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Arachnida(not sold on the name
Arachnida Poison- Injury Poison, Con-based DC, Onset: -, Frequency: 1/round for 4 rounds, Effect: 1d2 Strength Damage
Now, that's basically what I posted up on the boards a few years ago, with a few minor changes... I'm looking for some suggestions. First, I used to have the poison usable 1/hour, but that seemed kinda abstract and unsatisfying, and I'm wondering if it would be too overpowered to give a PC race a poison attack usable at-will.
Next, I'm not sure if I should allow the bite to be used as part of a full attack at -5 in addition to all other attacks like the barbarian rage power, or if it should be completely separate. It seems like with a poison usable at will with the bite, this might be a little powerful...
The Web ability- in it's first form, it was the ability to create your own rope, given enough time, that would automatically attach to any surface it strikes, but only support 200lbs. You could only create so many 10ft increments per day equal to your CON score, but that seemed needlessly complicated... I was thinking about maybe allowing it to be spider-man-esque, giving them the ability to shoot rope-like strands or fire globs of web that would act similar to tanglefoot bags... but that might be a little weird. One of the suggestions I received in it's previous posting was for the web glands to be located in the mandibles, underneath the tongue, which gave me the idea of giving them the ability to use the cantrip from the Complete Book of Eldritch Might, Web Splat, at will by spitting a wad of webbing out of their mouth. I have to admit, I really like that last idea...
Buuuuuuuut anyways, anyone that read through- Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
EDIT: The description of the web splat cantrip-
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: V, S
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Close (25 feet + 5 feet/two levels)
Area: 3 inches by 3 inches
Duration: 1 round/level or until destroyed
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Spell Resistance: Yes
You create a tiny bit of spiderweb that possesses the
strength of an average person. You can use this webbing to
stick two objects together, stick an object to the floor, or
attempt to stick a creature’s foot to the floor or its hand to an
object. You can even attempt to put the webbing over the
creature’s eyes to partially blind it (everything has 50 percent
concealment to the creature). The creature gets a saving
throw, and those who fail it must take a standard action and
attempt a Strength check (DC 10) to tear the webs away.
Likewise, if you web together two objects, a creature can tear
them apart with a Strength check (DC 10), using a standard
action. The webbing can support about 100 lbs., which
means you could stick a 100-lb. rock to the ceiling for the
duration, if you wanted. The web splat† can be destroyed in
1 round by fire.
Although, I think I would make the duration 1 minute per level for this ability, and have the save DC be Charisma based
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I did think about the Spider Climb (EX) instead of the bonus to climb checks, but I'm really trying to cover the balance issues and then move forward. Then again, I have to wonder exactly how unbalancing would giving them a climb speed be, anyways?
Here's the original incarnation of the web ability-
Web: Throughout the course of the day, an Arachnida can produce an amount of web equal to 10ft per point of constitution. This web is treated like silk rope in all respects except what is stated here. It will remain for 1 hour per point of constitution modifier until it becomes brittle and useless, unless it is alchemically treated, and the exact method is a closely guarded Arachnida secret. If used to climb, it will support up to 200 pounds of weight at one time before the adhesive will give out. It provides a +2 bonus on climb checks and adds +2 to the escape artist DC if used to bind someone. If used against a foe, the web can be used to make trip or disarm attacks using a ranged touch attack, followed by the normal rules for the respective attempt. The web is produced from glands located underneath the tongue, and takes 1 minute per 10' of web to make a usable rope. When thrown, it will automatically adhere to any surface it strikes, and can be thrown with a range increment of 10'. The web can also be spun into a net given 2 minutes and 20' worth of web, which is treated exactly like the normal version of a net except that the escape artist DC is 22. the hit points and strength check to burst it does not change.
EDIT: Actually, the web could be very useful if it could be used to bind someone after you have them pinned, much like you can do if you have rope on hand...
I like your ideas; your aims for the race are modest enough to work with.
Specific observations:
-A racial climb speed is powerful, but hardly a game breaker. For the sake of flavor and simplicity, put it in and see how it plays. I expect you'll find it's no big deal.
