Spider Savage (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: Nolanf (talk) Date Created: 8_11_2013 Status: Ready to Play! Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Evil martial class, with spider-like fighting and ability to summon a monstrous spider 10 6 Good Good Good Poor Martial Maneuvers Other

Spider Savage

“	So... If I could take it all back, would I?... I'd wager that's what you're wishing now, isn't it?	”
—Arenea Arci, Elvish Spider Savage, The Journals of Clan Northwood

The mysterious book known only as the "Labyrinthine Cypher" holds many secrets. Little by little, those secrets are decoded and divulged. To adepts, it becomes clear that a deep arcana, tempered by an artist's hand, went into the craft of the transformation magics revealed within. The spider transformation rituals may grant extraordinary power to noble champions of justice, or they may be perverted with selfish intent, thus creating a gnarled beast - a Spider Savage.

Becoming a Spider Savage

This is what happens when a Spider-Monk strays from the path of righteousness, or when another class attempts the transformation magic that creates a Spider-Monk, but with selfish intent.
This prestige class need not be limited to Spider-Monks (or even regular Monks), but the powers offered may also lure Barbarians, Fighters, Rogues, or even the occasional Ranger.

Entry Requirements

Alignment:	Any Evil.
Base Attack Bonus:	+6
Skills:	Craft(any) 6 Ranks, Knowledge(arcana) 6 ranks; (These requirements can be ignored by a level-6 Spider-Monk turned evil)
Feats:	Any one of: Unarmed Strike (from Monk), Improved Unarmed Strike (3.5 feat), Pugilist

{{#anc:Table: The Spider Savage}}

Hit Die: 1d10

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Unarmed Damage	AC Bonus	Unarmored Speed Bonus
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+1	+1	+0	Horrifying Visage, Spider Climb	1d8	+0	+0ft
2nd	+2	+2	+1	+0	Produce Webs (with stacking), Shoot Webs (with stacking)	1d8	+0	+0ft
3rd	+3	+2	+2	+0	Carapace	1d10	+0	+5ft
4th	+4	+3	+2	+1	Spider Empathy, Call Monstrous Spider I	1d10	+0	+5ft
5th	+5	+3	+2	+1	Fangs	1d10	+1	+5ft
6th	+6	+4	+3	+2	Call Monstrous Spider II	1d10	+1	+10ft
7th	+7	+4	+3	+2	Spider Palm	2d6	+1	+10ft
8th	+8	+4	+4	+2	Call Monstrous Spider III	2d6	+1	+10ft
9th	+9	+5	+4	+3	Poison Fang, Draining Fang	2d6	+1	+15ft
10th	+10	+5	+5	+3	Spider Form	2d6	+2	+15ft
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) The Spider Savage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft(other) (Int), Craft(traps) (Int), Craft(webs) (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate(Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge(nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency - A Spider Savage cannot be proficient in armor. In fact, he may prefer to wear only a woolen cloak to hide his disgustingly arachnidian features. For weapons, he may remain proficient in whatever weapons he used before taking on this prestige class, but he gains proficiency with web shooters at level 2 and with fangs at level 5.

Spider Savage Abilities - A Spider Savage's class levels may stack with his former class levels for determining his unarmed damage, AC bonus, and unarmored speed bonus. If any of these are unspecified by his former class, use the chart provided above.

Spider Climb (Ex) - At first level, the Spider Savage may use the version of Spider Climb as seen in the Spider-Monk class. Levels in Spider Savage stack with levels in Spider-Monk for determining spider climbing speed.
- If the character's total levels in Spider Savage and Spider-Monk reach 16, then he automatically gets the Spider-Monk feature True Spider Climb.

Horrifying Visage (Ex) - At level one, the eldritch mutations of the Spider Savage already make it a fearful sight to behold, so it gains +6 to its inherent Intimidate skill.

Produce Webs (Ex) - At 2nd level, the Spider Savage gains the ability to produce webs.
Produce Webs (stacking) - If a Spider Savage has already learned Produce Webs from being a Spider-Monk, then every level modifier in this class stacks with those levels. Furthermore, a Spider Savage may choose to continue letting his webs grow stronger as they are, or modify them to become Razor Webs as described below.

Shoot Webs (Ex) - At 2nd level, Spider Savages gain the ability to shoot webs.
Shoot Webs (stacking) - If the Spider Savage already knows this feat from being a Spider-Monk, then shooting distance stacks with those levels and add +1 to ranged attacks.

Carapace (Ex) - Starting level 3, the Spider-Savage's skin begins to harden to an exoskeleton of tough plates, giving it a +1 natural armor bonus to AC for every Spider Savage level/3.
- This hinders movement slightly, so if the former class was any Monk (using Monk's unarmored speed bonus), movement speed is reduced by 5 feet/3 Spider Savage levels. If the former class was not any Monk, stick to the chart above.

Spider Empathy (Ex) - A Spider-Savage can now use body language, vocalizations, and demeanor to improve the attitude of spiders. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The Spider Savage rolls 1d20 and adds his Spider Savage level + Intelligence bonus to determine the spider empathy check result.
- To use spider empathy, the Spider Savage and the spider must be no more than 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions.

