Homebrew Dolomedrin Rachnoid Species Details
Underdark Origins
Rachnoids cluster within small hidden communities in the Underdark referred to as nests. Curious, kind and skittish creatures, they have somehow escaped the cruelty that plagues that majority of creatures that claim the Underdark home. Void of a religion due to their reclusive nature the Rachnoid tend to worship their Broodmothers, god-queens, fiercely and do all they can to guarantee the survival of their nest. The spidery race of Rachnoids are naturally skilled assassins and scouts, however following their kind natures most Rachnoids would rather scare off intelligent life away from their nests than have to kill them. However, most Rachnoids will hide at all costs from Drow and the Broodmothers will move the entire nest if discovered by a neighboring Undercity. This is the case because if a Rachnoid is ever found by Drow, they will usually mutilate the insectoid and harvest their organs; using them in rituals to Lolth.
Semi-Aquatic Survivors
Long ago a cluster of coastal mountains inhabited a struggling Dwarf stronghold. Following the drying up of their gold and iron mines the stronghold became desperate and began to clear and excavate as many of their tunnels as possible. Tragedy struck when the Dwarves dug a tunnel to close to the ocean floor and it began to flood, flooding the entire elaborate Dwarven mine and cave system. Upon flooding the Undercity and killing its inhabitants, the water and waves raged on flooding the tunnels. A Nest of Rachnoid had luckily survived as their tunnel lead upwards, however they were cut off from the outside world and their food supplies were limited. The Nest's Broodmother had many difficult decisions to insure the survival of her colony and come to a realization. The Nest had two choices: adapt or die. The Broodmother began selectively breeding for better swimmers and Rachnoid that could hold their breath longer, going to for fishing missions within the now flooded tunnels. Eventually, the Broodmother had bred a new generation of semi-aquatic Rachnoids. The colony eventually made the move upwards throughout the tunnels and finally made it to the surface. Colonizing the coast, they began to a new Nest and found a happy existence due to their Broodmother's assurance of survival.
Dolomedrin Rachnoid Traits
Dolomedrin Rachnoid being one very reclusive species amongst the shallows of water have had to undergo many different skills and traits to stay alive, your Rachnoid has the following racial traits.Ability Scores Increase
Your Constitution and Dexterity scores increase by 1.
Age
Rachnoid have somewhat long lifespans and develop quickly, although most Rachnoids do not die of old age. Most Rachnoid mature within 10 years and will offer themselves as food to their Broodmothers once their bodies are not as strong and nimble as they once were, typically around age 75. If a Rachnoid chooses not to however, they can live up to around their 150th year.
Size
Dolomedrin Rachnoids are very lanky for Rachnoid-kind, having a thin greenish-brown carapace speckled with white dots with very a little amount of the fur-like chitinous filaments that most Rachnoid share and are a bit taller than the height of humans. Most fall between 6 and 7 feet tall and weigh between 120 and 200 pounds. Your character is a Medium size humanoid.
Speed
Dolomedrin Rachnoid have both a base walking and swimming speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision
Your senses harken back to your arachnid ancestry, especially when it comes to seeing in the dark. 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.
Hunter's Webbing
Your Rachnoid body produces a fine silk-like fiber that is sticky and ensnaring to your prey. Once per day you may activate one of the following abilities: As an action you can shoot forth webbing ~ as per the web ~ as a spell-like-effect. Taking 1 minute to do so, you may spindle your webbing together into 50 feet of sticky silk rope. Due to the stickiness of this rope creatures attempting to climb it make Strength (Athletics) with advantage, and it functions as a grappling hook. Alternatively, taking 10 minutes to do so, you can lay down a 30-foot radius of webs onto a flat surface or a 15-foot radius sphere between two points. You can use one of these abilities once per long rest. Anytime you remain in contact with any sort of webbing, you gain the ability to know the exact location of any creature also touching the webbing within 500 feet of yourself.
Tension Crawler
Dolomedrin Rachnoids have developed a unique way to travel long distances across the surface of water. By balancing on top of the surface tension of the liquid with at least 3 of your limbs your Dolomedrin Rachnoid may move across the surface of said liquid. Doing this requires a finesse of your weight that cannot be achieved in heavy armors.
Spider Cognition
When you roll to make a saving throw, as a reaction you can choose to add a d4 to the total a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus times per day.
Acrobatic Adapter
You have proficiency in the Acrobatics and Survival skills.
Semi-Aquatic Lungs
You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour at a time. While doing so if you open your mouth in anyway (such as speaking, casting a spell with verbal components, drink a potion, etc. DM's discretion) you lose your held breath.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and the native language of the Rachnoid race Skrilsh. While speaking in Skrilsh, your character has advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks made with insects (DM discretion). Additionally, you can communicate simple ideas with insects. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return.
Comments