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Following the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s fair to say Marvel’s iconic web-slinger is on everyone’s mind. Spider-Man represents an archetypical superhero, an individual gifted with fantastical abilities who uses his powers to help everyone he can. Since Spider-Man’s abilities and character are at the forefront of pop culture, it raises an important question: How could you play as Spider-Man in Dungeons & Dragons?
The first and most critical aspect when building Spider-Man in D&D is determining which version of the web-slinger to recreate. As audiences saw in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, there are several versions of the friendly neighborhood superhero to choose from. While other, lesser-known versions of Spider-Man could make interesting D&D player characters, here’s how to recreate the spider-powers exhibited by characters like Peter Parker and Spider-Gwen, as well as some of Miles Morales’ unique abilities.
The Best Race/Lineage for Spider-Man
Within Marvel Comics, Spider-Man is considered a mutate, or someone who gets their enhanced abilities through external factors. While Spider-Man could be played as a Variant Human, his powers and abilities closely resemble a Dhampir. Released in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, Dhampir’s are created after an interaction with a mysterious encounter with an unnatural force, such as a radioactive spider. Mechanically, they can recreate many of Spider-Man’s abilities even at low levels.
Dhampirs are a Lineage rather than a Race, meaning that they can choose their size, ability score increases and proficiencies to better reflect their backstory. For Spider-Man, this would be a +2 to Intelligence and a +1 to Dexterity, as well as proficiency in Perception and Sleight of Hand. They also get Darkvision and Spider Climb, which allows them to walk across any surface while leaving their hands free.
Lastly, Dhampirs have an ability called Vampiric Bite. This unique attack uses Constitution for its attack and damage rolls with a d4 damage die. This ability could be flavored to act as Miles Morales’ Venom Strike, albeit without the paralyzing effect.
The Best Class for Spider-Man
Spider-Man is incredibly smart and has a knack for creative problem solving, all of which works with the Artificer class. Artificers can replicate Spider-Man’s strength, speed and defenses with their magical infusions while using spells and cantrips to further enhance their web-slinging. Want to leap across vast distances? Create the Boots of Striding and Springing. To replicate Spidey-sense, pick up the Helm of Awareness or Eyes of the Eagle. To help compensate for a lower strength score, try on the Gauntlets of Ogre Power and Armor of Magical Strength.
For Spidey’s subclass, Armorer fits the best. These Artificers integrate their armor onto their own bodies and become a living weapon, which could replicate Spider-Man’s various suits and suit modifications. Specifically, the infiltrator armor set provides a speed boost, a ranged weapon attack and cancels out any disadvantage to stealth checks from heavy armor.
Spider-Man’s Ability Scores
Spider-Man might be powerful, but he escapes most of his scrapes through his quick thinking, so prioritize Intelligence for this build. Not only will a high INT score enhance Spidey’s Artificer class features and spellcasting, but it will also boost to several important skills, such as Investigation, Nature and Arcana.
The second most important skill is Dexterity. A high DEX will help with many of Spider-Man’s proficiencies, as well as DEX saving throws, allowing him to bounce and dodge out of the way of incoming obstacles. After INT and DEX are taken care of, boosting Constitution will help ensure Spider-Man has enough hit points to stay up in a fight.
The Best Backgrounds for Spider-Man
While the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man could be considered a Folk Hero for his community connections, neither Animal Handling nor Survival really help the character. Instead, consider the Urban Bounty Hunter background, which can easily be reskinned as a vigilante. This background lets players choose two skills from Deception, Insight, Persuasion and Stealth, as well as giving tool and instrument proficiencies. This way, players can choose whether to boost their Spider-Quips or make sure they can move unseen while defeating NYC’s local bad guys.
Spider-Man’s Spells and Feats
Since Artificers are casters, they have plenty of spells and cantrips that can recreate Spider-Man’s memorable powers. Web, Snare and Jump are must-haves, but other spells will expand on Spider-Man’s ability list. For Cantrips, Thorn Whip is the closest to a web attack in D&D, while Sapping Sting is another way to replicate Venom Strike. Even Guidance could be used to represent Spidey-sense when used on Perception and Insight checks.
The best spells for Spider-Man are those that enhance speed and defense. Expeditious Retreat will practically double a character’s speed, and at higher levels, Haste can even grant extra attacks and a higher AC. False Life and Cure Wounds allow players to replicate Spider-Man’s fast healing, while Invisibility (which imitates one of Miles Morales’ powers) helps characters to escape unseen. It’s even possible to recreate Spider-Man’s connection to the multiverse by reskinning spells like Blink and Mirror Image to reflect quick trips to alternate realities.
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