View Full Version : Swarmkeeper Ranger: What are your favorite Swarms?
Verble
2021-05-21, 07:57 PM
I find the Swarmkeeper ranger very flavorful. What are some of you're ideas for interesting swarms?
Kane0
2021-05-21, 08:13 PM
Rose petals and thorns
Nails and shrapnel
Playing cards
Feytouched dragonflies
Tiny myconoids
Emongnome777
2021-05-21, 08:40 PM
I fell in love with the miniature twig blights (one of the suggested ones from the subclass description) when I first read it. I pictured them like wooden praying manti (is that the plural of mantis?).
Verble
2021-05-23, 11:16 AM
With some minor reskinning this could be a class for the various elemental Genasi where their 'swarm' is their chosen element, kind of like elemental binders.
Then there's the Dhampir swarmkeeper who has a swarm of bats.
A common idea is a swarm of pixies, which could work nicely with the fey races UA released not too long ago.
Segev
2021-05-23, 11:20 AM
I am fond of fireflies. Bonus points if you can get the Light or Dancing Lights cantrips.
Amnestic
2021-05-23, 11:22 AM
Rats. Just lots and lots of rats.
quindraco
2021-05-23, 11:34 AM
Miniature ornithopter modrons.
RogueJK
2021-05-23, 12:09 PM
A common idea is a swarm of pixies, which could work nicely with the fey races UA released not too long ago.
Yep. There was a recent thread discussing a UA Fairy race Swarmkeeper with a swarm of Pixies plus the Knight background for 3 noncombat Sprite retainers.
The character was joking referred to as being just "a dozen fairies in a trenchcoat". :smallbiggrin:
sayaijin
2021-05-23, 01:16 PM
On one I used for a one-shot, it was a dragonborn ranger in a land that wasn't welcoming to dragonborn, so the swarm was a bunch of fairie dragons who would rest on him and use their camouflage ability to look like a cloak.
In combat, he would reveal himself in order to use his swarm.
stoutstien
2021-05-23, 02:46 PM
Pollen is a fun one.
Segev
2021-05-23, 02:49 PM
Pollen is a fun one.
Vile, cruel villain!
Aett_Thorn
2021-05-23, 03:06 PM
Tiny, eerily lifelike, flying voodoo dolls.
stoutstien
2021-05-23, 03:15 PM
Vile, cruel villain!
Hehe Yep. Sometimes the simple ways can be the most effective forms of being effective.
Rentirith
2021-05-23, 03:34 PM
For an underwater campaign I can think of a swarm of small lampreys or leeches, maybe piranha.
Naanomi
2021-05-23, 07:46 PM
Bees, living in your bee-beard, from your dwarf an her meadery
Dork_Forge
2021-05-23, 10:13 PM
Bees, easily.
My girlfriend played a Kobold BattleSmith/Swarmkeeper, she built a broom of flying into the Steel Defender and made it look like a bee (and functioned as a flying RV for her), using a honey dipper as her infused weapon and a swarm of bees to follow her into battle.
Pixel_Kitsune
2021-05-24, 12:01 AM
Sprites.
Was it this Forum that came up with the idea of playing basically a small Fae Court? (Faery from UA, Noble Background with the Retainer Subfeature for 3 non-combat fae attendants, Swarmkeeper 3 for the squad of pixie warriors (Swarm) and ChainLock 3 for a Sprite 2nd in command?)
Yakmala
2021-05-24, 03:06 AM
I've played two Swarmkeepers so far.
My first is a Goliath Ranger in a Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign who is constantly surrounded by his family of ermines. Cute and cuddly until a fight breaks out, then they turn into small white furry murder hobos.
My second is a variant human eccentric ornithologist that has dozens of small wicker nests tied to his armor that contain his colorful finch swarm.
BloodSnake'sCha
2021-05-24, 04:49 AM
Spiders, I recently played a dempir swarmkeeper, spiders fit great.
(He became a dampir as a ritual to become a spider hive in his druidic/rangers circle).
My next favourite is tiny fey, work great with the fey race.
Unoriginal
2021-05-24, 08:32 AM
Not sure which swarm, but If I played a Swarmkeeper my PC would def. be wearing a medieval beekeeper outfit:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/61/7b/e1617bd86a00b4c87c2e30e5f13ed53f.jpg
Temperjoke
2021-05-24, 09:59 AM
See for me, while I realize there are actual swarms of various creatures in game, the swarm controlled/summoned by the swarmkeeper always just feels like the swarm one of Naruto's characters controls:
https://pa1.narvii.com/6871/3a16a4394e47e8a18f75bd8a9ff5f079d5973771r1-427-240_hq.gif
To me, it's just some non-descript cloud of bugs.
Joe the Rat
2021-05-24, 11:06 AM
In not-so-serious form, I have been mulling a chicken swarm for a retired farmer-turned-adventurer.
Return of the Chicken Infested flaw!
On a more serious note, crows.
Theodoric
2021-05-24, 01:30 PM
Yeah, crows or ravens was my first idea after reading the class entry. Maybe magpies.
MadMusketeer
2021-05-24, 06:12 PM
I've been thinking of a Samurai-Kensei-Swarmkeeper multiclass (11/6/3) with sakura blossoms following their blade for the swarm. While by no means optimal, the combination isn't any more MAD than a straight Monk, so thought it might be fun.
jaappleton
2021-05-24, 06:28 PM
I heard of someone using a swarm of tiny raptors once.
I wish I were making that up, because that means I’m much more creative than I am.
I’m a big fan of bee swarms. I recall the legendary tale of the Beeforged, a Warforged with a beehive living in it and its personality had been indoctrinated into the hive. Cried honey. Many bee puns. So many you wouldn’t....
Bee-lieve it.
Segev
2021-05-24, 07:07 PM
Could use "leaves" as the swarm, and have them sometimes visually connected by vines. A plant-master, essentially, using swarmkeeper abilities for plant control.
Or a warforged ranger with a leaf swarm. He's determined to be a hero, but not very creative with names: "Leaf Man."
For a particularly creepy swarm: teeth.
Kane0
2021-05-24, 09:08 PM
For a particularly creepy swarm: teeth.
Nice.
10char.
Gecks
2021-05-24, 10:04 PM
I like the idea of stealing Orc Dave's schtick from the "Rat Queens" visual novels- color-coded spectral birds which live in my beard and come out based on the spell / ability used- blue birds of healing, red birds of wrath, grey birds of deception, etc.
https://i2.wp.com/aiptcomics.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/RQ9_dave.jpg?w=740&ssl=1
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.