Ratcatcher alpha

Description

“And out of the houses the rats came tumbling.”

— — Robert Browning, The Pied Piper of Hamelin

You are a vermin wrangler who turns the overlooked critters scurrying in the shadows into spies, workers, obstacles, and infestations. Whether controlling one to scout ahead, directing a swarm to overwhelm their enemy, or manipulating the environment, the Ratcatcher excels at leveraging small creatures to their advantage.

Examples of Ratcatchers from pop culture and folklore

  • Willard Stiles (Willard)
  • Ratcatcher / Ratcatcher 2 (DC Comics)
  • Taylor Hebert as Chitter/Scurry (Worm by John McCrae)
  • Pied Piper (folklore)
  • Ant-Man (Marvel)
  • Squirrel Girl (Marvel)
  • Rat-king (folklore)
  • Spider / Boss Man, the Rat King (The Amazing Maurice)
  • Witch Queen (Black Clover)

Challenge Level: Low

Class by David Torres

Edition: Advent v2

Public: Yes

Owner: detour

Signature Gear

Base Gear

Vermin Handlers

Base

A pair of sturdy leather gloves.

Durability Boost
Mid
  • Allows safe handling of diseased, venomous, or poisonous creatures.
  • Touch a contaminated surface to make a Query about how it might be counteracted.

Frock Coat

Base

A long, light coat that has a multitude of interior pockets.

Soiling Ward
High
Durability Boost
Low
  • Grants the user an aura of cleanliness.
  • May conceal an implausibly large number of vermin within.
    • Dramatically open the coat to release the vermin contained in a torrent.

Piper’s Flute

Base

A simple wooden flute.

  • While playing the flute, you may compel small animals and children to follow you.
    • Followers can be compelled to perform simple, non-harmful tasks.

Elective Gear

Mischief

Elective

A collection of about a dozen rats.

  • Follows you and clambers about your body.
  • Can respond to basic commands.

Skitter

Elective

A collection of about a dozen tarantulas.

  • Secretes a weak venom.
  • Follows you but prefers to hide in dark corners whenever possible.
  • Can be commanded to attack but cannot easily discern allies from enemies.

Business

Elective

A swarm of flies that buzzes around you.

  • Drawn to spoilage, decay, and contaminated areas.
  • Unless shooed away, will consume nearby decaying organic material.
    • Prolonged feeding causes the swarm to swell dramatically.

Abilities

Creepy Crawlies

Nearby vermin respond to your simple commands with uncanny efficiency.

Essence Cost
Low
Range
Low
Duration
Low
Cooldown
Low

Paired Action: Coax and cajole nearby vermin, “Hello my little friends, help me and I’ll give you a nice treat.”

  • May target any vermin within range.
  • The creatures targeted will work in synchrony with each other to obey your commands.

Critter Bond

You link your mind with a single vermin and assign it a task.

Essence Cost
Mid
Duration
Mid

Paired Action: Pick up a single vermin and caress it, look directly into its eyes while whispering the special job you’re giving to it.

  • While linked, the chosen vermin will complete its task with the intelligence of an average human. It is capable of following complex commands and acting autonomously to achieve its goal.
  • Close your eyes to see and hear through it and receive a status update.

Out of the Woodwork

Call all the vermin in the area out of hiding and send the swarm surging toward a target or area.

Essence Cost
High
Range
Mid
Cooldown
Mid
Delay
Low

Paired Action: A loud rallying signal, followed by a sharp command, e.g. Banging on a pot while shouting, “Come out! Come out my friends! Tear it up! Tear it all up!”.

  • An impossibly large number of vermin emerge from hiding spaces in range.
  • Vermin will overrun, devour, and foul anything in their path.