Homebrew Arachnoid Species Details

Physical Description

Arachnoids have spider-like features and two pairs of arms with which they can climb on any surface as quickly as they can walk. They have one set of legs and their size can vary vastly based on habitat. Some are as small as kobolds, while others grow as tall as humans or orcs. They have 4 to 8 eyes and a set of fangs decorates their face. Their bodies are hard and sturdy and the hair that grows on on their body can change its coloration to blend in with their natural surroundings.

Habitat

Arachnoids can be found living in every corner of the realm, though they tend to live isolated and avoid big cities. Most commonly they live in forest with big trees, such as rainforests, near mammoth trees or woods with giant, magical trees. But they don’t just live in forests. They can be found in deserts, with similarities to desert spiders. And some have even adopted a life in icy tundras, similar to the dangerous ice spider.

Anatomy

Although Arachnoids don’t need to sleep, they do require periods of inactivity to revitalize themselves. During these periods, they are fully aware of what’s happening around them. There size varies strongly, depending on habitat. They have fangs that can produce paralyzing venom, a remnant from their early stages of evolution, when they were more similar to savage animals. Nowadays they aren’t used for hunting anymore. But they often use the venom to liquify the insides of hunted animals, so they can drink them like a soup. That way they don’t have to cook their hunted animals. Though they are not carnivores, they prefer a healthy mix of plant-based foot and meat. They have four sets of arms and they usually use one set as their main arms. They are pretty proficient climbers though, because of their four arms. They have a hard exoskeleton that they shed once a year, till they are adults. Once they are adults they don’t grow anymore and so they usually keep their exoskeleton. Though it might happen that their body grows a new exoskeleton and shed the old one, when the old one has sustained some sort of heavy damage, that the body can’t seem to heal. The hair that covers their whole body has also evolved so that they can camouflage into their natural surroundings. That way they are the stealthiest and deadliest hunters. They also have a spinneret at the back of their mouths. A organic nuzzle that can produce silk, it is connected to an organ somewhere in the stomach where the silk is stored in liquid form. They usually are able to control the stickiness, elasticity, thickness, bounciness and other properties. But if they are sick or don’t get enough proteins with their food, they might have some issues with their silk production.

Society

Arachnoids tend to live as secluded as possible. They aren’t particular fond of big cities ad the life style other races tend to have. Their tribes have as little contact as possible with other people. Especially since communication can be very tricky and the Arachnoids worldviews can be very unusual. Most of them are not very keen on fire, especially those that live in trees. It burns their silk, the thing that defines them as a race and a society. They build bridges between their homes purely out of silk or use them as ropes to connect planks for suspension bridges. Sometimes they even span giant spider webs between the trees. In some tribes they hollow out the mammoth trees and live inside them, in some others they build their homes in the canopy out of wood, silk and other natural materials. In almost every home you will find a bunch of furniture made out of silk. They sleep in hammocks, have curtains and hanging door beads all made out silk. But the most precious possession of every arachnoid home is a big tapestry decorating the biggest wall. It depicts the family tree of the family living in the home, often decorated with flourishing ornamentations. As beautiful as you‘ll rarely see anywhere else. Every new generation continues weaving the tapestry, adding themselves to the family tree. That’s why it such an important possession to them. It can’t be replaced. Not all arachnoid tribes practice this cultural act. Some tribes might have a completely different culture. Dessert arachnoids might live in burrows underground. 

