AC 17 (natural armor)
HP 114 (12d10 + 48; bloodied 57)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 15
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +6
Damage Resistances poison
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Undercommon, Elvish, one more
Spider Climb. The drider can use its climb speed even on difficult surfaces and upside down on ceilings.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drider has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Perception checks that rely on sight.
Web Walker. The drider ignores movement restrictions imposed by webs.
Fey Ancestry. The drider gains an expertise die on saving throws against being charmed , and magic can’t put it to sleep.
Innate Spellcasting. The drider’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14). The drider can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dancing lights
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The drider makes a claws attack and then either a bite or longsword attack. Alternatively, it makes two longbow attacks.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). While grappling a target, the drider can’t attack a different target with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one grappled creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage.
Longsword (wielded two-handed). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage.
Longbow. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/600 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Darkness (2nd-Level; V, S, Concentration). Magical darkness spreads from a point within 30 feet, filling a 15-foot-radius sphere and spreading around corners. It remains for 1 minute. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness and nonmagical light can’t illuminate it.
Web (2nd-Level; V, S, Concentration). Thick, sticky webs fill a 20-foot cube within 60 feet,
lightly obscuring
it and making it
difficult terrain
. The webs must either be anchored between two solid masses (such as walls) or layered 5 feet deep over a flat surface. Each creature that starts its turn in the webs or that enters them during its turn makes a DC 14 Dexterity
saving throw
. On a failure, it is
restrained
. A creature can escape by using an action to make a DC 14 Strength check. Any 5-foot cube of webs exposed to fire burns away in 1 round, dealing 5 (2d4) fire damage to any creature that starts its turn in the fire. The webs remain for 1 minute.
Combat
The drider attacks from hiding when it can. It starts combat by grappling a target with its claws. If successful, it bites; otherwise, it attacks with its longsword. It doesn’t bite creatures it knows to be resistant to poison damage, such as other driders.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Nature check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Half-humanoid, half-spider creatures, driders are the monstrous products of a terrible magical ritual.
DC 15 Like the spiders they resemble, driders can climb walls and ceilings, and their bite is highly poisonous.
DC 20 Though shadow elves were the first to create driders, anyone can perform the ritual—or become a victim of it. Many driders were once powerful spellcasters themselves.
Many driders were shadow elves before they completed their transformation. They retain some characteristics of their former life, including any spellcasting ability.
1 Mistakes a Small size party member for a child; wants to adopt them
2 Obsessed with finding a way to reverse the magic that transformed them
3 Taunting a lone traveler it has captured in its web
4 Knows these caverns well; will guide the party for a price
1 A web-choked tunnel with disturbing images scratched into the walls
2 A cradle made from humanoid bones
3 Pages torn from a tome detailing the ritual to become a drider
4 A haunting lullaby echoes from further down the tunnel
Driders scuttle underground and in fey forests.
CR 5–10: Drider ; drider with 1d4 giant spiders ; drider with 1 or 2 ettercaps
Treasure 450 gp, child’s doll, prayer book (25 gp), gold and quartz necklace (250 gp), potion of poison , tan bag of tricks
CR 11–15: 2 driders ; drider with 3 or 4 phase spiders ; drider with mage and 1d4 giant spiders
Treasure 1,200 gp, silver mask (250 gp), electrum necklace with black pearl pendant (750 gp), longsword set with topaz (750 gp), dagger of venom