Basilisk Lair [Archive] - Wizards Community

Basilisk Lair [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rath_Robert
06-27-04, 06:03 AM What type of creatures should I avoid/use in a basilisk lair, they should start out simple (LVL 1 party to start) then get progressivly better (Until party is level 3-4). Does anyone have any advice.
kryus
06-27-04, 06:18 AM Blind dire rats.
Rath_Robert
06-27-04, 06:21 AM I was thinking along the lines of maybe Grimlocks and a few swarms of creatures, but outside of that, I'm just not sure what type of things would live amongst a basilisk.
krichaiushii
06-27-04, 08:44 AM Aside from the grimlocks (is the basilisk used as a guardian by them, or a pet, or more of a shared house-mate?), fungus and plant creatures have no eyes, nor does mold or oozes.

I don't think Darkmantles have eyes, either, for that matter. Though their darkness goes a long way towards preventing vision.

Creatures with high Fortitude saves might also share a home with a basilisk. Ogres (Fort +6) might keep their distance, but share a home - especially classed ogres.

The petrified remains of something more powerful, and a means to free it by foolish PCs...
Shifting Master
06-27-04, 09:27 AM What would really freak 'em out is a Caryatid Column from the FF...imagine one of those statues coming alive (but still a statue)! But they're about CR 10, so scratch that.
Wayward Son
06-28-04, 09:28 AM Hmmmm . . . an emancipated stone golem? :D

Seriously, it would have to be something that A> the big lizard doesn't want to eat (as in: not made of flesh), B> can't see or is otherwise immune to gaze attacks, or C> is clever enough to keep the lizard close for protection but otherwise stays out of it's way.

Oozes are good, though they would likely eat the basilisk.

Lizardfolk or kobolds might use the creature as a guardian.

Grimlocks were mentioned, as were fungus creatures.

Undead are an option, being immune to any attack requiring a Fort save (such as a basilisk's gaze). Intelligent undead might keep a few as pets.
airhead
06-28-04, 11:47 AM bats, stirges, dire bats.

Anything else use echo-location (blind-sight)
JoshRodriguez
06-28-04, 01:55 PM According to Aristotle, Basilisks often shared their domain with nature's finest creation: The robot.

No, seriously, a couple of low-level constructs would be approrpiate. The basiliks could have nested nearby the area they once protected because they tend to kill intruders without eating them. That would leave the basilisk a free meal every now and then. The same would work well for skeletons or other mindless undead.

If you want to put a bit of work into it a level 1 construct based on the Caryatid Column would be nice. Statues that come alive and attack them with crude stone weapons. It wouldn't be hard if you've got a copy of the MM handy. Just a one HD construct with standard construct abilities and maybe DR 5/Bludgeoning.
Phrennzy
06-28-04, 04:02 PM How about just making whatever BBEG a blind version of any race? I mean, he could be a blind goblin shaman, a blind bugbear monk - whatever.

I think that giving a common race a handicap that they then use to their advantage (i.e. basilisk guardians) is cool.

And one simple feat - blindfight - makes up for thier blindness. They are free to use darkness and fog spells at will (of course, this negates the basilisk).

I once had a blind mind flayer (eyes gouged out long ago by a rival) and a medusa girlfriend. They had grimlock henchmen. The illithid lacked the blind fight, but thru a telepathic link to his familiar, he could see the room and the PCs.
JoshRodriguez
06-28-04, 04:12 PM Except that a basilisk would probably EAT the goblin shaman first chance it could, blind or no. Goblins are weak and composed entirely out of delicious corn-fed Iowa beef.

It would be quite the opposite if the goblin shaman were level 5 or so. He would have the magics to keep it docile or otherwise avoid it's attention. It's up to you, man.
Phrennzy
06-28-04, 04:26 PM The goblin is a nimble little blind cuss, and lives in a section of the caves too small for the lumbering basilisk.

Um, maybe basilisks think goblins taste like :censored:

:D
Sildatorak
06-28-04, 06:15 PM For the low-level construct idea, you might want to make statues that have stats similar to zombies. Maybe with DR 5/bludgeoning and better natural armor class. Obviously they're constructs rather than undead, so that will bring a few changes, too.
SmiloDan
06-28-04, 07:51 PM Maybe use small earth elementals?
devinmdp
06-28-04, 10:04 PM Why would anything live in a lair with a unintelligent and vicious carnivore that turns things to stone. Even blind stuff as has been suggested....basilisks are still pretty nasty lizards with sharp fangs even without their petrification abilities.

