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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8740293" data-attributes="member: 6915329">This issue’s The Dragon’s Bestiary is a bunch of spiders, but any arachnophobes reading this will be happy to know there’s only a single piece of generic artwork and none that illustrates any of the actual creatures. The first of these is Ed Greenwood’s opilionid, or cave harvester. Or rather, it’s a giant cave harvester, which is still easier to spell than opilionid.It has the ability to spit acid, and don’t I know if this a typo in the original or a problem with when this issue was scanned for the Dragon Magazine CD-ROM archive, since that happened sometimes, but it can do so once every 66 turns. With one turn being 10 minutes, it can spit acid once every 11 hours. Why not just say once per day or once every 12 hours, Ed? How long did you expect combat to take? And opilionids aren’t even spiders! Geez! Might as well have mites and scorpions here!…not that any of the other spiders in this article are particularly realistic.Cave HarvesterThe Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine 118Created by Ed GreenwoodCave harvesters superficially resemble their smaller harvestmen kin, but are far larger—each of their eight limbs can be up to 16 feet in length. They have mottled, lichen-gray bodies and thin, striped legs. They wander constantly, looking for food. As omnivores, much of what they eat is fresh or decayed vegetation and fungi, but they also eat carrion and, when they can catch it, any living prey. Despite their long legs, they carry their bodies low to the ground.Magically Altered. Ages ago, cave harvesters were magically created, altered from their original, tiny form by an arachnid Unseelie archfey to serve as hunting hounds and shepherding dogs. The natural ability of the daddy long legs to squirt out a stinking liquid to deter predators was altered, allowing them to spray out foul acid. Likewise, where harvestmen often lived in large groups, the cave harvesters were changed to have a true pack mentality. Since then, they spread out into the wild, and as they mate and reproduce often, they have spread throughout the worlds. But even now, some fey continue to use these creatures to hunt.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana or Nature check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. These creatures are enormous versions of the more common daddy long legs.DC 15. Cave harvesters will eat nearly anything and are attracted to light. They typically hunt in packs.DC 20. Cave harvesters were magically created by an archfey to be a hunting and shepherding beasts.Cave Harvester EncountersTerrain: caverns, Feywild, forests, ruins, ShadowfellCR 1-2 1-2 cave harvestersCR 3-4 3-4 cave harvestersCR 5-10 1d4+4 cave harvestersSigns1-2. A high-pitched chittering noise in the distance.3. A recently-severed cave harvester leg, still twitching.4. A half-eaten corpse. A DC 13 Nature or Survival check will reveal that the toothmarks indicated that wasn’t eaten by a mammal, reptile, or bird.Behavior1-2. Hiding in a dark corner; will ambush anything that passes by3. Devouring rotten plants4. Wandering in a pack and hunting; will attack on sight.Cave HarvesterLarge monstrosityChallenge 1 (200 XP)AC 14 (natural armor)HP 30 (4d10+8; bloodied 15)Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.STR 17 (+3) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2)INT 2 (-4) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 6 (-2)Proficiency +2Maneuver DC 13Saving Throws Dex +5Skills Stealth +5Condition Immunities paralysis, stunnedSenses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10Languages —Communal. A cave harvester cannot be compelled, even magically, to attack another cave harvester.Pack Tactics. The cave harvester has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the harvester’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and not incapacitated.Spider Climb. The cave harvester can climb even on difficult surfaces and upside down on ceilings.Stench. A creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the cave harvester must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a success, it is immune to any cave harvester’s Stench for 24 hours.Web Walker. The cave harvester ignores movement restrictions imposed by webs.ActionsBite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4+3) piercing damage.Leap (Recharge 5-6). The cave harvester leaps up to half its Speed horizontally and half its speed vertically without provoking opportunity attacks, and can land in a space containing one or more creatures. Each creature in its space when it lands must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage and being knocked prone on a failure. On a success, the creature takes half damage and is pushed 5 feet to a space of its choice. If that space is occupied, the creature is knocked prone.Bonus ActionsAcid Spray (1/Day, when Bloodied). The cave harvester emits burning acid in a 5 feet wide, 15 feet long line. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (1d10) acid damage and 5 (1d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. In addition, a creature in that area is doused in the cave harvester’s stench. Until it has been cleaned off, other creatures have advantage on Perception checks made to locate the affected creature by smell.Opportune Bite. The cave harvester makes a bite attack against a prone creature.ReactionsAutotomy. The cave harvester can remove one of its own legs without suffering any ill effects or change to its Speed.Frenzy (1/Day). When attacked by a creature it can see within 20 feet, it moves up to half its speed and makes a bite attack against that creature.CombatCave harvesters typically start by leaping onto a target, then biting it. It attacks whoever damaged it most recently. When bloodied, it uses Acid Spray and then retreats.</blockquote>

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