items
Alignment: Usually Lawful Neutral.
Advancement: 9-10 Hit Dice (Medium), 11-16 Hit Dice (Large) or by character class (favored class Wizard).
Level Adjustment: -
An examiner is a 4’ diameter sphere. It is crowned by four small eyes set on antennae like stalks, and lacks any larger “central eye”. The bottom of its body has four limbs ending in gripper pads which show a surprising manual dexterity and allow it to carry and manipulate objects, and between them on the bottom of its body is a lamprey-like mouth.
An examiner’s true strength lies in their talent with manipulating objects both mundane and magical, and their ability to wield magical items. Most examiners maintain a collection of magical wands which they use when needed in combat, although they prefer flight whenever possible, working to maintain the arsenal of the beholder hive.
Eyes (Su): Unlike a true beholder an examiner’s eyes while containing mystical powers do not allow eye rays. Instead each eye grants it two magical powers. All are effectively at Caster Level 8, and Supernatural abilities with a save DC (where appropriate) of 16. Each ability is usable as a standard action at will.
Eye 1: Enlarge or Reduce (this functions as Enlarge or Reduce Person but may target any creature or object).
Eye 2: Identify or Legend Lore
Eye 3: Transmute Form (this functions as Stone Shape usable on any non-magical material).
Eye 4: Spell Turning
Multi-Wand (Ex): An examiner can activate two wands with a single standard action.
Natural Artifice (Su): An examiner can make magic items (limited by the item creation feats they possess) as an artificer of their level and may take 10 on Use Magic Device checks, even when threatened.
All-Around Vision (Ex): An examiner is exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they can’t be flanked.
Flight (Ex): An examiner’s body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.
Adaptation Notes: Examiners had no game mechanic ability stating they could make magic items in 2e, but such would have been out of place and since they were described as being involved in magic item (and spell) creation I gave it to them basing it off of the artificer for ease. I did little else to adapt them other than give them multi-weapon fighting and the sheer minimum, although I will note I improved their flight maneuverability from grade C (aka average) to good (grade B) just so they could actually hover.
Lensman Paragon
Hit Dice: d10.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skill points per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
LENSMAN PARAGON
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Growing Eye Power, Greater Eye Power
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Versatile Eye Power I
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
+2 Int and Cha, Versatile Eye Power II
Growing Eye Power: A lensman paragon’s eye power(s) use a caster level of 6 + twice their lensman paragon level plus their levels in all classes.
Greater Eye Power (Su) At 1st level a lensman paragon’s eye power improves, depending upon which eye power they have.
1. Heroism and/or Crushing Despair.
2. Cure Serious Wounds and ability to use eye as a swift action to heal 1d4+5 hit points.
3. Greater Dispel Magic.
4. See Invisibility
5. Major Image
6. Protection from Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law (only one type may be active at a time, using it against another alignment ends all previous instances).
Versatile Eye I (Su) At 2nd level a lensman paragon gains the ability to use two additional eye powers (chosen when this feature is gained) each power is usable at will. They do not gain the greater eye powers for these eye powers.
Versatile Eye II (Su) A 3rd level lensman paragon is able to use all 6 eye powers available to lensmen. In addition the lensman paragon gains the greater eye powers for 2 additional eyes.
+2 Int and Cha A 3rd level lensman paragon gains a +2 bonus to Intelligence and Charisma.