Answer....nothing else should be in the basilisk lair.

Devin

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rath_Robert 06-27-04, 06:03 AM	What type of creatures should I avoid/use in a basilisk lair, they should start out simple (LVL 1 party to start) then get progressivly better (Until party is level 3-4). Does anyone have any advice.
kryus 06-27-04, 06:18 AM	Blind dire rats.
Rath_Robert 06-27-04, 06:21 AM	I was thinking along the lines of maybe Grimlocks and a few swarms of creatures, but outside of that, I'm just not sure what type of things would live amongst a basilisk.
krichaiushii 06-27-04, 08:44 AM	Aside from the grimlocks (is the basilisk used as a guardian by them, or a pet, or more of a shared house-mate?), fungus and plant creatures have no eyes, nor does mold or oozes. I don't think Darkmantles have eyes, either, for that matter. Though their darkness goes a long way towards preventing vision. Creatures with high Fortitude saves might also share a home with a basilisk. Ogres (Fort +6) might keep their distance, but share a home - especially classed ogres. The petrified remains of something more powerful, and a means to free it by foolish PCs...
Shifting Master 06-27-04, 09:27 AM	What would really freak 'em out is a Caryatid Column from the FF...imagine one of those statues coming alive (but still a statue)! But they're about CR 10, so scratch that.
Wayward Son 06-28-04, 09:28 AM	Hmmmm . . . an emancipated stone golem? :D Seriously, it would have to be something that A> the big lizard doesn't want to eat (as in: not made of flesh), B> can't see or is otherwise immune to gaze attacks, or C> is clever enough to keep the lizard close for protection but otherwise stays out of it's way. Oozes are good, though they would likely eat the basilisk. Lizardfolk or kobolds might use the creature as a guardian. Grimlocks were mentioned, as were fungus creatures. Undead are an option, being immune to any attack requiring a Fort save (such as a basilisk's gaze). Intelligent undead might keep a few as pets.
airhead 06-28-04, 11:47 AM	bats, stirges, dire bats. Anything else use echo-location (blind-sight)
JoshRodriguez 06-28-04, 01:55 PM	According to Aristotle, Basilisks often shared their domain with nature's finest creation: The robot. No, seriously, a couple of low-level constructs would be approrpiate. The basiliks could have nested nearby the area they once protected because they tend to kill intruders without eating them. That would leave the basilisk a free meal every now and then. The same would work well for skeletons or other mindless undead. If you want to put a bit of work into it a level 1 construct based on the Caryatid Column would be nice. Statues that come alive and attack them with crude stone weapons. It wouldn't be hard if you've got a copy of the MM handy. Just a one HD construct with standard construct abilities and maybe DR 5/Bludgeoning.
Phrennzy 06-28-04, 04:02 PM	How about just making whatever BBEG a blind version of any race? I mean, he could be a blind goblin shaman, a blind bugbear monk - whatever. I think that giving a common race a handicap that they then use to their advantage (i.e. basilisk guardians) is cool. And one simple feat - blindfight - makes up for thier blindness. They are free to use darkness and fog spells at will (of course, this negates the basilisk). I once had a blind mind flayer (eyes gouged out long ago by a rival) and a medusa girlfriend. They had grimlock henchmen. The illithid lacked the blind fight, but thru a telepathic link to his familiar, he could see the room and the PCs.
JoshRodriguez 06-28-04, 04:12 PM	Except that a basilisk would probably EAT the goblin shaman first chance it could, blind or no. Goblins are weak and composed entirely out of delicious corn-fed Iowa beef. It would be quite the opposite if the goblin shaman were level 5 or so. He would have the magics to keep it docile or otherwise avoid it's attention. It's up to you, man.
Phrennzy 06-28-04, 04:26 PM	The goblin is a nimble little blind cuss, and lives in a section of the caves too small for the lumbering basilisk. Um, maybe basilisks think goblins taste like :censored: :D
Sildatorak 06-28-04, 06:15 PM	For the low-level construct idea, you might want to make statues that have stats similar to zombies. Maybe with DR 5/bludgeoning and better natural armor class. Obviously they're constructs rather than undead, so that will bring a few changes, too.
SmiloDan 06-28-04, 07:51 PM	Maybe use small earth elementals?
devinmdp 06-28-04, 10:04 PM	Why would anything live in a lair with a unintelligent and vicious carnivore that turns things to stone. Even blind stuff as has been suggested....basilisks are still pretty nasty lizards with sharp fangs even without their petrification abilities. Answer....nothing else should be in the basilisk lair. Devin