Giant Wolf Spider (/ˈʤaɪᵊnt wʊlf ˈspaɪdə/)
An giant brown arachnid, about the side of a horse, having eight legs and a body divided into two parts. The creature has sharp fangs, eight black eyes and a spinneret to create webs.
Smaller than a giant spider, a giant wolf spider hunts prey across open ground or hides in a burrow or crevice, or in a hidden cavity beneath debris.
The Menagerie fought some in the Spider Forest of the Feywild.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A giant wolf spider, sometimes just referred to as a wolf spider, was a medium-sized beast that was smaller than a typical giant spider.
Description
Giant wolf spiders were smaller than usual giant spiders, but were more agile. As such, they were much faster at crawling and climbing. Like giant spiders, they had the ability to climb awkwardly shaped walls and hang upside down on ceilings, sense when a creature was caught in their web, and travel well across webbing. They were less strong than giant spiders, but were more intelligent, robust, and wise. As such, when combined with their superior speed, they were fantastic stalkers. This allowed them to hunt their foes across plains, underground, or in burrows. Wolf spiders were said to have very good eyesight and potentially even a basic sense of smell. In addition, they tracked their prey by the use of their scent-detecting organs, which were located in their pedipalps. Female wolf spiders were incredibly protective of their offspring, which often numbered in the hundreds. As such, they were known to carry their offspring in little cocoons under their stomachs, or sometimes the offspring would even ride their mothers.Ecology and Habitats
Ecology
Giant wolf spiders made their homes in many different habitats, such as deserts, grassland, forests, and hills. Specifically, wolf spiders often made their homes in silk-lined burrows. These giant arachnids were known to lurk in many places across Faerûn, such as Omu in Chult, the Western Heartlands, and the Braeryn of the Underdark city of Menzoberranzan. Giant wolf spiders were known to skulk around some areas in Maztica, such as in the hilltop ruins of the Ixtul Valley. A great threat to a female wolf spider was another female wolf spider. On sight, they would fight each other to the death, and the victor would bear responsibility to raise the fallen spider's young.Behaviour
Combat
Due to their great tracking abilities, these arachnids often descended from rooftops or hid under spongy surfaces to surprise their enemies. Giant wolf spiders relied on their bite in order to take down their foes. As well as piercing their opponents, their bite was poisonous. If the poison caused their foe to become unconscious, the poison would remain in their system for an hour, as well as causing them to be paralyzed.Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Beast, the player should roll a Nature Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Spider Silk | A wolf spider has a spinneret in its abdomen where white silk thread can be harvested. A skilled harvester can extract over 100 feet of thread. Weavers use the thread to create a light, soft, lustrous fabric. | 1 gp | 2 lb. | ∞ | - |
| 15 | Wolf Spider Venom (vial) | A wolf spider has a venomous bite. The venom can be extracted and refined into a poison. Proficiency with the poisoner kit may be used for harvesting this venom. On a successful check, the character harvests 1 vial of venom that must be refined before producing 1 dose of Wolf Spider Poison (see below). On a failed check, the character is unable to extract the venom. If the character fails the check by 5 or more, the character is subjected to the creature's poison. Refining the Poison: Once the venom is extracted, an alchemist (or someone proficient in the poisoner's kit) can spend 12 hour and 100gp worth of material to create Wolf Spider Poison (DC 12 Poisoner Kit or Alchemist Supplies check). Wolf Spider Poison (Injury): A creature can spend an action to coat 1 melee weapon, or 3 pieces of ammunition with this poison. The poison lasts for 1 minute, or until it successfully affects a target. A creature hit with a weapon coated with this poison must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way. This poison usually sells for 200gp, but the poison is often considered an illicit good (and may not be sold to normal vendors). | 10 gp | 1 lb. | 14 days | - |
This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure. This kind of creature does not normally have or collect treasure. However, the creature may have a lair full of bodies, or reside somewhere that treasure already exists.
This creature produces 2-12 piece of Harvested Meat, weighing 4 lbs each. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 2 sp/ea The meat of insectiods and arachnids can be nourishing, but are often gamey and tasteless. Some communities frown on eating insect meat (and will only pay half price), while others rely on it. Dungeon Master's discretion.
Civilization and Culture
History
In Eleint 1367 DR, an adventurer slew a huge yellow giant wolf spider in the woods south of Shadowdale. Somehow, it emitted a magical glow, even after it had died. Not willing to give up such a grand trophy for nothing, the adventurer took it to Jhaele Silvermane of the Old Skull Inn. She traded the glowing spider corpse for a week's stay at the inn with as much ale as the seller could manage.
In the 14 century DR, the evil goddess Loviatar was known to send wolf spiders to her followers in order to show her favor. In the 15 century DR, many druids of the Realms had the ability to wild shape into giant wolf spiders.
Sources
Source(s):
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 330. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 90. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- Gregg Chamberlain (November 1982). “Souping up the spider”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #67 (TSR, Inc.), p. 15.
- Gregg Chamberlain (November 1982). “Souping up the spider”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #67 (TSR, Inc.), p. 17.
- Christopher Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters (September 1, 2015). Out of the Abyss. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-0-7869-6581-6.
- Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Matt Sernett (November 2017). Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 24–26. ISBN 978-0-7869-6612-7.
- Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 204. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- Larian Studios (October 2020). Designed by Swen Vincke, et al. Baldur's Gate III. Larian Studios.
- Jeff Grubb (November 1991). Endless Armies. (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 978-1560761464.
- Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
- Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 101. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Matt Sernett (November 2017). Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 24. ISBN 978-0-7869-6612-7.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Bestia, Naturis, Spiderkind, Arachnid (Giant Wolf Spider)
Origin/Ancestry
Beast (Animal, Spiderkind | Spider, Giant Wolf)
Lifespan
15-20 years
Conservation Status
No conservation in most places as they are hunted down as pests, unless they are either revered or protected for some specific regional reason.
Average Height
3 feet
Average Weight
40 pounds
Average Length
4 feet
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Giant Wolf Spider
| Size | Medium |
| Type | Beast |
| Alignment | Unaligned |
See Also: Giant_wolf_spider on Forgotten Realms Wiki