Giant Spider

Giant Spiders are monstrous spiders of unusual size. Despite their mass, giant spiders are web-spinners, ambushing prey who get stuck on (or, merely disturb) their webs. Their sets of eyes give them 360º Vision, and their subsonic hearing allows them detect careless prey.

Life Cycle

As these spiders seem to life together, they may be a single, long-lived species that alters its behavior as it grows. Smaller spiders are agile and opportunistic, relying on accurate bites to their prey, usually the head (neck, face, eyes). Juveniles (Big Spiders) in this stage had a powerful venom that is replaced over time by a weaker venom but a more powerful bite. In their middle stage (Huge Spiders), they learn to cooperate and can hunt in small groups, although only a few live to become the largest "elder" stage (Humungous Spiders), which becomes too large to be passive, and must hunt or die.

Webs and Lairs

Contrary to popular belief, giant spiders can't (usually) shoot web in combat. Their webbing is time-consuming process, with layers and layers lining their lairs. And there's always webbing in a Giant Spider's lair, even if barely visible.

Spotting Webs, Avoiding Webs

Finding webbing is typically a Perception-based Traps+0 roll--they're fairly thin and translucent. You may get a bonus from Acute Vision, and can avoid darkness penalties with illumination (and Night Vision, if you have it). You can avoid a web with a DX-2 roll--this is especially difficult if you're ham-fisted!

Web Strength

If you do get caught in a web, it counts as being grappled by a ST equal to the spider that spun them. Falling down on a web is worse, and gets double the ST! While webbed, as with grapples, you get -4 to DX, -2 to blocks and parries, -1 to dodges, and no movement. Attempts to break free are a cumulative -1 to ST per failure--if this reduces ST below 3, the victim is helpless!

Even one point of fire damage can cleanse a hex/yard of webbing, just make sure your buddies aren't in the same web (or at least cast Resist Fire on them first)!

Grabs

Giant spiders can't kick effectively, but they can "grab" prey with a full pair of front legs. This counts as a two-handed grapple, and each pair counts as another "arm" for the purpose of grappling, meaning a second pair can grab on for +2 to hit.

Giant Spider Types

Big Spider, AKA Facebiters
Monster Class			Giant Animal
ST	5	HP	5	Speed	7.00
DX	15	Will	10	Move	9
IQ	2	Per	10	Weight	N/A
HT	11	FP	11	SM Size	-1 About 3'
Dodge		10		Parry	N/A	DR	1
Attacks		Bite (17): 1d-4 impaling + follow-up 4d toxic, or 2d with a successful HT roll. Anyone who loses more than HP/2 to cumulative toxic damage is paralyzed until fully healed. Reach C.
Social Background (TL; CF; Language)		None
Traits		360° Vision; Ambidexterity; Extra Legs (Eight Legs); No Fine Manipulators; Spider Climb (Move 7); Semi-Upright; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills		Brawling-17; Stealth-15.
Notes		This spider attacks only those who reach into its hideyhole or get entangled in webs (a mere ST 5 – but a respectable ST 10 if the victim falls into them). Victims who get webbed, or bitten and paralyzed, may be swarmed by more spiders. Such a spider is agile enough to bite the unarmored face (-5 to hit, for effective skill 12)!

Big Spider

"Big Spiders" are the "smaller" monstrous spiders, "only" about 3 feet across. While their bites aren't particularly strong, they are rather venomous. Like most animals, big spiders are limited by an extremely short-range attack (biting) that leaves them vulnerable to counterattacks--they're usually clever enough to not pounce on an opponent when outnumbered, and they're well-aware of hiding-holes they can escape to.

Face Biting

Big Spiders are sometimes called "Facebiters" for their habit of striking unprotected faces. Their introductory attacks are thwarted by wearing a proper helmet, but they're smart enough to not attack the same helmet twice.

Huge Spider

This spider is about 4.5' across. Unlike Big spiders, Huge spiders are more team-oriented, with just enough monster intelligence to move in small groups. They're not very good at coordinating their attacks though, so usually they'll rush in as soon as they see one of their compatriots drop from the ceiling.

