Beholderkin Hive Mother (CR 16)

Huge Aberration
Alignment: Usually lawful evil
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., Listen +28, and Spot +32
Languages: Beholder and Common, and speak numerous other local languages as well


AC: 35 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +25 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 33
Hit Dice: 20d8+120 (210 hp)
Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +17
Speed: 5 ft., fly 20 ft. (good)
Space: 15 ft./10 ft.
Base Attack +15; Grapple +30
Attack: Eye rays +15 ranged touch and bite +20 melee
Full Attack: Eye rays +15 ranged touch and bite +20 melee
Damage: Bite 2d6+10
Special Attacks/Actions: Command beholder, eye rays, improved grab, swallow whole
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 21, Wis 17, Cha 25
Special Qualities: antimagic cone, flight
Feats: Alertness; Disjunction Ray; Flyby Attack; Focused Antimagic; Great Fortitude; Improved Initiative; Improved Natural Attack (bite); Iron Will
Skills: Hide +17, Intimidate +30, Knowledge (any two) +28, Listen +28, Search +32, Spot +32, and Survival +3 (+5 following tracks)
Advancement: 21-30 HD (Huge); 31-50 HD (Gargantuan); 51-60 HD (Colossal)
Climate/Terrain: Cold hills
Organization: Solitary, hive (1 hive mother plus 3-6 beholders plus 2-4 directors), or city (1 hive mother plus 1-3 overseers plus 10-20 beholders plus 3-10 directors and 20-40 slaves, usually bugbears, gnolls, ogres, or minotaurs)
Treasure/Possessions: Triple standard

Source: Lords of Madness

Command Beholder (Sp): A hive mother can use dominate monster at will as a spell-like ability (caster level 20th), but only against beholders and beholderkin. A beholder can resist this effect with a successful DC 27 Will saving throw. This is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.

Hive mothers are immune to the command beholder ability of other hive mothers.

If a hive mother loses control of a dominated beholder (as is the case if a dominated beholder is in the antimagic cone of another beholder), the hive mother immediately senses the loss of control, and knows the position and distance to the beholder at the time control was lost. If control does not return within a few rounds, the hive mother seeks out the rogue beholder to investigate and possibly punish it.

Eye Rays (Su): Each of a hive mother's ten small eyes can produce a magical ray once per round as a free action. Hive mothers can rotate and adjust their position with much greater speed and skill than normal beholders, and they can aim up to six eye rays at targets in any given 90-degree arc. A beholderkin of any kind can tilt and pan its body each round to change which rays it can bring to bear in any given arc. Each eye's effect follows the rules for a ray. Each eye's effect resembles a spell (caster level 20th). Each ray has a range of 240 feet and a save DC of 27. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

The ten eye rays include:

Swallow Whole (Ex): A hive mother can try to swallow a grabbed opponent that is at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once swallowed, the opponent takes 2d8+7 points of crushing damage plus 2d8 points of acid damage per round from the hive mother's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cur its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (Armor Class 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way our. A Huge hive mother's gizzard can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, or 32 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Antimagic Cone (Su): A hive mother's central eye continually produces a 240-foot cone of antimagic. This functions just like antimagic field (caster level 20th). All magical and supernatural powers and effects within the cone are suppressed - even the hive mother's own eye rays. Once each round, during its turn, the hive mother decides whether the antimagic cone is active or not (the hive mother deactivates the cone by shutting its central eye).

Flight (Ex): A hive mother's body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 20 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feat her fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

All-Around Vision (Ex): Beholderkin are exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 on Search and Spot checks, and they can't be flanked.

Hive mothers prefer to let their minions do the fighting, but when drawn into combat, they fight in a manner similar to beholders. Against smaller opponents that don't seem to present a threat, a hive mother approaches to melee range to eat its foes alive.