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Gargantua Basilisk

by Jamie Baty

M3 11
Huge Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 24d10+144 (276 hp)
Initiative: -3 (-3 Dex)
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armour Class: 14 (-2 size, -3 Dex, +9 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+42
Attack: Bite +32 melee (5d6 +10)
Full Attack: Bite +32 melee (5d6 +10)
Space/Reach: 15 ft. /10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Petrifying gaze, Swallow Whole
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +22, Ref +11, Will +9
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 4, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 11
Skills: Hide -10*, Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Blind Fighting, Great Fortitude
Environment: The Black Realm, Warm deserts
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: ---
Level Adjustment: ---

A Gargantua basilisk is a reptilian monster that petrifies living creatures with a mere gaze. Like its normal cousin, a gargantua basilisk usually has a dull brown body with a yellowish underbelly. Some specimens sport a short, curved horn atop the nose. A gargantua basilisk's body grows to about 24 feet long, not including its tail, which can reach an additional length of 20 to 28 feet. The creature weighs about 4800 pounds.
The only known Gargantua basilisk was found in a pocket dimension known as the Black Realm. How it found its way there is a mystery.

Combat
Despite its great size, a Gargantua basilisk relies on its gaze attack, biting only when opponents come within reach. Though it has eight legs, its slow metabolism renders it relatively sluggish, so it does not expend energy unnecessarily. Intruders who flee a Gargantua basilisk rather than fight can expect, at best, a half-hearted pursuit. These creatures like to spend most of their time lying in wait for prey, which includes just about anything smaller than itself. Usually though, it must hunt some to find enough of the food it requires.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a Gargantua basilisk hits with its bite attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the grapple succeeds, the Gargantua basilisk may attempt to swallow the victim whole in the next round. A Gargantua basilisk may only grab an opponent that is Medium size or smaller.

Petrifying Gaze (Su): Turn to stone permanently, range 60 feet; Fortitude DC 22 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A Gargantua basilisk can try to swallow a grappled opponent of up to two sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 1d8+10 points of bludgeoning damage and 6 points of acid damage per round from the Gargantua basilisk's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 20 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 14). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
A Gargantua basilisk's gizzard can hold 2 medium, 8 small, 32 tiny, 128 diminutive or smaller opponents.

Skills: *The Gargantua basilisk's dull coloration and its ability to remain motionless for long periods of time grant it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in natural settings.