Monster Specification

Giant Spiders / Phase Spiders / Giant Water Spiders

Typical Monster Level ("ML"): ML 4-6

Typical Number Encountered: 1

Usual Alignment(s): E/L, E/N

Description: huge spider (Phase Spiders are indistinguishable in appearance from Giant Spiders)

Habitat: Dungeons, Green Areas, Wilderness Areas, Seabed

Language: none, though the Spider Cults have a number of coded chitterings used to communicate (a generally-known one and secret ones known only to particular Cults)

Chars: Co 3d8, Wp 2d4

Movement:

Can spin Web at up to 4 ft/sec.

Phase Spiders move on the Ethereal Plane at up to 6 ft/sec / 4 mph.

Fighter Abilities:

2 AMR    D = 25 + (5ML) %    RD = 5 + (5ML) %    5 + (5ML) HP

Attack Modes:

Bite @ A = 8ML %, DAM = 2d6 + ML Poison Levels of Spider Venom if DAM > 0 inflicted (see Note 5 below for effect)

Venom re-charges at 1PL/sec.

HitLoc Table:

ADS:

Effects of Specific Damage:

Thievish Abilities:

Some species of Hunting / Jumping Gant Spiders have Th Abilities as follows:

M on Th Activities:

• MS 10ML %
• AfB, AfS, AbS 10ML%
• DetH 10ML%, DetMM 10ML%
• Jump 20ML%

Defensive ThL = ML/2, FRU

Other Abilities / Powers / Notes:

1. Some Giant Spiders are Phase Spiders, which may shift from the Real to Ethereal Plane or vice versa in 1 second at will as an innate ability. Do not have separate Real / Ethereal forms. Cannot take any passengers, but can take inanimate objects carried (including dead prey).  Phase Spiders spins webs separately on each plane.
2. Giant Water Spiders are Amphibious, having Air, Fresh and Salt Water Breathing.
3. Web material is non-magical, translucent, sticky, and once attached, disabling and difficult to un-attach oneself from:
   • Spotting a web requires a successful Locate Hidden Devices at DL -LI (i.e. DL of -4 in daylight).
   • Avoiding becoming attached when you walk into it requires a save BTS 60+2s (St).where s is speed in feet per second.
   • For each 5% or part saving throw failed, assume held by one web strand, and lose 1 from DxPh and St. When reduced to 0, cannot move.
   • Can repeatedly try to escape by struggling, gives further saving throws at -2w where w is number of web strands holding.
   • Each web strand can be cut by a sharp weapon like a sword or axe (not a blunt one like a mace). Treat as D of 25 needing to hit in aiming point and do 1 damage vs ADS 0.
   • Web is very vulnerable to fire, which will spread rapidly.
4. All Spiders have Webwalk, allowing them to traverse Webs without becoming stuck.  They scuttle along the threads, rather than passing though them.
5. Spider Venom causes a Co check vs Paralysis @ PL > SL/2 & Paralysis + a Co check vs Death @ PL > SL.  A Paralised target loses control of his body, but retains control of his mind and senses. A Paralised target will freeze in place (with eyes open if they were when paralised), and become vulnerable to being killed by the Spider, but be able to cast thought or reflex Spells.  Giant Spiders will typically wrap up a Paralised victim in Web and string them up in order to suck out their juices later.
6. The Spider Cults have a number of specialised Giant Spider forms taught to initiates (typically on reaching DrL 5 and gaining the Shapechange to Spider Power).  Most of these have unique mouth parts enabling them to communicate by coded chitterings, talk and Cast Spells (though this still requires practice at Casting in Spider Form).

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