The Bat Catchers

The Bat Catchers of Barovia are an intriguing, often misunderstood group. With bats seen as a
sign of Strahd's reign, the Bat Catchers play a vital role in maintaining a delicate balance within
the region. Bats, while considered a pest by many, are also a critical resource, providing much-
needed sustenance in the form of meat, and their guano being used as an effective fertilizer.

The Bat Catchers, through their tireless efforts, have honed their skills to an art form. They
possess a unique understanding of the bats' behaviors, utilizing specialized equipment and
methods to capture, utilize, or eliminate these creatures, depending on the necessity.

Many Bat Catchers are often seen wearing thick leather armors and helmets adorned with motifs
and symbolism linked to bats. It is a common tradition for each Bat Catcher to carry a bat-
themed talisman, which they believe offers protection against Strahd's influence.

These individuals are often viewed with a mixture of respect and wariness. They play an essential
role in managing the bat population and utilizing their by-products, but their close relationship
with creatures seen as a sign of Strahd's control over the land often leads to suspicion and fear.

The Bat Catchers' knowledge extends beyond just catching bats. They have developed means to
communicate with and control these creatures, using them for reconnaissance, distraction, or
even attack when necessary.

Archetype: Bat Catcher

At 1st level:

Bat Catcher Talents

You gain proficiency in Survival and Animal Handling, as well as in thrown weapons, reflecting
your knowledge of bats and their behavior.

You also receive a bat catcher’s kit, which includes protective gear, a specialized bat whistle,
treatments for common bat-borne diseases, and 5 special nets, which you've adapted to use in
catching bats (Stats Found in Appendix a).

You have an uncanny ability to understand bats and creatures of their ilk. You may communicate
with Bats, Rats and other similar pests in the following ways:

– They animals understand your speech and mannerisms.

– You can decipher beasts’ noises and motions to understand what they are conveying.
Your affinity with the bat extends to one that you have developed a close bond with. You receive
a bat familiar (Stats found appendix b.)

At 3rd Level:

Night Stalker

At 3rd level, you have adapted to the bats' nocturnal lifestyle. You gain darkvision up to 60 feet.
If you already have darkvision, its range increases by 30 feet. You also become proficient in the
Perception skill and gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.

Pest’s Resilience

Your constant exposure to bats and their diseases has built up your immunity. You gain
resistance to poison damage, and you have advantage on saving throws against diseases.

At 6th level:

Echolocation Mastery

Your understanding of bats enables you to use their echolocation technique. You can emit a
high-frequency sound, inaudible to most creatures, and interpret the echoes of these sounds to
locate objects and creatures around you. As long as you can hear, you gain blindsight up to a
range of 20 feet.

Swarm of Black

As an action, you gain the ability to summon a Bat Swarm (Statblock in Appendix c) to aid you in
combat or perform other tasks. The Bat Swarm follows your commands and acts on your
initiative in combat. The swarm lasts for an hour, until dropped to 0 hp, or until dismissed. Once
this ability is used, it cannot be used until the next dawn.

At 9th Level:

Master of Bats

Your bond with bats allows you to control more bats or even larger, stronger bat creatures. You
can now summon two Bat Swarms per use of your Swarm of Black ability. You additionally gain
the Dominate Beast (Pest) bility (Appendix d). Your Saving Throw dc for this ability is 8 + Wis
Mod + prof. Bonus). Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Appendix a: Bat Net

Weapon (martial, ranged), uncommon

This handheld device, when thrown, releases a net made of several thin, weighted cords that can
ensnare a target. Alternatively, it can be spread across a gap to create a trap for any creature
that moves or flies through. Skilled users can even catch flying creatures out of the air with a
well-placed throw.

● Martial Ranged Weapon

● Damage: 1d4 bludgeoning
● Weight: 2 lbs. for 5 nets
● Properties: Thrown (range 20/60), Special

Special: A Large or smaller creature hit by a Bat Catcher Net is Restrained until it is freed. A Bat
Catcher Net has no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are Huge or larger.

A creature can use its action to make a DC 12 Strength check to free itself or another creature
within its reach, ending the Restrained condition on a success.

Dealing 10 slashing damage to the net (AC 12) also frees the creature without harming it and
destroys the net.

Trap Setting:

With 1 minute of setup, the Bat Catcher Net can be stretched across a gap up to 10 feet wide.
The next creature to move through the covered area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw
or become restrained by the net. An observant creature may notice the net with a successful DC
15 Wisdom (Perception) check and avoid triggering it.

