Ettercap This article is about the spider-men of Dungeons & Dragons . For the software tool , please see Ettercap ( computing ) . An ettercap is one of a race of bestial spider -men aberrations in the Dungeons & Dragons game . Description Ettercaps resemble hunched , grey-purplish humanoids with distended white underbellies , spider-like faces ( fangs and eyes and such ) , and two sharp , black chitinous claws instead of hands and feet . They are not particularly bright . Ettercaps possess the capability to shoot sticky webs and have an affinity for spiders . They are cowardly and vicious , and prefer to set traps to ensnare their enemies . Society Ettercaps are very fond of spiders and other arachnids and often keep them as others keep bees . From time to time , however , an ettercap has a number of monstrous spiders as pets , which are as loyal to it as a dog to a human master . Creative origins The name is derived from the Norwegian for spider , edderkopp , and is related to attercop , an archaic word for poisonous spider , used in J.R.R. Tolkien 's The Hobbit . References Cook , David , et al . Monstrous Compendium Volume Two ( TSR , 1989 ) . Leach , Paul and Russell Brown . `` The Ecology of the Ettercap '' Dragon # 343 ( Paizo Publishing , Apr 2006 ) . Stewart , Doug , ed . Monstrous Manual ( TSR , 1994 ) . Turnbull , Don , ed . Fiend Folio ( TSR , 1981 ) .  This Dungeons & Dragons article is a stub . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it . Categories : Dungeons & Dragons creatures | Dungeons & Dragons stubs 