Drow: Spider breed

[Boci]

So we all know, drow have a thing for spiders. From the monster manual we have the giant spider, its got everything you'd expect, 8 legs, webs and poison. But surely the drow can improve this through breeding. What other spiders are there in D&D?

From Drow of the Underdark we have:
1. The spitting spider. Closest in stats to the huge giant spider from the MM, but only large, better AC, slightly higher attack, less bite damage, but its gets slams as secondary attacks too, but lacks web abilities. Has been trained to be a good stead.
2. Tangle Terror. A superior breed. Only medium, yet has the stats far better than the monster manual spiders of similar size. This one also has web abilities, and the web has a rider effect, will save or be confused.
3. The ultimate combat breed. Very potent poison, good damage, improved grapple and blood drain, plus has been bred to be a good steed.

And from Frostburn we have the snow spider, a hunting breed, better in combat than the MM version and it has spring attack, but lacks web abilities. Also their venom deals dex damage and paralysis, instead of strength damage. The drow could conceivably have bred such a spider themselves.

Are there any other spiders breeds the drow could have?

Non-combat:
Not every spider in the drow cities would neccissarily be bred for combat. Spiders could be bred to produce silk of a marketable scale and quality, like the silk worm. Some spiders would be could be beasts of burden, and smaller breeds could deliver messages. Any other roles they could fill?

For the purpose of this thread, vermin only. Spider-like creatures of the aberration or magical creature type are presumably more than just just selective breeding, likely alchemy and magic.

[Thurbane]

Chelicera (MM3 p.27)
Lolth-Touched Monstrous Hunting Spider (MM4 p.93)
Spider, Devastation (EL p.178)
Spider, Giant Sun (LE p.162)
Spider, Giant Whip (LE p.161)
Spider, Hairy (Mon p.79)
Spider, Monstrous Diving (Sto p.169)
Spider, Snow (Fr p154)
Spider, Sword (Mon p.79)
Spitting Spider (DrU p.141)
Spider, Tangle Terror (DrU p.142)
Spider, Widowmaker (DrU p.143)

[inuyasha]

Are you asking for a list of possible genetically modified utility-spiders? Because if utility-spiders are what you want, utility-spiders you shall receive!

[Boci]

Chelicera (MM3 p.27)
Lolth-Touched Monstrous Hunting Spider (MM4 p.93)
Spider, Devastation (EL p.178)
Spider, Giant Sun (LE p.162)
Spider, Giant Whip (LE p.161)
Spider, Hairy (Mon p.79)
Spider, Monstrous Diving (Sto p.169)
Spider, Snow (Fr p154)
Spider, Sword (Mon p.79)
Spitting Spider (DrU p.141)
Spider, Tangle Terror (DrU p.142)
Spider, Widowmaker (DrU p.143)


Thanks, that's awesome. I don't recognize some of those abbreviations though. "Mon" is Monsters of Faerun? EL and LE?


Are you asking for a list of possible genetically modified utility-spiders? Because if utility-spiders are what you want, utility-spiders you shall receive!

That's the idea yes. I want to start with what already exists in the books, then see what I can do with it. Like the MM giant spider vs. the snow spider, could have been the drow breeding a more agile, webless hunting spider. Ideally I'd like to produce a spider breeding chart, similar to this dog chart (though probably smaller):

https://userscontent2.emaze.com/images/858099a9-38b9-43a7-94db-d79b5a4c303f/67317ab8-dc74-47c9-9b9b-fbba5010c388.jpg

[Thurbane]

...if we're talking experimental/selective breeding, the following templates can be applied without changing type from vermin:


Acidborn Monster (Du p.111)
Chameleon Creature (Und p.83)
Dungeonbred Monster (Du p.112)
Guardian Monster (Du. p113)
Mineral Warrior (Und p.86)
Titanic Creature (MM2 p.217)
Warbeast (MM2 p.219)



Thanks, that's awesome. I don't recognize some of those abbreviations though. "Mon" is Monsters of Faerun? EL and LE?

Epic Level Handbook, Lost Empires of Faerûn and Monsters of Faerûn.

[Vizzerdrix]

Watchspiders from the book about waterdeep. Med size. Magical beasts. Their description says they have webs but I dont think they have the ability in their stat block.

[Wristlet Eater]

Harpoon Spiders from MMIII? They are not vermin but are spiders.

[Gildedragon]

Magebred template form eberron. It might not be applicable to vermin, just animals, but use your discretion there

[hamishspence]

Harpoon Spiders from MMIII? They are not vermin but are spiders.

They have extra limbs though. If "arachnoid" and not just "arachnid" is allowed (10-limbed, closely related to spiders - considered spiderkind for the purposes of drow abilities and the like), then you can get things like the Whip Spider, Whip Scorpion and Solifugid "sun spider" - all from Lost Empires of Faerun.

EDIT: Apparently two of these 3 have already been mentioned.


Races of Faerun has the Steeder - duergar riding spider - a magical beast that can, like its rider, turn invisible - which makes for good mounted ambushes.

[Wristlet Eater]

D&D is not real life, if there is something that would not be a spider IRL but the rules say is a spider, it is one.

[Necroticplague]

Everyuthing I could think of has already been said, but I just need to say: I misread the title as mentioning 'spider bread', and thought this was about something very different.

[Gildedragon]

'spider bread', and thought this was about something very different.

A loaf poisoned with a dose of The Calling

[CIDE]

At this point I'm more curious about how they're going to be capturing and controlling some of these spider breeds. Devastation Spider seems like it's out there for what even a group of Drow could manage.

[Thurbane]

D&D is not real life, if there is something that would not be a spider IRL but the rules say is a spider, it is one.

For the purpose of this thread, vermin only. Spider-like creatures of the aberration or magical creature type are presumably more than just just selective breeding, likely alchemy and magic.

The OP is specifically looking for Vermin only at this point, however...

If we were to include Aberrations, Magcial Beasts and Elementals, there's also:


Bloodsilk Spider (MM4 p.24)
Fire Spider Swarm (SSL p.155)
Inferno Spider (MM4 p.76)
Spider, Harpoon Dread (MM3 p.81)
Spider, Harpoon (MM3 p.80)
Spider, Phase (MM p.207)
Spider, Shadow (MM2 p.184)
Tentacle Spider (SX p.83)
Tomb Spider Broodswarm (MM4 p.164)
Tomb Spider (MM4 p.164)
Watchspider (CSW p.140)


...and that's not even including creatures described as "spider-like".

[mabriss lethe]

The Warbeast template, mentioned earlier,is also good for pricing vermin as part of wbl.

As for controlling them, there are a lot of ways, most of them in DotU. Drow/half drow can use a modified version of handle animal via the Vermin Trainer feat (though, due to the odd skill requirements, only a few classes can start with it at level 1.) My favorite starting point for that feat is a deepwyrm half drow marshal with the draconic aura acf.

[Zaq]

Everyuthing I could think of has already been said, but I just need to say: I misread the title as mentioning 'spider bread', and thought this was about something very different.

I'm fairly sure that's a thing in ADOM. If memory serves, it's ridiculously effective for drow (okay, "dark elves") but poisonous to everyone else.