Spider Splicer

__NOWYSIWYG__

Spider Splicers are Splicers that have gone to an extreme. Able to stick on to the ceiling, perform acrobatic feats impossible to a "pure" human, and twirl red-hot hooks from afar at their foes, Spiders are one of the most difficult Splicers to defeat.

Strategy
Cannon Fodder? - Considering that these suckers are still a bit of a challenge on the Easy setting, one can only imagine what they're like on Hard or survivor for that matter. Fast and ruthless, they'll force the player to waste ammo just getting a bead on them. They can even be scary at times for their ability to come from just about anywhere. However, using the correct strategy will make them much easier to kill. This Splicer is the only type which doesn't upgrade their fighting capabilities throughout the game.

Notable Behavior - The first thing a player must know when tackling a Spider Splicer is that they always try to approach from the ceiling, so check frequently. If the player hears the sound of crackling plaster, then it means there is a Spider Splicer in their vicinity (and on the ceiling). When tackling White Splicers in Fort Frolic, this is the only way a player can anticipate an attack. When in combat, these Splicers will first get into melee range, attack the player, then quickly retreat, climb onto the ceiling, throw hooks at the player, and repeat the process.

Tips and Tricks:


 * A dead Spider Splicer usually yields a Spider Splicer Organ which, if the player has conducted enough research, can be used as a First Aid Kit. This means the player can top up their health after fighting this Splicer type.
 * Always aim ahead of a Spider Splicer, as by the time the player lines up a shot they will have moved away from the line of fire. By anticipating where the Splicer will go the player can conserve precious ammunition.
 * A Spider Splicer hook counts as a projectile, and as such it can be thrown back with Telekinesis or Sonic Boom. It is also relatively easy to dodge the projectile if the player has enough space.
 * Apart from the fact that these Splicers can climb on the ceiling and throw hooks, they fight in a way very similar to Thuggish Splicers. This means melee combat also works against these Splicers.
 * Traps and other stationary threats are useless against these Splicers, as they can easily dodge them. However, incapacitating the Splicer in some way or using attacks not requiring a great deal of aim will yield a significant advantage against them.
 * Another strategy is to hack Security Bots to help in the fight, since they will fire at them if they attack the player, and can easily show where they are. Don't let the Bots do all the fighting themselves, though, as the Spider's hook throw can destroy them in two hits each.
 * This Splicer, as scary as it might be, doesn't actually deal more damage than the other Splicer types. They are more effective at ambushing and evading the player, but only rarely do they actually attack them. Staying calm and aiming well will easily win the fight.
 * This Splicer, as scary as it might be, doesn't actually deal more damage than the other Splicer types. They are more effective at ambushing and evading the player, but only rarely do they actually attack them. Staying calm and aiming well will easily win the fight.

Recommended Plasmids

 * Sonic Boom has the advantage of not only reflecting away a Spider Splicer's hook, but also knocking them off the ceiling and stunning them, dealing significant damage. As such, it is a recommended Plasmid against this Splicer type.
 * Insect Swarm has the advantage of not requiring any aim at all, and dealing continuous damage to the Splicer throughout the battle. It can also distract it, preventing it from both attacking the player and dodging their attacks.
 * Incinerate! has a wide radius, and also deals damage to the Splicer over time, making it a useful tool in the beginning of combat.
 * Telekinesis is useful in that it can toss large objects at this Splicer and can also throw their hooks back at them for medium to low damage.
 * Target Dummy will distract this Splicer from the player, allowing them to hit the enemy at their leisure.
 * Winter Blast will allow this Splicer to be shattered with easy, although at the cost of not being able to loot this Splicer type.
 * Electro Bolt will stun this Splicer, allowing for an easy kill. However, it is rather difficult to land a successful shot with this Plasmid.

Recommended Weapons and Ammunition

 * Antipersonnel ammo will usually kill any Splicer in a couple of shots.
 * The Wrench is actually a good choice, because it doesn't require much aim and because these Splicers frequently get into melee range. Upgrading it will enable the player to kill any Spider Splicer before they have a chance of harming the player.
 * The Shotgun is recommended against this Splicer type as it produces a wide spread, requiring less aim. However, for full effect it is recommended to use either Electric Buck or Exploding Buck, as 00 Buck won't kill Spider Splicers effectively.
 * The Grenade Launcher is a very good choice against Spider Splicers, as it deals high damage with no aiming required. However, as Proximity Mines are useless against this Splicer type and Frag Grenades will fall to the ground, Heat-Seeking RPGs are the best ammo choice.
 * The Chemical Thrower is also an excellent choice against Spider Splicers, as it has a high damage output without needing to aim, as well as having a great ammo capacity. All ammo types are good, although it is recommended to save Electric Gel for Big Daddies.
 * The Crossbow is very hard to use against this Splicer type, although a single shot will kill or severely injure them. As such, it is recommended to use Incendiary Bolts, as one shot from that ammo type will usually kill any Spider Splicer. Don't consider a headshot, as it is impossible to perform one on this Splicer type, save if the player is incredibly lucky. As such, Steel-tip Bolts aren't recommended, although they do take out a significant chunk of health upon hit.

