Comment

Special ------- : Black widow venom: If 50%+ damage is inflicted on a bite, prey will injected with black widow venom that will take effect 3 turns (15 seconds). See: "Special Offenses".

Avoidance-Roll?: Yes. vs. "Poison" or suffer the following effects for 3-D10 days:

Failed avoidance-roll:

1: 40% miss chance when attacking, due pain and instant sickness.

2: 60% ability and spell failure.

3: Avoid vs. "Poison" ever 24 hours for the duration of the venom, or be slain (luck can be used, but will not regenerate during this 3-D10 day period (because it is the same situation that has not ended --- luck regenerates to full AFTER each situation has ended).

Successful avoidance-roll:

1: 20% miss chance when attacking, due pain and instant sickness.

2: 30% ability and spell failure.

3: Avoid vs. "Poison" (two chances to succeed) ever 24 hours for the duration of the venom, or slip into a coma with a 25% chance to be slain (luck can be used, but will not regenerate during this 3-D10 day period (because it is the same situation that has not ended --- luck regenerates to full AFTER each situation has ended).

Defense: 30. Offense: 30.

Treasure: %Roll needed to have money and treasure:

31+ to have 1-D8.

Begin rolling on the Common chart.

All treasure will be in the nest of this creature.

Description:

Annihilation Strike?: No. Sudden Death Strike?: No.

Height: 2'-0", Length: 4'-0", Weight: 90 Lbs., Skin color: Black with a red hour glass upon the base of the abdomen, Skin texture: Smooth, Eye color: Black, Eye shape: Medium-sized and round.

Description - : The Large Black Widow appears to be a common black widow, yet overly large in size. The presence of this spider is quite intimidating, for there is a intelligent gleam in it's dark eyes.

Dislikes ----- : None.

Disposition - : Calculating and deceptively aggressive.

Fears -------- : None.

Habitat ------ : Cliff, Desert (Highland and Savanna), Forests, Grasslands, Mountains, Plateau, Rocky.

Immunities - : Immune to all forms of poison except toxin venom.

Life-span --- : 60 years.

Likes -------- : None.

Needs ------- : Basic needs of life (sustenance, shelter, Etc.).

Note --------- : The Large Black Widow Spider is exactly the same as the common one - with the red hour glass on its under belly - but is of a very large size and strength. It is pure, shiny black and waits for its victims to trigger off vibrations in its webbing which it builds across places that are fairly traversed.

The Large Black Widow seems lethargic and slow. Don't be deceived by this. This puts her victims at a great disadvantage when they think they have time to move and evade. More than that, this one breed of black widow is social (See: "Number encountered".

Her webbing will hold creatures securely in it unless an Avoidance-roll vs. "Paralysis" is successful. Each time this roll is failed the ensnared creature will be unable to free itself for a time as follows:

Strength: Turns caught in web if Avoidance-roll vs. "Paralysis" is failed:
5-20:        1-D8
21-40:      1-D6
41-60:      1-D4
61-80:      1-D3 (5 - 15 seconds).
81-100:    1-D2 (5 - 10 seconds).
101+: 1 turn (5 seconds).

The fangs of this creature are highly sought after by the Locust Magician, as they are a spell component.

When the Large Black Widow mates, it will kill the male, as usually among the common breed, but does not die after laying her eggs (as does the common black widow). (5-D20 eggs are laid at once). All Large Black Widows encountered in her nest are related. Unrelated spiders are immediately attacked.

The young that hatch will fight to the death, eating each other, until only the few strongest survive. Some will leave and find a different place to make a den, carrying on the same life-cycle. At this point the mother black widow will separate them, instinctively teaching them to work together.

Special Abilities:

Can climb as easily on a rough vertical surface as a horizontal surface.

Special Defenses:

Damage-Reduction: 3

Special abilities to turn:

Acid --------- : 91+

Blunt -------- : 81+

Cold --------- : 81+

Electricity -- : 96+

Fire ---------- : 86+

Needle ------ : 76+

Sharp -------- : 86+

Venom Retribution: This creature has spike-like hairs on its back which can cause the same damage as its bite to would be attackers from above and behind (this is a natural defense and retribution against predators, which must make a successful avoidance-roll vs. "Coordination" to avoid these spike each turn in contact with the Large Black Widow).

Note: Striking this creature with a weapon will not cause Venom Retribution. A creature must physically touch it with a hand, fist, or jump on it, grapple with it, Etc.

Special Offenses:

Armor Penetration: The fangs of a Large Black Widow will penetrate past armor types without damaging the armor when a maximum-strike occurs (spider rolls an offensive attack that hits for +30 over the defensive roll of its prey).

Remember: Poison will only be injected on a strike causing 50%+ damage.

Also: Players need to remember to check armor's chance to turn needle attacks. This may yet save them from being poisoned.

Susceptibilities and Weaknesses: None.

Weapon Susceptibilities : Rank-0 non-magical weapon to harm.