Homebrew Aranea Humanoid Species Details
Handy Arachnids
Aranea are shape-shifting giant spiders with two arms below their mandibles and a large hump resembling a brain on their back when in their monstrous form. They can assume the shape of a humanoid at will which resembles an elf or a human. Aranea have also been known to retain some of the capabilities of their spider form in their humanoid form.
Typically aranea live in temperate and remote forests or swamps. They are often thought of as monsters by other civilizations so aranea take their humanoid forms when passing through civilized lands to trade and explore.
Aranean Names
Aranea are given a name by their colony when the begin to grow their brain-hump. Aranean names are always in poetic deep-speech and are often more concept or image than speech. When interacting with species outside their colony Aranea often go by a generalized abreviation of their name in human or elven tongues or adopt a new name from the surrounding cultures.
Examples:
Spear-of-Resolve, Sharp-but-Fleeting-Cry, Glint-Off-Calm-Seas, Web-Which-Dangles, Enthusiastic-Seeker-of-Novelty.
Playing an Aranea
Aranea excel in their positioning abilities, their dexterity bonus and spider climb abilities make them great ranged characters. They can cast web to keep enemies away from them. Their telepathic abilities make for great role-playing opportunities and can help out in niche situations. Aranea are giant insects given humanoid form, they don't think like mammals do, for example their young often cannibalize each other, and its seen as a good thing!
Design Notes
I tried not to contradict the known lore of the aranea in the Faerûn setting while also adding my own interpretation of what intelligent shape-shifting spiders' society might be like. I also took inspiration from the aranea in Domagoj Kurmaic's (nobody103) web-series: 'Mother of Learning'. This is probably most evident in their psychic abilities and naming conventions. I began with an elf template and used Ninjafish's 'Detect Balance: a 5e Homebrew Race Guide' in an attempt to keep things balanced. 'Open Mind' is just a renamed Ghostwise halfling's 'silent speech' trait. All credit for the inspired 'Weaver's Art' trait goes to reddit user /u/revlid. I originally wanted to give them the ability to effectively Wild-Shape into a Giant Spider once per long rest but didn't for fear of balance issues. Likewise, blindsight fits thematically with what I want to achieve with the aranea but I feel it is a very strong ability (even at 10feet).
Aranea Humanoid Traits
Aranea share many of thier traits with those of spiders.Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Age
Aranea begin their lives as tiny spiders virtually indistinguishable from the garden variety. They are born from large egg sacks of a dozen or two but are not considered true aranea until they gain sapience. In this stage the hatchlings feed to grow from no more than an inch in diameter the the size of a large dog. Hatchlings devouring each other is not thought of as particularly strange. One or two hatchlings might reach the second stage of development: at about 10 years of age they begin growing their distinguishing humps and acquire sapience. When an aranea can fluently take the form of a humanoid, typically before the age of 20 they are considered to be mature. Aranea can live up to 150 years.
Alignment
The wisest, strongest and most knowlegeable lead the web. Aranea are typically chaotic creatures, they value creativity and though they are weary of outsiders, they are curious and enjoy new ideas. Aranea are most often neutral. Aranea often live close to openings into the Underdark. Outcasts and hermits that make their homes away from the colony in subterranean caverns tend to be more viscous and lean towards evil.
Size
Aranea in their humanoid forms range from 4 to 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.
While in spider form you are considered a large creature due to your 8 long legs.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
You have a climbing speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision
Used to deep forests and murky swamps, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You 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.
Spider Climb
You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Open Mind
Just like many aberrations and Deep Speech speakers, adult aranea are telepaths. Once an aranea's hump is fully grown they awaken their latent psychic abilities allowing them to communicate telepathically with those around them.
You can speak telepathically to any creature within 30 feet of you. The creature understands you only if the two of you share a language. You can speak telepathically in this way to one creature at a time.
Weaver's Art
You are proficient with weaver's tools, and are always treated as having both the tools and materials needed to create or repair silk items.
Starting at 3rd level, you can cast web once per long rest without expending a spell slot and without material components, your spellcasting ability for this spell is Dexterity.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Deep Speech. Aranea primogenitors were created through arcane ritual and so their descendants have an inherent knowledge of the language of aberrations. Aranea record their histories and knowledge in great tapestries of webbing. Their 3-dimensional script is hard to decipher with just 2 eyes.
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