Pipes of the Sewers: Absolute Garbage?

[5eNeedsDarksun]

So one of my players just got Pipes of the Sewers. It appears that after using extensive downtime to learn the instrument and one of his 3 attunement slots he gets the amazing benefit of using his action to command a swarm of rats. As he's now 5th level this seems less impactful than most or all of his other 'at will' actions.
The only thing is that as I read it the description it could be interpreted that the 'friendly' rats that require using the action are formerly hostile ones charmed by the pipes, and that summoned ones might be able to act on their own once given a command. If I use this ruling the pipes would have some use, though if even summoned rats require continuous playing then the Pipes of the Sewers probably ought to go back into the sewer where they belong after tier 1.
Thoughts?

[stoutstien]

It's a flavor item for the most part. Quite good at opening new ways for the party to get into trouble with.

I'd take it over a boring +1 weapon any day.

[JoeJ]

It's not a cursed item, so if he isn't happy with it he's free to end his attunement whenever he takes a short rest.

[MaxWilson]

So one of my players just got Pipes of the Sewers. It appears that after using extensive downtime to learn the instrument and one of his 3 attunement slots he gets the amazing benefit of using his action to command a swarm of rats. As he's now 5th level this seems less impactful than most or all of his other 'at will' actions.
The only thing is that as I read it the description it could be interpreted that the 'friendly' rats that require using the action are formerly hostile ones charmed by the pipes, and that summoned ones might be able to act on their own once given a command. If I use this ruling the pipes would have some use, though if even summoned rats require continuous playing then the Pipes of the Sewers probably ought to go back into the sewer where they belong after tier 1.
Thoughts?

Hey, 72 damage-resistant HP worth of free rats doing 6d6 per round, without a concentration cost, is 72 concentration-free HP! Whenever you're in a plague- or rat-infested area, you can cast a concentration spell (Conjure Animals is excellent if you're a Lore Bard or Druid), add on three rat swarms, and then kick down a door and fight some monsters. For a 5th level PC that's fairly powerful. Even later on it's worthwhile, especially since the rats don't vanish or anything if you stop playing the pipes in order to e.g. cast Wall of Force--they just revert to normal rat-like behavior, which presumably involves either fighting monsters trying to kill them or running away from monsters trying to kill them, plus eating lots of rotten garbage and stealing electrical cords to wire up their lair under the rosebush with stolen electricity, and moving cinderblock houses for widowed mice in exchange for mouse assistance drugging ferocious farmcats.

[Unoriginal]

It's also a pretty good item if you infiltrated a building and need something to delay the enemies as you escape. Or if you need to get into a building, rats can help get you inside.

However, I think OP is running Descent into Avernus, and it's true the usefulness is lessened when you get into hell.


Regardless, as long as you have weak enemies show up in number, the rats will be relevant in fights.

[JoeJ]

It's also a pretty good item if you infiltrated a building and need something to delay the enemies as you escape. Or if you need to get into a building, rats can help get you inside.

Rats can also steal small objects for you. If somebody in your party can cast Speak With Animals and/or Beast Sense you can get even more utility out of the pipes. Plus, there's the financial aspect: who wouldn't pay a small fee to watch a pack of rats dance a hornpipe?

[MaxWilson]

It's also a pretty good item if you infiltrated a building and need something to delay the enemies as you escape. Or if you need to get into a building, rats can help get you inside.

However, I think OP is running Descent into Avernus, and it's true the usefulness is lessened when you get into hell.

Regardless, as long as you have weak enemies show up in number, the rats will be relevant in fights.

Why only weak enemies? The rats would still be relevant against a Stone Golem, Glabrezu, or Osyluth (Bone Devil). They can soak hits from the Stone Golem while Helping those with magic weapons attack. They can likewise Help against the Glabrezu or Bone Devil while meatshielding or even Shoving prone***, which may burn Glabrezu actions on dealing with them. Free HP is free HP.

*** I haven't done the math but my quick Monte Carlo sim (rolling it out ten times) saw at least one three rat swarms (Str 9) push the Str 20 Glabrezu prone 8 rounds out of 10. The most likely Counterplay is probably getting the Glabrezu to burn Power Word: Stun on the pipe-player because that takes all three swarms out of play AND whatever the piper is concentrating on. If somebody is ready with a Counterspell (especially if they have Bardic Inspiration or something) that may force the Glabrezu to try again with worse and worse counters each time, possibly including spending actual attacks on killing the rats.

