Ethereal Jaunt. As a bonus action, the spider can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
How many phase spiders for a fight?
A phase spider is worth 700 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many phase spiders fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
2nd
—
—
1
3rd
—
1
2
4th
1
2
2
5th
2
4
6
6th
3
5
8
7th
4
7
9
8th
5
9
12
9th
7
11
12+
10th
9
12+
12+
11th
10
12+
12+
12th
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the phase spider compares at CR 3
Against the 21 other challenge 3 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the phase spider has more hit points than 0 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 3 monster.
Statistic
Phase Spider
CR 3 average
Armor Class
13
14.1
Hit points
32
60
Best attack bonus
+4
+5
Best save DC
11
12
Phase Spider 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the phase spider, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Armor Class: 13 → 14.
Hit points: 32 → 45.
Ability scores: DEX 15 → 16.
New in its stat block: Ethereal Sight and Multiattack.
Armor Class
14
Hit Points
45 (7d10 + 7)
Speed
30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Challenge
3 (700 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
15 (+2)
16 (+3)
12 (+1)
6 (-2)
10 (+0)
6 (-2)
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages
None
Traits
Ethereal Sight. The spider can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane while on the Material Plane and vice versa.
Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webs, and the spider knows the location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Actions
Multiattack. The spider makes two Bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) Piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) Poison damage. If this damage reduces the target to 0 Hit Points, the target becomes Stable, and it has the Poisoned condition for 1 hour. While Poisoned, the target also has the Paralyzed condition.
Bonus actions
Ethereal Jaunt. The spider teleports from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane or vice versa.
