This is something of a fork from the 5e Toolkit thread. Inspired by comments by both @Lanefan and @MarkCMG and wandering musing, as I am want to do, by yours truly.
Let's make a Manual of Monsters Starter Kit. Assume you have never played the game before. What monsters are essential to get a rounded feel/flavor for a fantasy gaming world?
In a very basic starting set for a fantasy RPG game a la D&D, what 'monsters' (this includes mundane animals) would you think worthy to make the cut for providing a solid and varied introduction to the creatures of the game/genre.
Also, who would you give access of their stats to, the players via entries in the Players manual or the DM via a monster's section in the DM's manual?
I recall, in the Basic and Expert sets, the monster section was about half of the DM's book. Mark made the suggestion that players might have access to animals/mundane creatures which makes sense to me, as these would be creatures the PCs would/could have had regular contact with, domesticated animals, common predators (like wolves), etc. Makes sense the PCs would know about these kinds of creatures and the 'magical'/otherworldly type things be the purview of the DM..
I also recall, from the Basic (Red) book in particular, that a great deal of 'Monster' entires were normal animals (and/or their 'giant' types. That's what we called 'em in yon days of yore, before anyone ever heard of a 'Dire' anything..I think 'Dire Wolves' came about first, but I can't remember where they appeared..well, ANYwho..)
So, let's say, 20 'normal' animals (varieties may be included as a single entry. i.e. 'Cat' could include domestic, puma, tiger, etc.. and giant/dire versions of each. So it would only count as 1.)
..and, let's start with 20 'monsters'/magical/not-real-world creatures. Again, variants of types (different dragons, for example) could all be included as a single entry.
*Threadmaker's note: If you want to think in terms of a '5e set', fine, but edition is not really the point here. So let's not make it one. Please and thank you.
Look forward to all thoughts. Have fun and happy menagerie-ing.
--Steel Dragons
In 5e's version of the flesh to stone spell, if the spell is maintained for the full minute duration, the effect (petrification) lasts until 'removed'.
How can this petrification be removed?
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$endgroup$4 Answers
$begingroup$Petrified is a condition, like sickened or poisoned. Many spells can remove harmful conditions — Greater Restoration lists petrification. It is currently the only one, short of Wish.
Wish can either emulate Greater Restoration directly (its 'duplicate a spell' functionality), or as part of a greater effect healing all hit points and removing all conditions that Greater Restoration can, on up to twenty creatures all in one go (at some cost to the caster).
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$endgroup$$begingroup$The 5e Monster Manual notes that Basilisk stomach acid is useful in potions of stone to flesh so… there's that. It's just a narrative hook at the moment, but perhaps the DMG will flesh that out further (or maybe they'll just leave that as an exercise for the DM, which would be fine since it's pretty easy to guess what that potion does).
D&d 5e Basilisk Egg
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MEPMEP
$endgroup$$begingroup$Petrified is a condition, there are currently two spells that remove it. Greater Restoration as mentioned here, and Wish, the 9th level spell.
Usually there are also consumables (potions/salves/oils) that will remove petrification, however we have not seen any of those yet (we'll likely see them with the DMG though). You can also make it a plot element to find someone who can remove petrification.
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$endgroup$$begingroup$Outside of the Restoration and Wish spells, and the acid from a Basilisk stomach, there is also the cockatrice feathers that can be transformed to a balm that you apply on a person who was petrified within the last 24h (MM p. 42).
The main problem here is.. you need to find the cockatrice within those 24h because the balm has to be made from fresh feathers. So this is probably not an easy one to perform (especially if you have to carry the statue of your friend without breaking it..)
Tutankhamun british museum 2019. Maybe if you were to capture a live cockatrice and keep it around while you are adventuring.
Alexis WilkeAlexis WilkeBasilisk 5e Monster Manual Free Pdf
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$endgroup$protected by doppelgreener♦Jan 4 at 11:01
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Basilisks are reptilian predators native to a wide range of climates and environments. Each variety of basilisk has a deadly gaze attack: though the exact effects vary from one species to the next, few people would want to meet a basilisk eye-to-eye. Basilisks are sometimes given an undeserved reputation for being evil or cruel creatures; in truth, they are no more malicious than other predatory beasts like bears or snakes.
