Warlock The Rat King
“When Morality's deformed,
And the city is torn,
Beware the storm,
Of the Rat King’s Swarm”
Poem of unknown origin
It is said in large communities, people are only ever 15ft from a Rat. When the Rat King is formed from the collective consciousness of hundreds of Rats, the Rat King sends it’s swarm across the world to collect information and secrets on the humanoids that live around them.
When a Rat King is formed in the world, their presence is often quickly discovered, however it is common knowledge that it is better having a Rat King collecting sensitive information rather than going on the offensive. If a Rat King turns to violence, most cities are unable to stop the wrath of it’s devastating swarm.
Warlocks that make deals with a Rat King find themselves in control of a small portion of the Rat King’s army. With this power, Warlocks of the Rat King can either become amazing spy masters, collecting secrets for their patron, or fearsome warriors, using their new army to lay waste to their enemies through pestilence and hungry swarms.
Expanded Spell List
The Rat King lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1 | Charm Person, Ray of Sickness |
| 2 | Animal Messenger, Pass WIthout Trace |
| 3 | Clairvoyance, Fear |
| 4 | Arcane Eye, Blight |
| 5 | Contagion, Scrying |
Leader Amongst the Swarm
Starting with level 1, your connection with rodents have become almost symbiotic. You gain the ability to understand and speak to rodents
Additionally you gain advantage on charisma checks against Rodents.
Duality of the Swarm
The gifts of the Rat King comes in two different forms. Warlocks of the Rat King either become powerful spy masters, using their swarm to collect the secrets of the world, or they become fearsome warriors, unleashing devastation on their enemies. At level 1 you chose either the path of Secrets or the path of Devastation.
Secrets - Spying Eyes
Your Rodent agents are able to follow a target undetected. Once per short rest you may mark a creature that you can see. Once a target is marked, the Rat will follow them for a total of 24 hours. During this time you know the location of the target.
The target will be followed for the whole 24 hours unless the Rat is discovered, the target uses a teleportation spell or if they use any vehicle that is faster than the Rat.
Additionally you gain proficiency in either Deception of Persuasion
Devastation - Fearsome Swarm
Your Swarm can cause fear in the heart of your enemies. Once per short rest you can force every creature of your choice within 15ft of you to make a wisdom saving throw (The DC is equal to your Spell Save DC) or be frightened of you. Those affected by this ability can re-roll the save at the end of each of their turns.
Additionally you gain proficiency in Intimidation.
Swarming Power
At level 6, You gain further power from the path of your choice. You must choose the same path as you chose at level 3.
Secrets - Rodent Insight
Your rodent network grants you insight into everyone around you. After talking to someone for 1 minute you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice:
- Armour class
- Charisma score
- Constitution score
- Intelligence score
- Total class level (if any)
Once you have done this to someone, you gain advantage on Deception, Insight and Persuasion rolls against the target.
Once you use this ability, you can't use the feature again until you finish a short rest.
Devastation - Pestilence Bringer
Your Swarm can spread devastating pestilence around you. As an action you can force every creature of your choice within 35ft of you to make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned and gain one level of exhaustion. The creatures that succeed on this save are poisoned until the end of their next turn.
The creatures that failed the save may re-roll it at the end of each of their turns. For each failed roll after the first, they take 3d6 poison damage. If they roll a natural 1 while making subsequent constitution saves against this ability, they gain an additional point of exhaustion.
Once you use this ability, you can't use the feature again until you finish a long rest.
Powerful Swarm
At level 10, you gain an additional ability on your chosen path, You must choose the same path as you chose at level 3 and 6.
Secrets - Eyes in Every Room
Your agents are everywhere. Once per long rest you may cast Scrying without using a spell slot or material components. While Scrying, instead of looking through an invisible sensor, you instead look through the many eyes of your rodent agents near them. If they are somewhere that rodents wouldn't reasonably be, the spell is instead cast as written.
If you use this ability on a target that is currently marked with your Spying Eyes ability, the target is unable to save against being observed.
Additionally, once per long rest, you are able to plant a swarm in a location. While your swarm is in this location, you are able to scry on that location once per short rest without using a spell slot or material components.
The swarm stays in the room until you place a new swarm in a different location or if they are discovered.
Devastation - Summon the Swarm
You can summon the swarm to surround and destroy your enemies. Once per short rest you can summon your swarm for a total of 1 minute in one of two ways:
Concentrated Swarms: You summon 5 Swarms of Rats (MM339) in unoccupied spaces within 40ft of you. These Swarms of Rats roll their initiatives and will spend their turns attacking nearby creatures that you don't consider allies. You may use your bonus action to command the swarms.
Surrounding Swarms: The swarm spreads out in a 40ft radius of you. For each creature you don't consider an ally, the radius is considered difficult terrain and they take 1d12 poison damage for every 5ft they move as the rats attack them as they walk past.
Unstoppable Swarm
From level 14, your mastery over the swarm allows you to altar the gifts of the Rat King. After each long rest, you are able to choose between the secrets and the Devastation path.
When you change between the paths, any long term abilities (such as Eyes in Every Room) remain but are unaccessible while in the other path.
Additional Eldritch Invocations
These Eldritch Invocations all require the Rat King Patron
Eldritch Pestilence
Your Eldritch Blast now deals poison damage
Royal Familair
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain.
You can adopt The Rat Prince as one of your Familiar forms
Rat Prince
Small Beast, Unaligned
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 8 (2d8)
- Speed 30ft
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3)
- Saving Throws saving_throws Constitution +3
- Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
- Senses Darkvision 60 Ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages Understands Common but cannot speak
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Keen Senses. The Rat Prince has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight, hearing, or smell.
Limited Telepathy. The Rat King can magically communicate simple ideas telepathically with any creature within 10 ft. of it that can understand a language.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon: +5, Reach 5ft., one target. Hit: (1d4+3 piercing damage)
Pestilence Pierce. Melee Weapon: +5, Reach 5ft., one target. Hit: (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. The target must succeed on a dc 11 constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target falls unconscious for the same duration, or until it takes damage or another creature uses an action to shake it awake