Homebrew Arachne Species Details
Web Weavers
The arachne are a carnivorous demi-human liminal race that have a human torso, but whose lower body is that of a giant spider. The humanoid body upper bodies display all human varieties when it comes to skin tone and features, but certain features stand out in the subraces. They typically have six spider-like eyes on their face, but the number can vary with different individuals. Their forearms are covered in an exoskeleton, much like their spider body, and end with sharp, claw-like hands. While the spider body contains a primary opisthosoma, their wrists contain a secondary opisthosoma which also produces silk to assist in their web crafting. The arachne padipalps, which are normally used by spiders for eating, no longer function as such and act more like humanoid thighs. In holding true with spider sexual dimorphism, most females are larger than their male counterparts.
Matriarch Leadership
With the recent advancement of the arachne races, communities have been built and founded under the leadership of matriarch councils. These arachne communities have sprung up in many different environments with most of them being subrace specific. A central leadership exists with a representative from each subrace that partake in the major decision making for the arachne race as a whole. Being a young species with an unsavory impression, the arachne have made a commitment to attempt to prove that they are not the monsters of everyone's misconceptions. Some arachne have moved into other race settlements when they have been met with warm hospitality.
We are not driders!
Not to be confused with driders, the specific origins of arachne are largely unknown. Some theorize they were the result of a curse or horrible experiment, others say they were created by demons. Though they appear to be half human and half spider, they are not a hybridization of the two. Despite their similarities, they tend to distrust driders as well as the Drow and regard them with hostility.
Loners
some Arachne live alone or in small groups, though sometimes they may hide among more humanoid civilizations and in abandoned buildings. Other common settings they may make use of include forests, caves, and especially abandoned forts and towns, though they usually will furnish their selected lair to make it more comfortable, rather than living more nomadic or wild.
Tribes and sometimes even more structured communities of other races might ally themselves with Arachne loners they come across, while Arachne may be interested in trade.
These relations are usually purely business-oriented, as Arachne loners usually have poor empathy skills and care little for the fates of other creatures.
Arachne Self Creation Legend/Myth/Lore
Arachnes has many variations of the story of how they came to be, but they all have the main points the same. some clans of Arachnes say they were original giant intelligent spiders, while other clans say they were humans, gnomes, and / or elves, and a very third and much smaller group say they have always been half spiders half humanoid even though they were more Monstrous then than they are now. what they can agree on is that they worshiped the demon lord who ruled the Demonweb Pits before Lolth took it over. when Lolth took over the Demonweb Pits and killed the demon lord there, Lolth tried to convert the demon lord's worshipers to worship her, but failed terribly. the worshipers out of hatred over the thing that killed their god and a sense of loyalty, began to worship the sister of their dead god, a true neutral nature god of Arachnids with a tendency to have a cynical outlook on life. from here they are unsure of what happened until they suddenly opened their eyes and found out that they had been transformed into Arachnes and that the world they were now in was not the same as the one they remembered.
Arachne Traits
Racial TraitsAbility Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma decreases by 1.
Age
Arachne reach adulthood around 15 years old and live to be an average of a century.
Alignment
Arachne tend to be neutrally aligned, but can be found in the extremes at times. Those that have fallen into the evil alignment are most often consumed by their cynical outlook on life, while some populations are merely feral and are controlled more by their animal instinct than their humanoid consciousness.
Dextrous Legs
You have proficiency with stealth.
When stationary, you can also use your legs (or pedipalps) to interact with and manipulate items, though they cannot carry weapons
Climbing
You have a climb speed of 30 while unarmored or lightly armored. This drops to 20 if wearing medium or heavy armor or if encumbered.
You can climb normally for any surfaces or objects that have obvious features, such as cave walls, trees, statues, and some buildings. For featureless surfaces, as long as they are not perfectly smooth or slick (like glass or polished stone) you may climb them as if it were difficult terrain. You may stay on a surface between turns. If you are attacked while clinging to a surface, you must make a Constitution save to stay attached--DC 10 for normal surfaces, and DC 15 for featureless surfaces. A failure means you fall prone and take fall damage.
