D&D 3.5: Spider based class?

[LordBlade]

So, is there any classes (non-homebrew) that focus around spiders or spider themed abilities?
Other than a Druid simply changing into a giant spider of course (that's too easy). :p

[Malimar]

Tons. Just searching a list of prestige classes for "lolth", "arachn", or "vermin", I see Fang of Lolth, Eye of Lolth, Dread Fang of Lolth, Arachnomancer, Arachne, Vermin Keeper, and Vermin Lord, just for a start.

[flappeercraft]

So, is there any classes (non-homebrew) that focus around spiders or spider themed abilities?
Other than a Druid simply changing into a giant spider of course (that's too easy). :p

The closest thing I can think of the top off my head is Vermin Lord from BoVD. The drow books probably have something that is based on spiders so you should check DotU and Underdark.

[DdarkED]

i seem to recall an arachnomancer from the under dark book, it might do the job.

Cleric with the Spider Domain gets a few spidery tricks the ability to command or turn (i cant recall which or if both) spiders.

[LordBlade]

Arachnomancer might work. I was hoping for more base class type stuff mostly. Makes sense it's mostly just Drow stuff. lol

[daremetoidareyo]

drow of the underdark has a spider shape acf for druids that replaces wild shape.

and then there's the entomathrope template.

there is the first level spell, spider hand in the BOVD.

the child of winter feat allows you to pull spiders into your summon natures ally spells.

A swordsage gets the dance of the spider stance, which activates a non stop spider climb effect.

[eggynack]

Other than a Druid simply changing into a giant spider of course (that's too easy). :p
Ya sure on that? After all, you can also get a spider companion, spider summons, and a bunch of spider themed spells. Druids can go reasonably deep on spiders, all in all.

[LordBlade]

Ya sure on that? After all, you can also get a spider companion, spider summons, and a bunch of spider themed spells. Druids can go reasonably deep on spiders, all in all.
True, but that's why I figured that was basically the easy way out (and originally my first idea). I was just hoping for something more specialized other than just being a Druid with a spider fetish. :p

[daremetoidareyo]

True, but that's why I figured that was basically the easy way out (and originally my first idea). I was just hoping for something more specialized other than just being a Druid with a spider fetish. :p

Like you want to explore the essence of being so devoted to spiders that you do it without druid?

[LordBlade]

Well, didn't know if there was maybe a druid subclass or something focused on it.

[Danoobie]

How about a Harpoon Spider?

[Nifft]

So, is there any classes (non-homebrew) that focus around spiders or spider themed abilities?
Other than a Druid simply changing into a giant spider of course (that's too easy). :p

Aranea (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/aranea.htm) are 3 HD spider shape-changers who cast spells as 3rd level Sorcerers; stack on more Sorcerer levels and it's effectively a monster base-class.

Pity about that LA +4 -- ask your DM if you can reduce it to something more reasonable.

[Thurbane]

There's a few PrCs:


Arachne (F&P)
Arachnomancer (Und)
Arachnomancer (DotU)
Dread Fang of Lolth (DotU)
Drow Judicator (Und)
Fang of Lolth (S&S)
Vermin Keeper (Und)
Vermin Lord (BoVD)
Yathchol Webrider (Und)

[Reavent]

A Warlock with the Spider-Shape Invocation from DotU works, plus they also can use the horrifying Sudden Swarm to have a swarm of spider burst forth from the corpses of your foes.

[Blue Jay]

I'm actually an arachnologist in real life, so I've looked into spider-themed stuff in depth, particularly vermin companions and vermin training. There are at least 3 or 4 different rule sets for this, and they all have annoying restrictions and complications that I hate. Here are some things that haven't been discussed yet, or that bear repeated/emphasizing:

Vermin Trainer: A&EG has a feat called "____ Trainer" that lets you use Handle Animal on a specific creature type other than Animal. It uses the old 3.0 rules for Handle Animal, though, so at the very least you'd need to rework some of the DC's and such. DotU has a new version of Vermin Trainer (not open to other creature types), along with new (and actually quite reasonable) rules for using Handle Animal and Ride with vermin, but all of those rules are restricted to drow only, which I find really obnoxious (there's so much spider stuff in D&D, how do you justify giving drow a monopoly on it?).
Verminfriend: In BoVD, this feat made it harder for vermin to attack you. It was reprinted in DotU (naturally, as a drow-only option). It's a prereq for other spider-related feats and PrC's, so the reprinted version effectively locks non-Drow out of several options that used to be more open. It leads to feats like Vermin Companion and Knight of Lolth (lets you ride spiders on the ceiling).
Vermin Druid (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040705a): This is the only way I can remember at the moment for getting vermin companions for "free." But, these rules double down on the obnoxiously ignorant assumption that vermin are too stupid to learn things (I have personally conducted actual scientific experiments that demonstrate that this assumption is false). I don't really think there's any need to penalize druids for picking vermin as companions: just let them choose spiders, and treat them as having Int 1 for bonus tricks and skills/feats.
Spider Domain: DotU. Rebuke Spiders. The spells aren't particularly interesting, though.
Master of Spiders: DotU cleric variant. Rebuke Spiders instead of Undead. Drow only.
Epic Handle Animal: Past level 20, you can start using Handle Animal on vermin with inflated DC's. I'm not sure that incorporates the 3.5 version of Handle Animal, though.
Child of Winter: Basically, the start of a feat chain that lets you do what vermin druids do for free, except with fewer arbitrary penalties.
Vermin Keeper: From Underdark (the Forgotten Realms supplement, not DotU). It's basically, "druid, but with vermin, and you don't get a companion until you're ECL 10 or something."
Warbeast template: From MMII, makes an animal, vermin or magical beast beefier. It says vermin can't be trained, so they can't get the "Combative Mount" ability, but since then, there have been several options that make vermin trainable, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get a DM to let a warbeast vermin have Combative Mount anyway.
Spider Familiars. There are a few different options for this. Dragon #329 has swarm familiars (which have some weird rules, like they're healed by summon swarm instead of by cure spells).
Master of Flies: Savage Species PrC. It basically makes a druid or other shapechanger into a swarm-shifter, and lets you do other niche things with swarms. At 9th level, you get awaken vermin as a SLA (which, if I'm not mistaken, is the only official way to awaken a vermin in 3rd edition). Note that it relies on 3.0 swarm mechanics, so it would need some modifications for 3.5.
Amber Amulet of Vermin: These items from MIC are basically cheap, 1/day vermin summons. Throat slot, but there's no attunement period, so you can buy a bunch and switch them out during the day to get more summons. I played an Obah-blessed ettercap once who used an amber amulet, and since he only ever summoned it for dangerous scouting or trap-triggering, he had to pray to the spider obahs for forgiveness on a regular basis.
Fang of Lolth: Song and Silence, 3.0 PrC. You basically find a cursed item that slowly transforms you into a spider-like monster.
Dread Fang of Lolth: DotU. Actually has nothing to do with spiders at all.
Savage Empathy: A feat that lets you pick a creature type that you can treat as Magical Beasts for Wild Empathy purposes.
Hivenest Template: From Dungeonscape. If you have a Large plant, construct or undead under your control, you can infest it with a swarm of vermin, which gives a few flavorful (but not really powerful) combat options. I don't think there are any rules for how to apply the template in-game, though, so your DM may require a ritual or gp price or something.