Basilisk

Basilisks are draconids. Despite the old myth, they can’t turn anyone to stone with a look. The Witcher 3 bestiary points out that they don’t need to, since acid, venom, claws and teeth do the job just fine. They live in dark, damp places such as cellars, caves and city sewers, and they hunt by ambushing prey from the shadows with sudden, fast strikes.

Basilisk leather is prized for luxury goods, so hunters keep going after them despite the danger. Their numbers have dropped enough that some mages and druids have started calling for the species to be protected. The game also features a rarer variety, the silver basilisk.

A word of warning about The Witcher 3 quest The Most Truest of Basilisks. Northeast of Novigrad Gate, a beast tamer shows off a “basilisk” to Redanian soldiers, but it’s really a young, starving wyvern. Point that out and the cage breaks open. For a real basilisk in a quest, head to Toussaint: Mutual of Beauclair’s Wild Kingdom lets you kill or spare the silver basilisk Iocaste, and killing it counts toward There Can Be Only One.

Across the games

In The Witcher, basilisks are hunted in Act IV, at Murky Waters. The contract is picked up in the Village, where Julian offers a reward to anyone who brings him three basilisk hides.

Geralt has to track down basilisks and skin them, and the hides serve as the proof of the kills. Once he has all three, he takes them to Julian and collects 250 orens and 5,000 XP. Geralt has a strong feeling that Julian will sell the hides on for far more than he paid.

The Basilisk Contract (Act IV, monster contract)

Combat strategy

Preparation matters more than anything with a basilisk. Drink Golden Oriole before the fight so its venom doesn’t wear you down, and bring Grapeshot, Dancing Star or other shrapnel bombs, which work especially well. Draconid oil on your silver sword adds damage. In the fight itself, treat it like other flying draconids: watch for ambush strikes, dodge rather than block, and use Aard to knock it down when it’s airborne or lunging at you. Since it relies on surprise, a basilisk you’ve spotted first is already half beaten.

Coat your silver sword with draconid oil.
Drink Golden Oriole first to protect against its venom.
Throw Grapeshot or Dancing Star; both are effective against it.
Cast Aard to bring it down from the air.
Keep Quen up for the acid and claw attacks you can’t dodge.
In caves and cellars, check the corners before you walk in; basilisks hunt by ambush.