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[Sean Mirrsen]

I just modded in Driders... As an intelligent race.

They keep the poisonous bite (though they don't use it while armed) and webbing, but are able to wear above-the-waist armor and wield large weapons.

I have yet to encounter one as a normal adventurer, but tests with them as adventurers showed sufficient capability, even though they don't retain NOFEAR, NOPAIN, NONAUSEA and NOSTUN. Even with the weapons and armor, I doubt they are quite as deadly as GCS though..

[umiman]

Righto. This is my (6th?) adventurer after that last one which I retired in a nearby town.

I was asked to kill an ettin in a cave so... cool. I bring my dwarfy self to the cave, jump in, and whoa. Cave spider. I threw a crossbow bolt at it and it dieded. Hrm.

Walk a few steps. WHOA. Cave spiderS. Threw crossbow bolt and ran back a few squares. Got a message: "Giant cave spider has bled to death" Yey.

Ran back in and accidentally sliced off the torso of the third one there. It dieded. COOL!

Walked forward a bit more, found the ettin. Smacked it around. Gouged out all its eyeballs. Lopped off its arms. Wandered back to the giant cave spider torso and picked it up. Threw corpse into the chest of the ettin and watched the fireworks. Then grabbed the corpse and started walking back out.

3 squares from the exit. Giant cave spider. What the hell... Threw a crossbow bolt at it. Glanced off. Threw another crossbow bolt at it. Glanced off. Uh oh... it's coming closer. Searched inventory. Threw an Athel Arek 1054 gold coin at it. Black eye. Uh oh. Threw the corpse of the ettin at it. It explodeded.

And that's how my (6th) novice(y) adventurer killed 4 giant cave spiders by himself in 10 minutes.

To be fair, my adventurer was clad in masterwork steel armour from head to toe in both masterwork chainmail and platemail and was wielding a masterwork obsidian sword and a masterwork steel shield. It's a good thing that weapon depots remain in the same place in your old fortresses.

[Earthquake Damage]

quote:I beat the crap out of them with the Nerf Stick in the creatures_subterranean file.

Might I recommend a more satisfying five-step plan for spider slaying?

1.  Find giant cave spider.
2.  Save.
3.  Add [FIXED_TEMP:15000] to giant cave spider.
4.  Load.
5.  Profit.

[Zogundar]

quote:Originally posted by Earthquake Damage:
<STRONG>

Might I recommend a more satisfying five-step plan for spider slaying?

1.  Find giant cave spider.
2.  Save.
3.  Add [FIXED_TEMP:15000] to giant cave spider.
4.  Load.
5.  Profit.</STRONG>

Didn't do anything. I assume it's supposed to make them spontaneously combust?

[Sean Mirrsen]

As long as [STANDARD_FLESH] is present, or a [MATERIAL:] tag, any specific temperature settings will be overridden. At least that's what I remember happening.

You can also set your fixed temp to something like 11000, and set the spider's melting temperature to 10000. Then let him bite you.  

[dethb0y]

attacking a ranged opponent with a hand-to-hand weapon is a superb way to die. Throw some stuff at them, *then*, when they are down - attack with your weapon of choice. It's all in the tactics.

[umiman]

quote:Originally posted by dethb0y:
<STRONG>attacking a ranged opponent with a hand-to-hand weapon is a superb way to die. Throw some stuff at them, *then*, when they are down - attack with your weapon of choice. It's all in the tactics.</STRONG>

It's actually more difficult than that. Cave spiders live in, obviously, caves. Caves are composed of narrow, one tile wide corridors. So what happens is they tend to surprise you by being just around the corner, out of view.

Normally, this would be bad for ranged attackers since it limits the distance between you and them but the cave spider can TKO you in one shot and that shot usually hits.

[Sean Mirrsen]

If you think even a reasonably large distance is enough to be safe from a GCS, you're wrong. At least 7 tiles away you can still be hit by the webbing. The only way is finding high ground, preferably high ground with a ledge a significant distance away so that it can't just go up and catch you.

[Risim]

It'd be nice if the webs didn't have a 100% chance of knocking you over each time you touch one, especially the ones that are already on the ground that you end up having to walk through.

[Earthquake Damage]

quote:As long as [STANDARD_FLESH] is present, or a [MATERIAL:] tag,

One of the few exceptions to the STANDARD_FLESH priority rule, IIRC, is FIXED_TEMP.  MATERIAL tags probably override it though.

Also, overlooked this

quote:Didn't do anything. I assume it's supposed to make them spontaneously combust?

Yes, it should.  I don't think I've done that specifically, but I have removed kobolds from Fortress mode by removing all equipment from their entity file before world gen then replacing their STANDARD_FLESH with a BOILING_POINT:0.  Not quite the same, but similar.  And the boiling point modification seems to work just fine mid-game too.  I can reenable (but not reequip) kobolds by swapping those tokens.

[ January 29, 2008: Message edited by: Earthquake Damage ]

[Koji]

quote:Originally posted by umiman:
<STRONG>There's no need to argue over this. You see, the gods have always blessed the two-legged races with a distinct and powerful ability that none of the beasts can hope to ever use.

It's called throwing and bolts; for none know of a more potent anti-spider than thrown coins and the almighty crossbow.</STRONG>

You talk about ranged attacks like the cave spiders don't have them--haven't you ever been webbed?

Personally, I think they should just be less common. It's annoying to spend all my drunks killing one and then have another one be waiting right around the corner.

[Sykirobme]

Perhaps the effectiveness and relatively common frequency of Giant Cave Spiders explains why the world only has 12000 inhabitants...  

[umiman]

quote:Originally posted by Koji:
<STRONG>

You talk about ranged attacks like the cave spiders don't have them--haven't you ever been webbed?

Personally, I think they should just be less common. It's annoying to spend all my drunks killing one and then have another one be waiting right around the corner.</STRONG>

Uh yes. I've been killed by them and killed them tonnes. Just that I know a flying bolt is far more fearsome than webbing.

In fortress mode, it's even worse, since the range of bolts and arrows incredibly outrange webbing.

And as far as I can tell, a Giant Cave Spider does not have that innate ability to dodge projectiles.

It's really not THAT hard to deal with Cave Spiders. Instead of relying on drunks, why not hire some axemen or bowmen? Then when you're higher level, you should be able to constantly sidestep their webs (with relative success and some luck).

[Coriantumr]

Don't even get me started on flying bolts...

Nothing like wandering along, minding your own business and then...

The flying XIron BoltX strikes you in the head!
It is pierced through!
You are deceased.

Shot dead by a foe you never even got to see. Sneaking everywhere causes an insane amount of lag for me, not to mention puts me at a disadvantage when I am spotted because the reduced sneaking speed means my enemy nearly always goes first.

[Earthquake Damage]

You sneaking speed problems are due entirely to the fact that you don't spend several hours sneaking in the wilderness listening to Eye of the Tiger to reach Legendary Ambusher.