Looking for a monster with a cocoon ability

[GreatDane]

Just what it says on the tin. Is there a monster out there (of any CR) with an ability that lets it wrap up and immobilize an enemy (PC) with webs or some other material?

Semi-related: is such an ability a good idea on a monster, or is it "un-fun?"

[Surpriser]

Well, any sort of web-spinning spider should do, as would Ettercaps.

Then there's the Entomber (LM), who literally slams enemies into the earth.

Not to mention any spellcaster (or spellcasting monster) with access to web, resilient sphere, forcecage,...

Assassin vines might count too.

As to whether it's fun to use such abilities against the PCs - yes, as long as they are used sparingly and the PCs have a way to fight against the effect (either via a save, good positioning, skill/ability checks afterwards, whatever).
Basically, it is important not to make it "you don't get to play this encounter" type of situation.

[Venger]

Just what it says on the tin. Is there a monster out there (of any CR) with an ability that lets it wrap up and immobilize an enemy (PC) with webs or some other material?

Semi-related: is such an ability a good idea on a monster, or is it "un-fun?"

If you're DMing, you could just throw a shaper at your party. they have a power for it and everything (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/ectoplasmicCocoon.htm)

for a horror-themed game, the extremely unnerving body leech (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040925a) is fun too

[Cerefel]

It's CR4 but there is the aranea, a shapechanging spider monster. There could be some fun with that.

[John Longarrow]

Had a great plan set up for an aranea. One of the characters liked doing the "Yea, into wine, women, and song. Hold the song" thing. Wanted to see what would happen after he found out that cutie he hooked up with was really a giant spider with a human fetish...

[GreatDane]

Well, any sort of web-spinning spider should do, as would Ettercaps.

Then there's the Entomber (LM), who literally slams enemies into the earth.

Not to mention any spellcaster (or spellcasting monster) with access to web, resilient sphere, forcecage,...

Assassin vines might count too.

As to whether it's fun to use such abilities against the PCs - yes, as long as they are used sparingly and the PCs have a way to fight against the effect (either via a save, good positioning, skill/ability checks afterwards, whatever).
Basically, it is important not to make it "you don't get to play this encounter" type of situation.
The entomber has exactly the kind of ability I was looking for! Thank you, Playgrounders!

[daremetoidareyo]

Had a great plan set up for an aranea. One of the characters liked doing the "Yea, into wine, women, and song. Hold the song" thing. Wanted to see what would happen after he found out that cutie he hooked up with was really a giant spider with a human fetish...

I've run this hook a few times: I like having a woman spider creature like this who runs a brothel in a big city. Men webbed up to the walls in the basement, including the missing mayor.

This is a good 1 shot for when PCs enter a city and spend most of their time locating goods, & services. Add or subtract HD, DCs, scrying protection & unknowable alignment protections, and class levels as necessary.

PC's are contracted to find the mayor by his wife. His staff all have stories about his philandering. He has a mistress and a bastard child kept in an apartment. Clues point to a brothel in the roughest part of the red light district. It's an opulent brothel though. The head mistress is an aranea. If the PCs investigate around enough, they find a secret door to a basement. They find the mayor webbed to the wall alongside other victims all with abdomens full of spider eggs, some of which are dribbling out of a festering insertion wound.

I've run that adventure meme in different incarnations 3 times with different groups. Two times the entire brothel got burned down in a disgusted rage.