Phase Spider's Ethereal Jaunt ability

[Marios]

Hello all!

I was wondering, does the above ability provoke attacks of opportunity? Furthermore, does it have to be used as described in the Bestiary, meaning shift from Ethereal to Material, perform standard action then shift back as a move action or can the Phase Spider stay in the Material plane for some time before shifting back to Ethereal?

Is it me or is the Phase Spider an extremely deadly adversary for a 4th level party? (note that it is a CR 5 monster)

Thanks a lot for your insight!

[KrispyXIV]

Marios wrote:

Is it me or is the Phase Spider an extremely deadly adversary for a 4th level party? (note that it is a CR 5 monster)

Incredibly so.

Without just the right mix of abilities, it can be offensively deadly and hard to fight back against, at all.

And the Phase Spider's Ethereal Jaunt abilities are (su), so they dont provoke, ever. As well, it can stay in either the material plane or ethereal as long as it sees fit.

[concerro]

It does not provoke. It is a supernatural ability and they don't provoke unless otherwise mentioned. It can choose when to activate the ability so it can stay or leave as it wishes.

The monster is very annoying since it is an ambush predator. The players normally catch on and start to ready actions against it though.

[Marios]

Aha!

I guess shifting to Ethereal should not be considered "moving out" of a threatened square, right?

Thanks a lot!

[MurphysParadox]

Marios wrote:

Aha!

I guess shifting to Ethereal should not be considered "moving out" of a threatened square, right?

Thanks a lot!

Correct; it isn't like the spider is stepping away from a person, thus lowering its guard and making itself open to attack. It is simply disappearing from the material plane. One moment it is holding off the attacker's prods and pokes, the next it is ethereal and wandering off to check on lunch while the PCs slowly die from poison.

[Talon Stormwarden]

MurphysParadox wrote:

One moment it is holding off the attacker's prods and pokes, the next it is ethereal and wandering off to check on lunch while the PCs slowly die from poison.

I think in this case the PCs ARE lunch. :)

[MurphysParadox]

Nah, they are dinner. Lunch was the previous group of adventurers. You have to let the bodies marinate in their own juices for awhile to really get the good flavor.

[Marios]

MurphysParadox wrote:

Nah, they are dinner. Lunch was the previous group of adventurers. You have to let the bodies marinate in their own juices for awhile to really get the good flavor.

Ok, when my party rolls knowledge checks to see if they know anything about the darn spider which keeps fading away I'll make sure I quote the above statement! *grin*