Arachnid or centipede

The arachnid or centipede is a monster class that appears in NetHack, and is represented by the lowercase s glyph (s). Arachnids and centipedes are designated internally by the macro S_SPIDER.

The monster class contains the following monsters:

• s cave spider
• s giant spider
• s centipede
• s scorpion
• s Scorpius

Common traits

Monsters in the arachnid or centipede monster class are based on real life non-insect arthropods: they are carnivorous and oviparous animals that have limbs, but no hands, and are neutral-aligned with the exception of the chaotic Scorpius. Except for giant spiders and Scorpius, arachnids and centipedes are capable of hiding under objects.

Generation

Randomly generated arachnids and centipedes are always created hostile.

The arachnid or centipede is the first quest monster class for Tourists, and make up ²⁴⁄₁₇₅ of the monsters that are randomly generated on the Tourist quest. Some arachnids and/or centipides are also generated on a few levels within the quest branch: two are generated on the locate and goal level, and one is generated on each of the lower filler level(s). The arachnid or centipede is also the second quest monster class for Rangers, and make up ⁶⁄₁₇₅ of the monsters that are randomly generated on the Ranger quest; two random s are generated on the locate level, and one is generated on the egoal level.

Arachnids and centipedes generated at level creation are given a random item to hide under, even if they are incapable of actually hiding (as with giant spiders).

Variants

SLASH'EM

SLASH'EM introduces several new monsters to the monster class:

• s recluse spider
• s barking spider
• s carrion crawler
• s nickelpede
• s giant scorpion
• s Girtab
• s Shelob
• s phase spider
• @ / s werespider

dNetHack

dNetHack introduces several new monsters to the monster class:

• s mirkwood spider
• s phase spider
• s demonic black widow
• s mirkwood elder
• s yurian
• s Shelob
• s man-faced millipede