- 1Frost-Eye Basilisk
- 2Cinder-Eye Basilisk
- 3Abyssal Basilisk
Frost-Eye Basilisk[edit]
File:FrostEyeBasilisk.jpgA female frost-eye basilisk, with its distinctive summer coloration. Image by Wayne Reynolds
This variety of basilisk is found primarily in regions that are cold year-round, particularly favoring those with heavy snow and ice. Males have pure white scales along their back and tail, with the slightest hint of blue along their stomach. Females possess white scales only during the winter months: they shed these in favor of brilliant blue scales during the summer in order to help them attract potential mates. Both genders are equally aggressive and will attack almost anything that crosses their paths. Frost-eyes are typically solitary creatures except during the mating season, but these basilisks have been known to gather in small cooperative packs, particularly when food is scarce: this behavior allows them to hunt much larger game that they could not otherwise take down, opening up additional sources of sustenance.
Level 11 Artillery | ||
---|---|---|
Large natural beast (reptile) XP 600 | ||
Initiative +10 | SensesPerception +11 | |
HP 93; Bloodied 46 | ||
AC 23; Fortitude 24, Reflex 24, Will 21 | ||
Resist 15 cold | ||
Speed 6 (ice walk), climb 4 | ||
Standard Actions | ||
Bite (at-will) | ||
Attack:Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 10 damage. | ||
Shatterfrost (at-will) ♦ Cold | ||
Attack:Ranged 10 (one creature); +16 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 10 cold damage (4d6 + 15 cold damage if the target is frozen), and the target is no longer frozen. | ||
Freezing Gaze (recharge ) ♦ Cold, Gaze | ||
Attack:Areaburst 3 within 10 (creatures within burst); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: 3d8 + 10 cold damage, and the target is frozen (save ends). A frozen creature is restrained and has vulnerability 5 cold. | ||
AlignmentUnaligned | Languages -- | |
SkillsStealth +12 | ||
Str 13 (+6) | Dex 20 (+10) | Wis 13 (+6) |
Con 21 (+10) | Int 2 (+1) | Cha 8 (+4) |
Frost-Eye Basilisk Tactics[edit]
A frost-eye basilisk initiates combat by using freezing gaze, attempting to hit as many foes as possible. It then targets frozen enemies with shatterfrost one at a time until all of them have broken free; it then repeats this strategy once its gaze is available again. Frost-eyes prefer to strike from hiding, particularly among icy mountains or other steep natural structures where they can climb out of reach of most predators and use their ranged abilities without fear of retaliation.
Frost-Eye Basilisk Lore[edit]
A character knows the following information with a successful skill check.
- Nature DC 20: Although frost-eyes are one of the weaker species of true basilisks, they are still deadly predators that are known to inhabit some of the coldest regions of the world. Their white scales allow them to blend flawlessly with the snowy regions that make up their favored environments; a frost-eye will bury itself partially in the snow and lie in wait until potential prey approaches, then quickly overwhelm the hapless victim with its icy glare. Most inhabitants of the regions where frost-eyes live know not to leave their homes when visibility is low due to inclement weather, for the chance of accidentally stumbling across a basilisk in such conditions is exceptionally high. These basilisks are sometimes hunted as a valuable resource: their blood is a natural insulator that can help protect against the cold when smeared on one's skin, their scales are strong enough to be turned into armor, and their meat, while it tastes something like burnt leather, is high in nutrients.
- Religion DC 20: Some northern tribes of barbarians and shamans revere the frost-eye basilisk as a great hunting spirit. To these people, the frost-eye represents the penultimate tundra hunter: a creature that is both powerful and cunning, patient and fearless. So esteemed is the basilisk that it is standard tradition in some cultures to offer a portion of every meal as a ritual sacrifice to the spirit of these basilisks, in the hope that the creature will bestow a portion of its ferocity upon the tribe's warriors.
- Nature DC 25: There are legends of an immense white basilisk the size of a dragon, which is said to sleep beneath the mountains of the world's northernmost reaches. According to these legends this basilisk has existed since before the war between the primordials and the gods, and it is from this single creature that all other basilisks were eventually spawned. The truth of these tales is highly debated, as no evidence of such a creature has ever been found. Nonetheless, adventurer and scholar alike sometimes set off in search of this creature, but all have returned home empty-handed. Skeptics are quick to point out that if the 'great white basilisk' ever really did exist, it is likely that it was actually a dragon of some sort, or that its size was greatly exaggerated by those who reported their encounter with it.
