Role & Distinction
Orb Weaver = Combat mount (stuns enemies, summons allies).
Jumping Spider = Mobility mount (master of climbing, falling, and leaping).
Designed to solve fall damage frustration and unlock vertical + gap traversal as a core mechanic.
Abilities
Web Crawler Mode (Toggle)
Activated with a simple toggle, not tied to surface type.
Lets you crawl up walls and ceilings at any angle—even smooth ones.
Power Jump (Hold Jump / A Button)
The longer you hold A, the further you launch.
Uses stamina proportionally to distance jumped (up to all 6 bars for a maximum cannon-shot leap) and will cannon you further on a parabolic scale the more stamina you use.
Great for crossing the park’s massive gaps or reaching high spots without building ladders.
Encourages strategic stamina management: small hops are efficient, big leaps are costly.
Fall Immunity (Passive)
As natural pouncers, Jumping Spiders negate all fall damage.
Ideal for risky exploration, allowing fearless descent from picnic tables, tree branches, and birdbaths.
Balancing Factors
Power Jump cooldown: short reset time keeps it from being spammed endlessly.
Note: Cooldown only applies on a full 6-stamina jump. Smaller jumps can still be chained if stamina allows.
No direct combat power: unlike Orb Weavers, Jumping Spiders don’t stun or fight well—they’re purely traversal companions.
Attraction mechanic: a full-charge Power Jump creates a loud “impact thud” on landing, potentially alerting nearby hostile insects (risk/reward flavor).
Narrative Fit
Jumping Spiders are curious, energetic hunters—perfect for a mount that feels eager and agile rather than terrifying.
This also means they could be tamed directly, rather than requiring players to steal an egg.
Likely found in sun-exposed vertical zones (tree trunks, fences, siding of the shed), making them thematic and challenging to tame.
In Arachnophobia Safe Mode, they could appear as balloon-animal grasshoppers or crickets.
Summary
The Jumping Spider Buggy gives players unprecedented mobility:
Toggleable Web Crawler for safe vertical climbing on any surface.
Stamina-based Power Jump with charge scaling—small hops to mega cannon leaps.
Fall damage immunity, eliminating one of the game’s biggest frustrations.
