Water/Sea Spider
by Jamie BatyBMSII 13, 14, 21
Medium Vermin
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20ft, swim 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armour Class: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4 +1)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4 +1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, web
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., hold breath
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 13, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +9, Spot +9, Swim +9
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any aquatic
Organisation: Solitary, Cluster (2-5), or Nest (5-20)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -
Normally found living in great air bubbles in heavy weed beds, water spiders normally feed on fish. They accomplish this by weaving webs in the weeds, usually in clusters of 12-24 near the lair. The only entrance to the lair is through the bottom through an airlock-type arrangement. The main lair is between 10'-100' in diameter. many abandoned spider nest has provided refuge for air breathers. Every 10' in diameter a nest has will provide 1 hour's worth of air to 4 people.
Combat
Water spiders like to trap their prey. Once trapped, they will let the prey drown if possible, and will attack any creature capable of breathing to finish them off. Once dead, the water spider will take the remains to its lair.
Poison (Ex): The venom of a water spider is relatively weak, but it can be potentially deadly; victims of the water spider's bite must make a DC 13 fortitude save. Initial damage is 1d3 Str damage and secondary damage is paralysis for 2d6 rounds. The save DC is constitution-based. Note that paralysed creatures underwater are subject to drowning unless they can breathe underwater.
Web (Ex): A water spider can set up a number of web traps on the surface of the water, as well as underwater. The spider can create sheets of 10 feet square sticky webbing. These are usually positioned to snare swimming creatures but can also try to trap prey on the lake or seabed. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become entangled. An entangled creature can escape with a successful DC 13 Escape Artist check or burst it with a DC 17 Strength check. Both DCs are constitution-based and the Strength check includes a +4 racial bonus. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 6 hit points, and sheet webs have damage reduction 5/-. \
A water spider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
Any creature entangled underwater may be a risk of drowning if they are unable to breathe underwater.
Hold Breath (Ex): A water spider can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8x its Constitution score before it risks drowning. For a typical water spider, this equals 104 rounds, or a little over 10 minutes.
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.
Skills: A water spider has a +6 racial bonus to Hide checks. The water spider also receives a +8 racial bonus on Spot and Climb checks. A water spider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Water spiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifiers for Climb checks, whichever is higher. Water spiders have a +8 racial bonus to all swim checks.