Colossal Spider
Colossal Spider (CR 17)
| Pure Evil - Colossal - Vermin |
|---|
| Lore: | Know (Nature) | ||
| 34 | 49 | ||
| Basic DC | Full DC | ||
| Initiative |
29 |
| Perception: | |
| 42 | +32 |
| Passive | Active |
| Ambush: |
| 10+ |
| on a d20 |
Senses:
Movement Types:
- Walk 60 ft.
- Greater Climb 60 ft.
Defense
| AC |
40 |
| Man Def |
|
40 |
| Monster Health | ||
| 611 | 305 | 32 |
| Hit Points | Bloodied | Hit Dice |
| Saving Throws | |
| Fort: | +19 |
| Refl: | +14 |
| Will: | +14 |
Strong Against:
Offense
| Size: | Colossal | ||
| 25 ft. | 25 ft. | ||
| Space | Reach | ||
| To-Hit |
+25 
|
| Man Off |
+30
|
| Action |
| 0 |
| Points |
- Maneuver Offense Notes: +3 on Feints
Standard Attack (Melee):
- 1x Colossal Fangs +25 (4d10+31/x2)
as spindling (physical, rare)
plus: Greater Poison
Full Attack (Melee):
- 2x Colossal Fangs +25 (4d10+24/x2)
as spindling (physical, rare)
plus: Greater Poison
Standard Attack (Ranged):
Full Attack (Ranged):
Siege Damage: Not siege capable
Statistics
| 30 |
| STR |
| 17 |
| DEX |
| 25 |
| CON |
| 8 |
| INT |
| 11 |
| WIS |
| 14 |
| CHA |
Skills:
- Acrobatics: 30
- Bluff: 30
- Perception: 32
- All other skills: 23 (no ranks)
Languages: Umbral, Common
Feats:
- Penetrating Strike (EFFECT: Your attacks ignore a scaling amount of damage reduction)
- Mobility (EFFECT: +4 AC against attacks of opportunity from movement)
Special Abilities
| Greater Poison (Ex, Poison) Automatic after successful bite |
|
Each time the colossal spider successfully bites a creature, that creature is also subjected to a powerful poison:
|
| Poison Spray (Ex) Standard Attack |
|
As a standard action, the colossal spider may spray a 25-foot diameter mist of poison. The 5 x 5 square area of this spray must begin in a square adjacent to the spider (cone area of effect). Creatures in the area take 4d8+17 points of Acid (energy, common) damage, but may make a Reflex save, DC 29, for half damage, and to try to avoid being poisoned as well. Those who fail the saving throw suffer the effects of Greater Poison (see above), in addition taking the full acid damage of this attack. Colossal spiders are immune to acid damage and all poisons, so there is no danger from 'friendly fire'. |
| Web (Ex) Swift Action 1/Rnd |
|
Once per round as a swift action, the colossal spider may select a 3x3 square (15-foot diameter) within 100 feet of its space to fill with a sticky web. Any creature in the radius must make a Reflex save, DC 27, or become Immobilized and Entangled. Those who succeed on the save are only Entangled. The Immobilized condition can be broken by using a move action to make an Escape Artist check, DC 40. The Entangled condition lasts until the end of any turn in which the creature is not in a space filled with webbing. The colossal spiders are immune to the effects of the web, even if it is produced by a different colossal spider. |
Colossal Spider
Colossal spiders are, as their name suggests, really big spiders. They are somewhat rare, since they require quite a bit of food, and are most frequently seen immediately after they have hatched, typically in a group with their kin. These outbreaks of colossal spiders tend to terrorize the region for a few days to a week, until the spiders turn on each other for food. In the meantime, local wildlife, villages, and any communities not able to establish a vigorous defense are at high risk of being annihilated.
Colossal spiders stand 20 to 25 feet tall, and their legs can span as wide as 50 feet, though when walking, they are usually around 25 feet apart. Colossal spiders, despite their prodigious size, tend to prey on size medium creatures almost exclusively, only tackling larger prey when smaller prey is unavailable. A typical colossal spider will eat 5 to 10 medium-sized creatures per day, given the opportunity, though they can subsist on only 3-4 per week, if necessary.