Cinder-Eye Basilisk[edit]
One of the lesser varieties of cinder-eye basilisk. Image by Scott Fischer
Cinder-eyes favor warm climates, but can be found in nearly any region of the world. Their bodies are covered with very fine scales that are typically dark orange or brownish-red. Like most basilisks, their backs are covered in short, rigid spines; these serve primarily to help regulate the creature's body temperature rather than to ward off predators. Males are slightly larger than females (the difference is small enough to go unnoticed by casual observers) but there is otherwise little difference between the two genders. A more powerful variety of cinder-eyes, known as fireguts, are actually elemental creatures. They are largely identical to their more mundane cousins, but typically possess brighter coloration.
Cinder-Eye Basilisk Level 13 Brute | ||
---|---|---|
XP 800 | ||
Initiative +7 | SensesPerception +13 | |
HP 163; Bloodied 81 | ||
AC 25; Fortitude 28, Reflex 22, Will 23 | ||
Resist 15 fire | ||
Speed 6 | ||
Standard Actions | ||
Bite (at-will) | ||
Attack:Melee 1 (one creature); +18 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 18 damage. | ||
Burning Gaze (at-will) ♦ Fire, Gaze | ||
Attack:Closeblast 3 (creatures in blast); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d10 + 18 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). | ||
Triggered Actions | ||
Ragefire Blood (at-will) ♦ Fire | ||
Trigger (Immediate Reaction): The cinder-eye basilisk is hit by an attack while bloodied. Effect:Closeburst 2 (creatures in burst); each creature in the burst takes 10 fire damage, and the cinder-eye basilisk takes an extra 5 damage from the triggering attack. A cinder-eye basilisk cannot choose to forgo the use of this ability. | ||
AlignmentUnaligned | Languages -- | |
Str 26 (+14) | Dex 12 (+7) | Wis 14 (+8) |
Con 23 (+12) | Int 2 (+2) | Cha 8 (+5) |
![Basilisk 5e Monster Manual Basilisk 5e Monster Manual](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123718110/204208863.jpg)
Cinder-Eye Firegut Level 15 Artillery | ||
---|---|---|
XP 1,200 | ||
Initiative +15 | SensesPerception +14 | |
HP 120; Bloodied 60 | ||
AC 27; Fortitude 29, Reflex 30, Will 24 | ||
Resist 30 fire | ||
Speed 6 | ||
Traits | ||
Pyre's Glow ♦ Aura 5 | ||
The aura provides dim light within its area. | ||
Fire-eater ♦ Mount | ||
While the cinder-eye firegut has a friendly rider of 15th level or higher mounted on it, the rider gains resistfire 10 (if the rider already has resist fire, increase it by 5 instead). In addition, the rider can coat his weapons or ammunition in the firegut's flaming spit as a free action, causing all damage dealt by that weapon or ammunition to be fire damage until the end of the rider's next turn. | ||
Standard Actions | ||
Fiery Bite (at-will) ♦ Fire | ||
Attack:Melee 1 (one creature); +22 vs. AC Hit: 1d10 + 12 fire damage. | ||
Viscous Flamespit (recharge ) ♦ Fire | ||
Attack:Ranged 10 (one creature); +20 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d8 + 12 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
| ||
Burning Gaze (at-will) ♦ Fire, Gaze | ||
Attack:Closeblast 3 (creatures in blast); +18 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d10 + 18 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). | ||
AlignmentUnaligned | Languages -- | |
Str 18 (+11) | Dex 27 (+15) | Wis 14 (+9) |
Con 24 (+14) | Int 2 (+3) | Cha 8 (+6) |
Carrying Capacity 225 lb. (normal); 450 lb. (heavy); 1,125 lb. (push/drag) | ||
Market Price 25,000 gp |
Cinder-Eye Basilisk Tactics[edit]
A cinder-eye basilisk is not a brilliant tactician; it simply wades into the thick of combat, using burning gaze if there are multiple enemies in range or simply biting the nearest target if there are not. Once it is bloodied and begins using ragefire blood, it attempts to stay adjacent to as many foes as possible. A cinder-eye basilisk may attempt to flee when it is first reduced to one-quarter of its health (40 hit points), but if its enemy pursues then it fights to the death.
Fireguts fight with a bit more finesse, but are equally simple-minded in their approach. They attempt to stay a few squares away from their quarry, loosing viscous flamespit whenever it is available to strike at foes who continually move out of range of its other abilities. It moves in closer to use burning gaze repeatedly until it can spit again, then retreats back to maximum range. Riders typically keep their firegut mounts out of the fray as often as possible, relying on their own ranged attacks to augment the basilisk's flamespit.
