Creatures of the Outlands: Solar Spiders by Christopher Wasko
SOLAR SPIDERThis sleek spider has a hide like a polished mirror, and eight pinpricks of light for eyes.Solar Spider CR 4 XP 1,200
N Medium magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
DefenseAC 17, touch 13, flat-footed14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 42 (5d10+15)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3
Defensive Abilities reflective hide; Immune mind-affecting effects; Resist fire 20
OffenseSpeed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +7 (2d6+3 plus poison)
Special Attacks sun snare
StatisticsStr 14, Dex 17, Con 16, Int –, Wis 15, Cha 14
BaseAtk +5; CMB +7; CMD 20 (32 vs. trip)
Skills Climb +19, Perception +6; Racial Modifiers +16 Climb, +4 Perception
SQ light climbing
EcologyEnvironment warm desert or plains
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3-8)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities Light Climbing (Su) Solar spiders use their Dexterity modifiers for their Climb skill, rather than Strength. When in areas of bright light, solar spiders can climb on imperceptible strands of light, using their climb speed as a fly speed with perfect maneuverability. The solar spider uses its Climb skill rather than its Fly skill to determine its ability to execute flying maneuvers, with no additional bonuses for maneuverability.
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Strength damage and 1 Constitution damage; cure 1 save.
Reflective Hide (Ex) A solar spider’s polished hide is highly reflective. When a solar spider is in normal light, all creatures within 30 feet of it are dazzled. When in bright light, a solar spider’s hide becomes so bright that creatures have difficulty looking directly at it, resulting in a 20% miss chance against all attacks by sight-dependent attackers. Solar spiders are immune to spells and effects that use sunlight as a weapon, such as searing light and sunburst, and they cannot be blinded or dazzled by bright light or patterns.
Sun Snare (Su) A solar spider can throw globs of burning sunlight the way normal spiders throw webs. This ability functions like the web ability (+8 ranged, DC 15, 5 hp), except that a creature struck by a sun snare must also make a DC 15 Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. A creature entangled in a sun snare sheds light like a sunrod, suffers a -40 penalty on Stealth checks, and takes 1d4 points of fire damage per round it is entangled. Solar spiders can only use this ability when they are in normal or bright light.
Found in deserts, wastelands, and other regions infamous for intense sunlight, solar spiders are fully adapted to survive in sun-seared environments. Their reflective hides not only protect them from ultraviolet rays, but also turn the blinding sunlight to their advantage when hunting prey or fending off predators. Their hypersensitive legs can also grasp strands of light unnoticeable to most creatures, allowing them to climb on sunbeams and spin light into adhesive projectiles that rapidly burn those they ensnare.
Despite the spiders’ dangerous abilities and territorial natures, many desert tribes harbor great respect for the radiant creatures. Tribe elders and soothsayers depict the arachnids as servants or manifestations of solar deities, graceful and beautiful from a distance but terrible if encountered up close. Chieftans and shamans commonly wear ceremonial armor or headdresses made from solar spider hide as a status symbol.
Written by Christoper Wasko Artwork by Zul Fadhli Kamarrudin Edited by William Ward
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