One peculiarity of colossal spiders is that they are intelligent, and some are even capable of speech. It is unclear if this is a form of mimicry, meant to attract prey, or actual communication. It is thought that colossal spiders actually originate from the fey courts of the First World, and that this origin is the reason for their unusual ability to speak.
Combat Tactics
Despite being quite bright for vermin, colossal spiders are only successful predators because of how powerful they are. Colossal Spiders are relentless hunters, and are very rarely found in a lair. Instead, they are always out and moving, prowling restlessly after prey. They will use their very long-range low-light vision to hunt at night and their webs mean they are very hard to run away from once they have engaged. They rarely attempt to ambush (given their size, this is not surprising), and mostly just charge their prey, slowing them with webs, and attempting to bite and poison them to death. Colossal Spiders are insanely fast and agile for their size, and their physical prowess combined with an abundance of limbs makes them astonishingly capable in melee combat.
Due to their size, they will charge in fearlessly and use a stepover on creatures of size Large or smaller, although they are smart enough not to allow internal flanks if they don't need to. They will typically seek to flank and surround prey, and as their swift actions any ranged attackers get webs, while tasty melee attackers get feinted and bitten. Their Mobility feat raises their armor class against attacks of opportunity, and they will use their remarkable Acrobatics skill to move with fluid ease, especially given their size. Once in melee, their huge fangs hit extremely hard, bypassing most forms of DR.
Their poison is extremely nasty, and can quickly take down their prey if left untreated.
They will use their poison spray in any round where a full attack is unlikely, they are having trouble hitting an elusive foe, or when they can strike 3 or more creatures with it. They are all able to resist their own acid, and will use their poison without hesitation in close quarters.
Colossal spiders will run from a fight if it becomes obvious they cannot win. Their favored retreat tactic is to make a withdraw maneuver and use their high Climb speed to vault up any nearby trees, cliffs, or buildings, and then scurry away.
Out of Combat
Colossal Spiders are often domesticated, most especially by the spider-crazed Drow. Many Matriarchs have plush mansions built upon Giant Spiders, which they use to move their seat of power as they weave their multitude of plots.
Aside from that, many monsters like to use Giant Spiders as beasts of burden, with clans such as Forest Giants and Xeph raising and domesticating Colossal Spiders. The Xeph especially, with their love of nomadic lifestyles, find Colossal Spiders nearly ideal, with eerie fey caravans of the mighty Xeph travelling by night and nesting away from prying eyes finding their way into the most surprising places.
If not domesticated, Colossal Spiders are typical vermin, existing to eat and make more spiders.
Rewards
XP: 102,400
Treasure: Sellable Goods worth 51,444 gp.
- Weight: 170 lbs. Volume: 6.8 cu. ft.
- Colossal Spider treasure is almost always gained from the sale of their harvested venom sacs, which are extremely valuable to collectors of such things.
Optional Treasure Rules: Roll a d20 on Table 1 below once per encounter (NOT per creature). Any items discovered are in addition to the normal treasure for the encounter.
| Table 1: Remnant(s) Found | |
|---|---|
| 1 - 10 | Nothing Found |
| 11 - 14 | 1 Languid Remnant (tier 1) |
| 15 - 17 | 1 Pale Remnant (tier 2) |
| 18 - 19 | 1 Bright Remnant (tier 3) |
| 20 | Roll on Table 2 |
| ### | Nothing to see here! |
| ### | Or here. Move along. |
| Table 2: Remnant(s) Found | |
|---|---|
| 1 - 5 | 3 Languid Remnants (tier 1) |
| 6 - 10 | 3 Pale Remnants (tier 2) |
| 11 - 14 | 1 Intense Remnant (tier 4) |
| 15 - 17 | 1 Blazing Remnant (tier 5) |
| 18 - 19 | 1 Vital Remnant (tier 6) |
| 20 | Roll on Table 3 |
| ### | Or here. Move along. |
| Table 3: Remnant(s) Found | |
|---|---|
| 1 - 5 | 3 Bright Remnants (tier 3) |
| 6 - 8 | 3 Intense Remnants (tier 4) |
| 9 - 11 | 3 Blazing Remnants (tier 5) |
| 12 - 14 | 3 Vital Remnants (tier 6) |
| 15 - 17 | 1 Prime Remnant (tier 7) |
| 18 - 19 | 1 Mythic Remnant (tier 8) |
| 20 | 1 Empyrean Remnant (tier 9) |