(The DCs are more of a guideline than a hard-fought rule.)
Darkvision
Accustomed to nocturnal activity, caves and dark dwellings, arachne have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. Arachne can see in dim light within 60 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.
Arachnid Eyes
You have an extra set of eyes that are always open. They mostly detect movement, but they can allow you to see around you, even when sleeping. When only using your additional eyes, you can still make use of your passive perception at a -3 penalty.
You also have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Monstrous Form
While there are surely advantages to being a hybrid, there are a number of ways in which the monstrous half is a detriment.
- due to your lower body, you cannot make use of mounts.
- You have two creature types: humanoid and monstrosity. You can be affected by a game effect if it works on either of your creature types.
- As you lack the lower body of a humanoid, you are unable to wear humanoid armor below the belt (ex: leggings, greaves, or boots).
- Many people fear you or may regard you with hostility. Other creatures naturally distrust you, and you have disadvantage on persuasion and diplomacy checks for creatures that you are not familiar with. Others may permanently regard you as an abomination.
- You are not built for swimming and have a swim speed of 0.
- your armour requires somewhere in between two to three times the materials to be made. It is about that much more expensive, and that's assuming you can find it. Based on how common these races are in your world, they might be found in populous cities or an Arachne village. You don't require larger shields.
Web Walker
you ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
While in contact with a web, the arachne knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web.
Spider Silk
You are proficient in weaver's tools, and may use your legs or pedipalps as weaver's tools.
You have a number of charges equal to you your Constitution modifier + twice your proficiency bonus (minimum of 1). Each charge can be used to produce 5ft of web. You regain charges after a long rest. You can determine the properties of the silk upon creation, specifying how sticky, springy, lasting, and delicate it is. This silk can be used for various purposes, such as:
- You may produce silk rope. (This cannot be sold directly.)
- It can be woven into suspension, such as for a hammock or for elevated terrain. Other creatures may be suspended by this, and if not restrained it merely counts as difficult terrain, however you may move freely. (15ft to make a single bed.)
- It can be cut into bandages.
- You may bind a living creature. (The amount is comparable to using rope.)
- It can be woven into textiles and cloth. The amount of web and time required is up to your GM's discretion, but this may be used or sold as normal.
- It can be used to make snare traps and web attacks, as described below.
- Other uses can be allowed by your GM.
When used as rope or restraint, your web has 7 HP per 5 ft, an AC of 7, and requires slashing weapons for purposes of characters destroying it via physical means. Webs used for restraint are also flammable and will burn away in 1 round, dealing 2d4 damage to any targets caught in them at that moment.
Web Attack
You may use charges of your web to restrain a target, prepare it as a trap, or create difficult terrain.
Your web DC is 10 + your Constitution Modifier for the effects described.
Prepare a trap: Preparing a trap requires 5 minutes and 2 charges of your web for a medium or smaller creature, or 4 charges for a large. You cannot trap creatures bigger than large. Upon walking into the trap, a creature must make a Strength save vs your web DC to avoid becoming restrained. Failing prevents the creature from cutting themselves loose, and they may repeat the save once every hour. The trap expires if left unattended for 1 day. The trap is very hard to see and requires a DC 16 perception check to notice.
Web a target: You may also use your web as an action in battle. Make a proficient ranged attack against a target. The ground in the squares below the target becomes difficult terrain, and the target must make a Strength save vs your web DC or become restrained. This requires 2 charges of your web, 4 if the creature is large.
Sticky Ground: You may also aim your web at the ground to make an area difficult terrain. This uses 1 charge per square foot, and you may define up to 5 squares when doing this, and creatures that walk over a square of this terrain must make a Strength vs your web DC modifier, or their speed drops to 0 for the rest of their turn. They may attempt to cross multiple webbed spaces on their turn, and must roll each time when they first enter a webbed space.
You are not able to be restrained or affected by your own web. Your webs are flammable and if ignited burn up in 1 round, dealing 2d8 to all targets restrained.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon.
Subrace
Arachne are divided into seven vastly different subraces: Araneichne, Latrodachne, Lycachne, Saltichne, Sicarachne, and Therachne. Choose one of these subraces.
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