Giant Spider (/ˈʤaɪᵊnt ˈspaɪdə/)
An giant arachnid, about the side of a horse, having eight legs and a body divided into two parts. The creature has sharp fangs, black eyes and a spinneret to create webs.
To snare its prey, a giant spider spins elaborate webs or shoots sticky strands of webbing from its abdomen. Giant spiders are most commonly found underground, making their lairs on ceilings or in dark, web-filled crevices. Such lairs are often festooned with web cocoons holding past victims.
The Menagerie fought some in the Spider Forest of the Feywild.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Giant spiders, also known as monstrous spiders, were quite simply enormous versions of regular spiders. Existing in various types, there was no way to singularly describe their appearance; with various types ranging in size from that of a dog to a house. Giant versions of tarantulas existed, as did black widows, spitters, spinners, and all manner of others. Their appearances, habits, and environments all varied greatly. Goblins were known to employ them as mounts.
Description
Due to the different types of such spiders, they varied largely in all ways, such as having different colors and behavior. Lolth, the Queen of Spiders, was bound to have giant spiders serving her.
Varieties
Demons of the Samarlogh - A band of massive and fiercely intelligent fiendish giant spiders of the Samarlogh jungles.
Ice Spider - A giant ice spider had snow-white fur and red eyes. They had a natural resistance to cold-based attacks and weaved liquid webs that quickly solidified due to their environment.
Gaze - A giant spider that attacked with a paralyzing gaze.
Pet of Kalistes - A very intelligent and exceptionally powerful giant spider created by the marilith Kalistes.
Biological Traits
Biology
Giant spiders' viscera was iridescent gold and purple in color. If it came in contact with a humanoid's skin, it had a burning and irritating effect, leaving skin enflamed with red splotches, however, it was mostly harmless.Behaviour
Combat
Giant spiders could attack in a variety of ways, typically whatever way their normal counterparts could. Some spun huge webs that prey easily stumbled into, while others spat a deadly poison. Some were capable of walking on ceilings, while others were not. Despite the differences between the types of giant spiders, all were formidable opponents and certainly not foes for any arachnophobes to face.Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Usages
Some drow would ceremonially eat a spider at the beginning of each meal as a way of giving thanks to Lolth. Hishnashapers often kept spiders and parts of spiders for use in their magic. Such as their venom acting as a material component for the spell pestilence.Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Beast, the player should roll a Nature Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Spider Silk | A giant spider has a spinneret in its abdomen where white silk thread can be harvested. A skilled harvester can extract over 100 feet of thread. Weavers use the thread to create a light, soft, lustrous fabric. | 3 gp | 2 lb. | ∞ | - |
| 15 | Spider Venom (3 vials) | A spider has a venomous bite. The venom can be extracted and refined into a poison. Proficiency with the poisoner kit may be used for harvesting this venom. On a successful check, the character harvests 1 vial of venom that must be refined before producing 1 dose of Spider Bite Poison (see below). On a failed check, the character is unable to extract the venom. If the character fails the check by 5 or more, the character is subjected to the creature's poison. Refining the Poison: Once the venom is extracted, an alchemist (or someone proficient in the poisoner's kit) can spend 12 hour and 100gp worth of material to create Spider Bite Poison (DC 12 Poisoner Kit or Alchemist Supplies check). Spider Bite Poison (Injury): A creature can spend an action to coat 1 melee weapon, or 3 pieces of ammunition with this poison. The poison lasts for 1 minute, or until it successfully affects a target. A creature hit with a weapon coated with this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way. This poison usually sells for 200gp, but the poison is often considered an illicit good (and may not be sold to normal vendors). | 10 gp | 1 lb. | 14 days | - |
This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure. This kind of creature does not normally have or collect treasure. However, the creature may have a lair full of bodies, or reside somewhere that treasure already exists.
This creature produces 6-36 piece of Harvested Meat, weighing 4 lbs each. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 2 sp/ea The meat of insectiods and arachnids can be nourishing, but are often gamey and tasteless. Some communities frown on eating insect meat (and will only pay half price), while others rely on it. Dungeon Master's discretion.
Sources
Source(s):
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 328. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 246–247. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 284, 288–289. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 326. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 90. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Ed Greenwood (August 2006). Swords of Eveningstar. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 14, p. 167. ISBN 978-0-7869-4022-6.
- Obsidian Entertainment (November 2008). Designed by Tony Evans. Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir. Atari.
- Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
- Strategic Simulations, Inc. (1991). Designed by Ken Humphries, David Shelley. Pools of Darkness. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Bestia, Naturis, Spiderkind, Arachnid (Giant Spider)
Origin/Ancestry
Beast (Animal, Spiderkind | Spider, Giant)
Lifespan
50-100 years
Conservation Status
No conservation in most places as they are hunted down as pests, unless they are either revered or protected for some specific regional reason.
Average Height
6 feet
Average Weight
100 pounds
Average Length
8 feet
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Giant Spider
| Size | Large |
| Type | Beast |
| Alignment | Unaligned |
| Challenge Rating | 1 |
General Information
| Movement | Climbing |
| Vision | Blindsight, Darkvision |
| Favored Climate | Temperate |
| Favored Terrain | Forests |
See Also: Giant_spider on Forgotten Realms Wiki