Huge Spider, AKA Pack-Spiders
Monster Class			Giant Animal
ST	12	HP	12	Speed	6.50
DX	14	Will	10	Move	8
IQ	3	Per	10	Weight	N/A
HT	12	FP	12	SM Size	0 About 4.5'
Dodge		9		Parry	N/A	DR	2
Attacks		Bite (16): 1d-1 impaling + follow-up 2d toxic, or 1d with a successful HT roll. Anyone who loses more than HP/2 to cumulative toxic damage is paralyzed until fully healed. Reach C.
Social Background (TL; CF; Language)		None
Traits		360° Vision; Ambidexterity; Extra Legs (Eight Legs); No Fine Manipulators; Spider Climb (Move 6); Semi-Upright; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills		Brawling-16; Stealth-14.
Notes		A spider this size will ambush from above, attack frontally with the advantage of numbers, or go after victims entangled in webs (effective ST 12).

Humongous Spider

These spiders are 6' long and 2' wide, with a powerful bite (with less powerful venom) and a hard, chitinous exoskeleton. It's strong enough to hunt on its own, and as such, will often leave its lair, meaning it doesn't have the home advantage of extensive webs. That being said, it's a tough opponent and will need coordinated counters by the party.

Countering Giant Spiders

Giant spiders get a lot of help from positioning, webbing, and darkness. Flaming Weapon and Flaming Missiles can be useful, as misses from attacks are likely to also burn the web as well. Animal spells can help in finding the small ones, and controlling a single large one, but the medium-sized groups can be trouble. Spiders rely entirely on Dodge, so they're particularly vulnerable to Hinder and Rooted Feet.

As a more basic answer, one may be able to clear out huge areas of web and spiders with Explosive Fireball.

Trivia

• Although giant spiders can't shoot webs in combat, familiars of them can. This works as a Jet with Binding, Range 10.
• The goblins of the Skrixid Tribe are particularly adept at taming, training and breeding giant spiders.
• Ásgrímr, of Citadel at Nordvorn, wears giant spider silk armor under his mail, implying that there are giant spiders somewhere in the setting.

Giant Spider Silk

• Giant spider silk can be gathered (with no small amount of effort) to create incredibly strong ropes (360 lbs strength, 10 yards, $100, 0.5 lbs) and much stronger, thinner cloth armor (adds at least +1 DR).
• Giant Spider silk (written "Giant-Spider silk") is a high quality treasure item in the form of fiber bales, cloth rolls, rope, and even bandages.
• Giant Spider Silk makes for an elegant but protective veil.

Humongous Spider, AKA Manhunter Spiders
Monster Class			Giant Animal
ST	19	HP	19	Speed	6.00
DX	13	Will	10	Move	7
IQ	4	Per	10	Weight	N/A
HT	13	FP	13	SM Size	+1 About 6'
Dodge		9		Parry	N/A	DR	3
Attacks		Bite (15): 2d impaling + follow-up 1d toxic (HT to resist). A victim who loses more than HP/2 to cumulative toxic damage is paralyzed until fully healed. Reach C, 1.
Social Background (TL; CF; Language)		None
Traits		360° Vision; Ambidexterity; Extra Legs (Eight Legs); No Fine Manipulators; Spider Climb (Move 4); Semi-Upright; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills		Brawling-15; Stealth-13.
Notes		This monster often hunts outside its lair, where it prefers to get the (literal) drop on prey. In its lair, ST 19 webs make it a daunting foe . . . and it is smart enough to wait until at least a few delvers are snagged.

See Also

• For the huge, cliff-dwelling ambush spider, see Acid Spider.
• For the metallic servitor of forgotten places, see Bronze Spider.
• Not to be confused with The Tree Spider from Dark of the Woods, who is sapient and enjoys poetry.
• The world of Yrth has giant spiders of their own, although they are slightly different, having paralyzing venom and likewise, being paralyzed by cold weather.

References

• DFRPG: Monsters, p.31-32