Spider, Xakhun, Drop Spider
Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6 plus poison)
Full Attack: 1 bite +6 melee (1d6 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, web
Special Qualities: Controlled drop, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, safety line, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 7
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +8, Jump +14, Spot +9, Tumble +12
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B), Skill Focus (Tumble)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, colony (2-5), or platoon (6-10)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
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 unable to attack.
Controlled Drop (Ex): A drop spider never takes damage from falls, but if the spider falls 100 ft. or more it must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 1 per 10 ft. fallen) or be stunned for 1 round. A falling drop spider can deploy a mesh between its legs which allows it to slow and precisely guide its fall. A drop spider can move 5 feet sideways for every 5 feet it falls. A drop spider can only direct its fall if it is carrying a light load and is not entangled or immobilized.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 12, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Safety Line (Ex): If a drop spider falls, it can throw out a web strand as an immediate action to secure itself to any support within 30 feet (such as a tree, cliff, or ship).
Web (Ex): Drop spiders often wait in their ship's rigging 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. Drop spiders 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 escape with a successful DC 12 Escape Artist check or burst it with a DC 16 Strength check; such escape attempts are standard actions. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.
Skills: Drop spiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks, a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks and Climb checks, and a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks. A drop spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Drop spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.