Now for another group of enemies that every DM should have a bunch of: diverse spiders.
I painted them in different colors so they have a more diverse use than just one type of spiders would have. For instance, this could be 2 giant spiders, 2 swordspiders and a phase spider in the same encounter.
Anyway, the to marked spiders and the big one where created by "Reaper Miniatures" (https://www.reapermini.com) and the other two, smaller ones were made by "WizKids" (https://wizkids.com/).
[The sword spider isn’t high profile by D&D monster standards. The closest they ever got to a core book was the 2e AD&D Monstrous Compendium released towards the end of that edition’s lifespan, tucked away among all of the other spider statistics. But they appeared in the Baldur’s Gate video game (and were vicious there), making them iconic for a certain generation of gamers. The 3.0 version, in Monsters of Faerun, wasn’t very well designed, having 9 attacks at a +5 bonus and 32 hp as a CR 5. So it would either completely murder a single party member, or miss a whole bunch and then get ganked before it got off a second round of attacks. I hope this version is less swingy and more capable of putting some fear into your parties.
Incidentally, the 3.x D&D Art Galleries are back online! I thought they were lost, but apparently they actually were just down during site repairs. Awesome]
Spider, Sword
CR 7 N Vermin
This dusty gray spider is the size of a lion. It has two large forward facing eyes and six smaller ones, four arrayed in a line below the large eyes and two on the corners of its head. Its legs appear razor-edged, the chitin hardened into sword-like blades.
Sword spiders are aggressive and powerful pursuit predators. Unusually for spiders, they use their legs to take down prey—their four forelegs have blade-like edges and are used to pierce and slash at prey. Their venom is relatively weak for their size, causing swelling, pain and fatigue. Sword spiders are good parents; the females carry their eggs on their backs, and when they hatch continue to transport them for several weeks, allowing them to feed on kills before she does. Treat the spiderlings as a spider swarm that can share a sword spider’s space without dealing damage to it.
Sword Spiders as Vermin Companions
Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 40 ft. climb 40 ft. ; AC +3 natural armor; Attack 4 claws (1d6), bite (1d4 plus poison); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 21, Con 13, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 8; Special Attacks Improved Critical (claw) as a bonus feat, poison (Con based DC)
7th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +3 natural armor; Attack 4 claws (1d8), bite (1d6 plus poison); Ability Scores Str +8, Dex –2, Con +4; Special Attacks Improved Critical (claw) as bonus feat, pounce, poison (Con based DC)
Sword Spider CR 7
XP 3,200
N Large vermin
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +1
Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 75 (10d8+30)
Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +4
Defensive Abilities mindless
Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee 4 claws +10 (1d8+4/19-20), bite +10 (1d6+4 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce, rend (4 claws, 1d8+6)
Statistics
Str 18, Dex 17, Con 17, Int -, Wis 13, Cha 8
Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 25 (37 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Critical (claw) (B)
Skills Acrobatics +11 (+15 when jumping), Climb +12, Perception +9, Stealth +7; Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics, +8 Perception, +8 Stealth
Ecology
Environment any forests and underground
Organization solitary, pair, cluster (3-6) or family (1 plus 1 spider swarm)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 17; duration 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d3 Str damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution based.
