The Basilisk of Salazar Slytherin


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I'm only a moderate Harry Potter fan, but I thought its basilisk was a really cool critter. I mean, it's a giant snake that kills you with its gaze. Or turns you to stone just when you're thinking, "Ha! I'm not really looking at it!" What's not to love? Thus I've done some stats. Enjoy.

Note these are intended to reflect the basilisk's status as a top predator in the D&D universe rather than Harry Potter's. In the latter setting it would have a lower CR than 17, and wouldn't sport many of the qualities (resistances, immunities, and so on) this version has.

Basilisk CR 17
XP 102,400

CE Colossal magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +24
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Defense
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AC 32, touch 4, flat-footed 30 (+2 Dex, +28 natural, -8 size)
hp 294 (19d10+190); fast healing 20
Fort +21, Ref +13, Will +10
DR 15/magic and silver; Immune mind-affecting effects, poison; Resist acid 20, cold 20, fire 20; SR 28
Weaknesses vulnerability to rooster calls, vulnerability to serpentkind
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee 2 bites +29 (6d8+17 plus grab and poison), tail slap +28 (4d6+8 plus grab)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (4d8+17), death gaze
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Statistics
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Str 44, Dex 14, Con 30, Int 3, Wis 18, Cha 16
Base Atk +19; CMB +44 (+48 grapple); CMD 56 (can't be tripped)
Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +29, Perception +24, Swim +29
SQ compression, swift strike
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Ecology
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Environment underground
Organization solitary
Treasure incidental
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Special Abilities
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Death Gaze (Su) 100 damage, range 60 feet, Fort DC 29 reduces to 3d6+10. Nonhumanoids and humanoids that meet a basilisk's gaze indirectly (such as in a reflective surface or through water) are instead turned to stone permanently (as flesh to stone). Nonhumanoids that meet a basilisk's gaze indirectly are dazed for 1 round. This is a death and petrification effect.

Poison (Ex) Bite – injury; save Fort DC 29; frequency 1/round for 10 rounds; effect 1d6 Con drain and slowed (as the spell) for 1 round; cure 3 consecutive saves. Administering the tears of a phoenix or outsider with the good subtype to a victim instantly heals all Constitution drain and breaks any slow effect caused by the poison. Stored tears can be administered as a potion, or such a creature itself can shed its tears as a standard action.

Swift Strike (Ex) When a basilisk takes a full-attack action, it can make two bite attacks instead of just one.

Vulnerability to Serpentkind (Ex) A basilisk is susceptible to mind-affecting effects that originate from intelligent creatures of serpentine descent (such as nagas or sorcerers with the serpentine bloodline).

Vulnerability to Rooster Calls (Ex) A basilisk that hears a rooster call takes 20d6 damage and must make a DC 25 Will save or be frightened for 1 round. A basilisk that hears a false call (such as one produced by an illusion) does not take this damage, but can still be frightened. A basilisk can only be affected by a rooster call once per round.


I think I might be inclined to use this instead of the basilisk presented in the Bestiary. Mostly because I like the giant snake versus eight legged lizard. It would make a great pet monster for a Serpentfolk BBEG.

Oh, one thing though. I don't know about cold resistance. I mean, it is a giant reptile, and that would make it cold-blooded. As such, I think that cold based spells would be the way to go on defeating it. Could swap that for Electricity Resistance.


Making the saving throw against Death Gaze should make you immune to the death effect for 24 hours, to keep it in line with other instant-death effects.

The ability description should also list the DC for the saving throw against the Flesh to Stone effect (unless it's the same as the death effect, though it should still be noted).

The Exchange

Y'know, this strikes me like it might be a sub-species of linnorm...

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