Quick Build

You can make a keeper quickly following these suggestions. First, make Charisma your highest ability score, followed by Constitution unless you plan to seal the Covenant of Strife—in which case, make Strength or Dexterity your next-highest ability score. Second, choose the hermit or sage background. Third, choose the elemental blessing, guidance, and frostbite cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells cure wounds, detect evil and good, and Tasha's hideous laughter.

Strange Company

However ordinary a keeper's companion may seem, they are fundamentally a different type of being. Many have quirks and habits alien to mortals, and fail to grasp what might seem like simple concepts, such as the passage of time.

Have your companion's quirks ever gotten you in a bind? Are they harmless, even funny, or more sinister than that? Do they try to adapt to common convention, or have you adapted to them? At your option, you can roll on the Strangeness table to inform your companion's habits.

Relationship

Each keeper has a different relationship with their bound companion. Some are like an owner and a pet, and some are more equal, but all are unique. Equally, a keeper's bond with their companion can change as time advances. A companion that was once rebellious might become more peaceful, while a cruel, domineering keeper might learn to treat their partner with more trust and kindness than before.

Do you resent the relationship you and your companion have, or cherish it? Do you take it for granted? Was it always this way, or has it shifted? At your option, you can roll on the Relationship table to inform the relationship you have.

Relationship

d6	Relationship
///1///	You and your companion love and trust each other more than anyone else in the world.
2	Your companion is a tool. Not good, not bad, just a tool. It'd be silly to treat it as more than that.
3	For so long as you and your companion obey the terms you agreed on, you're both content.
4	Your companion is a monster. You've transformed it into a weapon against its kind.
5	Secretly, you're afraid of your companion. It obeys your commands, but for how long?
6	Your companion holds the power, not you, and it forces you to follow certain demands.

New Spells

The Keeper introduces several new spell options. Spells marked with ^KS can be found at the end of the document.

Your Companion

A keeper's companion is an intelligent creature, potentially able to speak and give its opinion. Some players might find the addition of another creature distracting. As you create your companion, discuss several things with your DM and fellow players:

• Will your companion speak in social scenes? If so, who will play them?
• How independent is your companion?
• Will possible conversation or conflict with your companion detract from anyone's enjoyment?

You might decide that your companion can't speak and always follows your commands, or even the exact opposite. More important than anything is that everyone playing is enjoying themselves, so be sure to be clear and open.

Bound Companion

You have performed an occult ritual with a spirit, binding the pair of you together. Using your action, you can summon your bound companion in an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet of you, or cause it to vanish again. It is friendly to you and your companions, obeys your commands, and it uses the Bound Companion stat block, modified in the following ways:

• It uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places.
• You choose your companion's creature type, which can be any type except humanoid.
• You choose if your companion is Small, Medium, or Large.
• You choose your companion's damage type, which can be any type. This choice determines the damage of its Strike, and affects other Keeper features you gain.

You also determine your companion's appearance and its personality, and whether or not your companion can speak; your choice has no effect on its game statistics. In addition, choose an aspect from the list of Companion Aspects.

In combat, your companion acts during your turn. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes is the Dodge action, unless you use 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. If you are incapacitated, it can take any action of its choice.

When your companion dies, it vanishes, and you can't summon it until you finish a short or long rest, at which point it reappears at your side with all its hit points. By spending 1 minute performing a healing ritual and expending a spell slot of 1st level or higher, you can touch your companion, causing it to regain all lost hit points. Your companion also regains all lost hit points during a short rest.

Companion Aspects

Your companion's aspect determines its general shape, traits, and strengths. Each aspect represents many different forms—for example, the Hurling aspect could represent an archer, an acid-spitting ooze, or even a stone-hurling golem.

Swimming

This aspect can represent anything aquatic and ensnaring, such as an octopus, toad, kelpie, or grindylow.

Amphibious. Your companion can breathe air and water, and has a swimming speed of 40 feet.

Grasping. When your companion hits a creature with its Strike, it can try to grapple the target as a bonus action. It has advantage on attack rolls against creatures grappled by it.

Warding

This aspect can represent anything sturdy or tenacious, such as a tortoise, bear, or zombie, or a suit of animated armour.

Defend. When a creature within 5 feet of your companion is hit by an attack and your companion can see the attacker, it can defend the target using its reaction. The target takes half the attack's damage, and your companion takes the rest.

Tough. Your companion's hit point maximum is 2 higher, increasing by 2 again whenever you gain a level in this class.

Spellcasting

You've earned the attention of the world around you, and established yourself as a force of change. See Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting and the end of this document for the Keeper spell list.

Ritual Casting

You can cast any keeper spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

Mix and Match

The aspects above represent many forms that your companion could take, but not all of them. If you're having trouble creating your ideal companion using the options available, your DM might let you create a new aspect by choosing two traits from different aspects and assigning them to your companion.

