Homebrew Basilisk Species Details
Basilisks were said to be dangerous creatures, due to their reputation for draining the magic out of living creatures. However, while most basilisks are instinctively ravenous, they demonstrate the capacity to restrain their urge to feed. They can also detect magic by scent. Basilisks were rendered extinct, until the species was somehow revived.
Basilisks have semi-humanoid upper bodies, with their lower resembling a snake's tail. Similar to reptiles, they are covered in scales, have claws, serrated fangs, nictitating membranes, and a wedge at the end of their tail, although they grow hair like mammals do, mainly on their heads and other parts of their body. They have exceptionally wide heads resembling a snake's and visible lips, but with webbed ears and glossy, frog-like eyes that are noted to have large black irises. A subspecies or breed of basilisk called Greater Basilisk exists, and while they seem to be larger than normal basilisks, no distinction between it and other basilisks is known.
Basilisk Traits
You have the following racial traits.Magical Senses
Through your smell, you can sense the presence of magic within 30 feet of you. If you sense magic in this way, you can use an action to determine the specific type of magic that you have smelled. The sense can penetrate most barriers, but it is blocked by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt.
Ability Score Increase
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.
Creature Type
You are a Monstrosity.
Arcane Consumption
When you succeed on a saving throw against a spell or magical effect or are missed by a spell attack that is targeting you, you can use a reaction to consume the spell. Once the spell is consumed, it completely dissipates, if the spell would affect multiple creatures or an area, it instead affects no creatures if you consume it. You can also consume creatures summoned by a spell as long as they are your size or smaller. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, after which you must complete a short or long rest to use this trait again.
Shape Changer
As an action, you can change your appearance and voice. You determine the specifics of the changes, including your coloration, hair length and sex. You can also adjust your height and weight and change your size between small and medium. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You can’t duplicate the appearance of a creature you’ve never seen, and you must adopt a form that has some basic arrangement of limbs that you have, though you can turn your tail into two legs. Your equipment isn't changed by this trait, but your clothes are. If you take 30 percent of your maximum hit points (rounded down) with one instance of damage, you must make a constitution saving throw with a dc equal to half the damage done (minimum of 10). On a failed save, you revert back into your true form. You can change appearance three times per short rest, though changing back into your true form does not count towards this limit.
Reliant on Magic
Eating magic fuels your powers as a basilisk. If you do not use your Arcane Consumption trait at least once per day, you lose 1 use of your Shape Changer trait when you end a long rest. This can accumulate up to losing all uses of your ability to change shape after a long rest. Eating any form of magic at least once resets any loss of your Shape Changer trait.
Comments