Expanded monster lore: The Basilisk

[Empirate]

If the Basilisk can dodge through a 3' hole without problems, then so can the PCs. Both are medium size. Hell, a Halfling or Gnome could even charge in there.

Concerning Shot on the Run: no, that feat doesn't work that way either. It only allows a ranged attack, which the gaze is not. It also needs Point Blank Shot on top of Spring Attack's prereqs, and Dex 13, which the monster doesn't have.


I'd say "damn the rules" is really the only way to go here. Maybe change the beastie's speed to 30' or even 40' (8 legs, after all!), and add two sentences under the "Gaze" entry: "The Basilisk can use its gaze actively on a single target 1/round as a standard action. It can also take a full-round action to move, perform an active gaze at one target, and move again, as long as his total distance moved that round does not exceed its speed."
That way, you'd save some precious feats for something more worthwhile.

 

[Guilberwood]

If I read the gaze rules correctly in the Pathfinder SRD, the basilisk doesn't need to spend his standard action to use his gaze attack because "Each opponent within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw each round at the beginning of his or her turn in the initiative order".

It can also gaze for a second time as a standard action: "a creature with a gaze attack can actively gaze as an attack action by choosing a target within range. That opponent must attempt a saving throw but can try to avoid this as described above. Thus, it is possible for an opponent to save against a creature’s gaze twice during the same round, once before the opponent’s action and once during the creature’s turn".

Of course, it could not attack and force the gaze attack at the same round, but all opponents within range would still have to save against the gaze attack in his initiative (if they are in range and can see de basilisk).

I don't think the basilisk needs a speed boost. He can move 10 ft. out of a hole, attack, and move 10ft. back into that hole or another one (10 ft. is a lot in a small, narrow cave). PCs could probably enter this basilisk holes, but they would have to crawl and face the beast on its terms, which I don't think is a good idea for them.

 

[Empirate]

I don't think the basilisk needs a speed boost. He can move 10 ft. out of a hole, attack, and move 10ft. back into that hole or another one (10 ft. is a lot in a small, narrow cave). PCs could probably enter this basilisk holes, but they would have to crawl and face the beast on its terms, which I don't think is a good idea for them.

Not convinced. The Basilisk is medium sized. Moving around in its "holes" ought to be as easy or difficult for it as it is for medium-sized PCs. Moving 10' isn't anything to write home about. A gaze attack needs line of sight, after all, so those holes would need to be pretty straight, which means ranged attacks and charges could easily get to the monster.

 

[Stormonu]

Sure, you go ahead and charge the basilisk. Which means you can't be averting your eyes.

 

[Empirate]

Well, think about it this way: what kind of dynamic do you want to create with the encounter?

Do you want your PCs to be proactive, to search out a monster in its own lair, to attack it in a heroic, headlong, foolhardily dangerous attack? Or do you want to terrify them once with a sudden petrification out of the dark (veeery fun for the one targeted... NOT!), only for them to be standing around with their eyes closed, with no good option to do anything other than waiting until they're finally attacked in melee, then swinging blindly until, after an orgy of rolling for miss chances and the Basilisk not being able to do its actual thing, somebody risks a peek and notices the monster has been dead for three rounds?

Ambush and hit-and-run scenarios can be cool, no doubt about it. But they can also easily turn into a drag. Especially when the monster in question can one-shot PCs on an unlucky roll, AND there's an easy method of perfect defense against that attack (closing your eyes), AND this defense involves everybody giving up most of what they could normally do.