Swarmkeeper

Swarmkeeper rangers draw from their connection to the environment around them to command a unique form of spirit that takes the form of a swarm of creatures. Rangers of this archetype use their swarms as an extension of themselves and their primal magic. These rangers wield their swarms to engulf and overwhelm their foes, but can also use their swarm to protect themselves and their allies.

Swarmkeeper Magic

When you adopt this archetype at 3rd level, you learn the Mage Hand cantrip and the Infestation cantrip, which does not count against the number of cantrips you know.

Swarming Shot

Starting at 3rd level, your swarm affects your ranged attacks. You automatically learn this Primal shot option, and it is not counted against the number of Primal Shot options you know. 

Swarming Shot

When a creature is hit by this primal shot, in addition to the weapon’s normal effects, the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d6 force damage and is engulfed by your swarm. A creature engulfed by your swarm is forcibly moved 10ft in any direction horizontally, either at the start or end of the creature’s next turn, and takes 1d6 force damage at the end of the creature’s next turn as the swarm finishes engulfing the creature. You can choose what direction the swarm moves the engulfed creature, and when on the creature’s next turn the swarm moves the creature. On a successful save, the creature takes half the force damage, and avoids the swarm’s engulf.

If you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher to use this primal shot, the initial force damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level.

Gathered Swarm

Starting at 3rd level, your ranger companion spirit becomes a swarm of tiny creatures, instead of a singular creature. When you summon your companion after completing a long rest, instead of choosing one of the ranger companion stat blocks, your companion uses your choice of one of the Swarm Companion Stat Blocks listed below. You determine the appearance of your companion.

Guarded Swarm

Starting at 7th level, your swarm’s power increases, enhancing your swarm companion it in the following ways:

• Swarm’s Size: The size of your swarm increases to large. As an action, you can command your swarm to change its size to medium or large.
• Swarm Guard: Your swarm companion gains a new action in its stat block. As an action, it can condense its form to protect creature’s inside it. A creature within the swarm’s space gains a bonus to its AC equal to half your Wisdom modifier (rounded up).

Writhing Tide

Beginning at 7th level, you’ve learned how to condense part of your swarm into a focused mass that lifts you up. As a bonus action, you can move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks and remain hovering until the start of your next turn. You stop hovering if you are incapacitated or your speed is reduced to 0. 

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. If you have no uses remaining, you can expend one ranger spell slot to use this feature again.

Mighty Swarm

Starting at 11th level, the swarm you command grows mightier, granting you the following benefits:

• Swarm’s Size: The size of your swarm increases to huge. As an action, you can command your swarm to change its size to medium, large or huge.
• Hurtful Swarm: Your swarm companion’s Swarming Space feature deals an additional 1d6 damage.
• Swarm Form: You learn the Gaseous Form spell, which does not count against the number of ranger spells you know. You can cast this spell once without expending a spell slot before needing to complete a long rest. You can also cast this spell normally with your ranger spell slots.
• Swarm’s Swiftness: Your swarm companion’s speed increases by 10 feet.

Sovereign of Swarms

Beginning at 15th level, you become a master of controlling swarms, granting you the following benefits:

• Swarm’s Size: The size of your swarm increases to gargantuan. As an action, you can command your swarm to change its size to medium, large, huge, or gargantuan.
• Protective Swarm: Your swarm companion can use its Guarded Swarm as a bonus action instead of an action, and can choose which creatures inside it gain the bonus to its AC. While the swarm is using its guarded swarm feature, if a creature its guarding is hit with an attack roll, the swarm companion can use its reaction to grant the creature resistance to the damage of the triggering attack. After using this reaction, the swarm takes the same amount of damage the protected creature took.