Encounters: Stonelands - Open Areas (Day)
Monstrous Spider, Large (CR 2)
Large Vermin
Alignment: Always Neutral
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Senses: darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., and Spot +4*
AC: 14 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 11
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
Speed: 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Space: 10 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +3; Grapple +9
Attack: Bite +4 melee
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+3 and poison
Special Attacks: Poison, web
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 12, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 2
Special Qualities: Vermin
Feats:
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +3*, Jump +2*, and Spot +4*
Advancement: 5-7 HD (Large)
Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest
Organization: Solitary or colony (2-5)
Treasure: 1/10 coins, 50% goods, 50% items
Source: Monster Manual
Poison (Ex): Fortitude save 16. Initial and secondary damage: 1d6 Strength.
Web (Ex): Both hunting and web-spinning 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.
Skills: Monstrous spiders gain a +8 competence bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks when using their webs.
Monstrous spiders use their poisonous bite to subdue or kill prey.
All monstrous spiders are aggressive predators.
Monstrous spiders come in two general types; hunters and web-spinners. Hunters rove about, while web spinners usually attempt to trap prey. Hunting spiders are speedier than their web-spinning counterparts and use higher speed numbers shown in parentheses.
Large monstrous spiders of both types have roughly circular bodies surrounded by outspread legs: 10 feet wide* and 1-1/2 feet high.
*The number includes the spider's body and its legs; the actual body diameter is about a third of the total.
Web-spinning spiders can cast a web eight times per day. This is similar to an attack with a net but has a maximum range of so feet, with a range increment of 10 feet, and is effective against targets up to one size smaller that the spider (see Net for details on net attacks). The web anchors the target in place, allowing no movement.
An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 32) or burst it with a Strength check (DC 38). Both are standard actions. Web-spinning spiders 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 at a Spot check (DC 20) to notice the 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 the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 18 HP, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/fire.
A monstrous 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: Monstrous spiders receive a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Spot checks.
Hunting spiders receive a +6 racial bonus to Jump checks and a +8 racial bonus to Spot checks.