Expanding Your D&D Game with Unique Beholder Variants

As a fellow Gamemaster, I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to challenge my players. One of the most iconic monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons universe is the beholder—a terrifying aberration that’s been sending chills down adventurers’ spines for decades. However, sometimes the standard beholder doesn’t quite fit the bill, and that’s when variants come in handy. In this article, I’ll introduce you to a series of beholder variants that can spice up your 5th Edition campaigns, all while staying within the framework of the 5th Edition SRD.

Why Use Beholder Variants?

The core 5th Edition SRD gives us a lot to work with, but as GMs, it’s up to us to ensure that our games stay fresh and unpredictable. While the standard beholder from the Monster Manual is a powerful and deadly foe, there’s room to expand the lore of these paranoid aberrations. Beholder variants allow you to surprise your players with new abilities, new tactics, and new challenges.

In this article, we’ll explore five new beholder variants across different Challenge Ratings (CR). These creatures will be unique yet grounded in the familiar themes and mechanics of the beholder. Each variant brings something new to the table, whether it’s control over time and space, mastery over gravity, or the disturbing fusion of beholder and mind flayer.

The Eyeling (CR 1/2)

If you’re running a low-level campaign or need a beholder-type creature for an introductory session, the Eyeling fits perfectly. It’s a small aberration, not fully grown but still deadly in its own right. Unlike the more mature beholders, the Eyeling uses its limited psionic abilities to disorient and confuse enemies rather than destroy them outright.

Why Use the Eyeling?

The Eyeling can serve as a precursor to a larger, more sinister plot involving adult beholders. Because it’s only CR 1/2, it’s ideal for low-level adventurers who need a taste of what’s to come. The Eyeling’s disorienting and vertigo-inducing rays add tactical depth to early combat encounters, forcing players to think creatively.

Abilities Overview

• The Disorienting Ray imposes disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, a useful ability to soften up adventurers.
• The Vertigo Ray can slow down faster PCs, hindering their movement and adding tension to the fight.

This creature can easily be slotted into a variety of campaign settings. In my own games, I’ve used the Eyeling as a scout for larger, more dangerous beholders, or as a creature accidentally conjured by a failed summoning spell. You can reference its stats within the context of the 5th Edition SRD, focusing on how these rays parallel the core rules for spell-like effects.

The Glimmerkin (CR 3)

When you need a mid-level threat that’s a bit more interesting than standard monsters, the Glimmerkin offers something unique. It’s a beholder that has adapted to live in bioluminescent environments, using light and radiant energy as both its defense and offense. Its dazzling rays and blinding abilities make it a tactical challenge for adventurers.

Why Use the Glimmerkin?

The 5th Edition SRD provides basic rules for blinding and charming effects, but the Glimmerkin takes these mechanics further. Its Dazzling Ray blinds players temporarily, allowing it to hover just out of reach while its Charm Ray can manipulate even the most stalwart adventurer.

Abilities Overview

• The Flare Ray deals radiant damage, a type not often resisted by players, making it more dangerous.
• Blinding Pulse, a recharge ability, can shut down an entire group of adventurers if they fail their saves, adding another layer of tension to combat.

The Glimmerkin works great in environments like caves or underground temples, where the players have to deal with both physical terrain and the creature’s control over light. In my campaigns, I’ve used the Glimmerkin as a guardian for an ancient, glowing artifact, weaving it into the lore of my world. Consider referencing the SRD’s rules on radiant damage and conditions when introducing this monster.

The Gravemaker (CR 7)

The Gravemaker is for campaigns where the stakes are a little higher, and the players are experienced enough to handle a real threat. This beholder variant has control over gravity and earth, making it a natural guardian for ancient ruins or subterranean dungeons.

Why Use the Gravemaker?

The Gravemaker’s abilities are unique but align with the core 5th Edition SRD mechanics for environmental hazards. Its Gravitational Crush can shape the battlefield, while its Petrification Ray gives adventurers a real sense of urgency as they risk being turned to stone.

Abilities Overview

• Gravitational Crush forces Strength saves, a lesser-used save in many campaigns, giving physically weaker characters a greater challenge.
• The Petrification Ray ties into the SRD’s petrification rules, offering a more drawn-out, suspenseful encounter compared to instant-death abilities.

The Gravemaker encourages tactical movement in combat. As a GM, I like to emphasize terrain and movement, and this variant is perfect for that style of play. You can easily tie its petrification ability into the existing rules for petrifying creatures from the SRD.

The Warpseer (CR 9)

When your players are ready for something that messes with their heads—literally—the Warpseer is a fantastic choice. This beholder variant has the ability to manipulate space and time, making it a more cerebral enemy. It forces players to think about how their actions affect the battlefield over time.

Why Use the Warpseer?

Time-based and teleportation effects can be tricky to implement, but the Warpseer’s mechanics are based on existing rules in the 5th Edition SRD. Its Time Ray acts like the slow spell, while its Displacement Ray adds chaotic movement to the battlefield.

Abilities Overview

• The Time Ray can slow players, reducing their options in combat and forcing them to plan several steps ahead.
• The Aging Ray is a particularly nasty effect, dealing heavy necrotic damage with the flavor of rapidly aging the target.

I’ve used the Warpseer as the guardian of a forbidden library, where it manipulates time itself to prevent intruders from accessing dangerous knowledge. You can easily integrate this variant into your campaign, especially if your players are used to typical beholder tactics and need a fresh challenge.

The Sovereign Beholder (CR 16)

Finally, we have the Sovereign Beholder, a fusion of a beholder and a mind flayer. This is a true end-game monster, perfect for challenging high-level parties. The Sovereign Beholder combines the psychic powers of a mind flayer with the physical and magical prowess of a beholder, creating a devastating hybrid.

Why Use the Sovereign Beholder?

At CR 16, this monster is designed to push your players to their limits. The Sovereign Beholder’s Psionic Blast and Mindflay Ray are designed to incapacitate or dominate players, forcing them to make tough decisions. The rules for psionic abilities and mind control are well-established in the 5th Edition SRD, so you won’t need to introduce complex homebrew mechanics.

Abilities Overview

• The Psionic Blast forces Intelligence saves, which many characters will find challenging, adding tension to the encounter.
• The Mindflay Ray allows the Sovereign Beholder to dominate multiple enemies, potentially turning the tide of battle.

The origin story for the Sovereign Beholder is one of power and paranoia. In my games, I’ve used it as the final boss for a campaign arc, where the players must stop this creature from enslaving both beholders and mind flayers alike. Its mastery over psionic energy makes it an incredibly dangerous foe, and its lair should reflect its warped vision of reality. You can easily reference the 5th Edition SRD rules for psionic abilities, mind control, and legendary actions to run this epic encounter.

Conclusion

These beholder variants offer new ways to challenge your players and keep them on their toes. Whether you’re introducing the Eyeling as a low-level threat or the Sovereign Beholder as an epic campaign villain, each of these monsters adds depth and tactical variety to your encounters. By building on the solid framework of the 5th Edition SRD, these beholders stay familiar while providing fresh, exciting mechanics.

Feel free to adapt these creatures to your own settings, and always be mindful of how their abilities interact with the environments you place them in. I hope these variants inspire you to create memorable encounters that your players will talk about for years to come!