Spiders, spiders everywhere?

[Xarlen]

Okay. I've seen stats for spiders in the MM (Webspinners), I've seen stats on Hairy and Sword spiders in MoF.

Now, I ask you, where are your Hunter spiders?

Sword Spiders *could* be considered hunting, but they're not your common ones, because they pounce and use sharp legs.

What I'm looking for is a large version of a Wolf, Tarantula, Trap door, and Jumping spider. I realize that stats would relatively be the same, (Although the Jumping spider would likely have a super jump skill, Trap door would have hide and fast attack, etc).

The spiders in the MM are built for getting oponents intangled in webs, and biting them until the poison kills them.

Hunting spiders rely on chasing, pouncing (or pinning, snatching, etc) and emobilizing prey as fast and hard as possible. So, any suggestions on building up the Hunter spider?

 

[kreynolds]

Hunting spiders rely on chasing, pouncing (or pinning, snatching, etc) and emobilizing prey as fast and hard as possible. So, any suggestions on building up the Hunter spider?

Take a spider that you like and do the following:

1) For chasing - bump up it's movement rate
2) For pouncing - well, give it Pounce (Ex)
3) For pinning - give it Improved Grab
4) For Snatching - give it Snatch

I really don't think you need our help on this.

 

[Xarlen]

Well, there's more to it then that.

As I said, the ones in the MM are webspinners. They have the web-firing ability.

If you take that away, I'd like to make these a little more combat savvy.

Would it be best to up their damage by the bite, or melee attack?

Maybe offering them the special ability, upping their bite damage to likely a d6, and upping the poison DC to 16 would make them a little more dangerous?

Also, where is 'Snatch'? I thought only Dragons had that.

 

[kreynolds]

Also, where is 'Snatch'? I thought only Dragons had that.

It's in Masters of the Wild. Damn nasty feat if you ask me, but it could very easily be adapted as a monster ability.

Hell, anything can be adapted as a monster ability. You want your troll to be able to deal +10d6 points of cold damage with every single natural melee attack? No problem!

 

[Xarlen]

Also, how would 'Pounce' help?

A spider has only One attack: it's bite. Pouncing allows you to take a full attack action even if you used a move, but how does this work, exactly?

It can make a full movement, and then attack and make a move action, like backing up? Or not tak an AoO when it moves in to attack?

Looking at the Snatch, this could be ugly, but it doesn't offer what I'd like, paticularly. What I'd be looking for is something to give a Trap Door like spider; it to pop out, and bite, then drag the PC into it's hole.

This Could be done by giving it Snatch and Pounce, just Snatch on a surprise round. Then, when it completes the grapple, offer a strenght check. If it makes it, then it drags the person into the hole with it. The spider would likely have a 16 strenght, and about large to huge size; adapted to pull large mammels into it's din to snack on.

 

[kreynolds]

Also, how would 'Pounce' help?

Pounce is useful when the creature has more than 1 attack per round. Give the spider a couple of forward claw (spider leg) attacks and it will benefit the bugger quite nicely.

Pouncing allows you to take a full attack action even if you used a move, but how does this work, exactly?

It can make a full movement, and then attack and make a move action, like backing up? Or not tak an AoO when it moves in to attack?

With Pounce, the creature can take a full move, which usually only allows a single attack action, but instead the creature can take the full move and still make a full attack action. Pounce has nothing to do with AoO's. For avoiding AoO's, look to the Spring Attack feat, which may me a really interesting feat for a spider to have.

 

[Xarlen]

Looking at the Snatch, this could be ugly, but it doesn't offer what I'd like, paticularly. What I'd be looking for is something to give a Trap Door like spider; it to pop out, and bite, then drag the PC into it's hole.

This Could be done by giving it Snatch and pounce, just Snatch on a surprise round, or use the claws on the palpads to grip. Then, when it completes the grapple, offer a strenght check. If it makes it, then it drags the person into the hole with it. The spider would likely have a 16 strenght, and about large to huge size; adapted to pull large mammels into it's din to snack on.

Hmm. Spring attack would suggest that it would back off; this could like a wolf spider, running in, Biting and clawing, then springing back. Like Pounce and Spring attack. Or maybe Spring attack with fast movement. Lots of possibilities.

Likely a jumping spider wouldn't have a pounce, but instead just an attack from a distance, like a leaping attack (sort've like a Bulette), and if it bites, it's arms come into bare, and pushes the oponent to the ground.

Do these sound fair? The CR's would definetly rise, likely +2.

The characters soon will be traveling through forests and along traveling roads, and I like simple random encounters. Like, when a PC goes to the bathroom, and the Ferns by the roadside happen to be harboring a Giant Preying Mantis. Sure, they're 9th level, but being caught with your pants down can be a surprise.

 

[kreynolds]

Do these sound fair?

LOL Draft it up and you'll soon find out. I'd help, but I gotta hit the sack. Good luck to ya'.

 

[Xarlen]

LOL Draft it up and you'll soon find out. I'd help, but I gotta hit the sack. Good luck to ya'.

Well, really, I'm more worried about the Trap Door spider mechanic.

There are a lot of ways that allow you to Push an oponent, like a bull rush, but no way to Drag them.

Let's see... Let's give it Snatch. Or, at the very least, Improved Grab. It'd attack on surprise, thus it'd pop out of the ground, and attack. If it lands a hit, you'd roll to see if it gets a grab. Then, next round, where it could pin, instead it tries to drag, which would be aposed strenght checks.

I'm not well schooled on Grapplilng rules, and how it could be broken down fairly, to be able to attack, grab, and drag.

Suggestions?

BTW: Kreynolds, you are a fast man.

 

[Mahali]

I'm not very familiar with Snatch or carrying grappled opponents.

I'd treat it as a swallow whole ability.

With Improved Grab it uses its surprise round to grab and carry (with Spring attack which only applies when it retreats into its lair).