Monstrous Daddy Longlegs

Large monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class: 15 (chitinous exoskeleton)
Hit Points: 95 (10d10 + 40)
Speed: 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)	2 (-4)	14 (+2)	2 (-4)

Saving Throws: Dex +7, Con +7
Skills: Stealth +7, Perception +5
Damage Resistances: Piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Prone, Frightened
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages: —
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)

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Traits

Flight. The Monstrous Daddy Longlegs can fly up to 40 ft., hovering in place. Its long legs allow for precise aerial maneuvering, even in tight spaces.

Venomous Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.

Keen Senses. The Monstrous Daddy Longlegs has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or tremorsense.

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Actions

Multiattack. The Monstrous Daddy Longlegs makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with a leg strike.

Leg Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

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Reactions

Leg Lash. When a creature hits the Monstrous Daddy Longlegs with a melee attack, it can use its reaction to make a leg strike against that creature.

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Legendary Actions (3 per round)

• Dive Strike. Move up to half its flying speed and make one bite attack.
• Leg Sweep. Target one creature within 10 ft.; DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage.
• Instinctive Threat. One creature of the Monstrous Daddy Longlegs’ choice within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.

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Tactics

This predator hunts from the air, swooping down to strike with venomous bites or long-leg strikes. It prefers ambushes from elevated perches—ceilings, cliffs, or treetops—and uses flight to retreat or reposition if outnumbered. Its behavior is entirely instinct-driven, relying on reach, speed, and aerial maneuverability to harry foes rather than intelligence or strategy.

Daddy Longlegs, Monstrous

This spindly-winged predator drifts silently through the air on impossibly long legs, its glistening fangs and unblinking eyes promising swift, precise death from above.

CR 6
XP 2,400
N Large magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +12

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DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+6 Dex, +4 natural, –1 size)
hp 76 (9d10+27)
Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +5
DR 5/slashing; Immune poison
Resist piercing 10
Defensive Abilities hover; Weaknesses fragile legs

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OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (perfect)
Melee bite +14 (2d6+6 plus poison), 2 leg strikes +9 (1d8+3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (legs), 5 ft. (bite)
Special Attacks dive strike, leg sweep, venomous bite

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STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 22, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +9; CMB +14; CMD 30 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Finesse, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Fly +16, Perception +12, Stealth +14 (+22 in dim light)
Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in dim light
Languages —

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dive Strike (Ex)
As a full-round action, a Monstrous Daddy Longlegs can swoop up to double its fly speed and make a single bite attack at the end of its movement. If it moves at least 20 feet before striking, the attack deals an additional 1d6 points of damage and forces the target to succeed at a DC 17 Reflex save or fall prone.

Fragile Legs (Ex)
The creature’s extreme leg length is both a weapon and a liability. Any confirmed critical hit from a slashing weapon forces the Monstrous Daddy Longlegs to succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or lose the use of that leg. Each lost leg reduces its leg-based melee reach by 5 feet and imposes a cumulative –2 penalty on Acrobatics checks and trip/leg sweep attempts. If it loses three or more legs, its base land speed is reduced by 10 feet. Lost legs do not regrow naturally for 1 month, but can be restored with regenerate or similar magic.

Leg Sweep (Ex)
As a standard action, the Monstrous Daddy Longlegs can attempt a trip combat maneuver against all creatures within its leg reach without provoking attacks of opportunity. Creatures tripped in this way also take 1d6 bludgeoning damage from the impact.

Venomous Bite (Ex)
Bite—injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d3 Dexterity damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

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ECOLOGY

Environment temperate or tropical forests, deep caverns, or overgrown ruins
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure incidental (remains of prey)

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TACTICS

Before Combat
The Monstrous Daddy Longlegs takes a concealed, elevated position—clinging to ceilings, perching on walls, or hovering in shadow—waiting for prey to pass beneath it.

During Combat
It opens with dive strike against isolated or lightly armored targets, then uses Flyby Attack to harass and retreat beyond melee range. Against groups, it employs leg sweep to topple multiple foes before retreating upward. It avoids prolonged melee, instead striking, withdrawing, and repositioning constantly.

Morale
Reluctant to risk crippling injury, the Monstrous Daddy Longlegs retreats if reduced to fewer than 20 hit points or if more than half its legs are disabled.

