Buy me a coffeeMonstrous Spider
All monstrous spiders are aggressive predators. They come in two general types: hunters and web spinners. Hunters roam about while spinners try to trap their prey.
Throughout history, spiders have been depicted in popular culture, mythology and in symbolism. From Greek mythology to African folklore, the spider has been used to represent a variety of things, and endures into the present day. It is also a symbol of mischief and malice for its toxic venom and the slow death it causes, which is often seen as a curse.
| Monstrous Spider, Tiny | Monstrous Spider, Small | Monstrous Spider, Medium | |
| Tiny vermin | Small vermin | Medium vermin | |
| Hit Dice | 1/2 d8 (2 hp) | 1d8 (4 hp) | 2d8+2 (11 hp) |
| Initiative | +3 | +3 | +3 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), Climb 10 ft. | 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft. | 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft. |
| Armor Class | 15 (+2 size, +3 Dexterity), touch 15, flat-footed 12 | 14 (+1 size, +3 Dexterity), touch 14, flat-footed 11 | 14 (+3 Dexterity, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 11 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +0/-12 | +0/-6 | +1/+1 |
| Attack | Bite +5 melee (1d3-4 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d4-2 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d6 plus poison) |
| Full Attack | Bite +5 melee (1d3-4 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d4-2 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d6 plus poison) |
| Space/Reach | 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. | 5 ft./5 ft. | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Poison, web | Poison, web | Poison, web |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits |
| Saves | Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0 | Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0 | Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0 |
| Abilities | Strength 3, Dexterity 17, Constitution 10, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 | Strength 7, Dexterity 17, Constitution 10, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 | Strength 11, Dexterity 17, Constitution 12, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 |
| Skills | Climb +11, Hide +15*, Jump -4*, Spot +4* | Climb +11, Hide +11*, Jump -2*, Spot +4* | Climb +11, Hide +7*, Jump +0*, Spot +4* |
| Feats | Weapon FinesseB | Weapon FinesseB | Weapon FinesseB |
| Environment | Temperate forests | Temperate forests | Temperate forests |
| Organization | Colony (8-16) | Colony (2-5) or swarm (6-11) | Solitary or colony (2-5) |
| Challenge Rating | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1 |
| Treasure | None | None | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Advancement | – | – | 3 HD (Medium) |
| Level Adjustment | – | – | – |
| Monstrous Spider, Large | Monstrous Spider, Huge | |
| Large vermin | Huge vermin | |
| Hit Dice | 4d8+4 (22 hp) | 8d8+16 (52 hp) |
| Initiative | +3 | +3 |
| Speed | 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft. | 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft. |
| Armor Class | 14 (-1 size, +3 Dexterity, +2 ntural), touch 12, flat-footed 11 | 16 (-2 size, +3 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +3/+9 | +6/+18 |
| Attack | Bite +4 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) | Bite +9 melee (2d6+6 plus poison) |
| Full Attack | Bite +4 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) | Bite +9 melee (2d6+6 plus poison) |
| Space/Reach | 10 ft./5 ft. . | 15 ft./10 ft |
| Special Attacks | Poison, web | Poison, web |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits |
| Saves | Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1 | Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +2 |
| Abilities | Strength 15, Dexterity 17, Constitution 12, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 | Strength 19, Dexterity 17, Constitution 14, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 |
| Skills | Climb +11, Hide +3*, Jump +2*, Spot +4* | Climb +12, Hide -1*, Jump +4*, Spot +4* |
| Feats | – | – |
| Environment | Temperate forests | Temperate forests |
| Organization | Solitary or colony (2-5) | Solitary or colony (2-5) |
| Challenge Rating | 2 | 5 |
| Treasure | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Advancement | 5-7 HD (Large) | 9-15 HD (Huge) |
| Level Adjustment | – | – |
| Monstrous Spider, Gargantuan | Monstrous Spider, Colossal | |
| Gargantuan vermin | Colossal vermin | |
| Hit Dice | 16d8+32 (104 hp) | 32d8+64 (208 hp) |
| Initiative | +3 | +2 |
| Speed | 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft. | 30 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft. |
| Armor Class | 19 (-4 size, +3 Dexterity, +10 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16 | 22 (-8 size, +2 Dexterity, +18 natural), touch 4, flat-footed 20 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +12/+31 | +24/+50 |
| Attack | Bite +15 melee (2d8+10 plus poison) | Bite +26 melee (4d6+15 plus poison) |
| Full Attack | Bite +15 melee (2d8+10 plus poison) | Bite +26 melee (4d6+15 plus poison) |
| Space/Reach | 20 ft./15 ft. | 40 ft./30 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Poison, web | Poison, web |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits | Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., vermin traits |
| Saves | Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +5 | Fort +20, Ref +12, Will +10 |
| Abilities | Strength 25, Dexterity 17, Constitution 14, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 | Strength 31, Dexterity 15, Constitution 14, Intelligence -, Wisdom 10, Charisma 2 |
| Skills | Climb +14, Hide -5*, Jump +7*, Spot +4* | Climb +16, Hide -10*, Jump +10*, Spot +7* |
| Feats | – | – |
| Environment | Temperate forests | Temperate forests |
| Organization | Solitary | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 8 | 11 |
| Treasure | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Advancement | 17-31 HD (Gargantuan) | 33-60 HD (Colossal) |
| Level Adjustment | – | – |
All monstrous spiders are aggressive predators that use their poisonous bites to subdue or kill prey.
Monstrous spiders come in two general types: hunters and web-spinners. Hunters rove about, while web-spinners usually attempt to trap prey. Hunting spiders can spin webs to use as lairs, but cannot use their webs as weapons the way web-spinners can. A hunting spider has a base land speed 10 feet faster than the figures given in the statistics blocks.
Poison (Ex): A monstrous spider has a poisonous bite. The details vary by the spider’s size, as shown on the table below. The save DCs are Constitution-based. The indicated damage is initial and secondary damage.
| Size | Fort DC | Damage | Size | Fort DC | Damage |
| Tiny | 10 | 1d2 Strength | Huge | 16 | 1d8 Strength |
| Small | 10 | 1d3 Strength | Gargantuan | 20 | 2d6 Strength |
| Medium | 12 | 1d4 Strength | Colossal | 28 | 2d8 Strength |
| Large | 13 | 1d6 Strength |
Web (Ex) Both types of monstrous spiders often wait in their webs or in trees, then lower themselves silently on silk strands and leap onto prey passing beneath. A single strand is strong enough to support the spider and one creature of the same size. Web-spinners can throw a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of 50 feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the spider.
An entangled creature can scape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions whose DCs are given in the table below. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.
Web-spinners often create sheets of sticky webbing from 5 to 60 feet square, depending on the size of the spider. They usually position 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. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has the hit points given on the table, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/-.
A monstrous spider can move across its own web at its Climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
| Size | Escape Artist DC | Break DC | Hit Points |
| Tiny | 10 | 14 | 2 |
| Small | 10 | 14 | 4 |
| Medium | 12 | 16 | 6 |
| Large | 13 | 17 | 12 |
| Huge | 16 | 20 | 14 |
| Gargantuan | 20 | 24 | 16 |
| Colossal | 28 | 32 | 18 |
Tremorsense (Ex) A monstrous spider can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.
Skills Monstrous spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A monstrous spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Monstrous spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
*Hunting spiders have a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks. Web-spinning spiders have a +8 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.