Cinder-Eye Basilisk Lore[edit]
A character knows the following information with a successful skill check.
- Nature DC 20: Cinder-eyes are a species of basilisk originally native to the Elemental Chaos, though they were brought into the world at some unknown time and have lost much of their connection to their home plane. Their gaze can ignite most flammable materials, including living creatures, and even their blood is hot enough to cause severe burns. Those specimens adapted to living in the world have an unusual and crippling mutation: when badly wounded, the basilisk's veins begin spraying blood out of the creature's body with surprising force. While this is effective at warding off predators (few creatures enjoy being doused in searing blood), the basilisk has no means to control it, and may very well die from blood loss as a result. This mutation is thought to be a result of the basilisk's body adapting to the material world without having fully shed its elemental nature.
- Because they cannot fully control their fiery abilities, cinder-eyes can be a major hazard to heavily wooded areas and have been known to inadvertently start massive forest fires capable of destroying many miles of natural habitat. Those who make their homes within the wild places of the world (most notably eladrin and elves) as well as those who view themselves as guardians of nature (such as druids) will often either slay or attempt to relocate any cinder-eyes they encounter to other areas where the basilisk is less likely to cause problems.
- Arcana DC 25: Fireguts are a more powerful variety of cinder-eyes that either remained within the Elemental Chaos or, in rare cases, managed to retain their elemental nature even after countless generations of breeding in the natural world. As such, they can be thought of as the purebreds of the species. Because they fully retain their elemental nature, fireguts have greater control over their abilities: they do not suffer the mutation of their lesser kin and instead possess the ability to lob a ball of flaming saliva from their mouth that adheres to the unfortunate victim as it burns into its body. Fireguts are prized as mounts by azer and other elemental races; they are surprisingly easy to train, and as long as they are treated well and regularly fed they become fiercely protective of their handlers (presumably because the firegut recognizes the handler as the source of its food, a commodity that is otherwise scarce within the Elemental Chaos).
Abyssal Basilisk[edit]
The altered form of an abyssal basilisk is unmistakable. Image by Todd Lockwood
These reptilian creatures have been corrupted by the chaotic energies of the the Abyss -- and their bodies show it. The upper half of an abyssal basilisk's back is covered in long, slender spines that slowly regress and turn into flat bony plates towards the creature's tail. Its face is similarly adorned, with its tiny glowing eyes staring out from between hardened bone. Its mouth is a mass of needle-like fangs, and from time to time elemental energy can be seen spewing from deep within the creatures maw: black shards of ice, licks of white flame, bolts of purple lightning, and bubbling green acid.
Abyssal Basilisk Level 18 Elite Controller | ||
---|---|---|
XP 4,000 | ||
Initiative +17 | SensesPerception +11 | |
HP 352; Bloodied 176 | ||
AC 32; Fortitude 31, Reflex 32, Will 27 | ||
Saving Throws +2 | ||
Speed 6 | ||
Action Points 1 | ||
Traits | ||
Planar Rift ♦ Aura 5 | ||
Requirement: The abyssal basilisk must be bloodied. Effect: Creatures in the aura at the start of the abyssal basilisk's turn take 10 points of damage and slide to the nearest unoccupied square outside of the aura. | ||
Standard Actions | ||
Chaos Bite (standard; at-will) ♦ Varies | ||
Roll a d4 to determine chaos bite's effect. Acidmaw Bite:Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC; 2d8 + 7 acid damage, and ongoing 10 acid damage (save ends). Deathfrost Bite:Melee 1 (one creature); +22 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 7 cold and necrotic damage, and the target has vulnerability 10 cold and necrotic (save ends both). Firefrenzy Bite:Melee 1 (two creatures); +23 vs. AC; 2d8 + 7 fire damage. Stormfury Bite:Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC; 2d8 + 14 lightning and thunder damage. | ||
Soulfire Gaze (standard; at-will) ♦ Fire, Gaze, Necrotic | ||
Attack:Closeblast 5 (enemies in blast); +20 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d10 + 14 fire and necrotic damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). | ||
Stare Into the Abyss (recharge ) ♦ Fire, Gaze, Necrotic, Zone | ||
