Spiderants are a matriarchal hive species adapted to Pandora’s harsh and various biomes. The dirt mound exits from their hives are a proverbial tip of the iceberg, as spiderant colonies can build vast subterranean cave structures. Being burrowing creatures, spiderants can also emerge from fresh ground, as well as from premade den exits.
Within spiderant society, tasks are accomplished by spiderant species that have adapted to their purpose, so you’ll find many different varieties. They are all distinguished by their odd, near-symmetrical quad-leg array, which allows agile movement in any direction. The hardened front of the forelegs and the rigid helmet on the carapace provide solid protection to spiderants from the front, as their critical-vulnerable area is their squishy abdomen. This area is always protected, therefore, if they are oriented toward their aggressor.
Being hive creatures, spiderants always congregate and attack in groups. The strongest spiderants can call others to their aid.
Spiderling
The youngest and most numerous spiderant is the Spiderling. Spiderants can have broods in the hundreds, reproducing by quantity over quality. These young ones are weak but quick, able to nimbly leap to dodge or attack. In close they can also swipe with their forelegs, in addition to leaping.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | — | 0.4 | Chump | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spiderant Worker
TVHM name: Spiderant Velite
A standard member of the general spiderant labor pool, Spiderant Workers are usually tasked with building and maintaining mounds and hives. Their ability to spray out webbing to this end also helps them with defense—they shoot out snagging webs at perceived threats. On contact, these webs can slow the movement speed of targets briefly. Spiderant Workers also slash with their legs at nearby threats.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 | — | 0.6 | Normal | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spiderant Soldier
TVHM name: Arbalest Spiderant
A branch of spiderants that specializes in combat, Spiderant Soldiers are even better at launching web projectiles than Workers. Attentive, lateral movement is essential when combating these foes.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 | — | 0.6 | Normal+ | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spiderant Warrior
TVHM name: Spiderant Legionaire
If Soldiers are the artillery, then Warriors are the infantry. Spiderant Warriors are built to attack from close range. They curl into a ball and roll to charge forward, then slash with their front limbs up close.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.25 | — | 0.6 | Normal+ | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spiderant Sentinel
TVHM name: Spiderant Praetorian
Spiderant Sentinels are servants of a Queen Spiderant, and follow her commands. They can swipe with their limbs, pound the ground around them for radius percussion damage, or attack at range by shooting sticky webbing. If the Queen commanding them dies, Spiderant Sentinels continue to attack at their own discretion.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | — | 0.8 | Normal+ | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Poisonous Spiderant
TVHM name: Leperous Spiderant
These wretched, stinking spiderant variants are dripping with corrosive fluid, and their attack and webbed projectiles are infused with it. They can inflict you with a Corrosive status effect, dealing damage over time and obscuring your field of view.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | — | 1 | Tough | Abdomen |  /  |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Fire Spiderant
TVHM name: Spiderant Sapper
Instead of webbing, these spiderants can sling flaming globs of fire that can light targets aflame, which may include you if you’re not careful. Fire Spiderants resist Fire damage, unlike their cousins, which may force you to switch weapons.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | — | 1 | Tough | Abdomen | — /  |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Slagged Spiderant
The opening of the Vault has irradiated large areas with Eridium. The result: Slag-mutated versions of Pandoran wildlife. The Slagged Spiderant is a little tougher than other spiderants its size, and it can inflict Slag on its prey.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.25 | — | 1 | Normal | Abdomen |  /  |
Location: The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spiderant Knight
TVHM name: Centurion Spiderant
Spiderant Knights are the bouncers of the spiderant family, the heaviest brawlers. Their heft translates into stronger swings with their heavy forelegs, and strong reverberations when they slam the ground for an area-of-effect smash. When Spiderant Knights have a target in mind, they usually try to close in, but Knights are also capable of tossing webbing from afar if there’s no clear route for melee attacks.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | — | 1.5 | Tough | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spiderant King
TVHM name: Emperor Spiderant
The Spiderant King has the most versatile offensive abilities of the spiderants, as it’s often the last line of defense before the Queen (who is herself no slouch; much tougher than the King, actually). A Spiderant King can swing its limbs for melee, leap at targets a little further away, and curl up into a ball and roll to surprise enemies further still. At a distance, Spiderant Kings are also capable of rapid webbing bombardment, like Spiderant Soldiers.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | — | 1 | Tough+ | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Queen Spiderant
TVHM name: Spiderant Matriarch
The Queen Spiderant is the leader of a given hive, and can summon and command Spiderant Sentinels to aid her. She herself is also a ferocious attacker. From far away, she can shoot webbing as usual, but can also launch exploding web bombs, which can slow down victims caught in the web blast radius. Up close, she can pound the ground in all directions around her and shoot webbing.
If you kill a Queen by shooting her in the abdomen, the weak spot, she’ll split during her death throes and any Spiderlings gestated enough to survive on their own will emerge.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | — | 1.1 | Super Badass | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Chubby Spiderant
These spiderants haven’t been counting their calories. Carting around this extra weight makes them physically stronger and tougher, but also slows them down greatly. You won’t see one of these often. If you do, give it a wide berth but don’t pass it up. Killing a chubby monster unlocks an Achievement or Trophy, and chubby monsters drop tons of treasure like loot midgets do!
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | — | 3 | Super Badass | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, The Dust, Caustic Caverns
Spycho
Dr. Zed is a bit of an artist. Also, he’s insane, and his chosen canvas is… well, you’ll see. During the “Monster Mash” mission series, Dr. Zed asks you to covertly collect portions of various creatures for him to do… well, don’t worry about what he wants to do. Also, he didn’t ask you for anything.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | — | 1.2 | Super Badass | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: Mission: “Monster Mash: Part 1”
Scorch
Incinerator Clayton is worried that the fanbase for fiery demigods might be split between the Firehawk and Scorch. And since Incinerator Clayton favors the Firehawk, he tasks you with killing Scorch. Scorch, as the name suggests, is a flaming spiderant Badass that’s surrounded by spiderant underlings. Kill Scorch without damaging any of the other spiderants in the vicinity to complete a particularly taxing Challenge.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | 1 | Super Badass | Abdomen | — /  |
Location: Frostburn Canyon, mission: “Cult Following: False Idols”
The Black Queen
The Black Queen is an obsidian-colored wonder you may find roaming in The Dust, attended to by her subjects. Most uniquely-named enemies in the game are unique Badasses, who upon death may drop some stunning loot. The Black Queen is a prime example.
| Health Multiplier | Shield Level | DMG. Multiplier | XP Value | Crit. Areas | Weak./Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | — | 1.25 | Ultimate Badass | Abdomen |  / — |
Location: The Dust