Homebrew Drider Species Details

Physical Description

Driders are Drow who have failed Lolth's trials and where both blessed and cursed with a new, spider-like form. They possess the upper bodies of drow, and the lower bodies of giant spiders. Their drow halves retain all of their typical physical features, including black skin resembling polished obsidian, stark white or pale yellow hair, and very pale eyes that retain the same color shades as regular drow eyes would. The spider half of a drider is typically black and chitinous, propelling the creature along the ground atop eight wicked, spindly spider legs. Due to the space taken up by their spider halves, most driders tend to be up to 8 ft tall, and almost as wide. Some have been known to be taller, however.

History

Driders are drow servants of Lolth who undergo a painful process after failing one Lolth's test. Failure in the procedure usually results in death. Most are evil, but rarely, a drider may break this role. A drider appears much like a centaur, except exclusively for drow and with a spider's body rather than a horse's. Because of this, driders can shoot webbing at their foes, as well as ignoring any movement restrictions.

While one might think this form might elevate a drow's status, this is actually a great shame, because the drow see driders as beings so absolutely weak and pathetic that Loth herself had to step down to make them better, and are usually shamed and exiled from drow society, if not killed. Driders can be found scattered across the hostile wilderness of the Underdark, surviving off what meager prey that can manage to kill. Driders can grow to despise their drow brethren for making them outcasts and try forgetting their pasts, although trusting them is still unwise since they are as likely to help you as they are to turn you in to the drow in hopes of redeeming themselves, though usually, this hope will only lead them to disappoint. Driders are rarely found outside of the Underdark, but desperation can lead to some driders living on the surface, though usually as hermits, pirates, or other nefarious professions. Like the drow most driders have evil and hatred pounded into their being, although their transformation can bestow them with humility, and in some cases, even a different perspective. Driders are a complicated and dangerous lot to be sure, but no matter what happened to them and what they've experienced, they are still drow, and one who would mess with the drow surely has a death wish.

Society

Driders mostly live independently or with others of their kind in order to be more in touch with the spiders they worship. They are rejected by the majority of drow society and either move to the outskirts of the city to act as the lowest of the drow caste system and as the first wave of defense, or take their chances as group hunters in the harsh terrain of the Underdark.

Drider Names

Though driders are sexless, their upper half gives away the kinds of names they once had. Before becoming a drider they will often have drow names and may keep them after their fall from Lolth's grace. Some change their names, taking on titles in their rejection of their past.

Titles: Doomweaver, Foeslayer, Dazzlebees, Liferenderer, Moonlust, Hotcho'klateemylk

Drider Traits

The Drider has a variety of natural abilities, the result of years being cursed by the spider queen herself.

Webspinning

You can produce webbing made of silk and use it as both a weapon, as a trap and for housing/bedding.You have 5 'charges' of webbing that you can use before having to take a short or long rest.

As a weapon, you can launch a ball of webbing at an enemy who then must make a Dex saving throw or be restrained. When restrained by webbing, one requires a strength check with a DC of 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Constitution Modifier to break free.

As a trap, the webbing has the same effects as the Web spell. The only difference is that the duration is 8 hours rather than 1 hour.

As housing/bedding, you require an hour to make a comfortable living space.

Spider Climb

You can walk on difficult surfaces such as walls, or upside down on ceilings without needing to make an ability check, with your hands free and at full movement.

Broad back

A Medium or smaller creature can ride on your abdomen if you allow it. In such a situation, you continue to act independently, not as a controlled mount. Unfortunately, you also cut your walking/climbing speed in half as spider legs aren't meant to carry massive loads.

Natural Armor

Driders have thick chitinous armor on their spider half. When you aren’t wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Sunlight Sensitivity

While in sunlight, the drider has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Superior Darkvision

Accustomed to darkness of the underdark, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Trance

Driders don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1

Age

Although Driders reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. A Drider typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Alignment

Tend to be as evil or neutral, the teachings of drow made them wicked but often their transformations give them some form of humility.

Monstrous Form

As a being created through magic, your creature type is Monstrosity, rather than Humanoid. 

Size

Driders can be 7 to 10 feet tall. Your size is Medium, however, due to the flexibility of your arachnid body.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet and you have a base climbing speed of 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Undercommon and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires.