The Aranea are a race of sentient, shape-changing spiders which possess natural inclinations toward magic and sorcery. Their most defining feature is their ability to transform between the appearance of a humanoid and a giant spider. Their humanoid form always takes on characteristics of a Calishite human or half-elf, as this is the region from which they originate. In rare cases, some Aranea can instead take on the appearance of a drow instead of a human. Either way, in their natural form, Aranea always resemble a giant humpback spider with various subtle differences. In this form, they possess not only their spider legs, but a pair of short arms which end in many-jointed fingers and double-jointed thumbs that extend from below their mandibles.
While they are not true lycanthropes, aranea also possess the ability to take on a hybrid form. This hybrid form is also humanoid, but features sharp fangs, spinnerets in their hands, and four eyes instead of two. On occasion, this form could also possess additional arms, but never more than eight in total.
Aranea have a tendency to avoid combat if possible, but when prompted, take full advantage of their inclinations toward sorcery as well as their webs and poisonous bites. They also tend to live alone or in small colonies, preferring temperate forests as their dwelling.
Exotic Race. A full racial replacement, not a template. The character loses the ability modifiers, bonuses and racial feats of the race used at creation.
ECL: +4
Reaction Level (if known): Level 4 (Hated); In spider form: Level 6 (Kill on Sight)
Type Change: Shapechanger
Subrace field: Aranea
Aranea are a race of shapechanging, sorcerous spiders with the ability to transform into human-like shape.
Create this character as a human!
Add 8 skill points
+4 DEX, +4 CON, +4 INT, +2 WIS, +4 CHA