Basilisk

Basilisk (CR 8)

Neutral - Medium - Magical Beast

Lore:	Know (Arcana)
15		31
Basic DC		Full DC

Initiative

13

Perception:
27	+17
Passive	Active

Ambush:

10+

on a d20

Senses:

• Standard Senses

Movement Types:

• Walk 30 ft.

Defense

AC

25

Man Def

25

Monster Health
146	73	13
Hit Points	Bloodied	Hit Dice

Saving Throws
Fort:	+10
Refl:	+7
Will:	+5

Strong Against:

Weak Against:

Offense

Size:	Medium
5 ft.		5 ft.
Space		Reach

To-Hit

+13

Man Off

+12

Action

0

Points

Standard Attack (Melee):

• 1x Basilisk's Bite +13 (2d10+9/x2)
  as crushing (physical, common)

Full Attack (Melee):

• 1x Basilisk's Bite +13 (2d10+9/x2)
  as crushing (physical, common)

Standard Attack (Ranged):

• 1x Stoning Gaze +18 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die) (2d10+9/x2)
  as positive (energy, uncommon)
  (Increment: 30 ft.; Max Range: 300 ft.)
  plus Petrification

Full Attack (Ranged):

• 3x Stoning Gaze +18 vs. AC (always hits on a 17+ on the die) (2d10+9/x2)
  as positive (energy, uncommon)
  (Increment: 30 ft.; Max Range: 300 ft.)
  plus Petrification

Siege Damage: Not siege capable

Statistics

16

STR

12

DEX

14

CON

2

INT

14

WIS

12

CHA

Skills:

• Perception: 17
• Stealth: 15
• All other skills: 8 (no ranks)

Languages:

Feats:

• Precise Shot (EFFECT: No penalty for shooting into melee at any range.)
• Point-Blank Master (EFFECT: Do not provoke attacks of opportunity while firing one ranged projectile weapon)

Special Abilities

Stoning Gaze (Su) Standard Action

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. When it hits, stoning gaze inflicts normal ranged attack damage (2d10+9) points of positive (energy, uncommon) damage, and the target must make a saving throw against Petrification (see below). Despite using positive energy, Stoning Gaze may never be used for healing purposes.

Petrification (Sp) Automatic after successful 'Stoning Gaze'

Creatures struck by a basilisk's Stoning Gaze suffer the effects of the attack, as above. They then must make a Fort save versus a DC of 19. 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 a basilisk's Stoning Gaze while Torpid, they must make a new Fort save each time, DC 19, or they gain the Entangled condition until the end of the encounter. If they are struck again by the Gaze and fail a save (same DC) 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 do not die, but are instead Petrified without benefit of save, and have 1 hit point. Petrification is a spell-like ability, 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.

Basilisk

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.

Combat Tactics

Basilisks 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 point blank master 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.

Out of Combat

There is a small but lucrative trade in Basilisk Eggs, and it is not uncommon to find Basilisks as pets, guardians, and watchdogs in less pleasant parts of the world. Few things will drive home how powerful a crime lord is like draping a pet Basilisk over the back of their chair during negotiations.

Rewards

XP: 4,800

Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 3,875 gp.

Weight: 80 lbs.     Volume: 3.2 cu. ft.

Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.

Table 1: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 10	Nothing Found
11 - 14	1 Languid Remnant (tier 1)
15 - 17	1 Pale Remnant (tier 2)
18 - 19	1 Bright Remnant (tier 3)
20	Roll on Table 2
###	Nothing to see here!
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 2: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Languid Remnants (tier 1)
6 - 10	3 Pale Remnants (tier 2)
11 - 14	1 Intense Remnant (tier 4)
15 - 17	1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5)
18 - 19	1 Vital Remnant (tier 6)
20	Roll on Table 3
###	Or here. Move along.

Table 3: Remnant(s) Found
1 - 5	3 Bright Remnants (tier 3)
6 - 8	3 Intense Remnants (tier 4)
9 - 11	3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5)
12 - 14	3 Vital Remnants (tier 6)
15 - 17	1 Prime Remnant (tier 7)
18 - 19	1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8)
20	1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9)