Hold Breath. The Basilisk can hold its breath for 1 hour.
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the basilisk fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Petrifying Gaze. If a creature starts its turn within 60 feet of the basilisk and the two of them can see each other, the basilisk can force the creature to make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw if the basilisk isn't incapacitated. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is instantly turned to stone and petrified. Otherwise, on a failed save, the creature magically begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
A creature that isn't surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can't see the basilisk until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again.
Multiattack. The basilisk makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage. The piercing damage from this attack deals full damage to petrified creatures. It the target takes any poison damage from this, it must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for one minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the poison on a success.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Poison Spew (Recharge 5-6). The dragon exhales acid in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The ancient Basilisk can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The ancient Basilisk regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Tail Attack. The basilisk makes a tail attack.
Bite Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The basilisk makes a bite attack.
Description
A basilisk is a multilegged, reptilian horror whose deadly gaze transforms victims into porous stone. With its strong jaws, the creature consumes this stone, which returns to organic form in its gullet.
Lair and Lair Actions
The lair of an ancient basilisk is usually a deep in swamps or underground caves, where it can use the waterways to ambush its prey. It drags those that it petrifies under the water, to feed and its own leisure, or to add to its trophy collection.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the ancient basilisk takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the ancient basilisk can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- The basilisk breathes out a 10-foot-radius sphere of poisonous, yellow-green gas centered on itself. The gas spreads around corners. It lasts until initiative count 20 of the next turn or until strong wind disperses the fog, ending the effect. Its area is heavily obscured. When a creature enters the effect's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw. The creature takes 5d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures are affected even if they hold their breath or don’t need to breathe.
- The basilisk animates statues within its lair of either 1 large creature or 1d10 medium creatures. The large creature uses the statistics of a stone golem and the medium creatures each use the statistics of a Stone Cursed. These creatures remain animate until initiative count 20 of the next turn. When they cease being animate, treat them as petrified until the basilisk uses this lair action to animate them again. This petrification cannot be removed by any other means short of a wish spell, which returns the creature to its original form before it was stone.
Regional Effects
The region containing an ancient basilisk’s lair is mutated and poisoned by it's presence, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Reptilian creatures, such as snakes, lizards, and other basilisks, with an Intelligence score lower than that of the basilisk are charmed by the basilisk while within 5 miles of the lair.
- Poisonous plants and vegetation grow with wild abandon within 1 mile of the basilisk's lair.
If the ancient basilisk dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d4 days.
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