Forgotten Realms Wiki
Advertisement
Forgotten Realms Wiki

Dire spiders were bigger, tougher, and smarter relatives of regular giant spiders that were not considered to be true dire creatures.[1]

Description[]

Dire spiders varied in size and color. Most commonly they were tan or dark brown in color and could be differentiated from their giant cousins by being bigger. Very seldomly, a dire spider could reach even greater size, much bigger than a usual humanoid creature, these creatures were referred to as bloated dire spiders.[1]

Behavior[]

They were cunning ambushers and trap makers and were proficient in hiding and waiting for their prey, once the creature was touching their webs, they attacked. Dire spiders hunted in groups.[1]

Abilities[]

Dire spiders' abilities were similar to most other spiderkind, they possessed darkvision and were immune to mind-affecting abilities and spells. They were also unaffected by any magically created webs.[1]

Combat[]

When they ambushed their prey, they charged into close combat, confident in their size, strength, and numbers. They dealt slashing damage with their sharp tarsus. Like many other spiders, dire spiders were highly poisonous. When in close combat, dire spiders attempted to inject their victims with their venom upon a bite.[1]

Ecology[]

Dire spider venom was potent and was of a similar type as other huge spiders'. Their venom affected the injected creature's strength and if remained untreated, dammed it even further, potentially enough to kill physically weaker creatures or humanoids with lower fortitude.[1]

Dire spiders were notoriously next to impossible to train nor domesticate due to their ferocity.[1]

History[]

Circa 1372 DR, dire spiders could be found in the sewers of Neverwinter, especially in the city's poor quarters, such as the Beggar's Nest and inside the Silver Sails Trading Company storehouse in the Docks District. More of these creatures could be found within Neverwinter Woods[1], spider-infested areas of Underdark[3], sewers under Daggerford[2] and Spindrift Town.[4], as well as the depths of the Brush of Barbs.[2]

Duskwood and Glowstone Caverns under it, had a significant population of dire spiders circa 1374 DR.[5]

Rumors & Legends[]

Rumors claimed that a dire spider was kept inside the Neverwinter Academy.[1]

Trivia[]

One could summon a dire spider via the summon monster IV spell.[1]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Video Games
Neverwinter Nights series (Neverwinter NightsNeverwinter Nights: Shadows of UndrentideNeverwinter Nights: Hordes of the UnderdarkNeverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword CoastNeverwinter Nights 2Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over DaggerfordNeverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea)

Connections[]


True Spiders
Natural spiders: BladeBloodwebBristleBudbackDaughter of LolthDireDoomspinnerGargantuanGee'aantuGiant (FlyingWater)Huge (DeathjumpWolf spiderWatchspider)IceLeafRoaveSpittingSubterranean (FlyingHairySword)SwarmhordeTarantulaVelsharess Orbb
Magical spiders: BloodsilkElectricGlassGazeGoblin • Halruaan (GlassScaled)Pet of KalistesSpellgauntSteederWoodspider
Planar spiders: Demonweb terrorFireMyrlocharPhaseShadowTombVortex

True Arachnids Considered Spiderkind

References[]

Advertisement