-Utility webbing should probably be largely relegated to racial feats. Base, I might give them a 3/day ranged touch attack that can initiate a pull maneuver (a'la cave fishers). Make it short-ranged and dissolve quickly.
Then, you can have a feat to, say, extend the range and make it function as silk rope. A second feat could give you 6 uses/day, and a third could accomplish the tanglefoot effect. Make all three prerequisites for the full-blown web ability.
-Racial poison is something to be really careful about - you'll have a number of sneaky folks attempting to spit poison onto their weapons, so you should carefully specify it denatures too quickly if not delivered via the bite. Also, I'd suggest reducing the damage or giving a finite number of uses per day - 3 at most.
-I'd lose the blood drain rules, as it's out of line from normal pc race principles to include hefty drawbacks of that nature, and it adds a whole layer of rules complexity and another potent attack. If you want them to be creepy blood drinkers, just mention in flavor text that they prefer to draw their sustenance in that form. Make a racial prestige class to go all-out on the blood drinking.
-If the race still seems too powerful, drop an ability score modifier. PF has set a general precedent of +2/+2/-2, but there are bestiary monsters that break that pattern, and it's a good way to keep power level in check.
-When in doubt, ask yourself whether one of these spider-folk would be too powerful as a barbarian, because that appears to be the class with the best synergy.
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Actually, the blood-drain is kind of an artifact from the last incarnation of this, and looking back I don't think it's all that necessary. It made them look a bit too evil, anyways.
About the poison- I had already thought of that. In the last incarnation, the poison was usable 1/hour and dissolved after 10 minutes when exposed to air. I also started thinking up ways to make it last, but that required craft (alchemy) and gp, akin to making poisons from scratch. I also thought of feats such as [Deadly Poison] that made it con damage instead, feats to make it usable more often, ect. Maybe taking the damage down to 1 Str for 4 rounds, or possibly make the bite only usable during a pin, thereby making the poison a bit more circumstantial.
Webbing- I'm still not entirely sure on what I want to do with this... I like the filament idea, and I think I might go with that. I think I might mix that with the silk rope starting, allowing it to be used both in combat and for utility (climbing somewhere and then dropping web for your friends). I still like the web splat idea, but I think I'll make that 3/day, as well as making the filament/rope being used 3/day as well. Maybe a feat to increase the filament/rope to 6/day that also makes the web splat at-will.
I'd split the race into throwbacks that are more severe and halfbreeds that are more like common humans? goblins? That helps you deal with the web question. I think a race that makes webs has to do it the biological way and that is aberration and yuk territory. It needs a less obvious racial image. Failing that, give the grossness to one gender or the other but if you do that you need to balance it with some sort of pheromone power.
You could make it a relative of the Spider Goblin or perhaps the Aranea.
I think a poisonous bite is probably over the top. I'd make it a euphoric sleep attack. Succeeding in a save leaves you safe for 24 hrs. I'd give them a +4 to climb because of their unique musculature.
Questions - are they covered in hair? Exoskeleton? Chitan?
Sigurd
Just off the cuff.
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I pictured them as looking somewhat like Aranea in their hybrid form, but closer to humans. Kind of like the spider counter-part to the Yuan-ti (y'know, the ones that are closest to human). Solid-black eyes reminiscent of a spider's, long, needle-like canine teeth, hair colors ranging from black, red, and white, but otherwise superficially human.
By Euphoric Sleep, I'm guessing you mean a knock-out poison?
I was thinking about making the web ability just like the normal web, but only nets and 3/day, then making it (Su) so I don't have to explain where it comes from.
The Slith
Slith are a secretive race that inhabit the darker shadows of society. Perhaps they are descended from giant spiders or cursed by some greater power? Their history is unclear.
Slith (singular and plural) display varying spider like abilities and anatomy.
All slith have a bite attack that deals a 1d4 of damage and injects Euphoric poison. Save DC is 12 plus the level of the slith's level or hit dice. All who are bit take one temporary wisdom damage. Those that fail take 2 as well as 1d4 damage.