Requirement: The abyssal basilisk must be bloodied. Effect: The abyssal basilisk makes a soulfire gaze attack. If the attack hits at least one target, then the attack's area also creates a zone — a localized planar rift straight to the Abyss. Creatures that enter the zone or begin their turn there take 10 points of damage and are pulled 2 squares towards the zone's center. If a creature enters the zone's center-most square through any means, it takes 20 points of damage and is teleported 10 squares in a random direction. | ||
Minor Actions | ||
Vile Glare (at-will 1/round) ♦ Fear, Gaze, Necrotic | ||
Attack:Ranged 10 (one creature); +22 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 14 necrotic damage, and the target takes a –2 penalty to all defenses until the end of the abyssal basilisk's next turn. | ||
Triggered Actions | ||
Variable Resistance (2/encounter) | ||
Trigger: The abyssal basilisk takes acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Effect (Free Action): The abyssal basilisk gains resist 20 to the triggering damage type until the end of the encounter or until it uses variable resistance again. | ||
AlignmentEvil | Languages -- | |
SkillsStealth +22 | ||
Str 14 (+11) | Dex 27 (+17) | Wis 16 (+12) |
Con 24 (+16) | Int 6 (+7) | Cha 8 (+8) |
Abyssal Basilisk Tactics[edit]
These basilisks are as unpredictable and wild as the the Abyss itself. Some begin combat by using vile glare and then charging the nearest foe to use chaos bite. Such individuals use stare into the abyss once and then sit in the middle of the area, relying on that ability plus its planar rift aura to bounce foes around the battlefield. Others stay out of range, using vile glare and soulfire gaze from the maximum distance possible while relying on stare into the abyss to keep foes out of melee range.
Abyssal Basilisk Lore[edit]
A character knows the following information with a successful Arcana check.
- DC 20: Though basilisks feed primarily on living creatures, they can eat nearly anything and will often consume rocks and other inorganic materials when food is scarce. The elemental varieties may in such occasions inadvertently ingest a small fragment of the Abyss, which lodges itself firmly in the creature's gullet and remains there indefinitely, as the basilisk cannot properly digest this unnatural substance. Over time these fragments physically collapse, creating a tiny planar rift that manifests as a minor but direct gateway to the Abyss. Exposure to the chaotic elemental energy that this rift constantly spews forth triggers a startling metamorphosis that eventually transforms the basilisk into one of these horrid creatures.
- DC 25: The rift within each abyssal basilisk causes it constant, agonizing pain and also makes it exceptionally hard for the creature to sustain itself, as the rift destroys most of the food the basilisk consumes long before it can properly digest it. This leaves the basilisk feral and crazed, attacking anything and everything it finds without reserve. Though these creatures hunt primarily with their supernatural gaze, they are ironically most feared for their bite: many are the tales of a hapless victim being thrown into the Abyss as a result of being exposed to the maelstrom of energy from the basilisk's maw. (In actuality, while exposure to the rift's energy can be deadly, the rift itself is too small to actually transport a creature of any size to or from the Abyss). Despite their vicious and unpredictable nature (or, more likely, because of it), some demons keep these beasts as pets, using threats of being fed to the basilisk as an effective means to keep lesser minions in check.
Encounter Groups[edit]
Left to their own machinations basilisks are typically solitary creatures unless they are currently with a mate or looking after newborn offspring, but sentient races sometimes raise basilisks as guardians or mounts, in which case they might be encountered as part of a large group consisting of several different types of creatures.
Level 11 Encounter (XP 3,200) — Adopted 'Wyrmlings'
- 1 adult blizzard dragon (level 12 elite controller)
- 3 frost-eye basilisks (level 11 artillery)
Level 15 Encounter (XP 6,000) — Azer Outriders
- 1 azer beastlord (level 17 soldier, Monster Manual pg. 23)
- 2 azer foot soldiers (level 14 soldier, Monster Manual pg. 22)
- 2 cinder-eye fireguts (level 15 artillery)
5e Monster Manual Online
Level 18 Encounter (XP 9,800) — Abyssal Pets
- 1 abyssal basilisk (level 18 elite controller)
- 1 abyssal eviscerator (level 14 brute)
- 1 goristro (level 19 elite brute, Monster Manual pg. 55)
Back to Main Page → 4e Homebrew → Monsters
Retrieved from 'https://dnd-wiki.org/w/index.php?title=Basilisk_(4e_Monster)&oldid=192428'
Author | Dracomortis |
Identifier | 4e Monster |
Rating | Undiscussed |
Title | Basilisk |