The Canoptek Spyders are the Necrons’ tireless maintenance machines, robotic constructs that stay awake for millions of years so their sleeping masters don’t have to. They fix tomb worlds, spawn clouds of Scarabs, and turn nasty when something disturbs the crypt.
What the Canoptek Spyders actually are
They’re ancient robotic constructs built by the Necrons to look after their tomb worlds. Older fans might know them as Tomb Spyders, and the name still turns up in older books.
A Deep Spirit master control system gives the orders, and the Spyders carry them out without rest. They don’t sleep, they don’t stop, and they’ve been doing this for aeons.
What they do when intruders show up
On paper a Spyder is just a control and repair drone. In practice it’s a serious problem. It can heal itself and patch up nearby Necrons mid-fight, and it can point other Canoptek constructs straight at anything that’s broken in.
Gloom Prisms let it push back warp energy, which is bad news for psykers. And it can convert raw energy into fresh Scarabs, which arrive in huge shimmering clouds rather than one at a time.
- Self-repair systems that also heal other Necrons
- Gloom Prisms that ward off empyric (warp) energy
- Scarab production from raw energy
- Control of other Canoptek constructs
The gestalt trick
Spyders aren’t sentient, but their layered subroutines make them adaptable. When three of them work together, one takes charge and borrows the processing power of the other two.
The result is a gestalt mind much sharper than any one Spyder alone, and that boost passes to every Canoptek Wraith and Scarab nearby. Suddenly the whole swarm moves with one purpose.
Weapons and tabletop history
A Spyder comes armed with a Fabricator Claw Array and a twin-linked Particle Beamer, so it’s more than a support piece.
The model has been around since 3rd edition as the Tomb Spyder, then got a redesign for 5th edition under the Canoptek Spyder name. It’s still a regular in Necron armies today.
| Era | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd edition | Tomb Spyder | Original miniature |
| 5th edition | Canoptek Spyder | Redesigned miniature |
| 10th edition | Canoptek Spyder | Still in the Necron range |
Key facts
- Canoptek Spyders are robotic Necron constructs that maintain tomb worlds while their masters sleep.
- They never sleep and can operate for millions of years without rest.
- They can heal themselves and other Necrons, and they direct other Canoptek constructs at intruders.
- Gloom Prisms let them ward off warp energy.
- They can convert raw energy into waves of Scarabs.
- Three Spyders working together form a gestalt mind that boosts nearby Wraiths and Scarabs.
FAQ
Are Canoptek Spyders the same as Tomb Spyders?
Yes, they’re the same thing. Tomb Spyder was the older name, and Canoptek Spyder is what the current books call them.
Can Canoptek Spyders think for themselves?
Not in any real sense. They run complex layered subroutines that let them adapt, and three working together can form a gestalt mind, but they aren’t sentient.
What are Gloom Prisms for?
They ward off empyric energy, which means warp-based powers and psychic attacks have a harder time landing near a Spyder.