Spider's Bane is an enchanted two-handed sword made to fight against spiders more effectively than normal weapons. It bestows the wielder the Free Action effect, granting the wielder immunity against magic and other effects which affect movement like [{Slow}}|slow]], hold and spider webs. Like all +2 weapons, it also has +2 bonus to damage and THAC0 and a speed factor two points lower than a normal two-handed sword. This item appears in Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition and Baldur's Gate II.
In Baldur's Gate, it is obtained during the subquest Finding Chelak in the second part of the Cloakwood. Along with The World's Edge, they are the strongest two-handed swords. The World's Edge is better for inflicting damage and is more accurate but lacks free action of Spider's Bane.
In Baldur's Gate II, it can only be found if the player has the mod Unfinished Business (Baldur's Gate II) installed. Pai'Na the half-drow Hivemaster Druid will send the player to recover it from a pair of dim-witted spider-slayers. However, their misuse has destroyed the weapon and render it inoperable.
The name of this weapon is a reference to Sting, the sword of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth fantasy universe. Upon the blade is the inscription: "Maegnas is my name, I am the spider's bane."
In-game description
| “ | Spider's Bane was originally forged by the dwarves of the Orothair tribe in the Cloakwood Forest. They created the blade to help foster good will between them and the Grand Dukes of Baldur's Gate. Wielded by the Grand Dukes for about a century, the sword was eventually lost, ironically in a fight against ettercaps and spiders. Who wields the balde now is unknown, but its discovery would aid greatly in fighting the current spider infestation that plagues the Cloakwood. | ” |