Dungeons & Dragons/Monsters/Aranea

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the aranea is a spider-like magical beast that lives in temperate forests. Its natural form is that of a spider of monstrous size, with two small humanlike arms below its mandibles.

Description
An aranea is usually neutral in alignment. It has the ability to change its shape into that of a humanoid, or a spider-humanoid hybrid. It has the poison and webspinning ability of a spider, as well as the ability to cast spells like a sorcerer.

Publication history
The aranea has appeared in the following publications:
 * It first appeared in 1981 in the Dungeons & Dragons modules X1 Isle of Dread, and X2 Castle Amber.
 * It description was later reprinted in AC9 Creature Catalogue (1986).
 * The aranea appeared in second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994), which was later reprinted in Monstrous Compendium Annual Three (1996).
 * In the third edition in the Monster Manual (2000),
 * In the revised 3.5 Monster Manual (2003).
 * As a player character race in the book Savage Species (2003), and later in Dragon #351 (January 2007).