Hive Lord

Ranger Conclave: Hive Lord

Most rangers feel a deep connection to the wilds of nature. Hive Lords, however, reach beyond those boundaries, forging a bond with strange insectoid spirits called Drones—aberrational echoes of hive-minds long past. Bound by instinct and telepathy, a Hive Lord fights in perfect concert with their Drones, directing them with whistles, hums, or even the barest whisper of thought.

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Hive Lord Magic

3rd-level Hive Lord feature

You learn the spells listed in the Hive Lord Spells table at the ranger levels noted. These spells count as ranger spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Hive Lord Spells

Ranger Level Spells
3rd command, expeditious retreat
5th web, healing spirit
9th hypnotic pattern, dispel magic
13th confusion, guardian of nature
17th synaptic static, mass cure wounds

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Call Drone

3rd-level Hive Lord feature

You can summon a spirit known as a Drone, a small aberrant insectoid that fights at your side.

Summoning the Drone. As an action, you summon one Drone of your choice: a Bulwark Beetle, Stinger Wisp, or Trap Spider (see the stat blocks at the end of this subclass). It appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. The Drone is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands.

Combat Role. The Drone shares your initiative count, taking its turn immediately after yours. It can move and take reactions on its own. On its turn, it takes only the Dodge action unless you command it to take another action (no action required for Dodge). You can command all of your active drones with the same bonus action. If you are incapacitated, your drones act to protect themselves and your allies.

Duration. A Drone remains for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until you dismiss it (no action required).

Uses. You can summon a Drone a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Multiple Drones. Beginning at 7th level, you can have two drones summoned at the same time. At 11th level, you can have three summoned at once. Each Drone must be a different type.

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Hive Mind Hunter

7th-level Hive Lord feature

You can psychically brand an enemy, allowing you and your swarm to strike as one.

As a bonus action, you choose one creature you can see within 90 feet of you. The creature is marked by your hive sigil for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until you mark another creature. While a creature is marked in this way:
• Damage you and your drones deal to it is psychic damage instead of its normal type.
• You and your drones can see the creature even if it is invisible.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

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Savage Swarm

11th-level Hive Lord feature

Your drones grow more aggressive and resilient.
• When you command one of your drones to take the Attack action, it can make two attacks instead of one.
• When one of your drones makes a saving throw, it can use your saving throw modifiers in place of its own.

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Metamorphosis

15th-level Hive Lord feature

Your drones evolve into greater, deadlier forms. When you summon a Drone, you instead summon its Metamorphosis form: the Adamantine Beetle, Tracker Jacker Wisp, or Hunter Spider. Each Drone retains its normal statistics and gains the following additional traits:
• Adamantine Beetle. Its AC increases by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier. In addition, whenever a creature enters a space within 5 feet of it, the beetle can use its reaction to make a Pincer attack against that creature.
• Tracker Jacker Wisp. Its flying speed increases by 10 feet. When it uses its Sting action, it can make one additional Sting attack as a bonus action.
• Hunter Spider. The range of its Web Shot increases to 60 feet. It can have up to three creatures restrained by its webs at the same time.

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Drone Stat Blocks

All drones are aberrations. They use your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. Each one understands the languages you speak.

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Bulwark Beetle

Small aberration, neutral
• Armor Class 13 + PB
• Hit Points 3 + three times your ranger level (the beetle has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level)
• Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 8 (–1)

• Senses passive Perception 10

Actions
• Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 + PB to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d6 + 2 + PB bludgeoning damage, and the target (Large or smaller) is grappled (escape DC = your spell save DC). While grappling a creature, the beetle can’t attack another target.
• Charge. The beetle moves up to 20 feet in a straight line. Each creature it passes through must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC = your spell save DC) or fall prone.

