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A spider was a type of arthropod. Spiders were found all over Faerûn.

A large number of hand-sized venomous spiders would sometimes group themselves into a swarm.[3]

Species[]

Spiders and adventurers

Two adventurers about to get ensnared by giant spiders.

Electric spider
Gargantuan Spider
an enormous spider, also called whisper spider.[4]
Gee'aantu
A large, tarantula-like spider from the Underdark.[5]
Guardian spider
Giant spider
Any spider of a giant size. Also known as "monstrous spiders", they were found in a variety of appearances and sizes and came in hunter or web-spinner varieties. Goblins used giant spiders as mounts.[6]
A huge black spider that could be summoned by the drow matron mothers of Ched Nasad.[7]
Goblin spider
A variety of giant spider that was endemic to the landmass of Kara-Tur.[8]
Large Spider
A large spider, smaller than huge, but bigger, then a normal spider.[4]
Hairy spider
A variety of small, web-less, hairy subterranean spider.[9]
Huge spider
A variety of spiders that were bigger than large spiders, but smaller than giant spiders. They could not produce webs and thus hunted by either prowling around or waiting in a hiding spot.[4]
Phase spider
Aggressive predators that could move between the Ethereal Plane and the Prime Material Plane.[10]
Steeder
A variety of giant spider that was endemic to the Underdark and often domesticated by duergar.[11]
Sword spider
A variety of subterranean spider with razor-sharp tips on its legs.[9]
Watchspider
A specially-bred variety of huge spider trained to obey commands and used as guardians.[12][13]
Wraith spider
Undead giant spider.[14]

Related Creatures[]

  • Aranea: The aranea was a type of intelligent, shape-shifting spider thought to have been created by a Calishite wizard to infiltrate drow armies.[15]
  • Chwidencha
  • Drider: The drider was a drow aberration whose lower half was that of a spider. They inhabited the Underdark and required blood for sustenance. Driders were created from drow who failed a loyalty test to Lolth.[16]
  • Ettercap: The ettercap was an aberration between a humanoid and a spider. They had gray or purple bodies with white underbellies and sharp, chitinous claws. They often kept spiders as pets.[17]
  • Jade spider: Jade spiders were jade constructs fashioned in the shape of a spider. They were used by the drow to protect Menzoberranzan and other drow locations.[18]
  • Snow spider: A snow spider was warm-blooded mammal with eight legs and an arachnid form.[19]
  • Yochlol: A type of lesser tanar'ri demon, servants of Lolth. They had the ability to shapeshift into four different forms, one of which is a spider.

Notable Locations[]

Spiders inhabited the forest known as the Neth Stand.[20]

Adhe Wood in the Vast was infested with ettercaps and mutant spiders of many sizes and breeds.[21]

Spiders were common in the Underdark, particularly in drow settlements, where they were revered by worshipers of Lolth.[22]

Ecology[]

Relationships[]

Drow often made objects and buildings in the shape of spiders.[23][24] In cultures that venerated Lolth, it was forbidden to kill a spider; those who did so were punished with death.[25] Spiders were often kept by the drow, their purpose depending on a given spider's size. The smallest ones were kept as pets by children. Those that were big enough to kill mice, meaning hand-sized, were kept as familiars by wizards. Those that were as big as a horse were used to ride upon. Those that were the size of dogs were used like guard dogs in temples to Lolth. The last category were sometimes imbued with a demon to make older ones regain their vitality, combining it with a nasty personality.[26]

Spriggans in the Feywild were sometimes known to use spiders to create web barriers in their forests.[27]

Usages[]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

See Also[]

Appearances[]

Adventures
The Accursed TowerHellgate Keep
Novels
Daughter of the DrowDissolutionInsurrectionCondemnationExtinctionAnnihilationResurrectionNight of the HunterSentinelspire
Referenced only
The Council of Blades
Video Games
Baldur's GateBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnBaldur's Gate: Dark AllianceForgotten Realms: Demon StoneMenzoberranzan (game)Neverwinter NightsNeverwinter Nights: Darkness over DaggerfordNeverwinter Nights 2

External Link[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 337. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 239–240. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  3. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 239–240. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 326 f.. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  5. Philip Athans (2008). A Reader's Guide to R. A. Salvatore's the Legend of Drizzt. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 153. ISBN 0-7869-4915-5.
  6. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 288–289. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  7. Thomas M. Reid (December 2003). Insurrection. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 307–308. ISBN 0-7869-3033-0.
  8. Rick Swan (July 1990). Monstrous Compendium Kara-Tur Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), p. 23. ISBN 0-88038-851-X.
  9. 9.0 9.1 James Wyatt, Rob Heinsoo (February 2001). Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerûn. Edited by Duane Maxwell. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 79–80. ISBN 0-7869-1832-2.
  10. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 207–208. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  11. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 238. ISBN 978-0786966240.
  12. Monstrous Compendium included in Ed Greenwood, Steven E. Schend (July 1994). City of Splendors. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  13. Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 141. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
  14. James Wyatt (September 2002). City of the Spider Queen. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 124. ISBN 0-7869-1212-X.
  15. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 15–16. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  16. Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 69–70. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
  17. David "Zeb" Cook, et al. (1989). Monstrous Compendium Volume Two. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-8803-8753-X.
  18. James Wyatt (September 2002). City of the Spider Queen. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-1212-X.
  19. Belinda G. Ashley (1997). “The Dragon's Bestiary: Arctic Monsters”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #2 (TSR, Inc.) (2)., p. 33.
  20. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
  21. Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
  22. James Wyatt (September 2002). City of the Spider Queen. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-1212-X.
  23. R.A. Salvatore (August 2012). Charon's Claw. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 296, 299. ISBN 0-7869-6223-2.
  24. Richard Lee Byers (August 2003). Dissolution. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 10–11. ISBN 0-7869-2944-8.
  25. Elaine Cunningham (July 2003). Daughter of the Drow (Mass Market Paperback). (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-0786929290.
  26. Drow Pets and Animal Companions. Wizard of the Coast. (2003-26-08). Archived from the original on 2003-07-03. Retrieved on 2019-02-16.
  27. Mike Mearls, Greg Bilsland and Robert J. Schwalb (June 15, 2010). Monster Manual 3 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 182. ISBN 0786954902.
  28. Brian R. James, Eric Menge (August 2012). Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 978-0786960361.
  29. Douglas Niles (August 1991). “A Journey to the True World”. Maztica Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 64. ISBN 1-5607-6084-2.
  30. Douglas Niles (August 1991). “A Journey to the True World”. Maztica Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 88. ISBN 1-5607-6084-2.

Connections[]


True Spiders
Natural spiders: BladeBloodwebBristleBudbackDaughter of LolthDireDoomspinnerGargantuanGee'aantuGiant (FlyingWater)Huge (DeathjumpWolf spiderWatchspider)IceLeafRoaveSpittingSubterranean (FlyingHairySword)TarantulaVelsharess Orbb
Magical spiders: BloodsilkElectricGlassGazeGoblinPet of KalistesSpellgauntSteeder
Planar spiders: Demonweb terrorFireMyrlocharPhaseShadowTombVortex

True Arachnids Considered Spiderkind

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