Drider

Driders are a combination of elf and giant spider, in a union reminiscent of a centaur. Records of driders dwelling in the underdark go back for millennia.

For the deep elven communities, the driders represent a cautionary tale not to blaspheme or offend their gods. To others, the driders are believed to be the result of dark elven magic long ago. Still other sages believe both tales are true – that driders were originally created by the deep eleven gods but have since been replicated by unnatural magics.

Whatever their origins, once created, driders are their own creatures, no longer elven but drider.

Ancestral Traits

Driders are arachnid-elven hybrids, with the body of a giant spider and the torso, arms, and head of an elf emerging from the head of the spider form. Like giant spiders, driders have large abdomens and eight arachnid legs, with which they can navigate webs with ease. Individuals of drider ancestry possess certain traits.

Age. Driders mature at the same rate as elves and live about as long.

Size. Driders are taller than humans, thanks to their giant arachnid lower half, standing roughly 7 feet tall. Their arachnid lower half extends back four to five feet. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base speed is 30 feet. You have a base climbing speed of 30 feet as well.

Senses. Darkvision. Because their subterranean history and existence, driders can see in darkness. 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.

Fey Ancestry. Driders descend from elves and have some of their abilities. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Spider Climb. Thanks to their spider legs, driders can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. You have a climb speed equal to your speed.

Web Walker. Even though driders cannot spin their own webs, they nevertheless have the natural legs to navigate webbing. You ignore movement restrictions caused by webbing.

Cultural Traits

Drider communities are exclusively found in the underdark, usually away from elven communities, from which they often feel shunned. Drider communities sometimes include enclaves of folks of other underdark ancestries, such as dark gnomes and dwarves, among others. Most drider communities raise domesticated giant spiders as mounts for those not of drider ancestry, and the creatures often serve as guards and beasts of burden. Driders and spider-mounted others often take hunting forays out into the darkness to find sustenance for their communities. In drider communities, an ability to provide for the village is respected, as is both combat prowess and wisdom. As a member of drider community, you have certain traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2. In addition, your Wisdom increases by 1.

Alignment. Members of drider communities have formal hierarchies, are usually matriarchal, and tend toward law.

Sunlight Sensitivity. People who lives their whole lives in drider communities never see the sun. While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. You lose this trait once you have spent a year ore more above ground.

Drider Sorcery. Drider communities teach their young the ways of drider magic, in part inherited from their elven forebears. You know the dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the faerie fire spell once with this trait. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the darkness spell once with this trait, without needing a material component. You regain the ability to cast these spells with this trait when you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Undercommon, and Elven.