Homebrew Drider Species Details

The Drider

Born of strange magics and unusual circumstance, the Drider are unique creatures. They can be found isolating themselves from others, building havens or hiding amongst caves to avoid scrutiny, or attempting to blend into society as careful but generous citizens. The Drider have become well known for their wisdom and craftsmanship, using their natural abilities to both weave and knit textile or climb and construct where others cannot.

Hailing from the Fey Wilds, many Drider are looked at as strangers. Many generations have grown native to the Prime Material plane, and have proven themselves to be a generous and law abiding race. Growing in nature as the Drider have has given them a wise outlook on life. They often approach problems from an angle other individuals do not; both figuratively and literally.

Arachnid Form

The Drider are medium in size, though large for that category. They are frequently confused for Drow riding atop a spider, until closer inspection. They grow hair of neutral colors, anywhere from pure white to jet black, and including all the silvers and greys in between. Their facial features are usually very symmetrical and attractive, two eyes below a pointed brow and pronounced cheekbones. Like the Drow, their eyes appear nearly without pupil, a solid color of iris among a white eye. Their torso remains humanoid until the waist, where their abdomen merge with that of a large spider. There flesh above the waist can be of all sorts of colors, from blacks to whites, sometimes dappled with reds or yellows - appearing to mirror that of other species of spider. Their spider bodies are usually a monotone color - though this can be just as unique as their flesh.

Physically a Drider is big and imposing, for a medium creature. Their heads can reach over 7 feet tall, and their 8-legged bodies can be up to 7 feet in length, reaching over 5 feet in width as well. An average Drider is usually not so large, reaching 5 to 6 feet in height and 6 feet in length.

Friendly Yet Fearsome

The Drider often find it hard to fit into society, and will spend a great deal of their time attempting to prove themselves as benevolent. Always working from a position of disadvantage socially, many Drider develop persuasive skills and charismatic techniques to put others at ease. Due to a Drider's long life, they can often be wise beyond what one might expect, and many Drider take the role of mentors or priests.

Unique to Drider are their tendencies towards generosity. Frequently Drider can be found giving to others things they perhaps shouldn't, despite knowing full well otherwise.

 Night Dwellers

The Drider, born to a lifetime in the dark, has grown and adapted to it. Drider have dark vision out to 60 feet, and advantage on perception checks made to perceive things in non-magical darkness.

While in the light a Drider struggles, and has disadvantage when performing visibility based perception checks. 

Fey Weavers

Driders have the ability to spin silken webs, at a rapid rate. They can spend a period of time to build intricate systems of webs that can magically alert them when something comes in contact with them, if they have the time allowed.

They can also use their webs to grab, hold, or carry objects, proving to be very useful in many instances. 

Drider Traits

The Drider can reach positions others cannot easily, and can use their stable 8 legged platform to prove themselves very dextrous. They can use their web as a versatile tool, both in the day to day and in combat.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity Score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 2.

Alignment

Driders can vary in personality though they frequently act according to laws or a code. Those that do join society are usually lawful, though they can be good, evil, or anywhere in between. Those who avoid society tend toward neutrality, though they can also be just as varied. 

Age

Driders reach maturity at the age of 20. Compared to humans driders can live a long time, some reaching beyond 400.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. 

Size

Driders are Medium creatures, weighing between 200 and 400 pounds. They can reach heights of 7 feet tall, though their bodies can be 7 feet in length.

Languages

You can read, write and understand Common and Sylvan.

Spider Climb

Bred from spiders, a Drider can use its 8 legs to climb as if it is walking. Much like the spell Spider Climb, a Drider can freely walk up vertical surfaces and along the underside of horizontal surfaces as if upright. Both of its hands are free while climbing.

Spiderweb

You can spend an hour to create a 15 foot cube of web, alerting you of any creature that enters it and acting as difficult terrain. For each consecutive hour of webmaking after the first, you must succeed on a DC10 Constitution saving throw, or incur a point of exhaustion.

Additionally you can make a ranged grapple attempt using the web, reaching out to 30 feet, once per short rest.

Spider Sight

You have darkvision out to 60 feet. You have advantage on visibility based perception checks while in nonmagical darkness, though you have disadvantage on visibility based perception checks while in bright light.

Skilled Creature

You gain proficiency in one skill and one tool of your choice.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.