Basilisk

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Basilisk (CR 8)

The basilisk, often called the “King of Serpents,” is not really a serpent at all, but rather a two-legged semi-slithering reptile with a nasty disposition and the ability to turn creatures to stone with its gaze. Folklore holds that, much like the cockatrice, the first basilisks hatched from eggs laid by snakes and incubated by roosters, but little in the basilisk's frankly weird physiology supports this claim.

Basilisks live in nearly any terrestrial environment, from forest to swamp to arctic to desert, and their hides tend to match and reflect their surroundings —- a desert-dwelling basilisk might be tan or brown, while one that lives in a forest could be dappled green. They tend to make their lairs in caves, ravines, dungeons, and arroyos, and often infest ruins and sewers. Basilisks are quite comfortable living in cities with humanoid races, and their considerable stealth and sluggish habits make them eerily effective at remaining undetected.

Basilisks, amazingly enough, can be tamed as guard creatures quite well if they are raised from eggs. Hooding their deadly eyes makes them into surprisingly affectionate and very loyal pets.

GENERAL

CR 8 Hit Dice 12

XP 4,800

N, Medium, Magical Beast

Init +4; Senses low-light 120ft, Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 17, flat-footed 21 (+5 armor, +6 dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection)

hp 125

Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +7

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: -

Immunities: -

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Bite +14 (2d8+1/x2)

Full Melee Bite +14 (2d8+1/x2)

Ranged Stoning Gaze +8 Ranged Touch (2d8+2), range increment 30 feet, + Petrification

Full Ranged 2x Stoning Gaze +8 Ranged Touch (2d8+2), range increment 30 feet, + Petrification

Special Attacks Petrification

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 12

Base Atk +8; CMB +13; CMD 23

Feats Precise Shot, Nimble Shot (applied to eyes)

Skills Stealth +14

Languages -

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Stoning Gaze (Su)

Stoning Gaze is a ranged touch attack that is treated as a ray. Stoning Gaze may be used in melee without provoking attacks of opportunity (due to Nimble Shot). When it hits, stoning gaze inflicts 2d8+2 of untyped energy damage, and the target must make a saving throw against Petrification (see below). Stoning Gaze does no extra damage on critical hits.

Petrification (Sp)

Creatures struck by a basilisk's Stoning Gaze must make a Fort save versus a DC of 18. Those who succeed suffer no further ill effects. Those who fail their save gain the Torpid condition until the end of the encounter and are placed at risk. If they are struck again by the basilisk's Stoning Gaze while Torpid, they must make a new Fort save each time, DC 18, or they gain the Entangled condition until the end of the encounter. If they are struck again by the Gaze and fail a save while Entangled, they become Petrified, which is a permanent condition until cured.

If a creature is reduced to zero hit points or fewer by Stoning Gaze damage, they are immediately Petrified without benefit of save.

Petrification is treated as a spell-like effect, in that it can be resisted with Spell Resistance, but since it is delivered via Stoning Gaze, which is a supernatural ability, no concentration checks are ever required.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 3,250 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Basilisk's are near-perfect ambush predators. They will hide themselves near a place where prey passes frequently, and then simply fall asleep. Their slow, magical metabolism will sustain them for weeks at a time, and every now and then, when they feel safe, they will attack from surprise with their deadly pale-green eye rays.

By far, a basilisk's best weapons are its eyes. In combat, basilisks will back away steadily, zapping enemies with Stoning Gaze. They will always prefer to use their Stoning Gaze, and their precise shot and nimble shot abilities mean they can use their deadly gaze in melee. They must still use their bite attack for attacks of opportunity. If they can, they will end the fight at range, and then move in to consume their stoned victims wherever they lie.