Several of my players' characters were ensnared by spiders in our game tonight.

The question was asked "How do we get out of this?".

I looked through both books and didn't have a clue what to do.

I ruled a 3 round extended action at TN 13 or Gandalf rune.

It felt a little contrived and wasted some time.

Can anybody point me in the direction of the rule for escaping a spiders web unaided?

Many thanks.

Damon

There is no such rule.

If the players do not withdraw their characters, particularly if they see that the situation is getting dire, they suffer the consequences. This could mean the death of a character struck in combat, or for survivors, ensnarement. With an entire Company incapacitated in this manner, regaining their freedom of movement depends entirely on the Loremaster and the story they're trying to tell within the campaign. Some possibilities:

• One of the characters has something in their pocket which allows the characters to extricate themselves. The spiders will have to be distracted by some outside influence.
• The last NPCs the character's interacted with had been following the characters. Seeing them captured, the NPCs respond appropriately.
• For players with dead characters, roll a new character. These new characters will be present in the area for suitable reasons (maybe they were another group after the same goal, coming from a different direction, losing a few of their own members).
• An entirely different group of NPCs enter the area for their own reasons. In the process they free the characters.
• The Spiders have a Catastrophic Failure (don't look it up, it's my term for multiple failures of an extreme nature). Something like this might be one of the spiders unwraps a snack, I mean a character, and gets caught. An argument ensues and while the Spiders are brawling they ignore the character(s) and everything they do - unless the character goes out of their way to regain their attention.
• Somehow a character gets free, finds a Sting equivalent, and drives the Spiders off for long enough to free the rest of the Company. (Don't all Adversaries gather and keep lying around weapons 'Of Slaying' themselves?) You could do this as a permanent Reward to a Slayer/Warden (mandate the character has to pay for the Reward normally at the next Fellowship Phase)
• Do the above, except, use a temporary advantage by, say, giving them a shard of such a sword or maybe having it rusty and it's light is flickering. Eventually, after the characters are free of the Spiders, make sure it fades out, losing its enchantment.
• Getting free and just starting a fire might be enough.

I am sure there are many, many more options. It really just depends on what the story arc is currently within the campaign. Or maybe what the next story arc will be; perhaps this is some clue or link to that next story. Take whatever you were thinking of using and twist the actions, details, NPCs, characters, items, whatever it takes. Anything that adds another layer of detail or complexity to the adventure is a good thing.

Garn,

Many thanks for your lengthy response.

I did see somewhere that it only takes the use of the Dagger skill to get someone else out of the spiderwebs. However, as you say, there does not appear to be a rule where someone can get out of one. I appreciate that spidersilk is one of the strongest fibres known to man and that at least in the real world, once entangles and stung, few insects survive.

This does make spiders very fearsome opponents.

One of the adventures recomends a 2:1 Attercop ve character ratio on the basis that they are individually weak. However, once an ensnaring attack succeeds, that character is pretty much out of action.

The situation in my game was that the dwarf was ensnared first by ambush quickly followed by a Beorning. Leaving an Elf and Hobbit to do the main fighting. At two down, the situation was a little desparate and that was only against 4 Attercops. Against 8 Attercops, I dread to think they would have all benn breakfast for the spiders.

Actually Epic Feats might be another method of resolving this situation. Except as I recall it requires the player come up with an unlikely method of resolving a problem. Which is not what happened in your game, so I didn't think of this solution.

The extended action you mentioned using isn't a bad decision provided they had the time to work their way out of the webs.

The use of a dagger or some other sharp-edged object was why I suggested checking the character's pockets - just in case they had something (rock, coin, pocket knife, fingernail file, piece of flint) available.

I'm glad to hear it was the (un)luck of the dice rather than horrible planning.

Kagemusha,
Mind telling me what the Total XP of each character is? And how many Fellowship Phases they've completed where they spent AP/XP to improve their characters? (This data would help with my efforts in the Combat Construction topic.)

This is a fresh party that recently completed The Marsh Bell.

No XP/AP spent as yet.

No Fellowship phase completed yet.

Playing through 'Trolls at the Carrock"

http://el-contemplador.blogspot.com/2011/1...lls-en.html?m=1

Thanks for the information!

I don't suppose anyone has translated that into English have they?

With no specific rule for extracting oneself from spider webs the obvious answer is: Bombard the rules designer with furious e-mails from all and sundry until he coughs one up!

Seriously though, options include all the characters becoming spider-snacks (not my favorite), the possibility of a lucky escape when a spider unwraps one to test for tenderness, extended or heroic action to wriggle/break free, rescue by outside characters, etc.

Characters with a dagger or knife on them (just about everyone) might be able to work their hand round to it and cut themselves free.

Which one you pick depends on the circumstances and tone of your campaign. The trouble with spiders is if they get you entangled or paralyzed with venom you become helpless, with little or no chance of fighting back.


I am not a fan of total party kills through unlucky dice rolls. If the players form a foolish plan or ignore warnings that they are in over their heads then let the dice fall where they may. It sounds like your players just had bad luck with the dice rolls. An ambush that takes one character out right away is difficult to overcome but the Dwarf wasn't dead.

My suggestion always carry Raid! Or DDT insecticide when venturing into Mirkwood.

Let's see now....


TO: Francesco
FROM: Distraught Customer
SUBJECT: You forgot to include...

Poosticks7,
This Spanish-only adventure has been mentioned a couple of times here in the forum, but has not been translation to English. (At least, not that I'm aware of.) I'm not sure if this is a fan publication or an official Spanish intro adventure.

Its a fan publication. I am bilingual so I'm just using it as I go along.

In essence, three Trolls are reported at the Carrock which stops Beorn attending the feast of the gathering of Five Armies. Beorn is also having problems with the werewolf of Mirkwood which is using up his resources.

A small task force is selected comprising the free peoples (ie the pregens) and they are sent on their way.

Each Troll meets at the carrock say once a week/ month and then retires to their den. So you only need to face one at a time.

There is a subplot involving Grimbeorn which I have ignored.