Arachnomancer (3.5e Prestige Class)

Arachnomancer

“

Spiders. Ancient beings that provoke fear and suspicion in those who live above and below the surface. Few think of anything other than drow and Lolth when they think of spiders. Only I see more... Only I comprehend their glory!

”

Many beings treat spiders with fear and suspicion. Others, namely drow, worship the Spider Queen Lolth. Arachnomancers, however, understand the truths that spiders conceal. These are the Arachnomancers, those that become one with spiders. Only then can they see the truths of spiders.

This is a variant of the Arachnomancer Prestige Classes presented in Underdark and Drow of the Underdark.

Hit Die: d4

Prerequisites

Base Attack Bonus: +2

Base Save Bonuses: Fortitude +1

Spells: Ability to cast Spider Climb, Summon Spider Swarm or Web as arcane spells.

Caster Level: 4th

Special: The character must have a strong link or bond with spiders, and must scar themselves with the image of a spider.

Table: The Arachnomancer

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Spider Empathy, Arachnomancy	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Spiderform (S,M,L)	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd	+1	+1	+3	+1	—	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th	+2	+1	+4	+1	Command Spiders	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th	+2	+1	+4	+1	Webwalker	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th	+3	+2	+5	+2	Spiderform (T,H)	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th	+3	+2	+5	+2	Spiderfriend Magic	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th	+4	+2	+6	+2	—	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th	+4	+3	+6	+3	Verminfriend	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th	+5	+3	+7	+3	Spiderform (G)	+1 level of existing spellcasting class
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level) The Arachnomancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Climb (Str).

Class Features

All of the following are Class Features of the arachnomancer prestige class:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arachnomancer gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new arachnomancer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of arachnomancer to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

Spider Empathy (Su): At 1st level the Arachnomancer can speak mentally to any Spiderkind (or any creature that resembles a spider) creature within 30ft. The Spiderkind creature will understand whatever the Arachnomancer says to it. The Arachnomancer knows the location of any Spiderkind within 30ft, even if she can't see them. She can use the Handle Animal skill with spiders (and monstrous spiders). She is treated as having the Vermin Trainer feat for prerequisites (she effectivly benefits from the feat because of her Spider Empathy ability).

The Arachnomancer can have a tiny monstrous spider as a familliar (The special ability granted by such a familliar is a +3 bonus to hide checks for a hunting spider or a +3 bonus to climb checks for a web spider.) The Arachnomancer's level in the Arachnomancer class stack with her levels in a class that grants a familliar if the Arachnomancer has a tiny monstrous spider as a familliar. In addition, the Arachnomancer can communicate mentally with her tiny monstrous spider and see out of its eyes at all times, no matter how far apart they are.

Arachnomancy (Sp): At 1st level, the Arachnomancer automatically learns the following spells unless they are of a spell level higher than the Arachnomancer can cast (in which case she learns the spells when she gains the ability to cast them):

0-level— Ray of Spider Poison, Summon Rope of Spidersilk (3.5e Spell).
1st level— Spider Form, Lesser^DrU, Summon Spider I.
2nd level— Summon Spider II.
3rd level— Spider Form^DrU, Summon Spider III. 4th level— Summon Spider IV.
5th level— Dridershape^DrU, Spider Form, Greater^DrU, Summon Spider V.
6th level— Summon Spider VI.
7th level— Summon Spider VII.
8th level— Summon Spider VIII.
9th level— Summon Spider IX.

Spiderform (Su): At 2nd level, an arachnomancer gains the ability to turn herself into a Small, Medium or Large Monstrous Spider 3 times per day. This ability functions like the alternate form special ability, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per Arachnomancer level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to a Monstrous Spider or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Each time you use Spiderform, you regain lost hit points as if you had rested for a night.

Any gear worn or carried by the arachnomancer melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional. When the arachnomancer reverts to her true form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on her body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in the assumed form fall off and land at the arachnomancer's feet.

A druid loses her ability to speak while in monstrous spider form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained monstrous spider can make, but she can communicate normally with other spiders.

The arachnomancer gains the ability to use this ability to transform into a tiny or huge monstrous spider at 6th level, and a gargantuan monstrous spider at 10th level. This ability functions as a druid's wild shape class feature, so the arachnomancer is elegible for any feats that require wild shape as a prerequisite.

Command Spiders (Su): At 4th level, the Arachnomancer can command or rebuke Spiderkind creatures as an evil cleric three levels lower than the arachnomancer's class level rebukes or commands undead.

Webwalker: At 5th level, the arachnomancer gains Webwalker as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't fulfil the prerequisites. The benefits of this feat apply only when she wears light or no armor. She loses all benefits of this feat when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Spiderfriend Magic: At 7th level, the arachnomancer gains Spiderfriend Magic^DrU as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't fulfil the prerequisites. The benefits of this feat apply only when she wears light or no armor. She loses all benefits of this feat when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Verminfriend: At 9th level, the arachnomancer gains Verminfriend^DrU as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't fulfill the prerequisites. The benefits of this feat apply only to Spiderkind creatures.

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