UA Archetypes - Ranger - Primeval Guardian and Swarmkeeper
Duncehack Edition
So who are you?
Just some tosser with an over inflated sense of self importance.
Send verbal abuse via Minds.com
What is the Duncehack?
It emerged from a place of frustration. There's quite a number of areas where 5e could be improved but... it's not going to happen for various reasons.
The Duncehack is my attempt to fix these problems I have. Plan is to go through the whole game - all of it - and homebrew it into the game I think is should have been.
Feel free to disagree with me, but ultimately I think there's no harm in putting my thoughts out there, at the very least if even one DM decides to adopt these rules, then my job is done.
No DM Guild? No OGL Release?
I chafe under binding contracts and both of these are exactly that.
The DM Guild gives you more room to mess with established rules, but basically demands that all be under the service of flagship settings.
The SRD on the other hand gives more room for interesting settings but clamps down extremely hard on what established rules you're allowed to use. Their biggest contention is that they don't want someone to sell a sourcebook that removes the need for core books. Translation: they don't want Pathfinder to happen all over again.
More to the point, both assume money will change hands. I don't want money, I just want Wizards to fix their game.
Groundrules
Groundrules for the Duncehack are as follows:
No Nerfs: the goal is to bring weaker archetypes on the level of the stronger ones.
Remove Traps: incentives built into classes and archetypes should provide an active payoff, rather than be the suboptimal choice.
Frontload Agency, Backend Power: Generally speaking, people like having more options to do things, rather than more raw power. As a design rule: things that feel like core class features, or are defining class mechanics, should happen in the first ten levels, sheer numeric increases in power should come after that.
No money changed hands here
This is a passion project. I want to keep it that way.
I also want to avoid legal issues for self-evident reasons.
Obligatory Natural Crit Plug
Someone else made a thing that lets me make homebrews without having to post them on pastebin or something. They deserve a lot of credit for that.
Obligatory /tg/ Plug
The feedback I got from various Anons on this helped me build this into something that wasn't bad and stupid.
I love you all in a way only abused spouse can possibly understand.
No Images?
I originally wanted to, but I was encountering problems with the sheer size of these PDFs. I have to break these into parts to upload them anywhere as it is.
What is this?
An overhaul of the Ranger UA archetypes.
Primeval Guardian is dead, it was released with Horizon Walker and it didn't go anywhere.
Swarmkeeper might appear in an official book down the road, I'll keep a finger on that particular pulse, but I suspect it won't on account of the Class Options UAs changes to Beast Master.
Primeval Guardian
Rangers of the Primeval Guardian Conclave follow an ancient tradition rooted in powerful druidic magic. These rangers learn to become one with nature, allowing them to channel the aspects of various beasts and plants in order to overcome their foes.
These rangers dwell in the elder forests of the world. They venture out only rarely, as they consider it their sacred duty to protect the druidic groves and ancient trees that saw the earliest days of the world.
Guardian Magic
Starting at 3rd level, you learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Primeval Guardian Spells table.
The spells count as ranger spells for you, and they don't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Primeval Guardian Spells
| Ranger Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | entangle |
| 5th | enhance ability |
| 9th | conjure animals |
| 13th | giant insect |
| 17th | insect plague |
Guardian Soul
Starting at 3rd level, you gain the ability to temporarily grow and take on the appearance of a treelike person, covered with leaves and bark.
As a bonus action, you assume this guardian form, which lasts until you end it as a bonus action or until you are incapacitated. You undergo the following changes while in your guardian form:
- Your size category increases by one.
- Your speed is halved.
- Your reach increases by 5 feet.
- You gain a number of temporary hit points at the start of each of your turns. The number equals half your ranger level. When the form ends, you lose any temporary hit points you have from it.
- Your hit point maximum and current hit points increase by 2 per ranger level when you assume your guardian form. This increase lasts until you leave the form; your hit point maximum then returns to normal, but your current hit points remain the same, unless they must decrease to abide bu your hit point maximum.
- While you are in your guardian form, the ground within 30 feet of you is difficult terrain for your enemies.
You can use this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain usage of this feature after a long rest.
Piercing Thorns
At 3rd level, your command of primal magic allows you to enhance your attacks with thorns.
Once during each of your turns, you can deal an additional 1d6 piercing damage to one creature you hit with a weapon attack. This increases to 2d6 at 11th level.
