Spider Rider

Starting at 3rd level You forge a mystical bond with a battle spider, a creature imbued with arcane vitality drawn from your connection to the unseen forces of nature. The battle spider is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. Choose its Spider’s Blessing, which determines its unique abilities and uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in its stat block. Whatever blessing you choose, the battle spider bears shimmering, otherworldly markings that reveal its supernatural origin.

In combat, the battle spider acts on your turn. It can move and use its reaction independently, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action unless you use a bonus action to command it to take another action (such as one granted by its Spider’s Blessing or the Attack action). Alternatively, you can forgo one of your own attacks when you take the Attack action to command the battle spider to Attack. If you’re incapacitated, the battle spider acts independently and can take any action, not just Dodge.

If the battle spider is reduced to 0 hp, you can revive it by touching it and expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher as an action healing it a number of HP equal to 5x the spell level used.

Battle Spider Companion

Starting at 3rd level You forge a mystical bond with a battle spider, a creature imbued with arcane vitality drawn from your connection to the unseen forces of nature. The battle spider is friendly to you and your companions and obeys your commands. Choose its Spider’s Blessing, which determines its unique abilities and uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in its stat block. Whatever blessing you choose, the battle spider bears shimmering, otherworldly markings that reveal its supernatural origin.

In combat, the battle spider acts on your turn. It can move and use its reaction independently, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action unless you use a bonus action to command it to take another action (such as one granted by its Spider’s Blessing or the Attack action). Alternatively, you can forgo one of your own attacks when you take the Attack action to command the battle spider to Attack. If you’re incapacitated, the battle spider acts independently and can take any action, not just Dodge.

If the battle spider is reduced to 0 hp, you can revive it by touching it and expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher as an action healing it a number of HP equal to 5x the spell level used.

Spider’s Blessing

Starting at 3rd level, you choose two Blessings from the list below for your battle spider. At the end of each long rest, if you perform a one‑hour ritual without interruption, your battle spider gains the benefits of one of those Blessings of your choice. At 8th level, 13th level, and 18th level, you can add an additional Blessing from the list to your selection. All saving throws made by your battle spider use your spellcaster Spell Save DC.

Brutal Strikes Blessing

The battle spider crushes foes with raw power As a bonus action, you command it to:

• Sundering Bite (PB/long rest): On a hit with a bite attack, the taget takes additional damage equal to your Ranger level.
• Trample: If the battle spider moves at least 20 ft. before it hits a creature with a bite attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Electrical Charge Blessing

The battle spider crackles with lightning. As a bonus action, you command it to spark with energy for one minute (Half your PB rounded down/long rest):

• Chain Surge: When your battle spider takes the Attack action on your turn, they can replace one of their attacks with a charged lightning blast Creatures in a 20-ft. line of the battle spider must make a Dextarity save. On failure, they take 2d6 lightning damage and can’t take reactions until your next turn. On success, half damage. The damage increases to 3d6 at 8th level, 4d6 at 13th level, and 5d6 at 18th level.
• Overcharge: When the battle spider takes damage from a melee attack, the attacker must make a Dextarity saving throw or takes 1d6 lightning damage. The damage increases to 2d6 at 8th level, 3d6 at 13th level, and 4d6 at 18th level.

Fiery Presence Blessing

Your Battle spider radiates searing heat. As a bonus action, you command it to ignite for 1 minute (PB/day):

• Burning Aura: Creatures other than you must make a Dextarity Saving throw when starting their turn within 5ft. of your battle spider or take 1d6 + your Wisdom modifier fire damage.
• Searing Bite: Its bite deals an extra 1d6 fire damage. The damage increases to 2d6 at 8th level, 3d6 at 13th level, and 4d6 at 18th level. If the target has flammable objects on their person, it ignites for 1d4 fire damage/round a number of rounds equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

Life-Weaver’s Blessing

Your battle spider bite heals just as much as it damages,, and spins restorative silk. As a bonus action, you command it to either:

• Mending Bite: Your battle spider bites a willing creature and can expend a number of its hit dice up to your PB. Roll 1d8 per die expended, the spider heals that creature a number of hit points equal to the result + your wisdom modifier, and removes the poisoned condition.
• Web Sanctuary (Half your PB rounded down/long rest): The battle spider creates a 10ft. radius 5ft. high web barrier (AC 10 + spellcasting mod, HP your wisdom + two times your ranger level). Allies inside gain half cover and recover 1d6 HP at the start of their turns (lasts 1 minute). The healing increases to 2d6 at 8th level, 3d6 at 13th level, and 4d6 at 18th level.