Monstrous, Daddy Longlegs

This creature resembles a large brown spider, with a five-foot-diameter body atop nearly 20-foot-long legs. It has only a single pair of eyes in the center of its head.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

The opiliones, or harvestman, as it is more commonly called, is one of several creatures known as daddy longlegs. Although it is an arachnid, it is not a true spider.

A harvestman’s second pair of legs are longer than the rest, and are used as a sensory device (and the source of their tremorsense).

Harvestmen are omnivores, feeding mostly upon plant matter, fungi, or smaller insects. They also are known to feed upon carcasses and the leavings of other creatures. Harvestman generally have no fixed lair, but they will guard a nest when a female lays her eggs.

A monstrous daddy longleg’s body is only 5 feet in diameter, but its legs are almost 20 feet long. Most have a brown coloration, but some diurnal species have vivid patterns in yellow, green and black mottled red and black.

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Daddy Longlegs, Monstrous
Huge vermin
Hit Dice	2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative	+4
Speed	50 ft. (10 squares), Climb 20 ft.
Armor Class	14 (-2 size, +4 Dexterity, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple	+1/+9
Attack	Bite -1 melee (1d6)
Full Attack	Bite -1 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach	15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks	Acid spray
Special Qualities	Darkvision 60 ft., long-legged, narrow berth, tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits
Saves	Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities	Strength 11, Dexterity 19, Constitution 12, Intelligence —, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2
Skills	Climb +12, Hide +0, Jump +18
Feats	—
Environment	Any land and underground
Organization	Solitary or nest (2-15)
Challenge Rating	1
Treasure	1/10 coins, 50% goods, 50% items
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	3-5 HD (Huge), 6-9 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment	–

Combat

Harvestmen are ambush hunters.

Acid Spray (Ex): When attacked or disturbed, the creature can release a 40-foot cone of acidic vapor once per round. Those within the cone must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or take 1d4+1points of acid damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Long-Legged (Ex): Since a daddy longlegs is mostly long, thin legs, its space/reach is much larger than its actual body. As a result, it is difficult to to attack the creature. Any melee or ranged attack directed at a daddy longlegs has a 20% miss chance. Even a true seeing effect is useless for determining where and how to strike the creature.

Narrow Berth (Ex): Due to its long legs and small body, a daddy longlegs is treated as being one size smaller than it actually is for the purposes of squeezing (see page 149 of the Player’s Handbook for the rules for squeezing).

Tremorsense (Ex): A monstrous daddy longlegs can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground.

Skills: Monstrous daddy longlegs have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks, a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, and a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks. A monstrous daddy longlegs can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Monstrous daddy longlegs use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.

Daddy Longlegs Spider

The pholcidae, or vibrating spider, is also known as the daddy longlegs spider. This web-spinning spider is carnivorous, and is even known to invade the webs of other spiders and slay their occupants.

A daddy longlegs spider shares most of the same statistics as the harvestman above, but lacks the acid spray and gains the following additional abilities.

Spinning Concealment (Ex): A daddy longlegs spider can extrude a strand of webbing and hang from it as a standard action. As a full-round action, the daddy longlegs can begin to spin very quickly on its thread. When spinning, the daddy longlegs gains a +12 bonus to Hide checks and total concealment (50% miss chance). Even a true seeing effect is useless for determining where and how to strike the creature. The daddy longlegs can maintain its spinning by using a full-round action.

Web (Ex): A daddy longlegs spider can throw a web up to eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 100 feet, with a range increment of 20 feet, and is effective against targets up to two size categories larger than the spider. The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement.

An entangled creature can escape with a successful DC 22 Escape Artist check or burst the web with a successful DC 22 Strength check. The check DCs are Strength-based and includes a +4 racial bonus. The web has 12 hit points and hardness 0, and takes double damage from fire.

A daddy longlegs spider can create sheets of sticky webbing up to 20 feet square. It usually positions these sheets to snare flying creatures but can also try to trap prey on the ground. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become trapped as though by a successful web attack (including the maddening webs effect). Each 5-foot-square section has 12 hit points and damage reduction 5/-.

A daddy longlegs spider can move across its own sheet web at its Climb speed and can determine the exact location of any creature touching the web.

Skills: In addition to the skills above, daddy longlegs spider has a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #67 (1982).