Spider-Themed Encounters for Pathfinder


Advice


Hi, everyone.

I'm working on an area set underground in an inactive volcano (that will not become active, any time soon) that used to be ruled by Kopru (an aquatic race from 3X DnD), but it is now semi controlled by ettercaps with a link to the underdark.

The characters are between 1st and 7th level, with most falling toward the higher end.

I would like some suggestions for some spider-themed encounters that don't utilize drow (for now), perhaps utilizing ettercaps.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.


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My favorite is the nest room. A web-filled (don't forget the perception check to notice!) Room with 1d4 or 1d6 adult spiders. Once half the adults are down add 1 swarm as the babies "hatch"

Another one I like is the trapdoor spider. Have normal pit traps, but about 5 down there is a tunnel big enough for a spider to hide in. Once an adventurer falls into the trap door (I usually use a 20 ft pit, spikes optional) the spider closes and webs shut the trap door on his first round, trapping the adventurer alone. You could even fluff these pits as old lava tubes.


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Experiment with rare spider species the Ettercaps keep as exotic pets. Bolas spiders, overhead Netcasters, Daddy-long Legs/Harvesters (not a spider, I know. Make them large, and reduce the PCs effective reach against them by 5 if they attack from the ground or don't strike the legs with called shots). Henge spiders could be cool, as could spine-launching tarantulas.
Raft Spiders make for a good aquatic encounter.

3.5s Spidereaters might make for some strategic corralling.

Some exotic fantasy breeds might be cool. Spidergrass plants that disguise themselves until you approach. Spiders with hypnotic powers. Spiders that shapeshift to look like allies, but can't speak. Phase Spiders. Were-spiders. Steampowered or Nanite-powered automatons.

A spider swarm themed ghost of an elf maiden/child that seeks vengeance against the drow. Add the Worm that Walks template to some traditional forest fey for a twisted reflection of the Elvish forest archetype. A renegade Dark Folk that has a Spider themed Black Tentacles spell as his go to.


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Aranea. Aranea aranea aranea.

Worm that Walks. Substitute "spiders" for "worms". Bonus points if you apply the template to an aranea.

(Edit: It's out of their usual territory [tropical forests], but I'm sure you can find an excuse!)


Ogre Spiders are pretty fun with their ability to fit through small tunnels. Ettercaps make a variety of traps and I recently found the Weaverworm which Ettercaps worship like a demi-god. A combination of those, Giant Spiders and a Spider Swarm or two would be a pretty risky situation.

Maybe have a Young Bebilith near the bottom that guards a portal to the Abyss while also blocking the players path forward. Hunting the portal and devouring Demons that enter through it.

@Bard of Ages I love the Trap Door Spider idea!


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An Occultist Spider that keeps its focus toys wrapped up in its webs?

A Kineticist spider that sends it magic effects through its webs.

Phase(oid) Spiders in a dungeon using web based "pass walls" to bedevil and separate party members.


With 7th level characters around flight will be available. Some near-invisible webs can make overuse of flight to bypass obstacles more interesting.

An inactive volcano may still have interesting features. Obsidian and sulphur are likely mineral resources so ettercaps should make use of them. Traps with black glass spikes and edges, or a chamber which may be temporarily hard to escape which they fill with the fumes of burning sulphur.


Add a fight with Vigilante ( Wildsoul: Arachnid). As with the main boss Encounters.

Silver Crusade

Moon Spider from Emerald Spire module, could take a page from the drow without using them. The Wizards website used to have an article about fighting styles of the drow. A 5th level goblin fighter, for example, is cr 4 and has the entire Orb Alur (Superior Spider) fighting style. Make them a Mutant Goblin, from Monster Codex and he gets 4 extra arms and a venomous bite, all in all very spidery. Could be done as a 5th level warrior as a CR 4, or a Fighter 5 at CR 5, allowing a fair few in an encounter.


Hrothgar Rannúlfr wrote:

Hi, everyone.

I'm working on an area set underground in an inactive volcano (that will not become active, any time soon) that used to be ruled by Kopru (an aquatic race from 3X DnD), but it is now semi controlled by ettercaps with a link to the underdark.

The characters are between 1st and 7th level, with most falling toward the higher end.

I would like some suggestions for some spider-themed encounters that don't utilize drow (for now), perhaps utilizing ettercaps.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Lavalantula! SyFy original, and Lavalantula 2! Large and Giant Tarantula's that spew lava instead of webbing! Just saying you can throw is some thing unique and unexpected, add Fire subtype. Now those old Aquatic Ruins... Sharknado! 1-5...(fortunately I haven't lost my sanity and watched these...

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

A room with web-wrapped mummies hanging from the ceiling. Ideally the floor is weakened and hazardous, so the PCs have to Tarzan-swing their way across the room from mummy to mummy. Some of the mummies are animated undead, some are hosts for spider swarms, some are just sacks of liquefied acid and poison.

Neogi bosses rule the ettercap.

Cobgoblins are centaur-spider-goblins that climb the walls and ceilings and ambush the PCs with shortbows and web-tipped arrows that entangle their targets.

Silkwyrms have webbing breath weapons that are teeming with spider swarms.

Spiders of Leng crawl out of eight-pointed summoning circles.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

The House on Hook Street module has some good options including:

HHS:
ogre spiders, dream spiders, and a deathweb, plus a nasty ettercap.

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