Boalisk
Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|
19 (+4) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 1 (−5) | 8 (−1) | 7 (−2) |
Skills Perception +1
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Brille. A boalisk has immunity to attacks that require eye contact or direct line of sight, such as some gaze attacks (e.g. the petrifying gaze of a basilisk or medusa). The brille also protect the boalisk's eyes from dust and other irritants.
Rotting Gaze. If a creature other than a boalisk or snake starts its turn within 30 feet of the boalisk and the two of them can see each other, the boalisk can force the creature to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw if the boailisk isn't incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and contracts a magical
rotting curse.
The cursed target can't regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target's hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the
remove curse 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 boalisk until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If it looks at the boalisk in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
Actions
Multiattack. The boalisk makes two attacks: one constrict attack and one attack with its bite or glare.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the boalisk can’t constrict another target.
Glare. The boalisk targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it with its Rotting Gaze (see above). If the target can see the boalisk, it takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and contracts the
rotting curse. If the target succeeds on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw it takes half damage and is not cursed. Targets that averted their eyes from the Rotting Gaze gain advantage on the saving throw.
Description
A boalisk is a serpentine monster almost indistinguishable from a large constrictor snake apart from its possession of a deadly gaze attack. These creatures are about 25 feet long and live in any tropical habitat that will support a constrictor snake of its size, such as a jungle, swamp or savannah.
Deadly Eyes. A boalisk has a gaze attack rivaling the lethality of their near-namesake the basilisk. Rather than petrification, victims of its eyes slowly decompose until they're nothing but dry dust. This supernatural curse has symptoms indistinguishable from the deadly touch of an undead mummy. A boalisk cannot digest flesh that's rotting away to dust, so uses fangs and coils to catch food like a regular python. Its gaze attack is reserved for enemies; the boalisk can activate and deactivate its eyes at will.
Unlike basilisks, boalisks cannot be harmed by reflecting their gaze with a mirror. A boalisk's eyes are covered by transparent scales that protect them from many attacks that affect the eyes. Called
brille, these membranes are actually permanently fused clear eyelids, so a boalisk has its eyes closed but can still see. These organs are valued by wizards and alchemists as they can be enchanted into eye cusps that provide similar protection to their wearer. Ordinary snakes also possess
brille and are immune to a boalisk's gaze attack.
Social Serpents. A curious trait of boalisks is they sometimes congregate with their fellow serpents, either other boalisks, normal or giant constrictor snakes, or a combination of animals. Such groups are still very small, containing no more than three boalisks and a similar number of constrictor snakes. A single boalisk accompanied by one or two normal constrictor snakes is far more common. Some scholars theorize that the "normal constrictor snakes" are actually juvenile boalisks and these monsters don't acquire their deadly gaze until adulthood, so the young might travel with their elders for protection. Other sages claim boalisks have deadly gazes from the time they hatch, like their relative the basilisk, and any attendant snakes are ordinary reptiles such as pythons. Whether either theory holds any truth is unknown.
(Boalisks first appeared in
Monster Manual II (1983) by Gary Gygax.)