For example, you could combine the Stinging aspect's Toxic Strike with the Swimming aspect's Amphibious to represent a deadly jellyfish.

A new aspect should be no more powerful than the aspects described above. The DM has final say on which traits you can combine (if any). Exercise caution—combining some traits, such as Ranged and Winged or a pair of two traits that affect your companion's attacks can unbalance the game.

Well of Power

Beginning at 2nd level, you can touch your companion and spend 1 minute drawing power from it to recover expended spell slots, which can have a combined level no greater than half your keeper level (rounded up). None of the slots can be 6th level or higher.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Spirit Covenant

At 3rd level, you establish the bond between you and your companion, and the gate you form between the mortal world and the spiritual world. Choose the Covenant of Chains, the Covenant of Strife, or the Covenant of Unity.

Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again 6th, 10th, and 15th level. Those features include covenant spells.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Living Bond

Starting at 5th level, the damage of your companion's Strike increases, as shown in the Bound Companion stat block. The damage increases again at 11th level and at 17th level.

Additionally, your companion's attacks count as magical
for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Spirit Gate

Starting at 7th level, you can use a bonus action while
your companion is within 120 feet of you to teleport it to
the nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of you, or to teleport to the nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of
it. Alternatively, you both teleport, swapping places.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to
your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses
when you finish a long rest.

Battlesworn

Beginning at 11th level, when your companion's Strike
misses, you can reroll the attack if you can see the target.
You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.

Witch Gate

By 14th level, your companion is a gate to a world of magic, and you are the key. You gain one 5th-level keeper spell slot, in addition to the spell slots on the Keeper table.

  At higher levels, you gain additional keeper spell slots: one 6th level spell slot at 17th level, and one 7th level spell slot at 20th level. You regain all of your expended keeper spell slots when you finish a long rest.

Lifebound

Beginning at 18th level, you and your companion are forever linked, and you can draw on that bond to heal either yourself or your companion, staving off even fatal injuries.

Once you this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Companion. When your companion is reduced to 0 hit points, you can cause it to regain a number of hit points equal to half its hit point maximum if you can see it. Alternatively, if your companion is dead, you can use your action to return it to life with half its hit points. If you do, you can summon it in an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet of you.

Keeper. When you're reduced to 0 hit points while your companion can see you, you can instead regain a number of hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. Alternatively, if you have 0 hit points, your companion can use its action to touch you, causing you to regain a number of hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. When it does, you can stand up if you were prone.

World Gate

At 20th level, you are a key to the world of the living, and your companion is the gate. If your companion finishes a long rest and you're dead, you reform at its side with all your hit points, and your original body fades away, leaving your equipment on the ground. You can reform as a younger version of yourself, if you wish.

6

Spirit Covenants

Each covenant defines the relationship between keeper and companion. Two of the covenants below are among the most ancient covenants sealed by keepers since time immemorial, while the third—the covenant of Unity—is a newer creation, a part of an attempt to foster better understanding with spirits.

Keepers are rarely united by sharing the same covenant with another keeper. Though sealing such a deep bond with their companion can make a keeper more empathetic, it can just as easily make them suspicious of those they lack such a tie with. When keepers of different covenants meet, however, mutual curiosity and bargaining can delay any competition.

Keeper Spell List

The following spells are presented in alphabetical order.

Spell: Blade Step

The spell blade step is among the covenant spells for the Covenant of Strife.

Blade Step

2nd-level transmutation

---

• Classes: Ranger, Warlock, Wizard
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self (30-foot line)
• Components: S, M (a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp)
• Duration: Instantaneous

---

You dash with impossible speed in line up to 30 feet long in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d10 damage or half as much damage on a successful one. The damage type is the same as the weapon used in the casting.

You end this movement the nearest unoccupied space at the end of the line. If you end it in the air, you fall if nothing is holding you aloft.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the length of the line increases by 30 feet and the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 2nd.

Elemental Blessing

Conjuration cantrip

• Classes: Druid, Keeper
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 round

You beckon elemental spirits to infuse a creature. Choose an area of air, earth, fire, or water, and a willing creature you can see within range. Spirits kin to the area you choose infuse the target creature. For example, flame spirits could erupt from a torch, and water spirits could emerge from a waterskin.

The next time the infused target hits with an attack before your next turn, the attack deals an extra 1d8 damage to the target. The damage type is bludgeoning (earth), cold (water), fire (fire), or lightning (air).

The spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Shamanic Command

Transmutation cantrip

• Classes: Keeper
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V
• Duration: Instantaneous

Choose a summoned creature within range that obeys your commands, such as a spirit summoned by the summon beast spell. If the target can hear you, it can Attack (one attack only), Hide, or move up to its speed using its reaction.