Guardian Soul
Changed it from 'set to large size' to 'grow one size category', from 'speed is 5 feet' to 'speed is halved', and rolled the previous 7th and 11th level features into this one.
All of this is to balance out the fact I'm giving it a number of uses per rest, as the original UA didn't do that - it allowed you to perminantly be in the form if you so wished. My contention is that without a uses/rest mechanic, it becomes what everyone says Moon Druid is - an endless well of extra health (as you can shift out of the form when it's safe to do so, and shift back in for the extra health boost from the 2hp/ranger level.
Piercing Thorns
Gets 1d6 extra at 11th.
Rooted Defense
At 7th level, you can take root while in your Guardian form. You can spend an action to root in place gaining the following benefits:
- Your movement speed becomes 0, but you cannot be moved, knocked prone or teleported against your will.
- Your reach becomes 30 feet as your roots can make interactions for you.
- You are considered under the effects of the barkskin spell.
- You add your Wisdom Modifier to all saving throws, and if an effect would deal half damage to you on a successful save, you take no damage instead.
Once rooted, you must spend an action to uproot to regain movement speed.
When you assume the Guardian Form, you may choose to take root as part of that action.
Guardian Aura
Starting at 11th level, your guardian form emanates a magical aura that fortifies your injured allies. When any ally starts their turn within 30 feet of your guardian form, that ally regains a number of hit points equal to half your ranger level. This aura has no effect on a creature that has half or more of half of its hit points, and it has no effect on undead or constructs.
While rooted, you can spend your action to create a 5ft area three quarters cover, or spend your bonus action to create a 5ft area of half cover, within 30 feet of you. You can only have up to your Wisdom Modifier (minimum one) areas of cover at a time. While rooted and a creature within 30 feet of you suffers a weapon attack, you can spend your reaction to impose disadvantage on that weapon attack.
Ancient Fortitude
At 15th level, you regain usage of your Guardian Soul feature on a short or a long rest.
Soul of the Forest
At 20th level, whenever you would be reduced to 0hp while in your Guardian Form, your form ends and you are reduced to 1 + Your Wisdom Modifier (minimum 1) hp instead. You also gain temporary hit points equal to the damage roll that would have reduced you to 0hp
You can spend your reaction to use this feature on a creature within 30 feet of you when they would be reduced to 0hp. You Guardian Form still ends when using it this way.
Your longevity also increases. For every 5 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
Rooted Defense
Kept the name, but the old feature was the difficult terrain part.
The idea here is to keep the tradeoff between mobility and defense that the original tried to accomplish, but in a way that doesn't directly modify HP values.
Guardian Aura
Added the cover thing to give Rooted Defense some love, but the rest of it is unchanged, other than it was moved down here from 15th level.
Ancient Fortitude
This was the name of the 2hp/ranger level thing. Doing a quicker recharge on this level, given that the guardian form is quite strong.
Soul of the Forest
Wanted a really strong, defensive capstone to round it off. The ability to simply say 'no' to something trying to kill you seemed appropriate.
Swarmkeeper
Feeling a deep connection to the world around them, some rangers reach out through their magical connection to nature and gather a host of fey spirits, which take the form of swarming beasts—be they buzzing insects, fluttering birds, slippery squids, or otherwise. The swarm becomes a potent force in battle, as well as helpful—if potentially disturbing—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.
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 swarming nature spirits. You also learn an additional spell when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown in the Swarmkeeper Spells table. These spells count as ranger spells for you, but don't count against the number of ranger spells you know.
Swarmkeeper Spells
| Ranger Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | faerie fire |
| 5th | web |
| 9th | gaseous form |
| 13th | giant insect |
| 17th | insect plague |
Gathered Swarm
You magically attract a swarm of fey spirits that look like Tiny beasts of your choice. The swarm remains in your space, crawling on you or through your clothing, or flying and skittering immediately around you within your space.
As a bonus action, you can agitate the swarm for 1 minute. For the duration, some of the swarm clings to your weapons or follows your strikes when you attack: once during each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can deal an extra 1d6 force damage to that creature, and the swarm moves the creature up to 5 feet in a direction of your choice. At 11th level, the extra damage increases to 2d6.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Writhing Tide
You can condense part of your swarm into a focused mass that lifts or sweeps you along. Whenever you activate your Gathered Swarm feature, choose one of the following additional benefits:
- Your walking speed increases by 10 feet, and you can take the Disengage action as a bonus action.