Other people rarely come across arachnoids, they are well versed in hiding their present to others. Their existence isn’t super secret by any means, but it’s not a species a lot of people know about. There aren’t many tribes anyways and they don’t like to interact with other races very much. There is often a general apathy and xenophobia when people do meat arachnoids, because of their obvious similarities to spiders. Despite rumors that they are a cannibalistic race, the would never eat a highly sentient being, especially not a fellow arachnoid. Family is very important to them. The only reason why some people might actually be interested in their culture, is because of their highly valuable silk weave. A lot of plunderers and thieves try to steal the arachnoids creations. But arachnoids do not take lightly to thieves. For them their creations are so dear to them, that they would never give them away willingly. It’s a core part of their society. So thieves will be hunted by the hunters. The hunters are the the tribes actual animal hunters, but also function as the ones who enforce the law of nature. Anyone who doesn’t respect the nature, will be hunted down by the hunters, as long as they are within the arachnoids territory. They often act as the inoffiziell guardians of their forest. So most of time there isn’t even a ranger lodge needed, where arachnoids dwell. What is beyond their borders, doesn’t concern them. Live and let live. 

Some tribes also seem to have some druidic aspects to them. Rumors have, that some tribes have an eldest, a druidic shaman that is able to weave magic into their creations. And maybe there are some tribes, who adapted a life with magic and became fully functioning druid circles.

Language

Arachnoids have a strange language, consisting of clicking and clacking in combination with hand gestures and the waving of their antennae. This is due to their lack of humanoid vocal cords. Other creatures find this method of communication difficult to interpret and almost impossible to duplicate. To interact with other folk, Arachnoids rely on a form of telepathy. It is very similar to the language of the Thri-kreen and most people wouldn’t even notice a difference. Arachnoids have a strange language, consisting of clicking and clacking in combination with hand gestures and the waving of their antennae. Other creatures find this method of communication difficult to interpret and almost impossible to duplicate. To interact with other folk, Arachnoids rely on a form of telepathy. It is very similar to the language of the Thri-kreen and most people wouldn’t even notice a difference. 

Arachnoid Names

Arachnoid names are very difficult for most people to pronounce and impossible to write down in common. That’s why when communicating via telepathy, they give common speakers a version of their name, they can use more easily and are even able to write down in common. 
Examples: Gox, Hvok, Treflex, Wevox, Vock, Xateck, Patzik, Synak, Purvox, Qask, Reflex, Tix, Qarach, Tiuc, Plox

Arachnoid Traits

As an Arachnoid player character, you have the following traits.

Creature Type

You are a Monstrosity.

Size

You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Camouflaging Exoskeleton

While you aren’t wearing armor, your carapace gives you a base Armor Class of 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

As an action, you can change the color of your carapace to match the color and texture of your surroundings, giving you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in those surroundings.

Spider Silk

You can produce 25ft of web. You don’t have to produce the 25ft all at once though. You regain this ability after a long rest. You can determine the properties of the silk upon creation, specifying how sticky, springy, lasting, and delicate it is. 

You can produce 5ft of webbing as an action during combat. 

The silk can be used as a thin rope or as a component for Weaver’s tools. It’s the dm‘s ruling what is possible to create with the Weaver’s tools.

As a reaction you can expend 5ft of spider silk, to create a shield, made out of web, that gives you a +3 to your AC, till the start of your next turn.

You can expend 5ft of spider silk, to shoot out a web 30ft far. The targeted creature has to make a strength saving throw against a 12 + dex modifier DC.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of yourself as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Secondary Arms

You have two slightly smaller secondary arms below your primary pair of arms. The secondary arms can manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, pick up or set down a Tiny object, or wield a weapon that has the light property.

Sleepless

You do not require sleep and can remain conscious during a long rest, though you must still refrain from strenuous activity to gain the benefit of the rest.

Arachnoid Telepathy

Without the assistance of magic, you can’t speak the non-thri-kreen languages you know. Instead you use telepathy to convey your thoughts. You have the magical ability to transmit your thoughts mentally to willing creatures within 120 feet of yourself. A contacted creature doesn’t need to share a language with you to understand your thoughts, but it must be able to understand at least one language. Your telepathic link to a creature is broken if you and the creature move more than 120 feet apart, if either of you is incapacitated, or if either of you mentally breaks the contact (no action required).

Venomous Bite

You venomous bite counts as a natural weapon. It deals equal to 1 + DEX modifier and the target has to make a dc 15 constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute.