Monster Monday: Mithral Spider, A Gleaming Drow Construct

Today's Monster Monday is the mithral spider, a gleaming magical construct employed by the nefarious drow in patrolling the deep caverns of the Underdark and in slave-taking raids on the surface world.  Like any good spider-shaped construct, it can stab with its bladed legs, bite with its poisoned fangs, shoot crossbow bolts out of its face, and fire alchemical spider webs out of its butt.

I created the mithral spider for my campaign in the Guns of the Western Kings campaign setting, only there it could shoot bullets out of its face.  You will be able to read more about that campaign here soon.  I'm afraid I'm a bit behind on my work for d20 Despot because I am currently recovering from a bout of food poisoning.  I blame sewer slicks.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2016 Jonah Bomgaars.

Mithral Spider       CR 6

XP 2,400

N Medium construct

Init +5; Senses low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+5 Dex, +5 natural)

hp 65 (8d10+20)

Fort +2, Ref +11, Will +2

DR 5/adamantine; Immune construct traits

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee 2 leg-blades +11 (1d8+3/18-20), bite +11 (1d6+3 plus poison)

Ranged crossbows +11/+11/+6/+6 (1d4/19-20) 30ft.

Special Attacks web (+13 ranged, DC 14, hp 8; grab or entangle)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 20, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 12

Base Atk +8; CMB +11 (+15 Pull with web); CMD 26 (38 vs. trip)

Languages Undercommon (cannot speak)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Crossbows (Ex)

A mithral spider is equipped with two magically-reloading hand crossbows incorporated into its head.  It can fire crossbow bolts at its full base attack bonus as if it had the Rapid Shot feat.  These crossbows are destroyed when the mithral spider is. 

Poison (Ex)

Drow poison (injury); Save Fortitude DC 13; Frequency 1/minute for 2 minutes; Initial Effect unconsciousness for 1 minute; Secondary Effect unconsciousness for 2d4 hours; Cure 1 save

Web (Ex)

A mithral spider can throw a sticky web strand as a touch attack up to eight times per day.  The web has a maximum range of 50 ft. with a range increment of 10 ft., and is effective against targets up to one size category larger than the web spinner.  When firing the web, the mithral spider can choose whether to entangle or grapple a target struck by their web.  Targets grapples by the mithral spider’s web gain the grappled condition and cannot move farther away from the mithral spider without freeing themselves from the web; the mithral spider does not gain the grappled condition from this.  A mithral spider gains a +4 bonus to Pull combat maneuvers against creatures grappled by their web ability. 

   A grappled or entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check or burst the web with a Strength check.  Both as standard actions with a DC of 13.  Attempts to burst a web by those caught in it take a -4 penalty.  Each 5-foot section of web has 8 hp and DR5/--. 

ECOLOGY

Environment underground

Organization solitary, pair, regiment (3-8)

Treasure 1d3 lbs of mithral (500gp/lb.)

A mithral spider is an arachniform construct created by the drow to patrol and guard remote but valuable locations.  With poisoned fangs and crossbow bolts and alchemical spider silk projectors, this metal monstrosity is more formidable than a spider of comparable size.  Drow also employ mithral spiders to capture victims, snaring them with webs and knocking them unconscious with drow poison before carrying them back to their masters. 

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The mithral spider makes an excellent addition to any drow-based encounter or dungeon, especially if you are getting tired of throwing various combinations of drow and giant spiders at your party.  Even if you don't even want to mention the drow in your game, mithral spiders work great as guardian monsters for some underground treasure.  

Side note: As a huge fan of Tolkien, it really pains me to write 'mithral' instead of mithril.  In the earliest days of D&D, Gary Gygax pilfered so many things from Tolkien that the Tolkien estate got angry and made them change it.  That's the short version of why, when we play D&D or Pathfinder, we talk about halflings and balors and mithral, not hobbits and balrogs and mithril.  Because it's not stealing if you give a little wink while you do it.  

-your mythril d20 despot