Mantispider| Large Monstrous Humanoid |
| Hit Dice: | 8d8+16 (44 hp) |
| Initiative: | +4 |
| Speed: | 50 ft. (10 squares), climb 30ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 20 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +6 natural, +1 shield), touch 13, flat-footed 16 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | 6/12 |
| Attack: | Pincher Claw +12 melee (1d8+2) or Claw +7 melee (1d4+1) or Bite +7 melee (1d8+1 plus poison) or Gythka +12 melee (2d6+1) or Chatkcha +12 ranged 1d6+2 |
| Full Attack: | 2 Pincer Claws +12 melee (1d8+2) and Bite +7 melee (1d8+1 plus poison) and 2 Claws +7 melee (1d4+1) or 2 Pincer Claws +12 melee (1d8+2) and Bite +7 melee (1d8+1 plus poison) and Gythka +10/10/5 melee or 2 Pincer Claws +12 melee (1d8+2) and Bite +7 melee (1d8+1 plus poison) and 2 Chatkcha +10/10/5 ranged 1d6+2 (2d6+1) |
| Space/Reach: | 10 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Improved Grab, Poison, Psionics, Web |
| Special Qualities: | Darkvision 60', Tremorsense 30', immunity to sleep, leap, camouflage, glide, naturally psionic |
| Saves: | Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +8 |
| Abilities: | Str 15, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 7 |
| Skills: | Balance +9, Climb +18, Hide +10*, Jump +47, Listen +7, Spot +16 |
| Feats: | Exotic Weapon Supremacy (Gythka)B, Exotic Weapon Supremacy (Chatkcha)B, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Weapon Finesse |
| Environment: | Temperate or warm desert |
| Organization: | Solitary or pack (2-6) |
| Challenge Rating: | 7 |
| Treasure: | Double Standard |
| Alignment: | Always Chaotic Neutral or Evil |
| Advancement: | By character class |
| Level Adjustment: | +2 |
Mantispiders are the result of deranged experiment by powerful Thri-kreen Psions to combine the forms of giant desert mantids and spiders with the powerful psionic abilities of the Thri-kreen. They have the powerful leaping legs and lower body of a hunting spider and the torso, arms, and head of a Thri-Kreen, but their upper pair of arms have been replaced by the powerful pinchers of a mantis and they sport a pair of wings too weak to carry them aloft but still able to slow their descents. They are viewed as abominations by their kind even while being utilized for their superior speed and strength, but have begun establishing an independent culture in scattered settlements amongst the rolling dunes.
CombatMantispiders are ambush fighters, often use their psionic abilities to enhance their bodies and attacks before a combat, while maintaining a position hidden from their prey. After preparing, they use their leap and glide abilities to quickly close the distance to their foes, then using psionic abilities to move and hide again.
Naturally Psionic (Psi): Mantispiders gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level.
Psi-Like Abilities(Psi): 3/day—
chameleon,
know direction and location; 1/day—
greater concealing amorpha,
metaphysical claw Manifester level 6th.
Psionics(Psi): Mantispiders manifest powers as Psychic Warriors equal to their racial Hit Dice. In addition to their other powers known, they can fuel additional uses of their psi-like abilities with power points as if they knew that power. Typical powers known (base save DC 12+power level): 1st -
burst,
thicken skin,
prevenom; 2nd -
animal affinity,
psionic lion's charge,
hustle; 3rd -
claws of the vampire,
dimensional slideImproved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Mantispider must hit with one of it's Pincher Claw attacks. If it wins the ensuing grapple check, it establishes a hold and makes a free bite attack as a primary attack (with it's full attack bonus and full strength bonus to damage).
Web (Ex): Mantispiders may create sheets of sticky webbing from 30 feet square; they usually position these sheets to defend settlements or camps, but may use them to create ambush points as well. Approaching creatures must succeed on a DC 20 Spot check to notice a web; otherwise they stumble into it and become entangled. An entangled creature can escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC 14) or burst it with a Strength check (DC 19). Both are standard actions. The check DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus. Attempts to escape or burst the webbing gain a +5 bonus if the trapped creature has something to walk on or grab while pulling free. Each 5-foot section has 12 hit points and damage reduction 5/—.
A Mantispider spider can move across its own web at its climb speed and can pinpoint the location of any creature touching its web.
Tremorsense (Ex): A Mantispider can detect and pinpoint any creature or object within 60 feet in contact with the ground, or within any range in contact with the spider’s webs.
Immunity to Sleep (Ex): ):[/b] Mantispiders, like Thri-kreen, do not sleep and are immune to magical
sleep effects. A Mantispider still needs 8 hours of rest before preparing spells, regaining power points, or similar.
Leap (Ex): Mantispiders gain a natural aptitude for jumping from all aspects of their origin. They gain a +40 competence bonus on jump checks, and their maximum jumping distance is not limited by height.
Poison (Ex): Mantispiders have a poisonous bite as well as a reservoir of enhanced poison they can choose to use. All of their bites carry a poison which deals 1d3 Str damage (Fort DC 14) and once per day, they can choose for it also to cause 2d6 minutes of paralysis to targets that fail their save (Fort DC 13). The DCs are Constitution-based.
Glide (Ex): Mantispiders can use their wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 20 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Mantispiderss glide at a speed of 40 feet (average maneuverability). Even if a Mantispider's maneuverability improves, he can't hover while gliding. Mantispiders can't glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. If a Mantispider becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, his wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings. The Mantispider descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
Skills: Mantispiders have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks and a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks and Climb checks. A Mantispider can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Mantispiders use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
*The exoskeleton of a Mantispider blends in well with desert terrain, granting an additional +4 racial bonus (for +8 total) on Hide checks in sandy or arid settings.
Mantispider CharactersA Mantispiders preferred class is Fighter.
A Mantispider character starts play with 6 Monstrous Hit Dice, which give it a +6 base attack bonus, base saves Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +6, Exotic Weapon Supremacy (Gythka)
B, Exotic Weapon Supremacy (Chatkcha)
B, two ability score boosts, three additional feats of choice, and skill points equal to 11*(2+Int bonus), minimum 11.
Its ability score adjustments are +4 Str, +8 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Int, +6 Wis, -4 Cha.
Its class skills as a Mantispider are Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Listen, and Spot.
A Mantispider PC's ECL is equal to it's class level + 10. Thus, a 1st-level Mantispider Fighter has an ECL of 11 and is the equivalent of a 11th-level character.