The real question is "what's the opportunity cost for using your action?" and that depends upon the wielder's class. Druids, for example, tend to have valuable concentration but fairly crummy non-concentration actions. For them, Pipes of the Sewer is great. A Battlemaster Fighter on the other hand has no use for those pipes at all--he has no concentration and he'd rather use his action to attack.

[Unoriginal]

Why only weak enemies? The rats would still be relevant against a Stone Golem, Glabrezu, or Osyluth (Bone Devil). They can soak hits from the Stone Golem while Helping those with magic weapons attack. They can likewise Help against the Glabrezu or Bone Devil while meatshielding or even Shoving prone***, which may burn Glabrezu actions on dealing with them. Free HP is free HP.

Good points. Decent tactics keep them relevant.

[Amechra]

stealing electrical cords to wire up their lair under the rosebush with stolen electricity, and moving cinderblock houses for widowed mice in exchange for mouse assistance drugging ferocious farmcats.

Playable rats of NIMH when?

Back on topic, does your party have anyone who can cast Speak with Animals? Because if so, the pipe lets you call up a bunch of rats from the surrounding area to chat with. That's pretty good in an urban environment.

[MaxWilson]

Playable rats of NIMH when?

I'll let you play one right now. My opening bid:

Size: Tiny, Str capped at 5, +2 to Dex, +1 to Con, +1 to Int. Nimble Escape per Goblin stat block. Armor and equipment must be specially sized for you, at the full normal cost (less metal needed but more effort) but 10% of the normal weight.

Fair enough?

[5eNeedsDarksun]

Hey, 72 damage-resistant HP worth of free rats doing 6d6 per round, without a concentration cost, is 72 concentration-free HP! Whenever you're in a plague- or rat-infested area, you can cast a concentration spell (Conjure Animals is excellent if you're a Lore Bard or Druid), add on three rat swarms, and then kick down a door and fight some monsters. For a 5th level PC that's fairly powerful. Even later on it's worthwhile, especially since the rats don't vanish or anything if you stop playing the pipes in order to e.g. cast Wall of Force--they just revert to normal rat-like behavior, which presumably involves either fighting monsters trying to kill them or running away from monsters trying to kill them, plus eating lots of rotten garbage and stealing electrical cords to wire up their lair under the rosebush with stolen electricity, and moving cinderblock houses for widowed mice in exchange for mouse assistance drugging ferocious farmcats.

I wasn't thinking you could summon 3 swarms at once and use them all together. But if you could do that as well as some of the other ideas presented here it might be useful. Thanks all.

[TigerT20]

You could always run the "Pied Piper" scam with your artificial plague of rodents. Release them, round them back up for a fee and lead them into the river. Tell everyone they drowned because rats can't swim and hope there aren't any wildlife experts among the crowd.

Of course, it's not as good as when you have Educated Rodents but that would take a lot of castings of Awaken.

[Segev]

You could always run the "Pied Piper" scam with your artificial plague of rodents. Release them, round them back up for a fee and lead them into the river. Tell everyone they drowned because rats can't swim and hope there aren't any wildlife experts among the crowd.

Of course, it's not as good as when you have Educated Rodents but that would take a lot of castings of Awaken.

And some very dangerous beans.

Plus, you'd need a cat to manage the organization.

[MaxWilson]

I wasn't thinking you could summon 3 swarms at once and use them all together. But if you could do that as well as some of the other ideas presented here it might be useful. Thanks all.

Yep, this is intended.

"If you play the pipes as an action, you can use a bonus action to expend 1 to 3 charges, calling forth one Swarm of Rats (see the Monster Manual for statistics) with each expended charge, provided that enough rats are within half a mile of you to be called in this fashion (as determined by the DM)"

[J-H]

That's a perfect item to distract some guards during an infiltration mission.
I want this item now.

[Amechra]

I'll let you play one right now. My opening bid:

Size: Tiny, Str capped at 5, +2 to Dex, +1 to Con, +1 to Int. Nimble Escape per Goblin stat block. Armor and equipment must be specially sized for you, at the full normal cost (less metal needed but more effort) but 10% of the normal weight.

Fair enough?

The most adorable Bladesinger ever is a go.

[MaxWilson]

The most adorable Bladesinger ever is a go.

I'd love to see that in play, although I run SCAG so Bladesingers have to be elves.

Still, it is indeed an adorable concept. :) Note that you don't have Darkvision.