Recommended Tonics

 * Natural Camouflage will help the player ambush and escape from this Splicer type.
 * The Armored Shell line of tonics will significantly reduce damage received by a Spider Splicer's attacks.
 * The Damage Research line of tonics will greatly increase damage dealt against enemies researched using the Research Camera. This Gene tonic is dependent on the amount of research done by the player.
 * The Static Discharge line of tonics will stun Spider Splicers who hit the player, allowing them to perform a One-Two Punch with no cost in EVE.



Significant Spider Splicers
The first Splicer encountered in the game is a Spider Splicer named Rose. In Welcome to Rapture Atlas remotely scares her away with his Security Bot, but she returns as an unmarked "boss" enemy in Neptune's Bounty. She is a Rosebud with unique dialogue and a red jumpsuit. Like all of the other Splicers, she is insane, singing and dropping pink rose petals over Jack. She first attacks the player outside of Fontaine Fisheries, where Peach Wilkins tells Jack that he is "well and truly fucked" before she drops from a hole in the ceiling. Due to the fact that she has to return after the three splicers have been photographed, she cannot be killed on the first encounter. It is possible to lower her health to zero but she will still not die. After photographing the three splicers for Wilkins, she returns at the Gatherer's Garden, more powerful than a normal Spider. However, this battle is entirely optional, as it takes place only if the player chooses to pick up (or simply walk next to) the Wrench Lurker Gene tonic placed as a trap.

BioShock 2
In BioShock 2, Spider Splicers appear to be the most deformed type of splicer, and they have a unique model named "Crawler". Their appearance is completely bald with swollen gums, an elongated skull, long gangly limbs with claw-like nails, unnaturally flexible joints, constantly cackling maniacal laughter, and facial skin that appears to be peeling off.

Strategy Changes

 * Spider Splicers have a drastically different attack pattern in the sequel, making them much less predictable. In BioShock 2, Spiders are able to perform jumps of extreme length and height, able to jump up balconies and cover the distance between them and the player in a single bound. In fact, one of their new attacks involves jumping towards the player while swinging their hook.
 * The fact that Spider Splicers jump more frequently can be used to the player's advantage: since Spiders cannot change direction mid-air, it is possible to predict their jump path and where they will land. Aiming ahead of a jumping Spider will pay off, as in the first game.
 * It is recommended to max out research of Spider Splicers in Dionysus Park as they do not appear afterward, and yield Fountain of Youth, a very useful tonic, at level 4.
 * Perhaps the easiest way to kill a Spider Splicer is to "befriend" him with the Hypnotize tonic, let him lose some health killing some of your other enemies if any, then after he gets close to you and turns his back, attack him with your weapon and ammo of choice.

Recommended Weapons and Ammunition

 * The Drill is capable of draining a Spider's health very quickly, and since a melee fight will be inevitable it is best to prepare oneself anyway. A fully upgraded drill can also act as a shield by being able to reflect their hooks, so they will eventually close in.
 * Heavy Rivets for the Rivet Gun, although slightly hard to aim, deal more damage than normal Rivets, and as such count as antipersonnel ammunition.
 * A Gatling Gun loaded with Antipersonnel Gatling Rounds will mow down this Splicer type very quickly. The need to aim is negated by this weapon's high rate of fire.
 * 00 Buck for the Double-Barreled Shotgun will deal an enormous amount of damage at close range, and can be used as backup if the enemy gets too close. Phosphorus Buck, although slightly costly, does not require as much accuracy, since only one pellet is required to set the Splicer on fire.
 * Miniature Turrets for the Hack Tool will deal continuous damage to the enemy. Since it is an NPC, it will never miss, thus putting the Spider at a disadvantage. Help out the Turret, however, otherwise it will get destroyed fairly quickly.

Recommended Tonics

 * Fire Storm will set the Splicer on fire if it gets too close, which more or less condemns it to death.
 * The Armored Shell line of tonics will significantly reduce damage received by a Spider Splicer's attacks.
 * Sports Boost increases speed, which is useful while fighting Spider Splicers. You can free up a Tonic slot by dropping Sports Boost once you earn the faster movement from researching Spider Splicers, since the two combined will not increase your speed over just one of them.
 * Head Hunter significantly increases headshot damage.

Significant Spider Splicers
The only significant Spider Splicer in BioShock 2 is Simon Wales, a leading priest in the Rapture Family, whom Subject Delta encounters in Siren Alley. He is far more powerful than ordinary Spider Splicers, and is the only one to control Security Bots. Subject Delta is required to kill him to obtain the key to the control room of Pumping Station 5, to be able to drain Dionysus Park and save Augustus Sinclair, who's trapped inside a tram there.

Trivia

 * Spider Splicers were originally known as "Ceiling Crawlers", as revealed in the BioShock Developer Walkthrough video..


 * Unlike in BioShock, Spider Splicers featured in BioShock 2 have their own specific model. This has the side effect of making them all male.


 * Also unlike BioShock, Spider Splicers, now Crawlers, grab to ceilings without hooks. Oddly, in the Launch Trailer, a Crawler Spider Splicer is seen still using hooks despite this ability.
 * Crawlers probably use special strips of flesh, as seen in Deco Devolution, to accomplish this feat.