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In Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, the Swarmkeeper Ranger's "Gathered Swarm" feature states the following (emphasis added):

A swarm of intangible nature spirits has bonded itself to you and can assist you in battle. Until you die, the swarm remains in your space [...].

In a recent encounter, my Swarmkeeper just died but was resurrected by the party's Cleric. Because they've died, does this mean that the swarm is lost to them forever?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Andre, the errata should probably be submitted as an answer, not as part of the question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Purple Monkey
    Commented Dec 14, 2021 at 0:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ @PurpleMonkey I think it's important for this note to be included, as it's now relevant to the question. An alternative would be to include something like "the original text" in the first sentence, but as it stands this question is now somewhat misleading. \$\endgroup\$
    – Andrendire
    Commented Dec 14, 2021 at 0:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ Which is why an answer stating "the text has been updated to say ..." should be submitted. We frequently have questions that are clarified by errata or in a later-published book and a simple answer stating that fact is sufficient. \$\endgroup\$
    – Purple Monkey
    Commented Dec 14, 2021 at 0:38

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The book doesn't say, but I would imagine that is not the intent.

As you've noted, the text specifically says "until you die." However, if you rule that the swarm is completely lost upon death, the player now loses out on most of the features of the subclass, making it much worse than other subclasses, which do not lose their benefits on death.

With this in mind, I would assume that the intent is to show that the swarm continues to stay around you while you are dying, but disperses when you are actually dead. Then, if and when you are revived, your swarm reconvenes around you.

Your DM will have final say, since this isn't written clearly in the book, but I would rule that the intent is for the swarm to reconvene and only be missing while you are dead.

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    \$\begingroup\$ +1 as an addition. thoug I agree that the DM always has the "final say", some "says" ought to be contested... a Swarmkeeper ranger that permanently loses its swarm on the DM's whim is not on - it's simply bad DMing. \$\endgroup\$
    – Senmurv
    Commented Mar 15, 2021 at 22:12
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Senmurv maybe (if it fits in the story), a strictly one-session (or less even) quest to reconnect with the swarm might be cool narrative-wise, but i totally agree otherwise. \$\endgroup\$
    – Hobbamok
    Commented Mar 16, 2021 at 9:15
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"Until you die" has been changed to "While you're alive".

In the December 2021 errata to Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, we have a change to the Gathered Swarm feature that clarifies this question:

Gathered Swarm (pg. 60). In the second sentence, “Until you die” has changed to “While you’re alive.”

Now, your swarm remains in your space while you are alive, no matter if you have died before.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I expect this exact question is the reason for the change. \$\endgroup\$
    – linksassin ♦
    Commented Dec 14, 2021 at 2:49

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