Solifugid

Solifugids exist on several worlds; those of the Realms (which differ slightly from those known elsewhere) are described here. Also called "false spiders," "camel spiders," or "sun spiders," solifugids are arachnids that roam as hunters rather than spinning webs. They have segmented, hairy bodies, powerful hooked beaks, and ten legs—the foremost pair ending in hooked, powerfully-muscled forejoints equipped with clamps. Their bodies tend to be brown, dun, russet, or yellowish in hue, their eyes blood red or glossy green-black.

Combat: In combat, solifugids try to strike prey with their clamp-equipped forelegs. These do no damage, but should either arm score a hit, any victim of "Large" or smaller size is caught in the solifugid’s mighty grip. Only one creature at a time may be caught in a solifugid's grip.

The entire frame of the creature is constructed to maintain this grip against all forces; the only way to win free is to slay the solifugid (its grip relaxes 1-2 rounds after death occurs) or to sever one of the forelegs. A limb can be severed by a disintegrate spell, any attack that deals a limb 50 or more hit points of damage. In all cases, damage to a limb should be considered separately from the hp total of the creature.

A solifugid may voluntarily relax its grip at any time. This usually occurs only when a gripped victim is visibly dead (head gone, etc.) and another target presents itself that might otherwise escape. Large solifugids are too stupid, and too driven by a killing instinct, to be charmed or influenced by any known spell or power into relaxing a grip, or shifting attacks from one being to another. The other two varieties may be controlled by use of spells or devices empowering a being with arachnid control (some of which, used by drow, are detailed in this sourcebook).

A solifugid's only attack is by its beak (the listed damage given, which varies from type to type of solifugid). Creatures in a solifugid’s grip are attacked at +3 to hit.

Habitat/Society: Giant solifugids roam the Underdark and the warmer mountain fastnesses of Faerun, hunting by day or night. Huge solifugids roam surface wastelands all over the realms, being particularly numerous in Raurin and in the Shaar, where they lie in wait in gullies for herds of wild animals (or nomadic tribes) to pass. A few of them can be found in the Underdark, particularly beneath large, rolling plains or deserts such as Raurin and the Shaar. Large solifugids, the weakest of the breed, are sometimes found in the Underdark, but prefer hot desert climates (such as Calimshan and Durpar). They come out at night, when the sands are cooler and the darkness cloaks them, to hunt. Their prey often includes other predators, such as snakes and scorpions. They band together to bring down large or dangerous prey - especially prey that may endanger them later, if left alone.

Ecology: Solifugids are immune to all known poisons, and can eat poisonous creatures with impunity. Their diet consists of everything, from large insects knocked down with their forelegs to wandering giants—every sort of creature, that is, except other solifugids, whose taste is abhorrent. A really hungry solifugid will attack anything that moves.

Solifugids are fearless, but by instinct avoid fights that will not profit them. Therefore, solifugids never fight others of their kind—nor, in the Underdark, amid drow who have spells to control arachnids, and other powerful weapons, do solifugids attack drow. It is easier and more profitable to obey or avoid the dark elves, gleaning richer meals from allowed prey. Woe betide wounded drow, however, who find themselves alone after a battle in the Underdark with two or more solifugids!