- You gain a climb speed equal to your walking speed. You can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without making an ability check.
- You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed. You can hold you breath for an additional number of minutes equal to your Wisdom modifier.
- You gain a flying speed of 10 feet and can hover.
- Your swarm glows, providing 5 feet of bright light, and 5 feet of dim light. When you strike a creature with a weapon attack while your swarm is active, you leave behind some of your swarm, illunimating your target. During this time your mage hand provides this light.
You can have an additional benefit active at a time at 7th level, 11th, 15th and 20th levels.
You can spend an action to activate one of these features without spending your Gathered Swarm uses. You must maintain concentration on the feature (i.e. like you would a concentration spell), and the benefit lasts for up to one minute.
Heart of the Swarm
At 7th level, you gain enough control of your swarm that you can impart their benefits to other creatures. A number of creatures of your choice equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one) also gain your chosen additional benefits of your Writhing Tide feature while your Gathered Swarm is active. You can use your reaction to give resistance to a weapon attack made against one of these creatures.
You can have your swarm apply a Poultice for you, freeing your attention and enabling you to use them during combat. You can use your mage hand to start this application. When you spend a Poultice this way, the swarm applies 1d6 points of healing at the end beginning of the target creature's turn, until the entire poultice's pool of d6s is spent.
Gathered Swarm
Gave the ability to use multiple benefits simultaneously as you get deeper into the class because, with the exception of the walking speed/disengage action option, all the options are situational.
Writhing Tide
Gave it the swim speed and glow lines. The former, to match the climb speed, the latter because for some reason when I imagine this archetype, I imagine it actually glowing. The Concentration line pretty much exists to allow non-combat uses of the feature. While technically you can use it in combat (as there's literally nothing preventing it), concentration in Rangers is crowded as is, and as such I'm not that fussed about any potential 'abuse cases'. What are you going to abuse? the stuff you want to access are going to be on your Gathered Swarm uses anyway.
Heart of the Swarm
Because the swarm as a support mechanic is actually pretty low hanging fruit all things considered.
Scuttling Eyes
At 7th level, As an action, you can magically form one of the spirits of your swarm into the shape of a Tiny beast of your choice. The transformation lasts for 1 hour, at which point the spirit disappears. For the duration, the spirit has a speed of 40 feet, which it can use to walk, climb, fly, or swim. The spirit has your senses and telepathically relays what it sees and hears to you. During your turn, you can speak through the spirit, telepathically command it to move, and it can Hide using your bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks. The spirit has AC 18. If it takes damage, you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC equal to 10, or half the damage dealt, whichever is higher) or the spirit disappears.
As an action, you can dismiss the spirit early. If you do, you can magically teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of where the spirit disappeared.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Storm of Minions
At 11th level, Your swarm can expel a seething storm of spirits that drains life from others. As an action, you create a magical sphere filled with an enraged swarm centered on a point you can see within 120 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. A creature other than you that starts its turn in the sphere's area must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d8 necrotic damage and is blinded 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 1d8 + Your Wisdom Modifier hit points. You may apply this instead to a creature benefitting from your Heart of the Swarm feature. 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.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or a long rest.
Endless Swarm
At 15th level, you regain the use of your Gathered Swarm feature on a short or a long rest.
Singular Purpose
At 20th level, the damage bonus from your Gathered Swarm applies to all weapon attacks you make.
All creatures benefitting from your Heart of the Swarm feature gain 2d6 force damage on one weapon attack during their turn.
Scuttling Eyes and Storm of Minions
Moved them both to an earlier level mostly because 'frontload agency' and that aside from the healing, Storm of Minions isn't particularly strong. Let it scale its damage up as the class goes deeper and gave it a slight boost to its healing based on Wis mod. Let them function on short or a long rest because the 'refresh when finishing a spell slot', while an interesting way of handling things, doesn't really sit well here on a half-caster who's more focused on the martial side of their class in my mind.
Endless Swarm
Swarm refreshing on short rest and more Scuttling Eyes. Given how strong the swarm is, and that you do get quite a number of uses up till here, figured 'late' on the short rest change was a good idea.
Singular Purpose
Straightforward and unambiguous power to top it all off.