Basilisk Basilisks were large , eight - legged reptile s with the terrifying ability to poison or petrify their prey . Though not malicious , basilisks were indisputably dangerous . They could be found all over Faerûn . Basilisks could be found nearly everywhere , including subterranean biomes . Typically , basilisks sheltered within burrows , caves , or other similar areas . These dens were sometimes distinguished by what appeared to be statues , although these were , in fact , creatures that had been petrified by the gaze of the creature . The Bedine called basilisks " hagar motab " or " bringers of stone - death " , and it is from a Bedine explorer where most of the facts about basilisks came from . Physical description . Basilisks had eight legs , which they crawled upon . Basilisks came in a variety of colors from dark gray to dark orange , although they also commonly had a dull brown body with a yellowish underbelly . Basilisks possessed a single row of bony spines that lined their backs and a few had a curved horn atop their noses . Basilisk eyes were , however , the most notable feature , glowing with a pale green light . Adult basilisks could grow to be about 6 feet ( 1 . 8 meters ) ) long , not counting the tail , which could reach another 5 or 7 feet ( 1 . 5 to 2 . 1 meters ) . Basilisks typically weighed around 300 pounds . Abilities . Although basilisks were known for their ability to petrify their prey , only a particular breed was actually capable of this , the stone - eye basilisk . However , both they and the venom - eye basilisk had magic ally empowered eyes that could be used as a weapon by the creature . This power was fueled by the soul of the basilisk in question and was non - physical in nature . Behavior . Basilisks had a very slow metabolism , making their movements sluggish and clumsy . As a result , basilisks relied upon their powerful magical characteristics for hunting and were unprepared for a hard pursuit . As a result , prey that fled usually got away unharmed . To prevent this , basilisks typically laired in hidden dens , waiting for any prey unfortunate enough to wander in , even if it was extremely small . Basilisks had a very robust digestive system , however , and could digest even stone . When not hunting , basilisks slept off their meals in their lairs , sometimes in small groups . Basilisks were lazy and cowardly creatures , but evilly cunning . They made their lairs in dark underground caves where there was a ready and easily accessible food and water supply . They were easy to anger , though they never fought to the death if it could be helped . They were observed to be irrational and possibly insane half the time but shrewd hunters the other half . When hunting , they pounced from hiding and attacked with their petrifying gaze and vicious bite . They only needed to eat one large meal ( the size of a deer or a humanoid ) a month , owing to their slow metabolisms , though would apparently gorge themselves to death if provided with enough meat . The tiny creatures ( only two or three inches long when just hatched ) burrowed slowly into the statues . They apparently lost their ability to eat petrified prey when they matured to adulthood . An adult with no young that had petrified a victim simply left the statue standing where it was struck , though greater basilisks were more likely to contemptuously smash a statue with a swipe of their tails . History . A frozen greater basilisk served as a guardian for a Lockstone placed atop Stoner ' s Needle in the Sword Coast lands , having been set there by the extraplanar being Imgig Zu to prevent the fire elemental Jogaoh ( who ' d been trapped in the form of a dwarf by Imgig Zu ) from regaining his freedom . Jogaoh feared the basilisk too much to make the climb up and take the Lockstone . When Vajra Valmeyjar , Cybriana , Timoth Eyesbright , Onyx the Invincible , and Priam Agrivar sought out Jogaoh in the Year of the Prince , 1357 DR , he agreed to help them provided they retrieved the Lockstone for him . Atop the tower , Jogaoh took the Lockstone and was restored to his fire elemental form , then returned to the planes before the basilisk awoke to attack Vajra and Priam . Vajra slew the basilisk , using the reflection of the gem so it would turn itself to stone . Types of basilisks . Although basilisks were usually thought of as one variety of monster , there was more than one variety : The greater basilisk was a rare breed of the common basilisk , similar in most respects , except it was larger and with a low intelligence and an evil disposition . It was extremely near - sighted , and consequently the range of its petrifying gaze was much shorter .