The poison is addictive. Taking more than 1 wisdom damage in 24 hours forces a second save vs addiction.
The Slith are often found in drug dens where they trade in this poison.
***
That's where I'd start
Howsabout...
Araenids
- +2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Cha - Araenids are agile and patient hunters, but there is something inherently creepy about spiders.
- Medium-sized Humanoid
- Move speed 20', Climb speed 20'
- Impaired Vision - Araenids see half as well in normal light as humans.
- Darkvision 10', Tremorsense 60'
- Extra Legs - Araenids have two additional sets of limbs which provide a +4 racial bonus against trip and bull-rush attacks while standing on the ground or climbing on a solid surface.
- Sure-Footed - Araenids do not take movement penalties for movement over difficult terrain.
- Slow but Steady - Araenids speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
- Sensitive Touch - Araenids gain a +2 racial bonus on disable device checks.
- Proficient Ambushers - Araenids add Craft (Trapmaking) and Stealth to their list of class skills. They are always proficient with nets.
- Starting languages - Common and Araenida. Araenida is a noiseless language based on tapping of various strength and frequency on nearby solid ground. It is possible to learn to "speak" Araenida, but creatures without tremorsense can only learn to understand it when it is tapped on their own skin. Written Araenida is a tactile language based on dents and divets carved into solid objects, like inverted braille.
- Bonus Languages - Araenids with a high intelligence can choose the following as bonus languages: Undercommon, Aklo, Dwarven, Gnome, Terran.
I'm wary of racially inherent entanglement and poison abilities while still keeping a race with a level adjustment of +0. Spiders don't really have great vision - they generally have sensitive tactile senses that they use in conjunction with their webs to detect when prey has fallen into their trap.
Under this concept, the Araenid is a trapper and ambusher, but there is no racially inherent way that helps them kill people beyond being good at trapping them while remaining unseen (let them use spears to skewer their prey when they get caught in a trap or a net). By this build they will tend to favour rogue and fighter classes. They're not speedy, but they'll likely favour difficult terrain for their ambushes as their sure-footed trait lets them easily catch up with creatures typically faster than them.
You might want to have males and females be different sizes and add Craft: Weaving to the list of skills, I'd also suggest Rogue and Ranger as favored classes.
...Spiders don't really have great vision - they generally have sensitive tactile senses that they use in conjunction with their webs to detect when prey has fallen into their trap.
Compared to us and higher mammals, that's true. Tiny Jumping spiders have relatively excellent vision; I'd imagine an evolved humanoid (arachnid) would have vision at least as good as humans, if not better.
Maybe avoid darkvision and limited tremorsense, but give them +4 to Perception (visual & vibrations) checks and unable to be flanked (like a rogue or barbarian)? Then have separate optional racial feats (or PrCs) for limited tremorsense, venom, and web spinning.
Edit 1: You might make Araenida a dialect of Aklo, as aranea speak Sylvan and phase spiders speak Aklo. You might also consider giving them a +1 vs. Xill... warbands of phase spiders and araenids stalking xills through the ethereal... :)
Edit 2: They could still produce silk; while not strong enough to ensnare PCs, they could make 'spidersilk' armor and be excellent weavers/crafters of silk clothing (highly popular amongst the wealthy). Rangers would probably take Outsiders: Evil (Xill) and/or Humanoid: Elves (Drow) as racial enemies. Druids could be able to use Wild Empathy on arachnid vermin.
This all depends on the spider concept that is being gone for. The archetypical spider is the web-based predator, and their eyesight is not important to them. A race based on spiders, unless there's a really good reason to do so, should probably represent prototypical "spiderness", and then look to balance that in terms of game mechanics and power.
The hunting spiders don't use webs (traps and ambushing), and thus are going to be little more than chaser-pouncers, something you might as well attach to a feline race, rather than tacking on spider traits as fluff.
Don't get too carried away with fluff (ie, making totally different stats for males and females) when doing this kind of thing. This is especially true in d20 where they typically try to erase gender differences unless there's a huge reason to put them in.