Shapechanger. The aranea can use its action to polymorph into a medium humanoid (usually female) or back into its true form. Other than its size and speed, its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. The aranea reverts to its true form if it dies.
Spellcasting. The aranea is a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following sorcerer spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, mage hand, minor illusion, poison spray, ray of frost
1st level (4 slots): charm person, mage armor, silent image
2nd level (3 slots): phantasmal force, mirror image
3rd level (3 slots): lightning bolt, major image
Sorcery Points. The aranea has 6 sorcery points. It can spend 1 or more sorcery points to gain one of the following benefits:
Heightened Spell: When the aranea casts a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist the spell's effects, it can spend 3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell.
Quickened Spell: When the aranea casts a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, the aranea can spend 2 sorcery points to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.
Spider Climb. The aranea can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the aranea knows the exact location of any creature in contact with the same web.
Web Walker. The aranea ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
Bite (Spider Form only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage and if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned, the damage dealt by the target's weapon attacks are halved. The creature can repeat thesaving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a successful save.
Quarterstaff (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
Web (Spider Form Only, Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 13 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).
Description
An aranea is an intelligent shapeshifting creature not unlike a lycanthrope. In its natural form, the aranea appears as a giant spider with slender humanoid arms in place of its pedipalps. Its thorax has a humpback-shaped bulge that houses its brain. The aranea's other form is that of a humanoid female.
Magically Adept. An aranea is naturally gifted with the arcane arts. Due to their highly secretive nature, they focus their expertise in the schools of illusion and enchantment. Some, although very rarely, even have psionic abilities.
Silk Weavers. Despite their nature, most aranea are neutral and will keep to themselves, often living at the fringes of civilization so as not to attract unwanted attention to themselves. Those that manage to live within city walls work as silk weavers and silk traders and can live out their lives normally without getting exposed.
Evil Aranea. Evil aranea are con artists and serial killers that use their guile and magical charms to lure innocent victims into their hovels where they can ensnare and cocoon them with their webs and place them in their larder-like attics.
Male aranea do not have the ability to shapechange into humanoid form and have no magical abilities. They only serve the female as consorts and guards.
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