Practitioner's Rites

1st-level conjuration (ritual)

• Classes: Keeper
• Casting Time: 10 minutes
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (Chalk and a handful of edible food, which the spell consumes)
• Duration: Instantaneous

You entreat a boon from nearby spirits. When you cast the spell, choose one of the following rites, the target of which must be within 10 feet of you throughout the casting.

Elegy. You speak the name of a dead creature, and imbue
an object or creature precious to it in life, such as a treasured belonging or a loved one, with sweet nostalgia. If the creature became an undead with unfinished business, such as a ghost or poltergeist, and is within 1 mile of you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or spend its turns moving as close to the target as it can for 1 hour or until it takes damage.

Fertility. A willing creature you touch is imbued with life. Any attempts the affected creature makes to conceive a child within the next 24 hours become successful. If the creature is pregnant, the pregnancy can't fail for the next month, and any disease affecting the creature will not harm their offspring.

Sanctuary. A nonmagical, unintelligent animal—including most beasts and some monstrosities (at the DM's discretion)—is shepherded by gentle spirits. Until the target finds a safe habitat, it is led to the nearest sources of food, water, and any place it can rest, and away from hunters and trappers.

Warding. A building is protected by spirits until you leave or you fall unconscious. As part of casting the spell, you touch a number of thresholds, such as doors or windows. While the protection lasts, each threshold has resistance to all damage. A celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead attempting to enter must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it can't can't willingly enter the building this turn.

Spirit Dive

1st-level conjuration

• Classes: Keeper, Warlock, Wizard
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

You briefly empower a summoned creature within range that obeys your commands, such as a spirit summoned by the find familiar spell. If it can hear you, the target can use its reaction to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.

Each creature other than the target within 10 feet of the space it appears in must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 force damage.

Bind Implement

2nd-level transmutation (ritual)

• Classes: Keeper
• Casting Time: 24 hours
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S, M (herbs and incense worth at least
  100 gp, which the spell consumes, and an item small and light enough for you to carry in one or both hands)
• Duration: Instantaneous

This ancient ritual was taught to the first keepers, and binds you to an item. A spellcaster's implement says a lot about the persona they project to the world; a spellcaster who makes a weapon their implement is always ready for violence, while a standard suggests devotion to a cause or movement.

You can use your bound implement as a spellcasting focus for spells you cast, and if you finish a short or long rest and it isn't on your person, you can have it reappear in your hands.

You can't have more than one implement bonded by this spell at a time. Your bond with the implement is broken if you die, if it's destroyed, or if you cast this spell again.

While on your person, your implement gives you additional benefits based on the type of object it is:

Arm. If your implement is a weapon, staff, chain, or similar object, you can't be disarmed of it while you're conscious.

Icon. If your implement is a talisman, emblem, ring, or similar object, you can use it as a spellcasting focus without holding it in hand as long as you wear it visibly.

Tool. If your implement is a tool you're proficient with, your proficiency bonus is doubled for checks you make with it.

Trinket. If your implement is a personal treasure, skull, coin, lamp, or similar, you stablise if you start your turn dying.

Vessel. If your implement is a chalice, chest, goblet, or similar, you gain temporary hit points when you finish a short or long rest equal to your spellcasting ability modifier.

Other. At the DM's option, an implement not listed above might give you an alternative benefit, but it should be no more powerful than those described above.

Guise

2nd-level transmutation (ritual)

• Classes: Druid, Keeper, Warlock, Wizard
• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 8 hours

You touch a Large or smaller willing creature and grant it the guise of a Small or smaller beast you choose for the duration. This spell has no effect on humanoids or beasts.

Any equipment the creature has is absorbed or borne by its new form (its choice). While disguised, the creature's size and speed are replaced by its new form's. The creature's statistics are otherwise unchanged. This new appearance resembles its true self in some way. For example, a unicorn could become a horse, and a dragon could take the form of a small lizard.

The spell ends early if the creature uses its action to end it. It also ends early if the creature attacks, casts a spell, or uses a magical ability, or if you use an action to dismiss it.

Spirit Flood

3rd-level evocation

• Classes: Druid, Keeper
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self (5-foot radius)
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

Whirling spirits surround you, lashing out at your enemies. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes 3d12 force damage on a failure, or half as much on a success.

As part of casting the spell, you can cause the spirits to surround a summoned creature you can see within 60 feet of you that obeys your commands. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of the target must also make a saving throw against the spell. A creature in both areas is only affected by the spell once.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 4th.

Vengeful Spirits

4th-level evocation

• Classes: Keeper
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a dead creature's beloved possession)
• Duration: Instantaneous

Vengeful spirits briefly inhabit up to five other creatures you can see within range. Each of the targets can use its reaction to Attack (one weapon attack only), Cast a Spell (cantrip only), or move up to its speed. Each creature that attacks or targets another creature with a harmful spell must target the nearest hostile creature that they can see with the attack or spell.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the vengeful spirits can inhabit one additional creature for each slot level above 4th.