The Bat Catcher's Net has an extra weight and strength due to its special design for capturing
bats, allowing it to deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. The net is made from
heavy, durable fibers, causing it to have an increased AC of 12. When a creature restrained by the
net takes any damage, the net takes the same amount of damage.

The net is also designed with a darker coloration, aiding the user in stealth when using the net in
darker environments.
This weapon requires a special training to use effectively. Characters proficient with martial
weapons are proficient with the Bat Catcher's Net.

Appendix b: Bat Companion

● Small beast, unaligned

● Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
● Hit Points 7 (2d6)
● Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR 6 (-2) DEX 15 (+2) CON 10 (+0) INT 2 (-4) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 4 (-3)
● Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +4
● Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 14
● Languages — Understands the language spoken by its master.
● Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Keen Hearing: The bat has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.

Echolocation: The bat can't use its blindsight while deafened.

Flyby: The bat doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Actions

● Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage.

Companion's Bond: Your bat companion gains a variety of benefits while it is linked to you:

● The bat loses its Multiattack action, if it has one.

● The bat obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature
but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or
absent, your companion acts on its own.

● Your bat has abilities and game statistics determined in part by your level. Your companion
uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own. In addition to the areas where it normally
uses its proficiency bonus, a bat companion also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and
to its damage rolls.

● Your bat companion gains proficiency in two skills of your choice. It also becomes
proficient with all saving throws.
 ● For each level you gain after 3rd, your bat companion gains an additional hit die and
increases its hit points accordingly.

● Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your companion's abilities
also improve. Your companion can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can
increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your companion can't increase
an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.

● Your companion shares your alignment, and has a personality trait and a flaw that you can
roll for or select from the tables in the Player’s Handbook.

● Your bat companion shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after
yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is
the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take
another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. You can also
sacrifice one of your attacks when you take the Attack action to command the beast to
take the Attack action.

● If you are incapacitated or absent, the beast acts on its own, focusing on protecting you
and itself. It never requires your command to use its reaction, such as when making an
opportunity attack.

● While travelling through your favoured terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily
at a normal pace.

● If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours bonding with a
beast that isn’t hostile to you and that meets the requirements.

Appendix c: Bat Swarm

Large swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned

Armor Class: 12
Hit Points: 35 (10d10)
Speed: 0 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR: 6 (-2)
DEX: 14 (+2)
CON: 10 (+0)
INT: 2 (-4)
WIS: 10 (+0)
CHA: 4 (-3)

Skills: Perception +2
Damage Resistance: Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained,
Stunned
Senses: blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages: Understands the languages of its creator but can't speak
Challenge: 1 (200 XP)

Traits:

Swarm: The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can
move through any opening large enough for a Tiny bat. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points.

Bat Interference: Any enemy creature that starts its turn within the space of the bat swarm or
moves into it for the first time on a turn has its vision heavily obscured, causing attacks against
them to have advantage.

Flight: The bat swarm has a flying speed of 30 feet.

Actions:

Bites: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm’s space. Hit: 7
(2d6) piercing damage, or 3 (1d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or
fewer.

Distraction: The bat swarm can use its action to create a distraction. Each creature within 5 feet
of the swarm must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on the next
attack roll it makes before the start of your next turn.

Object Carry: The bat swarm can perform simple tasks or carry small objects (up to a combined
weight of 5 pounds) at your command.

Disperse (Recharge 5-6): As a bonus action, you can command the bat swarm to disperse,
effectively making them invisible and invulnerable. They can't take any actions in this state, but
they can move up to their movement speed. They will re-form at the start of your next turn or
upon command.
Appendix d: Dominate Beast (Pest)

Activation Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet
Target: A beast that you can see within range
Components: Vocal, Physical Presence
Duration: Up to 1 hour

You attempt to assert your dominance over a beast (pest) that you can see within range. It must
succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for the duration. If you or creatures
that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw.

While the beast is under your influence, you have a deep empathetic bond with it. You can use
this bond to issue commands to the creature while you are conscious (no action required), which
it does its best to obey.

You can specify a simple and general course of action, such as “Attack that creature,” “Run over
there,” or “Fetch that object.” If the creature completes the order and doesn’t receive further
direction from you, it defends and preserves itself to the best of its ability.

You can use your action to exert a greater level of control over the beast. Until the end of your
next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn’t do anything that you don’t
allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this
requires you to use your own reaction as well.

Each time the beast takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against your influence.
If the saving throw succeeds, your control over the beast ends.