“All things are possible with the grace of the Spider Queen. It is a shame you did not realize this before your treasonous transgression.”

—Shalzad Raelnan, dread fang of Lolth

The dread fangs of Lolth are elite soldiers who fight for the drow matriarchs. They are a visible manifestation of the theocratic power that governs the dark elves, and their appearance elicits fear in almost all who behold them. Dread fangs of Lolth answer only to the clergy, but they work alongside the mysterious eyes of Lolth (see page 80) from time to time.

BECOMING A DREAD FANG

Most dread fangs of Lolth are multiclass fighter/rogues, because the combination of these classes offers the quickest path to meeting the requirements. Some fangs have levels in ranger or barbarian instead of fighter, or ninja instead of rogue. A rare few dabble in arcane magic as sorcerers or wizards, and then alternate levels in dread fang of Lolth and eldritch knight.

PLAYING A DREAD FANG OF LOLTH

As a dread fang of Lolth, you enforce the will of the priestesses. The goddess favors you, filling your mind with her whispers and mutterings. Most times, it is a constant, almost maddening noise, but you have learned to pick out some wisdom from her litany—insights that make you a better warrior.

You are more than just a soldier, though. You are part of an elite fighting force that protects and furthers the Spider Queen’s interests. As a group, you and your fellow fangs protect temples, priestesses, and the city, and occasionally undertake important missions for the clerics of Lolth. You take your responsibilities seriously and are loyal to a fault.

Combat

Many of your class features require you to gain surprise. Rather than improving your sneak attack, you gain sudden strike, which grants extra damage only against opponents deprived of their Dexterity bonus. You can certainly hold your own in a fight, but you’re most dangerous when ambushing your enemies.

At 2nd level, you gain your first team ability. Like the eyes of Lolth, you are most effective when fighting alongside allies. When grouped with other fangs or eyes, you and your allies can respond to changes in the battlefie

Advancement

Becoming a dread fang of Lolth was no easy task. It involved endless hours of training, including the extensive study of numerous fighting techniques as well as in-depth religious indoctrination. For years, you honed your abilities, improving upon your already formidable talents. But the priestesses waited for a sign of greater ability, and then it came: The mark of Lolth’s favor began as a faint voice, the slightest whisper, something you might have imagined. But it soon became far more insistent. It distracted you and pushed you to the brink of madness, but somehow you resisted—and eventually embraced the whispering, knowing that it was the voice of the goddess herself. And thus, you were welcomed into the ranks of the fangs.

Since nearly all your abilities rely on surprise, invest in feats and skills that help you take advantage of these circumstances. Feats such as Improved Initiative, Spring Attack, and Great Cleave are good choices, but don’t overlook feats that enhance your sneak attack and sudden strike abilities, particularly Razing Strike and Staggering Strike. When you gain treasure, spend it on items that improve your stealth. Cloaks and boots of elvenkind are vital, as are elixirs of hiding and sneaking.

Resources

You are a chosen servant of Lolth and, by virtue of your status, few drow dare cross your path. The priestesses supply you with your basic equipment, as well as housing, clothing, and the necessary supplies to survive. In addition, you have an easy time finding trainers and mentors who can help you refine your craft.

DREAD FANGS IN THE WORLD

“The dread fangs of Lolth are lackeys at best, but as elite guards, shock troops, and enforcers, they are useful allies. If they have one ? aw, it’s their obedience. They never question orders. Ever.”

—Xune Argith, eye of Lolth

The dread fangs of Lolth are important additions to any campaign in which the drow are featured as principal antagonists. They use drow tactics and perfect them, and so are extremely evasive, unpredictable, and mobile. Even when used alongside lesser soldiers, the dread fangs drive home the cunning tactics the drow favor, and instill in the PCs a healthy respect for their foes.

Organization

The dread fangs of Lolth have a presence in nearly every drow city. Wherever there are priestesses of the Spider Queen, fangs are not far. As the enforcement arm of the church, the fangs ensure that the wishes of the priestesses are fulfilled and their enemies destroyed.

The clerics assign fangs to the eyes of Lolth. Under the command of these operatives, the fangs provide the muscle to ensure a successful mission. Eyes and fangs work exceptionally well together, their abilities complementing each other. When so paired, they can be a nearly unstoppable force.

Candidates are always carefully screened before being invited to join the fangs, since the priestesses cannot afford to compromise the integrity of the organization with dissent or treasonous thoughts. They pick talented males (and rarely females) who are unswervingly loyal to the Spider Queen. Candidates endure a difficult period of training to alter their personalities and correct their conflicting loyalties until a single-minded warrior remains. Of these, only the ones who hear the voice of Lolth are allowed to become full-fledged members.

NPC Reactions

The dread fangs of Lolth are an intimidating presence among the drow, serving as constant reminders of the priestesses’ pervasive presence in their lives. Drow clerics are always friendly toward fangs, valuing their support of the theocracy, but the same attitude doesn’t always extend to all levels of drow society. Ordinary soldiers resent them out of jealousy, since (unlike the rank and file) the fangs succeeded in rising above their station. Likewise, nobles fear the fangs, perpetually worrying that the priestesses will employ those elite warriors against the houses. Of course, none would be so foolish as to exhibit anything other than a friendly face when speaking to a fang, but most nobles harbor disdain for the class and are secretly unfriendly.

DREAD FANG OF LOLTH LORE

Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (religion) can research dread fangs of Lolth to learn more about them. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

DC 10: Dread fangs of Lolth are elite soldiers.

DC 15: Dread fangs, with their sudden strike ability, are most powerful when they have the advantage of surprise and numbers.

DC 20: When working with allies, dread fangs can lend their skills to those allies to improve their capabilities in combat, making the allies an extremely effective fighting force.

Dread fangs of Lolth are scarce outside drow cities, though within them, a character can locate a dread fang with a Gather Information check. Such checks should have low DCs, since nearly all drow know the location of the dread fangs’ barracks.

DREAD FANGS IN THE GAME

Incorporating the dread fangs of Lolth into an ongoing campaign is simple, since they are practically exclusive to drow cities. If you have been running a long campaign featuring the drow, you could treat the existence of the dread fangs (and the eyes of Lolth) as a relatively new development, perhaps as a response to the actions of the adventurers.

Adaptation

If you run a campaign in a setting where Lolth is not clearly present, such as in Eberron or in Faerûn during the period of Lolth’s silence, you can adapt this class easily by replacing Lolth with a campaign-appropriate deity. You can even retool the concept to make it suitable for surface elves. For example, instead of spider bite, change the class feature to scorpion sting and the name of the class to the stinger of Vulkoor.