Basilisk
| Lesser
| Greater
| Dracolisk
|
Climate/Terrain:
| Any land
| Any land
| Any land
|
Frequency:
| Uncommon
| Very rare
| Very rare
|
Organization:
| Solitary
| Solitary
| Solitary
|
Activity Cycle:
| Day
| Day
| Day
|
Diet:
| Carnivore
| Carnivore
| Carnivore
|
Intelligence:
| Animal (1)
| Low (5-7)
| Low to Average (5-10)
|
Treasure:
| F
| H
| C, I
|
Alignment:
| Nil
| Neutral
| Chaotic evil
|
No. Appearing:
| 1-4
| 1-7
| 1-2
|
Armor Class:
| 4
| 2
| 3
|
Movement:
| 6
| 6
| 9, Fl 15 (E)
|
Hit Dice:
| 6+1
| 10
| 7+3
|
THAC0:
| 15
| 11
| 13
|
No. of Attacks:
| 1
| 3
| 3
|
Damage/Attack:
| 1-10
| 1-6/1-6/2-16
| 1-6/1-6/3-12
|
Special Attacks:
| Gaze turns to stone
| See below
| See below
|
Special Defenses:
| Nil
| Surprised only on a 1
| Nil
|
Magic Resistance:
| Nil
| Nil
| Nil
|
Size:
| M (7' long)
| L (12' long)
| H (15-20' long)
|
Morale:
| Steady (12)
| Champion (16)
| Champion (15)
|
XP Value:
| 1,400
| 7,000
| 3,000
|
These reptilian monsters all posses a
gaze that enables them to turn any fleshy creature to stone; their gaze extends
into the Astral and Ethereal planes.
Basilisk
Although it has eight legs, its sluggish metabolism allows only a slow
movement rate. A basilisk is usually dull brown in color, with a yellowish underbelly.
Its eyes glow pale green.
Combat: While it has strong, toothy jaws, the basilisk's major weapon is its
gaze. However, if its gaze is reflected, and it sees its own eyes, it will become
petrified itself, but this requires light at least equal to bright torchlight
and a good, smooth reflector. In the Astral plane its gaze kills; in the
Ethereal plane it turns victims into ethereal stone. These will only be seen by those
in the Ethereal plane or who can see ethereal objects.
Greater Basilisk
The greater basilisk is a larger cousin of the more common reptilian horror,
the ordinary basilisk. These monsters are typically used to guard treasure.
Combat: The monster attacks by raising its upper body, striking with sharp claws, and
biting with its toothy maw. The claws carry Type K poison (saving throws vs.
poison are made with a+4 bonus). Its foul breath is also poisonous, and all
creatures, coming within 5 feet of its mouth, even if just for a moment, must roll
successful saving throws vs. poison (with a+2 bonus) or die (check each round of
exposure).
Even if a polished reflector is used under good lighting conditions, the
chance for a greater basilisk to see its own gaze and become petrified is only 10%,
unless the reflector is within 10 feet of the creature. (While its gaze weapon
is effective to 50 feet, the creature's oddly-shaped eyes are nearsighted and
it cannot see its own gaze unless it is within 10 feet.)
Dracolisk
The sages say that the dracolisk is the offspring of a rogue black dragon and
a basilisk of the largest size.
The result is a deep brown, dragon-like monster that moves with relative
quickness on six legs. It can fly, but only for short periods -- a turn or two at
most.
Combat: This horror can attack with its taloned forelegs and deliver vicious bites. In
addition, it can spit a stream of acid 5 feet wide and up to 30 feet away. The
acid causes 4d6 points of damage, half-damage if a successful saving throw vs.
breath weapon is rolled. The dracolisk can spit up to three times per day.
The eyes of a dracolisk can petrify any opponent within 20 feet if the
monster's gaze is met. Because its hooded eyes have nictating membranes, the monster
is only 10% likely to be affected by its own gaze. Opponents in melee with a
dracolisk and seeking to avoid its gaze fight with a -4 penalty to their to attack
rolls.