Spider Based Dungeon

[Cisturn]

Hey guys, I'm starting a campaign next week, and for the first session I'm making a CR1 spider themed library-turned dungeon. I'm going to throw the old "key hanging in the web of a giant spider" and a few swarms and Lemures. But can anyone think of any cool tricks i could throw at them? Or a good name for this spider infested archive?

[tcrudisi]

I actually ran something similar in 4e a couple of months ago. When I was helping one player make his character, I suggested a feat that let him do lots of extra bonus damage against spiders. His response? "You and I both know that conditional feats like that are worthless. That feat would never be used." Oh man, I lol'ed so hard.

I actually used some white fuzz as spider webs when I drew the dungeon. I also gave them a plot to collect some spider legs and rewarded them for being successful. All in all it was a fun time.

[psilontech]

Some sort of large object, let us assume it to be a wall, appears to be almost chitinous in nature.

Eventually it explodes into a stupid number of spiders under whatever circumstances you deem necessary.

No, you know what? The whole library - spiders. The books? Spiders.

The adventurers? *Le Gasp!* SPIDERS ALL ALONG!!!:smalltongue:

[Zaq]

Make sure that there are absolutely no drow anywhere in a fifty-mile radius, at least. At all. One, you get the benefit of not having to deal with the friggin' drow, and two, it'll really throw the players for a loop.

[Bhaakon]

Giant trapdoor spider!

Also, spiders moult. It might be cool to have the PCs find a seriously enormous empty spider skin...which happens to be populated by a swarm of smaller spiders. They might also stumble across some victims, perhaps disturbingly powerful ones.

[Rei_Jin]

Also, do you have an idea as to why the PCs would want to go in here? If not, I can give you one, as well as your bad guy who is at the end of the dungeon.

Aranea are Spiders with the Shapechanger subtype, who can turn into a humanoid of their choice (sort of like a werewolf). If you had one of those find the PCs and tell them that her little dog/brother/son/neighbour went into the spooky dungeon and she was too scared to go in after him... and he's not come back in more than a day!

So, the PCs go in, looking for the missing person/dog/whatever, and at the end of it, they find the Aranea in her "throne room" where she monologues and attacks them with her minions. If you want to screw with them even more, have them find the missing whatever, and be leading it to safety when they get to the "throne room", then it turns into a spider like the Aranea does!

Should be awesome.

[Draconi Redfir]

Aranea are Spiders with the Shapechanger subtype, who can turn into a humanoid of their choice (sort of like a werewolf).

I now want a Werespider template:smalleek:

[Cisturn]

Also, do you have an idea as to why the PCs would want to go in here? If not, I can give you one, as well as your bad guy who is at the end of the dungeon.

Aranea are Spiders with the Shapechanger subtype, who can turn into a humanoid of their choice (sort of like a werewolf). If you had one of those find the PCs and tell them that her little dog/brother/son/neighbour went into the spooky dungeon and she was too scared to go in after him... and he's not come back in more than a day!

So, the PCs go in, looking for the missing person/dog/whatever, and at the end of it, they find the Aranea in her "throne room" where she monologues and attacks them with her minions. If you want to screw with them even more, have them find the missing whatever, and be leading it to safety when they get to the "throne room", then it turns into a spider like the Aranea does!

Should be awesome.

I'm loving the last bit.

To answer your question though they're being sent in to bring back the head of the old librarian (long dead and turned into a Nupperibo, cr2 devil from fiendish codex II). They're doing this to prove they're salt as adventurers.

[ffone]

The BBEG is a human or moon elf female who likes to pretend she's a drow. Wears facepaint and spiderweb lingerie and all. Her diary consists of disturbing daydreams about Drizzt.

[Abaddon87]

The BBEG is a human or moon elf female who likes to pretend she's a drow. Wears facepaint and spiderweb lingerie and all. Her diary consists of disturbing daydreams about Drizzt.

This made me smile :smallsmile:

Now I'm thinking of a cult dedicated to Drizzt Worship...

Edit: To answer OP, I would have the players injure one of the spiders, like cut off a leg, and have said spider return later in adventure. Only larger, meaner and magically buffed!

[Lord.Sorasen]

I now want a Werespider template:smalleek:

Couldn't one get this by applying the lycanthrope with a monstrous spider (large for medium characters, medium for small characters) as the base?

Though I'd probably just use wasteland druid for this effect.


Now, on the subject of of the spider dungeon... Room filled with small monstrous spiders. Some of the spiders emit light like a torch. Deal enough damage to these spiders and you win, but you provoke attacks of opportunities for attacking those that do not glow.

http://www.primetimeamusements.com/pics1/spider-stompin.jpg

[Tvtyrant]

Have a Bebilith stalk them wherever they go, but after the first fight it doesn't hunt them. It hunts their prey. Whenever a large battle with lots of dead happens it appears to grab corpses and Plane Shift off with them. Have it be a background thing with no real point in the plot until they kill the BBEG and are going to get the key to the BBEG's safe full of treasure. The Bebilith ports in and grabs the BBEGS body, and now they have to go after it if they want the treasure. Also works with a Phase Spider.

[Cisturn]

Have a Bebilith stalk them wherever they go, but after the first fight it doesn't hunt them. It hunts their prey. Whenever a large battle with lots of dead happens it appears to grab corpses and Plane Shift off with them. Have it be a background thing with no real point in the plot until they kill the BBEG and are going to get the key to the BBEG's safe full of treasure. The Bebilith ports in and grabs the BBEGS body, and now they have to go after it if they want the treasure. Also works with a Phase Spider.

That could work if i gimp down the phase spider, it's my PCs first dungeon they're only level one.

[Tvtyrant]

That could work if i gimp down the phase spider, it's my PCs first dungeon they're only level one.

Don't have it attack them then; just grab bodies and run. The whole point is to downplay the fear of it until its routine for the spider to pop in to grab a corpse, and then have it run off with something important at an inopportune time.

[myancey]

Make sure that there are absolutely no drow anywhere in a fifty-mile radius, at least. At all. One, you get the benefit of not having to deal with the friggin' drow, and two, it'll really throw the players for a loop.

So true. That's pretty funny. Dungeon with spiders usually means drow. As the DM, you should allude to drow being their all the time..but there never will be.


The BBEG is a human or moon elf female who likes to pretend she's a drow. Wears facepaint and spiderweb lingerie and all. Her diary consists of disturbing daydreams about Drizzt.

Could this BBEG have a wicked lisp and a shrine made out of pine sap (so vaguely recognizable?)

[Greenish]

I now want a Werespider template:smalleek:

Couldn't one get this by applying the lycanthrope with a monstrous spider (large for medium characters, medium for small characters) as the base?Here. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a)