Niflheim Blessing

Your battle spider’s bite chills foes to the bone. As a bonus action, you command it to either:

• Freezing Strike: Your battle spider makes a bite attack. On hit, the target takes 1d6 extra cold damage and its speed is reduced by 10 ft. until your next turn. The damage increases to 2d6 at 8th level, 3d6 at 13th level, and 4d6 at 18th level.
   
• Ice Barrier (PB/long rest): The battle spider creates a 10ft.-long, 5ft. high ice wall (AC 10 + spellcasting mod, HP your wisdom + two times your ranger level) that lasts 1 minute. Allies behind the wall gain half cover.

Shadow Cloak Blessing

Your battle spider merges with darkness. As a bonus action, you command it to:

• Phantom Veil: Your battle spider becomes invisible in dim light or darkness becoming visible when it attacks, or enters bright light until it uses this ability again.
• Umbral Ambush (PB/long rest): While invisible, your battle spider teleports 30 ft. and makes a bite attack with advantage. On hit, the target is blinded until the end of its next turn.

Tactical Webbing Blessing

Your Battle Spider’s webbing manipulates the battlefield. As a bonus action, you command it to (PB/long rest):

• Ensnaring Barricade: Your battle spider shoots sticky webbing 60 ft, and creates a 10-ft. radius of webbing. Creatures inside must make a strength saving throw or be restrained. The web has AC 10, HP 15, and vulnerability to fire. The restrained creatures can use their action to repeat the save on their turn. As a bonus action, the spider pulls a restrained creature up to 15 ft. towards it.
• Razor Parry: When a creature hits you with a melee weapon attack while you are within 5 feet of your battle spider they can use their reaction to expel razor-sharp threads. The attacker must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d6 slashing damage and suffers Bleeding: The creature takes 1d6 slashing damage at the start of its turn for 1 minute. A creature can end this effect by either receiving healing from any source or a medicine check vs Your Blessing Save DC. At Higher Levels. The Bleeding damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 8th level, 13th level (3d6), and 18th level (4d6).

Spider Rider Training

Starting at 7th level your battle spider and your bond deepen granting you both new abilities.

• Size Increase: The battle spider becomes Large, allowing you to ride it even if you’re a Medium creature.
• Telepathic Bond: You can comunicate with your Battle Spider telepathically.
• Magical Strikes: The Battle Spider’s attacks count as magical.
• Crushing Pounce: When you hit a creature with your first melee weapon attack while mounted on your Battle Spider, your spider can shove it. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw vs your Spell Save DC or be knocked prone.

Enhanced Bond

Starting out at 11th level your bond has grown inseparable.

• Shared Senses: As an action, you perceive through the spider’s senses for 1 minute (PB times/long rest, range 1 mile).
• Frightening Aid: While mounted when your Battle Spider uses the Help action to aid your attack, the target must succeed on a Wisdom save or be frightened of your Battle Spider and you for 1 minute can repeat this save at the end of each of their turns.

Spider Rider Champion

Staring at 15th level your Battle Spider and your have become an unstopable pair.

• Legendary Resilience: If the spider is reduced to 0 HP, it revives with half its HP (1/long rest).
• Supreme Coordination: You and the spider gain +2 to AC and saving throws while you are mounted and your battle spider’s movement provokes no opportunity attacks
• Web of Annihilation (Half your PB rounded down/long rest). As an action, the spider creates a 30-foot-radius web centered on itself which counts as difficult terrain. Creatures in the area take 4d6 slashing damage and are restrained on successful Dexterity save vs your Spell Save DC they take half damgae and are not restrained. On subsequent turns, the spider can use a bonus action to deal 2d6 slashing damage to all restrained creatures. The web lasts 1 minute. Creatures can use their action to make a strength saving throw to escape.