I'm new to 5e so I'd love to hear how you run spider webs. The mechanic for breaking free from them seems straightforward, but how to do they get stuck? Do you roll a perception check? What if they suspect there are spiders in the area and they're being careful, maybe holding a torch in front of them?
In short they are a readily visible hazard, count as difficult terrain, and require a DC 12 Dexterity save to avoid being Restrained.
If Restrained by webs a creature can use their action up attempt a DC 12 Dexterity or Strength check to escape.
A 5ft square of webs has an AC of 10, 15 hit points, is vulnerable to Fire damage and immune to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Psychic damage.
This is all just one example of how the webbing of one kind of spider can be run. Feel free to adjust our change things as needed for the environment and encounter you are planning.
There's few general rules for environmental hazards like this; usually want you'll want to do is find a creature or spell that produces the general effect you want, and then tweak as needed for balance purposes.
I think Fangeye's covered most of it, only things I'd add are:
Keep in mind the Web Sense feature on many spider enemies – if the players make contact with any spider web it can bring in any spiders lying in wait attached to it. You could use this as a simple trigger all enemies, or tie groups of enemies to different areas of web, so the danger is that after triggering one group the players move about and trigger even more.
While a giant spider's webs are normally readily visible, you can make that a lot harder by obscuring them. The classic would be darkness, but these days in 5th edition everyone and their mum has darkvision so check your party's senses first. Otherwise you might consider dense foliage with the spiders hiding up in the tree canopies, or you could use fog either in an area, or perhaps a low fog at ground level in a dungeon (this gives the players a clue that there might be a danger, but not what to look for). Basically anything that will give them disadvantage on whatever checks you want to use for them to spot it in time.
Even if the players can see the webs, if you give them a time pressure they may be more willing to risk moving through the webs if the way around is much longer or likely to require a lot of checks (jumping over, climbing, making it to other platforms, back-tracking etc.).
Consider putting thick webs in a tunnel/corridor; using the poor visibility or time pressure tricks you might trick them into getting themselves stuck by not spotting them in time. However they're also a good way to get the party to make noise freeing each other and/or clearing them away; when the party discusses how to clear the webs, consider how noisy their solution would be, as it can be a good way to trigger different enemies all together. Nothing like baiting the players into expecting spiders, only to throw a charging minotaur at the far end of the corridor (or something more level appropriate). 😈
You can also put things in webs; have cocooned creatures wrapped up in webs, maybe with the glint of something shiny to tempt your players in trying to loot the remains.
In short they are a readily visible hazard, count as difficult terrain, and require a DC 12 Dexterity save to avoid being Restrained.
If Restrained by webs a creature can use their action up attempt a DC 12 Dexterity or Strength check to escape.
A 5ft square of webs has an AC of 10, 15 hit points, is vulnerable to Fire damage and immune to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Psychic damage.
This is all just one example of how the webbing of one kind of spider can be run. Feel free to adjust our change things as needed for the environment and encounter you are planning.
Let's see if I've got this straight: The party is advancing down a rough passageway, with the rogue scouting ahead. The rogue encounters the first web. The rogue has to roll a DEX save. If she misses the save then she is restrained, the spider is alerted and everyone rolls initiative. Freeing the rogue involves slashing at the web for 15 damage or the rogue makes a DEX or STR save (at disadvantage because she is restrained). If the rogue makes the initial DEX save, then the rogue (or anyone else) can move past the web at half speed (difficult terrain). When restrained, the enemy gains advantage on attacks.
Well, I would say, in your last scenario, that each character would have to make the save when passing through. Just because the rogue avoided it doesn’t mean the fighter will. But that’s just me. And if it took more than one round to clear the webbed area it would require additional saves.
I'm new to 5e so I'd love to hear how you run spider webs. The mechanic for breaking free from them seems straightforward, but how to do they get stuck? Do you roll a perception check? What if they suspect there are spiders in the area and they're being careful, maybe holding a torch in front of them?
There are rules for running webs from Giant Spiders in the Dungeon Master's Guide: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dmg/adventure-environments#Webs
In short they are a readily visible hazard, count as difficult terrain, and require a DC 12 Dexterity save to avoid being Restrained.
If Restrained by webs a creature can use their action up attempt a DC 12 Dexterity or Strength check to escape.
A 5ft square of webs has an AC of 10, 15 hit points, is vulnerable to Fire damage and immune to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Psychic damage.
This is all just one example of how the webbing of one kind of spider can be run. Feel free to adjust our change things as needed for the environment and encounter you are planning.
There's few general rules for environmental hazards like this; usually want you'll want to do is find a creature or spell that produces the general effect you want, and then tweak as needed for balance purposes.
I think Fangeye's covered most of it, only things I'd add are:
Characters: Bullette, Chortle, Dracarys Noir, Edward Merryspell, Habard Ashery, Legion, Peregrine
My Homebrew: Feats | Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Races
Guides: Creating Sub-Races Using Trait Options
WIP (feedback needed): Blood Mage, Chromatic Sorcerers, Summoner, Trickster Domain, Unlucky, Way of the Daoist (Drunken Master), Weapon Smith
Please don't reply to my posts unless you've read what they actually say.
Let's see if I've got this straight: The party is advancing down a rough passageway, with the rogue scouting ahead. The rogue encounters the first web. The rogue has to roll a DEX save. If she misses the save then she is restrained, the spider is alerted and everyone rolls initiative. Freeing the rogue involves slashing at the web for 15 damage or the rogue makes a DEX or STR save (at disadvantage because she is restrained). If the rogue makes the initial DEX save, then the rogue (or anyone else) can move past the web at half speed (difficult terrain). When restrained, the enemy gains advantage on attacks.
Well, I would say, in your last scenario, that each character would have to make the save when passing through. Just because the rogue avoided it doesn’t mean the fighter will. But that’s just me. And if it took more than one round to clear the webbed area it would require additional saves.
Ways people get webbed.