Silk-Spider Swarm
by Jamie BatyDotE DM57
Fine Vermin (Extraplanar, Swarm)
Hit Dice: 2d8 +4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 20ft
Armour Class: 18 (+4 size, +3 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-
Attack: (Swarm 1d6)
Full Attack: (Swarm 1d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft. /0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, webbing
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., low-light vision, Swarm Traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 17, Con 14, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +7, Spot +5
Feats: ----
Environment: Any land
Organisation: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None (Raw Spider-Silk)
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
A silk-spider swarm is comprised of 10,000 silk-spiders occupying a 10ftx10ft space. An individual silk-spider is less than 1" in diameter, including the legs. The creature's chitinous covering is a glossy brown and hairless; unlike other spiders in the Known World, silk-spiders have ten legs.
Silk-spiders nest in dry caves and pits. They are not native to this world, and will die outside the special environments created for them by Alphatian wizards, so there is little chance of encountering them in the wild outside Alphatian controlled territory... On the other hand, there's no telling where an Alphatian wizard will set up shop.
Silk-spiders are prized because the webs they weave can be collected and processed into very light, very tough material- lighter and tougher than normal silk. This is the prized clothing material in Alphatia, and commoners may not wear it.
Each 10' by 10' area webbed by silk-spiders can be formed into a piece of cloth suitable for one ordinary large gown, or several short tunics or lesser garments. To collect the web material, a spider-keeper must use magic to keep the spiders from swarming him.
Combat
These bugs swarm over anything in its path.
Webbing (Ex): As a full-round action, a silk-spider swarm may choose rapidly cover its space (and all creatures within it) with a sheet of webbing. This webbing is effective against targets up to Large size. A creature entangled in the web can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst it with a Strength check. Both are standard actions with a DC 17 check. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the DC includes a +4 racial bonus. Each section of webbing has 12 hp.
Swarm Subtype: A silk-spider swarm has the following traits:
• A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking.
• The swarm is immune to all normal weapon damage.
• Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack.
• Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage.
• Swarms cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent.
• A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
• A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.
• Silk-spider swarms are susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures.
• A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganised and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.
Swarm Attack: A silk-spider swarm automatically damages any creature within squares occupied by the swarm.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to a swarm's damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 10) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check.
Skills: A silk-spider swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. It uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
Vermin Traits: Vermin are mindless - they have no intelligence score and are immune to all mind-affecting effects. They have no sense of morality and are always neutral. They have 60ft. darkvision and any treasure they possess (which is usually none) consists of the property of former victims.