Call Monstrous Spider I (Ex) - At level 4, a Spider Savage can use this ability once/day to summon a monstrous spider. This ability functions exactly like the spell summon spider II except that the spider must appear through an available entrance, so long as there is room for it.
- This ability improves at levels 6 and 8.

Fangs (Ex) - At 5th level, the Spider Savage's mouth has metamorphosed into a spider's chelicerae, complete with piercing fangs. Consider this a new weapon that cannot be used with Flurry of Blows, but can be used for damage in a grapple attack, and does damage with 1d10.

Call Monstrous Spider II (Ex) - By level 6, the Spider Savage's ability to call monstrous spiders increases to act like summon spider III.

Spider Palm (Ex) - Starting at level 7, the Spider Savage's hands more closely resemble the tarsus at the end of a spider's leg. These appendages can now tear through armor and flesh. When using unarmed strikes, if the Spider Savage connected at least once in a given round, the opponent takes -1 to AC. This effect only counts once per round. The target's AC stays lowered until it can heal or repair its armor.
- This ability may stack with effects of other strikes such as Paralyzing Strike.

Call Monstrous Spider III (Ex) - By level 8, the Spider Savage's ability to call monstrous spiders increases to act like summon spider IV.

Poison Fang (Ex) - At 9th level, a Spider Savage's fangs may gain a poisoning effect. Once per Spider Savage level per day, he may call one fang attack to be a Poison Fang! This must be called before the attack roll is made. If it misses, he may not try again until the next round. If it hits, the opponent must make a Fortitude save (10 + Spider Savage level + Str) or be poisoned. Poisoning causes Constitution damage of 1d4/round.

Draining Fang (Ex) - At 9th level, when not using the Poison Fang attack, the Spider Savage may use fangs as a vampiric attack. Half the total damage dealt to the target is then transferred to the HP of the Spider Savage.

Spider Form (Su) - At 10th level, a Spider Savage may transform into a medium-sized spider once per day. The effect lasts for 1 minute each time. During this time, the Spider Savage retains all previous knowledge, feats, and other attributes, but loses the ability to communicate with intelligent beings.
- This spider form is not exactly like the medium monstrous spider, but think of it more as a super spider. The Spider Savage in this form gains a +10 communication bonus when using Spider Empathy. Furthermore, he gains +10 to all Climb checks, +1 to attack and damage, and does damage with an additional d6 for every attack. He cannot use Flurry of Blows or any artificial weapons in this form, but may otherwise make natural spider attacks (web shooter, unarmed strike, grapple, fang) as usual.
- The web shooters are man-made, and so can't be used. Luckily, this beast form makes its own biological webs using a Craft(webs) check x2. These natural webs have all the same properties as the Spider Savage's artificial stuff. Webbing gained in this way is temporary and is not usable after the Spider Form effect ends.
- When the effect ends, the Spider Savage feels fatigued for 1d4 rounds.

Special Feature:

Produce Razor Webs (Ex) - A Spider Savage who evolved to this state from being a Spider-Monk may sacrifice strength of webbing in order to make them cause more damage. Once this feature is taken, webs become weaker on all DC checks by 5, although they still grow in strength at the same rate as described above. Damage is also reduced by one die size (e.g. from 1d6 to 1d4). The size of the damage die increases at the same total level as it would in the Spider-Monk class.
- The webs are now covered in razor sharp barbs wherever the Spider Savage wants them to be (for example, an area in the middle of a line for creating a simple trap). Whenever anyone comes in contact with razor webs (friend and foe alike), they take damage. This counts for initial contact on a ranged web attack as well as delayed contact in the case of a net, trip-wire, etc. Additionally, a bound enemy would have to take this same damage on every Escape Artist attempt or Strength check to break their bonds (whether successful or not).
- On a critical hit during a ranged attack with razor webs, damage is x2.

Fallen Spider-Monk

Spider Savages who have levels in the Spider-Monk class (that is to say, are now ex-Spider-Monks) gain extra abilities as a consolation for losing their extra senses.
The Spider Savage gains features depending on how many levels in Spider-Monk he has taken.

1–3	Gain +1 to melee attack (unarmed strike stacking), +1 to ranged attack (shoot webs stacking), may choose to upgrade webbing to Razor Webs.
4	Gain Sneak Attack, beginning at Spider-Monk level 4, increasing by +1d6 for every two subsequent levels in Spider-Monk.
5–6	Gain Power Attack.
7-9	Gain Sunder.
10-11	Gain Cleave.
12 or more	Gain Great Cleave and Improved Sunder.

Ex-Spider Savage

The worst thing about being a Spider Savage is that he will have to live with his scars and deformities for the rest of his life, no matter what other classes he takes. His abject ugliness will forever make him shunned, an outcast from all societies. He will never know love, only pain and rage and the ecstasy of battle.
Since this is an evil class, the Spider Savage could only take levels as another class that permits evil or complete a mission of atonement in order to cleanse himself of his evil taint.