Anani (5e Race)

Anani

Physical Description

The four anani subraces, from left to right: jumping, black widow, raft, tarantula. By Yanied

Anani are tall and slim. They have two arms, along with four additional, non-functioning arms. This is because they are descended from a more primitive race of spider-folk, and the modern anani have evolved to have no need for these arms, due to their better optimized abilities that they've adapted over time. They also possess two to six eyes, often averaging to four, and large fangs. Their exoskeleton color is usually black, brown, beige, white, or gray, with small amounts of bright colors such as red, magenta, orange, or blue. Although they possess exoskeletons, these exoskeletons are usually covered in copious amounts of hair, especially if the anani in question lives in the cold depths of the Underdark.

Lone Hunters

The anani don't have one cohesive society, as they mostly live all their lives alone or in very small groups. They are excellent hunters and can survive on their own with ease even at an early age. Aaani are also very honorable, and never say something they don't mean as it is part of their unspoken culture to be fair and never break a promise. This can be observed in how for them, hunting is only for survival, never for sport, and prey should never have to suffer. However, due to the way anani are seen glorify the act of hunting, many non-arachnid races think of anani as bloodthirsty spider people, which can make them react badly to the stereotype, feeding said stereotype. Most anani simply want to live a life of their own and pursue their personal goals. Their homes and hideouts are often made within the Underdark, as others are less likely to interfere within that area.

Organized Crime

Not all anani are completely honorable. Some may exploit their intimidating image to their advantage. Gathering crime centers within the Underdark, they, along with other creatures that agree with the gang's goals, swarm surface villages, often plundering the villages of whatever they need or can currently find. These gangs are what fuel the anani's stereotypes the most.

Anani Names

Anani names follow different naming schemes depending on where they are from, and their personality. A lone anani who lives their life on the surface would have a name that differs largely from an anani that is part of an Underdark crime center.

Anani Traits

Spider people that tend towards lonesome lives.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Charisma score increases by 1.
Age. Anani fully mature from their nymph stages after 3 years, and can live for up to a century.
Alignment. Anani tend towards neutral alignments, with a small tendency towards evil as well.
Size. Anani are around the same sizes as human, albeit slightly more slender. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. 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 walk on difficult surfaces such as walls, or upside down on ceilings without needing to make an ability check.
Arachnid Magic. Starting at 1st level, you can cast speak with animals with this trait as a cantrip. When you use this version of speak with animals, you can communicate only with arachnid creatures. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the web spell, using Charisma as your spellcasting ability for it. Once you cast the spell, you can't cast it again with this trait until you finish a short or long rest. When you use this version of web, the webs fill a 10-foot cube rather than a 20-foot cube.
Spider Bite. Your sharp set of teeth is considered a weapon you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you use it to attack, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Undercommon.
Subrace. Choose one from black widow, jumping spider, raft spider, or tarantula.

Black Widow

These anani are the most venomous of the anani. They are able to utilize their venoms on items like arrows even in potions.

Venomous Bite. Your Spider Bite deals poison damage instead of piercing.
Poison Milking. You can apply the poison from your fangs to any piercing weapon as part of an attack with that weapon, though when you hit the poison reacts differently. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against DC 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus or take an additional 2d6 poison damage. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all use after you finish a long rest.

Jumping Spider

These anani are the smaller kind, but they make up for this with remarkable agility and jumping ability.

Small Stature. Your size is Small.
Predator Jump. Your standing jump distance and running jump distance is doubled.
Arachnid Agility. Your reflexes and agility allow you to move with a burst of speed. When you move on your tum in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the tum. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

Raft Spider

The raft anani are known for being able to traverse water. Their bodies are lighter and thinner in shape.

Water Stride. By treating it as difficult terrain, you can walk on water. If you attack, cast a spell, or are hit by an attack or spell while standing on water, you must succeed a Dexterity saving throw equal to the damage you take, or fall into the water.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Tarantula

These intimidating anani have even hairier bodies than most, with a leathery carapace that better shows their strong arms.

Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Hunter's Hunger. You can throw yourself into a feeding frenzy upon your foes. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your Spider Bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 0''	+2d10	110 lb.	× (2d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

3.50

(2 votes)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races