5/22/2017 DriderTemplate

MonsterMayhem
DriderTemplate
ByJonathanTweetandJeffQuick

Adriderisahumanoidpartiallyturnedintoamonstrousspider.ThespidergoddessLolthsubjectsabove
average6thleveldrowtoaspecialtestthosewhofailbecomedriders.

Dridersarehatedbydrow,butoftenconsiderthemselvesspecially Whenthespider
blessedbytheirgoddessandformtheirownexpatriatecartelsin goddessLolth
whichtheyworktogethersporadicallyunderanairofintense subjectsherdrowto
distrust.Theylearnandexpandtheirknowledgethroughloose aspecialtest,those
informationtradesandtemporaryalliances.Thankstothese whofailbecome
exchangesandindividualexperimentation,driderclerics,sorcerers, dridershumanoids
andwizardshavelearnedhowtoeffectthesamechangebestowed partiallyturnedinto
bytheirgoddessonanyhumanoid.Thoughtheyconsidertheirform monstrousspiders.
tobeablessing,theyknowthatchangingothercreaturesinto Dridersarehatedbydrow,butoften
dridersconstituteshideoustorture.Drowbaseddridersenjoythe considerthemselvesspeciallyblessed
ironyoftheirblessingbeinganyothercreature'sbane. bytheirgoddessandformtheirown
expatriatecartelsinwhichtheywork
Driderschangenotjustinbody,butinmind.Regardlessofthebase
togethersporadicallyunderanairof
creature'sformeralignment,thenewdriderischaoticevil.Thebase
intensedistrust.Theylearnandexpand
creature'smemoriesandpastconvictionsremain,butareswirledin
theirknowledgethroughloose
ahazeofdestructive,anarchicurgesthatforcethecreatureto
informationtradesandtemporary
commitchaoticevilacts.Onlyawishormiraclespellcanchangea
alliances.Thankstotheseexchanges
creaturebackfromthisnewform.Apolymorphotherspellcan
andindividualexperimentation,drider
changeadrider'sshape,butitsmindcontinuestobetrappedinthe
clerics,sorcerers,andwizardshave
samechaoticevilhaze.
learnedhowtoeffectthesamechange
Oncechanged,thecreatureissetloosetowandertheUnderdark bestowedbytheirgoddessonany
alone.Othercreatures,evenotherdriders,seldomaccepttheir humanoid.Thoughtheyconsidertheir
company,thoughadridermaytravelwithspidersifheorshecan formtobeablessing,theyknowthat
standtoassociatewiththevermin.Regardlessoforigin,driders changingothercreaturesintodriders
attackothercreaturestheyfind,normallythroughambush.They constituteshideoustorture.Drowbased
greedilycollecttreasurefromtheirkills. dridersenjoytheironyoftheirblessing
beinganyothercreature'sbane.
Drowaregenerallyamusedbytheserejectsmadeinareject's
image,especiallywhenasurfaceelfismadeintoadrider.However,drowdonotsuffertheseaberrationsto
liveanylongerthantheywouldadridermadefromadrow.Theydotheirlaughingafterthekill.

CreatingaDrider

Theprocessofchangeisfairlyinvolved.Ittakesthreedaystocomplete,workingeighthoursaday,but
requiresnospecialequipmentorlaboratorybeyondthedrider'sinnatesorcerousabilities.Thecreature
changedmustbehelpless,butdoesnothavetobeconscious.

"Drider"isatemplatethatcanbeaddedtoanyhumanoidcreature(referredtohereafterasthe"base
creature").Thecreature'stypechangesto"aberration"andlosesallsubtypes.Thenewdriderusesallthebase
creature'sstatisticsandspecialabilitiesexceptasnotedhere.

Size:Increasesizeonestepoverthebasecreature.Thedrider'snewsizedeterminesitsminimumHitDice,
minimumnaturalarmor,bitedamage,andpoisondamage:

New Minimum Minimum Bite Poison

Size HitDice NaturalArmor Damage Damage
Small 3 3 1d2 1d3Str
Mediumsize 4 4 1d3 1d4Str
Large 6 6 1d4 1d6Str

HitDice:IfthebasecreaturehasfewerHitDicethantheminimumdriderHitDiceforitssize,itgains
"aberrationlevels"untilitreachestheminimum(usethe"Creatureadvancementbytype"tableonpage13of
theMonsterManual).Forthispurpose,afractionalHitDiecountsasawholeHitDie,soakobolddridergains3
HitDiceforatotalof31/2,whichcountsas4HitDice.IfthebasecreaturealreadyhastheminimumHitDice,
thenHitDicearenotchanged.

http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a&pf=true 1/3
5/22/2017 DriderTemplate
Speed:Changesto30ft.,climb15ft.

AC:Naturalarmorrisestominimumnaturalarmor.Ifthebasecreaturealreadyhasgreaterthanminimum
naturalarmor,itkeepsthatnaturalarmor.

Attack:Thedridergainsabiteattackifitdoesnotalreadyhaveone.Itusesitsownbaseattackorthebase
attackofanaberrationofitsHitDice(ascleric).Itcanuseitsbitealoneorasanaturalsecondaryattack.

Damage:Bitedamagedependsonthedrider'ssize.Ifthebasecreaturealreadyhasabiteattackthatdeals
moredamage,itkeepsthatdamage.

SpecialAttacks:Adriderretainsallthespecialattacksofthebasecreatureandalsogainsspelllikeabilities
andapoisonousbite.

