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So, I ran an encounter with some nasty cave spiders (used the stats for Great Spiders) last night. They were actually the result of a Revelation Episode, using the rules for Eye Awareness in the Rivendell book.

A couple of questions came up:
1. Can the spiders really only poison someone on a called shot?
2. Can the spiders use their stingers without ensnaring someone first?
3. Is the first attack listed on a monster its primary attack, and can it choose which attack to use?
4. Can an ensnared character (Seize Victim) attack normally?

The companions had some real trouble with the spiders, which made up for a good Revelation Episode.

Eirik

That's four questions
1. I've always played it that they only Poison heroes on a called shot as per LMB p50 in the combat example . (Otherwise there would be stacks of companions sleeping away the combat.)
2. The fact that Poison (from a sting) is the Called Shot surely means that they can use it when a Hero has rolled an Eye even if they don't have the target Ensnared. If they Ensnare with any Tengwars they get a free sting or bite but can't Poison LMB p50 again.
3. Although I could never find it (except in the combat example p50 LMB )I think that from various phrasings the intent is that the first listed attack is the primary attack. There's nothing I remember that says an Adversary has to use it's primary attack, but sometimes the mechanisms make it obvious that one has to proceed before the other (i.e. Savage Assault).

Note however that Common Weapons LMB p65 says "This entry lists the characteristics of the weapons or
attack types commonly employed by the creatures."
Under the Common Weapons section for the Spiders it says "The Spiders of Mirkwood’s poison is their most formidable threat:"

4. Someone Ensnared cannot change Stance and their Parry is halved. If I remember correctly you may cut yourself free from webbing using the Dagger/Unarmed skill. This suggests to me that you cannot otherwise use a weapon while Ensnared.

Ah, it seems that the spiders' abiltity to sting a character it has ensnared with a Great or Extraordinary Success has been left out of the Revised Edition. The * is there after Ensnare, but there are no text describing this ability. I can see its in the old Loremaster's Book though.

It's Athletics TN10 + Attribute Rating to get out of the webs. Also, I would let the player invoke Nimble on this.

E.

“...the hobbit and I and several of our companions...”
“Do you call two several?”
“Well, no. As a matter of fact there were more than two.”

Has anyone posted the omission of the Sting on tengwars when Ensnaring as errata to Andrew?

No, I just noticed it now. It sould be in there.

E.

As Great Spiders are intelligent I don't go by the RAW as to when they try to sting somebody but if they gain a substantial advantage by doing so - as per an earlier thread discussion in general about Called Shots for adversaries - I just think it makes more sense for an intelligent adversary to 'know what to do'.

I will go with RAW for Attercops as they are not so intelligent....

Robin S.