In the Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...

fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

, a phase spider is a magical beast

Magical beast (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, magical beast is a type of creature, or "creature type". Magical beasts are similar to animals in many ways, but usually have a higher intelligence, and possess supernatural or extraordinary abilities....

 akin to a predatorial version of the ethereal filcher

Ethereal filcher

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the ethereal filcher is a bizarre aberration.-Publication history:The ethereal filcher appeared in the third edition Monster Manual , and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual ....

.

Publication history

The phase spider first appeared in the original Greyhawk

Greyhawk (supplement)

Greyhawk is a supplementary rulebook written by Gary Gygax and Robert J. Kuntz for the original edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game...

supplement (1975).

The phase spider appeared in first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(1977), under the "spider" entry.

The phase spider appeared in second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons under the "spider" entry in Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The phase spider was detailed for the Planescape

Planescape

Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...

 setting in the Guide to the Ethereal Plane (1998).

The phase spider appeared in the third edition Monster Manual

Monster Manual

The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...

(2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003).

The phase spider appeared in the fourth edition Monster Manual 2 (2009).

Description

The phase spider resembles a giant, two eyed, spindly legged spider with the same dark green and white coloration of an ethereal filcher (though it is a bit more blue than green). While the filcher transports between the Ethereal Plane and the Material Plane for the purpose of stealing, the phase spider does this for the purpose of hunting. It looks for a likely spot in the Ethereal Plane, and then teleports (its form of teleportation is known as "phasing", hence the name) to the Material Plane, presumably ambushing travelers it expected to be there, bites and kills them, and then quickly retreats back to the Ethereal Plane.

They cannot speak, being animals.

They are regarded as neutral in alignment.