1/daydancinglights,darkness,detectchaos,detectevil,detectgood,detectlaw,detectmagic,faeriefire,
andlevitate.Theseabilitiesareasthespellscastbyasorcererofthedrider'ssorcererlevel(saveDC10+Cha
modifier+spelllevel).Ifthedriderhasnosorcererlevels,theabilitiesarecastasa1stlevelsorcerer.

PoisonDC=10+1/2HitDice+Conmodifier.ThelistedStrengthdamagefrompoisonisbothinitialand
secondarydamage.

SpecialQualities:AdriderretainsthespecialqualitiesofthebasecreatureandgainsSpellResistanceequal
to11+HitDice.

Saves:Thedriderretainsthesavesofthebasecreature.Ifitgainsaberrationlevels,itssavesincrease
accordingtomulticlassingrules.(Aberrationshavesavesassorcerers.)

Abilities:Increasefromthebasecreatureasfollows:Str+4,Dex+2,Con+8,Wis+2,Cha+2.Thedrideralso
gainsabilityscoreincreasesasacharacterwould,accordingtoitstotalcharacterlevel.Thatis,a2ndlevel
characterwhogainsfouraberrationlevelsisa6thlevelcharacterandgainsonemoreabilityscorepointat
4thlevel.

Skills:Thedriderretainsthebasecreature'sskills.Foreachaberrationlevelitgains,itgets+2skillranksplus
itsIntmod(butatleast1skillpointperHitDiegained).ItsclassskillsareClimb,Concentration,Hide,Listen,
MoveSilently,Spellcraft,andSpot.Adriderreceivesa+4racialbonustoHideandMoveSilentlychecks.

Feats:Thedriderretainsallfeatsofthebasecreature.Itreceivesextrafeatsasacharacterwould,accordingto
itstotalcharacterlevel.Forexample,a2ndlevelcharacterwhogainsfouraberrationlevelsisa6thlevel
characterandgainstwomorefeatsoneat3rdlevelandoneat6th.

Climate/Terrain:Underground

Organization:Solitary

ChallengeRating:Sameasthebasecreature+2

Treasure:Doublestandard

Alignment:Alwayschaoticevil

Advancement:Bycharacterclass

DriderCharacters

Adrider'sfavoredclassissorcerer,regardlessofthebasecreature'sclasses.Ifthischangeinfavoredclass
causesacharactertotakeexperiencepenalties,thenthedridersappreciatethetortureofaruinedlifethat
muchmore.

SampleDriders

Thefirstexampleusesa2ndlevelhilldwarffighterasitsbasecreature.Thesecondusesarunofthemill
goblinfromtheMonsterManual.

HillDwarfFighterDrider

LargeAberration
HitDice:2d10+10plus4d8+20(59hp)
Initiative:+1
Speed:30ft.,climb15ft.
AC:16(touch10,flatfooted15)[+1Dex,+6natural,1size]
Attacks:Dwarvenwaraxe+6meleeandbite+1melee
Damage:Dwarvenwaraxe1d10+2/x3,bite1d4+1andpoison
Face/Reach:10ft.by10ft./5ft.
http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a&pf=true 2/3
5/22/2017 DriderTemplate
SpecialAttacks:Dwarventraits,poison,spelllikeabilities
SpecialQualities:Dwarventraits,SR17
Saves:Fort+9,Ref+2,Will+5
Abilities:Str15,Dex12,Con21,Int10,Wis12,Cha10
Skills:Climb+10,Craft(weaponsmithing)+5,Hide+6,Jump+9,MoveSilently+5
Feats:Cleave,GreatCleave,ExoticWeaponProficiency(dwarvenwaraxe),PowerAttack,
Sunder
Climate/Terrain:Underground
Organization:Solitary
CR:4
Treasure:Doublestandard
Alignment:Alwayschaoticevil
Advancement:Bycharacterclass

Combat

Poison(Ex):Bite,Fortitudesave(DC18),initialandsecondarydamage1d6Strength.

Spelllikeabilities:1/daydancinglights,darkness,detectchaos,detectevil,detectgood,
detectlaw,detectmagic,faeriefire,andlevitate.Theseabilitiesareasthespellscastbya1st
levelsorcerer(saveDC10+spelllevel).

GoblinWarriorDrider

MediumsizeAberration
HitDice:4d8+12(34hp)
Initiative:+2
Speed:30ft.,climb15ft.
AC:16(touch12,flatfooted14)[+2Dex,+4natural]
Attacks:Morningstar+4meleeandbite1melee,orjavelin+5ranged
Damage:Morningstar1d8+1,bite1d3andpoison,javelin1d6+1
Face/Reach:5ft.by5ft./5ft.
SpecialAttacks:Poison,spelllikeabilities
SpecialQualities:Darkvision60ft.,SR15
Saves:Fort+7,Ref+3,Will+4
Abilities:Str12,Dex15,Con19,Int10,Wis13,Cha10
Skills:Climb+9,Hide+12,Listen+5,MoveSilently+10,Spot+5
Feats:Alertness,Dodge
Climate/Terrain:Underground
Organization:Solitary
CR:3
Treasure:Doublestandard
Alignment:Alwayschaoticevil
Advancement:Bycharacterclass

Combat

Poison(Ex):Bite,Fortitudesave(DC16),initialandsecondarydamage1d4Strength.

Spelllikeabilities:1/daydancinglights,darkness,detectchaos,detectevil,detectgood,
detectlaw,detectmagic,faeriefire,andlevitate.Theseabilitiesareasthespellscastbya1st
levelsorcerer(saveDC10+spelllevel).

Likethisarticle?CheckoutJonathan's
skeletontemplateandzombietemplate!

19952008WizardsoftheCoast,Inc.,asubsidiaryofHasbro,Inc.AllRightsReserved.

http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a&pf=true 3/3