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So, I'm running for a new group with a new adventure path and they're doing really well through the first book so far. I picked up the second book so I'd be ready for when they complete the first and the first encounter I see is a phase spider.
The tactics section basically says it moves to the Ethereal Plane to prepare an ambush, jumps to the material plane (free action), attacks (standard action), and jumps back to the Ethereal Plane (move action) to wait for the poison to take effect.
How are you ever supposed to fight this at level 4? Dimensional anchor is a level 4 cleric/wizard/sorcerer spell and thus unavailable. I suppose grouping up and readying actions to attack it when it jumps back in would work to an extent, but the spider would maneuver itself about to minimize the danger it's in when it jumps back and forth. Allowing the spider to jump back to the ethereal as a move instead of a standard seems a touch overpowered for a CR5 to me, unless I'm missing something?
Also, with a rogue and invisibility, a rogue gets their sneak attack damage on their first attack because the attack is what triggers the fall of the invisibility. Enemy is flat footed because rogue is invisible -> Rogue sneak attacks -> sneak attack triggers the end of the spell. In the case of the phase spider, it is attacking against the PC's full AC because it shifts into the material and THEN attacks, correct? Phase spider is "invisible" -> shifts into the material plane and becomes visible -> attacks.
It will certainly be a hard fight, but they should be able to handle it. If they are all readying actions, they should be able to hurt it badly enough to get it to flee without too many people getting bitten, and if they bring antitoxens or have a healer, they can should be able to treat the poison. There is certainly a chance that someone could get killed, but that's true in any fight.
As for the attacking their full AC, yes, I do believe that is how it should work. They won't lose their Dex bonus against the attacks unless you decide to house rule it.
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What is the party composition? When I ran this encounter the party's sorcerer readied to cast Hideous Laughter and when it failed its save it was pretty much over. Beyond having some optimized characters remember that phase spiders only have a 7 int so they don't have to be played as super strategic enemies.
if the party has see invis. & magic missile that will help too. make the spider move to get to you so it can't phase back same rd it attacks.
When I ran this the spider never attacked on rounds it had to move. The party bunched up and readied actions, their resident greataxe wielding loony eventually did enough damage to make it flee.
we had to deal with phase spiders in a PFS adventure this weekend..
1) hope your payers are smart enough to pack anti-toxin
2) Ready action is their friend
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They'll have to use readied actions. It's important to remember that you can take 5ft steps during a readied action. It's AC of 17 isn't all that high.
Also, phase spiders aren't immune to mind-affecting abilities (because they're magical beasts, not vermin). Jaryn's idea of Hideous Laughter would be quite effective. It's got a Will save of +3, that's not all that high. It might be worth letting the PCs use Knowledge skills to realize that mind-affecting magic could work though - "this creature has low cunning; it's not mindless like most spiders".
But it's certainly an annoying creature; if the party buffs, it can just wait for ten minutes before attacking again, it's got enough movement speed to keep up with the party. And that poison is pretty potent. Make sure you've read up on the rules for curing/mitigating poison.