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Stinger Wisp

Small aberration, neutral
• Armor Class 11 + PB
• Hit Points 2 + twice your ranger level (Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level)
• Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 8 (–1)

• Senses passive Perception 10

Actions
• Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 + PB to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d8 + 2 + PB piercing damage.
• Stinger Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 + PB to hit, range 60 ft. Hit: 1d6 + 2 + PB piercing damage.

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Trap Spider

Small aberration, neutral
• Armor Class 12 + PB
• Hit Points 2 + twice your ranger level (Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level)
• Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 14 (+2) 8 (–1)

• Senses passive Perception 12

Traits
• Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down, without needing to make an ability check.
• Web Sense. While in contact with a web it created with its Sticky Web, you and the spider know the location of any creature also touching that web.

Actions
• Fangs. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 + PB to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d4 + 1 + PB piercing damage.
• Web Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack: range 30 ft. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw (DC = your spell save DC) or become restrained. A restrained creature can use its action to make a Strength saving throw (DC = your spell save DC), ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Sticky Web (Recharge 5–6). The spider covers a 30-foot-radius area with sticky webs. The area is difficult terrain for creatures other than you and creatures you designate.

Level 3: Hive Lord Magic

Hive Lord Magic

3rd-level Hive Lord feature

You learn the spells listed in the Hive Lord Spells table at the ranger levels noted. These spells count as ranger spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.

Hive Lord Spells

Ranger Level Spells
3rd command, expeditious retreat
5th web, healing spirit
9th hypnotic pattern, dispel magic
13th confusion, guardian of nature
17th synaptic static, mass cure wounds

Level 3: Call Drone

Call Drone

3rd-level Hive Lord feature

You can summon a spirit known as a Drone, a small aberrant insectoid that fights at your side.

Summoning the Drone. As an action, you summon one Drone of your choice: a Bulwark Beetle, Stinger Wisp, or Trap Spider (see the stat blocks at the end of this subclass). It appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of you. The Drone is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands.

Combat Role. The Drone shares your initiative count, taking its turn immediately after yours. It can move and take reactions on its own. On its turn, it takes only the Dodge action unless you command it to take another action (no action required for Dodge). You can command all of your active drones with the same bonus action. If you are incapacitated, your drones act to protect themselves and your allies.

Duration. A Drone remains for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until you dismiss it (no action required).

Uses. You can summon a Drone a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Multiple Drones. Beginning at 7th level, you can have two drones summoned at the same time. At 11th level, you can have three summoned at once. Each Drone must be a different type.

Level 7: Hive Mind Hunter

7th-level Hive Lord feature

You can psychically brand an enemy, allowing you and your swarm to strike as one.

As a bonus action, you choose one creature you can see within 90 feet of you. The creature is marked by your hive sigil for 1 hour, until it is reduced to 0 hit points, or until you mark another creature. While a creature is marked in this way:
• Damage you and your drones deal to it is psychic damage instead of its normal type.
• You and your drones can see the creature even if it is invisible.

Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Level 11: Savage Swarm

11th-level Hive Lord feature

Your drones grow more aggressive and resilient.
• When you command one of your drones to take the Attack action, it can make two attacks instead of one.
• When one of your drones makes a saving throw, it can use your saving throw modifiers in place of its own.

Level 15: Metamorphosis

15th-level Hive Lord feature

Your drones evolve into greater, deadlier forms. When you summon a Drone, you instead summon its Metamorphosis form: the Adamantine Beetle, Tracker Jacker Wisp, or Hunter Spider. Each Drone retains its normal statistics and gains the following additional traits:
• Adamantine Beetle. Its AC increases by an amount equal to your Wisdom modifier. In addition, whenever a creature enters a space within 5 feet of it, the beetle can use its reaction to make a Pincer attack against that creature.
• Tracker Jacker Wisp. Its flying speed increases by 10 feet. When it uses its Sting action, it can make one additional Sting attack as a bonus action.
• Hunter Spider. The range of its Web Shot increases to 60 feet. It can have up to three creatures restrained by its webs at the same time.