Drider (5e Race)

Drider

Physical Description

By Luciina

Driders are drow who have failed Lolth's trials and were both blessed and cursed with a new, spider-like form. They possess the upper bodies of drow, and the lower bodies of giant spiders. Their drow halves retain all of their typical physical features, including dark blue skin resembling polished obsidian, stark white or pale yellow hair, and very pale eyes that retain the same color shades as regular drow eyes would. The spider half of a drider is typically black and chitinous, propelling the creature along the ground atop eight wicked, spindly spider legs. Due to the space taken up by their spider halves, most driders tend to be up to 8 ft tall, and almost as wide.

History

Driders are drow servants of Lolth who undergo a painful process after failing one Lolth's test. Failure in the procedure usually results in death. Most are evil, but rarely, a drider may break this role. A drider appears much like a centaur, except exclusively for drow and with a spider's body rather than a horse's. Because of this, driders have a venomous bite and can shoot webbing at their foes, as well as ignoring any movement restrictions.

While one might think this form might elevate a drow's status, this is actually a great shame, because the drow see driders as beings so absolutely weak and pathetic that Loth herself had to step down to make them better, and are usually shamed and exiled from drow society, if not killed. Driders can be found scattered across the hostile wilderness of the Underdark, surviving off what meager prey that can manage to kill. Driders can grow to despise their drow brethren for making them outcasts and try forgetting their pasts, although trusting them is still unwise since they are as likely to help you as they are to turn you in to the drow in hopes of redeeming themselves, though usually, this hope will only lead them to disappoint. Driders are rarely found outside of the Underdark, but desperation can lead to some driders living on the surface, though usually as hermits, pirates, or other nefarious professions. Like the drow most driders have evil and hatred pounded into their being, although their transformation can bestow them with humility, and in some cases, even a different perspective. Driders are a complicated and dangerous lot to be sure, but no matter what happened to them and what they've experienced, they are still drow, and one who would mess with the drow surely has a death wish.

Society

Driders mostly live independently or with others of their kind in order to be more in touch with the spiders they worship. They are rejected by the majority of drow society and either move to the outskirts of the city to act as the lowest of the drow caste system and as the first wave of defense, or take their chances as group hunters in the harsh terrain of the Underdark.

Drider Names

Though driders are sexless, their upper half gives away the kinds of names they once had. Before becoming a drider they will often have drow names and may keep them after their fall from Lolth's grace. Some change their names, taking on titles in their rejection of their past.

Titles: Doomweaver, Foeslayer, Dazzlebees, Liferenderer, Moonlust

Drider Traits

Half-spider, half-drow. These creatures are a testament to the will of the dark goddess Lolth.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores each increase by 1.
Age. While a drider is often created while an adult, if not they mature at the same rate as humans and can live to be 750 years old.
Alignment. Tend to be as evil or neutral, the teachings of drow made them wicked but often their transformations give them some form of humility.
Size. Driders can be 7 to almost 9 feet tall and half as wide. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your speed is not reduced by webbing.
Arachnid Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag.
Superior Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 120 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. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Poisonous Bite. As a bonus action, you can bite a creature within 5 feet of you forcing them to make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn. The DC for this saving throw is equal to 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.
Spider Climb. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed and you can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Webber. You can cast the web spell once with this trait, requiring no material components, and you regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Drow Weapon Training. From your time as a drow you have proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows.
Languages. You can speak, read and write, Common, Elvish, and Undercommon.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
7′ 0''	+2d10	300 lb.	× (4d10) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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