Drider Prototype
Drider Prototype (Heavy Role) (CR 11)
For many, many years, the Drow Great Houses felt the need for more strength in their armies. many houses felt a more powerful male line could be developed, and as a result, the Drow Aggressor was created.
Other, more radical, Houses felt a more drastic solution was required. The Great Coccoons that the Drow have used for untold eons to break their elven restrictions on births were dramatically repurposed, not to merely create yet more male Drow, obedient and brave, but instead creat true abominations, monsters who exist only to serve the glory of the Great Houses.
These spider-elf abominations are everything that the Houses could have dreamed for in a warrior. They are tough and deadly, able to cast mighty spells and yet go toe-to-toe with any foes the Drow might find themselves facing. Even better, they are...usually...as loyal as any Drow male created in the Coccoons.
If only they weren't quite so...difficult to look at.
Unfortunately for the world, most Drow Houses are more than willing to put up with a Drider's ugliness.
GENERAL
CR 11 Hit Dice 16
XP 25,600 (Heavy Role Included)
LE, Large, Aberration
Init +5; Senses Darkvision, 60 ft, low-light 120 ft, Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 31, touch 19, flat-footed 26 (+7 armor, +5 dex, +5 natural, +4 deflection)
hp 458 (Heavy Role included)
Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +11
Aura: -
SR: -
Special Defenses: -
Immunities: -
Weaknesses: -
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft. , Climb 40 ft
Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.
Single Melee 2 x Drider's Claws +17 (2d8+11/x2) + Drider Poison (first attack each)
Full Melee 4 x Drider's Claws +17 (2d8+11/x2) + Drider Poison (first attack each)
Ranged none, but see Throw Web, Drider Shimmer, and Drider's Bolt
Special Attacks Drider's Bolt, Drider Poison, Drider Shimmer, Throw Web
Action Points 1 (Heavy role included)
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +11; CMB +17; CMD 27
Feats Mobility, EFFECT: +4 AC vs Attacks of Opportunity caused by own movement
Skills Sense Motive +19, Intimidate +23
Languages Undercommon
SPECIAL ABILITIES
- Throw Web (Ex)
Once per round, as a standard action, Driders may throw a specially prepared web. This is resolved as a ranged touch attack (+12 to-hit, ranged touch, range increment 10, max range 50 feet). Creatures struck by the web take 6d6+2 poison damage from the Drider Poison soaking it. There is no saving throw against this poison damage. (This is a poison effect and is negated by immunity to poisons, and can be reduced by ER /-.) In addition, affected targets must make a reflex saving throw against a DC of 20. Those who fail the saving throw gain the Pinned condition. Those who make the saving throw gain the Hindered condition. Either condition may be removed by expending a standard action to carefully unwrap the poisoned webbing. Note that adjacent allies may spend a standard action to free a pinned or hindered victim.
- Drider Poison (Ex)
poison (injury); Save Fortitude DC 20; Onset 1/round for 2 rounds; Effect 1d3 Str damage and 2d6+1 points of non-lethal physical damage; Cure 1 save.
- Venom Cup (Ex)
As a swift action, a Drider Prototype can reapply poison to one of his claws. This is done with a practiced economy, as the vicious appendage is dipped into a cup-like device on his belt, right above his bloated thorax. The cup-like device contains 10 doses of Drider Poison, and can be refilled outside of combat. Driders produce their own poison within their wretched bodies, but the way they produce it means they cannot use it in combat without a Venom Cup. The details are quite unpleasant, and best not discussed.
- Coccoon (Ex)
As a triggered immediate action, a Drider who is reduced to zero hitpoints is not slain. Instead, their spinnerrettes erupt in a flurry of activity and their wretched bodies are instantly wrapped in a massive coccoon of terrible dark silk. While so coccooned, the Drider's are immune to all damage, but melee continues. When their next action comes the Coccoon bursts. The Drider is healed to half it's normal maximum hit points, all status conditions are removed, and it may use Throw Web on a single target within range, all as a free action. Once the free Throw Web attack is resolved, the Drider may take it's full normal set of actions.
- Drider Shimmer (Sp)
-
- Concentration: d20+13 vs a DC of 20
As a standard action, a Drider may cast Shimmer. This effects all creatures in a 30 foot diameter burst centered within 100 feet of the drider's space. Drider Shimmer causes a pale blue radiance to surround all creatures in the area of effect. This negates invisibility and otherwise removes all effects of concealment (from any source), and inflicts a -20 penalty on all Stealth checks affected creatures may attempt. Drider Shimmer lasts until the end of the combat, or for ten minutes if used out of combat. Creatures who were already invisible or Stealthed who are caught in the radius of Shimmer must re-roll their Stealth as an immediate forced action when the effect hits them, using the modifiers of Shimmer.
- Drider's Bolt (Sp)
-
- Concentration: d20+13 vs a DC of 21
As a standard action, Driders may cast Bolt. This affects a 120 foot line originating from their space, as a massive blast of lightning erupts from their fingertips. The Drider may choose which square in their space the Bolt originates from. Bolt inflicts 6d6 points of electrical damage to all creatures caught in its area of effect. A Reflex save against a DC of 20 will reduce this to half damage.
TREASURE
sell value of approximately 13,000 gp (Heavy Role included)
COMBAT TACTICS
Driders are the heavy shock troops of the Drow, and they are truly terrible foes. They will usually open any combat at range if they can. One Drider will cast Shimmer in front of the front ranks of any visible enemies, looking to reveal any invisible or hidden scouts. Another drider will cast Drider's Bolt, looking to hit as many foes as possible. If there are three or more Drider's, the third and any additional will Throw Web at any spell casters, or at any obviously heavily armored foes. Driders are perfectly willing to stay at range, and if they are not getting a lot of ranged damage, will use their high Climb speed to go up walls and onto ceilings if possible and will destroy their enemies with Drider's Bolt and Throw Web.
If an enemy, sensibly, closes the range on the Driders, then the Drider prototypes will use their reach to make attacks of opportunity. Drider's begin combat with Drider Poison applied to all their claws: they are immune to their own poison, so why not. During combat, as their claws begin to make hits, they will re-apply poison using their Venom Cups.
Once in melee, Drider's will usually move around as they wish, trusting their Mobility to protect them. They will use Climb to get up on walls and ceilings, and use their reach to make melee attacks. If there is a heavily armored foe they are having trouble hitting, they will step back and Throw Web, to try and lower their armor class. if there is a stealthy foe that Shimmer did not reveal, they will use Shimmer again, or fire Drider's Bolt into clumps of enemies, hoping to hit the hidden foe. Note that Drider's are not immune to each other's Bolt, but hey, they are eveil, so they will rarely hesitate to blast away if they think it's their best action.
Unlike most Drow, once Drider's enter combat they will not flee unless ordered to.