Base Class: Ranger
Feeling a deep connection to the environment around them, some rangers reach out through their magical connection to the world and bond with a swarm of nature spirits. The swarm becomes a potent force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others. Other Swarmkeepers enjoy building vibrant communities that work for the mutual benefit of all those they consider part of their swarm.
Level 3: Gathered Swarm
A swarm of intangible nature spirits has bonded itself to you and can assist you in battle. While you’re alive, the swarm remains in your space, crawling on you or flying and skittering around you within your space. You determine its appearance, or you generate its appearance by rolling on the Swarm Appearance table.
Swarm Appearance
| d4 | Appearance |
|---|---|
| 1 | Swarming insects |
| 2 | Miniature twig blights |
| 3 | Fluttering birds |
| 4 | Playful pixies |
Once on each of your turns, you can cause the swarm to assist you in one of the following ways, immediately after you hit a creature with an attack:
- The attack’s target takes [roll]1d6[/roll] force damage from the swarm.
- The attack’s target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC or be moved by the swarm up to 15 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice.
- You are moved by the swarm 5 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice.
Level 3: Swarmkeeper Magic
You learn the mage hand cantrip if you don’t already know it. When you cast it, the hand takes the form of your swarming nature spirits.
You also learn an additional spell of 1st level or higher when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Swarmkeeper Spells table. Each spell counts as a ranger spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Swarmkeeper Spells
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Unseen Servant, mage hand |
| 5th | web |
| 9th | gaseous form |
| 13th | arcane eye |
| 17th | insect plague |
Level 7: Bestial Swarm
You can condense part of your swarm into a focused mass that acts as one. As a bonus action, you turn your swarm into the shape of a beast. This effect lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated.
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also use it again by expending a spell slot of 2nd level or higher.
In combat, the swarm shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the [Tooltip Not Found] action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the swarm can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
Bestial Swarm
Medium beast
Armor Class 11 + your PB
Hit Points five times your ranger level
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. (Land only), fly 60 ft. (Air only), swim 30 ft. (Water only)
Saving Throws -
Skills -
Damage Immunities -
Condition Immunities -
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 + (PB × 2)
Languages understands the languages you speak
Challenge — Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus
Flyby (Air Only). The beast doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.
Pack Tactics (Land and Water Only). The beast has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the beast’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Water Breathing (Water Only). The beast can breathe only underwater.
Actions
Multiattack. The beast makes a number of attacks equal to half your PB (rounded down).
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8+4 Slashing damage
Level 11: Mighty Swarm
Your Gathered Swarm grows mightier in the following ways:
- The damage of Gathered Swarm increases to [roll]1d8[/roll] force damage.
- If a creature fails its saving throw against being moved by Gathered Swarm, you can also cause the swarm to knock the creature prone.
- When you are moved by Gathered Swarm, it gives you half cover until the start of your next turn.
Additionally your Bestial Swarm's attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Level 15: Swarming Storm
Your swarm can expel a seething storm that drains life from others. As an Magic action, you create a magical sphere filled with an enraged swarm centered on a point you can see within 60 feet of you. The sphere has a 10-foot-radius and lasts for 1 minute. The sphere is difficult terrain for creatures other than you and your Bestial Swarm. A creature other than you that starts its turn in the sphere’s area must make a {{savedc:con}}. On a failed save, the creature takes [/roll]2d8[/roll] necrotic damage and is [Tooltip Not Found] until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn’t blinded. At the start of your turn, if any number of Small or larger creatures took necrotic damage from the swarm, you regain [roll]1d8[/roll] hit points. On subsequent turns, you can use a bonus action to move the sphere up to 30 feet.
When you activate this feature, you can choose any number of creatures you can see to be unaffected by it.
When you activate this feature when you have your Bestial Swarm active, the sphere will be centered on your Bestial Swarm instead. When used this way, increase the necrotic damage to [roll]3d8[/roll] and the Bestial Swarm heals [roll]1d8[/roll] hit points instead.
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. You can also use it again by expending a spell slot of 4th level or higher.
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