Converting monsters from Dragon magazine

[freyar]

No biggie, just flavor and tactics left?

Drop spiders prefer to attack from above, using their controlled drop ability to land on their opponents. They often act as a form of aerial support against parties that board drow ships.

 

[Cleon]

No biggie, just flavor and tactics left?

Drop spiders prefer to attack from above, using their controlled drop ability to land on their opponents. They often act as a form of aerial support against parties that board drow ships.

I'm sure we can do better than that.

An enormous spider, about as big as a human. A thin membrane stretches between its legs.

The drop spider is an acrobatic variety of giant spider able to fall from any height without injuring itself. They prefer to live as high off the ground as possible, so are usually encountered atop cliffs, amid the stalagtites on a cave's ceiling, or on the highest levels of a city or forest.

The Xakhun drow sail the skies in windships in groups known as Xan Krabans. Lolth created the various Xakhun spiders to bolster the fighting capability of the Xan Krabans, although some can be found in traditional subterranean drow cities, serving priestesses of the Spider Queen. Xakhun spiders normally hide in the crew compartment of the windship until called upon to attack nearby ships and enemies. Drop spiders and the Xakhun's leaping sword spider instinctively attack each other, so they are never kept in the same ship or building.

A typical drop spider has a body 5 feet long and weighs about 180 pounds.

COMBAT

As befits their name, drop spiders prefer to drop upon their victims' heads. Their controlled drop ability allows them to safely and accurately land on opponents from any height, but if they fall more than 100 feet they risk being stunned by the landing and be unable to attack.

 

[freyar]

Looks very good! I'd just change that last bit to "risk being stunned by the landing and unable to attack." Seem a little smoother.

 

[Cleon]

Looks very good! I'd just change that last bit to "risk being stunned by the landing and unable to attack." Seem a little smoother.

As you like.

Updating Working Draft.

Shall I remove the red questions and call it a day?

 

[freyar]

I'd say so.

 

[Cleon]

I'd say so.

Updating Working Draft.

It's a day!

 

[freyar]

Hurrah! Which spider is next?

 

[Cleon]

Hurrah! Which spider is next?

Either the Rigger Spider (an intelligent Large Monstrous Web-Spinning Spider) or the Leaping Sword Spider (a Medium-sized version of the standard Sword Spider).

 

[Shade]

Transferred to Homebrews.

Spider Rigger (Giant variety)
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any non-arctic
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 12, Wb 12
HIT DICE: 4+4
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison, webs
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +4 to saves vs. gas
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (7’ diameter)
MORALE: Steady (12)
XP VALUE: 975

Spider riggers are essentially giant spiders that have been trained to maintain and repair the rigging of the Xan Kraban windships. They are as relentless in this task as normal giant spiders are at devouring prey. The spider rigger is more intelligent and responsive than its brutal kin, however, and it takes enough pride in its handiwork to attack bitterly any foe who deliberately severs the rigging or otherwise hampers the maneuverability of the vessel. Since the spider rigger plays such an important role aboard ship, it is the most important member of the Xakhun crew (next to the captain, of course) and is closely guarded.

Spider riggers have the same poisonous bite and web-spinning ability common to all giant spiders. They are immune to the dizzying effects of uhl vapor and receive +4 to their saves vs. other gas-based attacks and spells.

 

[Cleon]

Transferred to Homebrews.

Just noticed that the Drop Spider was missing a period after "ft" in the Controlled Fall description. It should be "DC = 1 per 10 ft. fallen".

Admittedly that's not a tremendous error...

Spider Rigger (Giant variety)

Take a Large Monstrous Web-Spinning Spider and turn it into an Int 10 Magical Beast?

Use some of the skill points on Use Rope and Profession (sailor), possibly with a racial bonus?

Do you want to increase the Dex or NA to match the AC? I'm thinking +2 Dex, +1 NA.