Questions tagged [swarm]
For questions about swarms. A swarm generally refers to a large group of some type of small creature, usually one that is little or no threat individually, which is treated as a single foe by game mechanics.
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Are single swarms of Large size completely shapeable in Pathfinder?
This D&D 3.5 question touches on this subject. Recently in a Pathfinder 1e game, it came to my attention that Paizo removed the second line clarifying that swarms were shapeable 10' creatures.
I ...
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How many swarms of centipedes can I fit in a 40 gallon barrel?
I'm playing in D&D 5e. I want to buy barrels of centipedes in Chult. How many swarms can I get per 40 gallon barrel?
Given a 40 gallon barrel, and a 5x5 (medium sized) swarm of centipedes, how ...
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Can you create the illusion of a swarm with Major Image?
The spells Phantasmal Force and Major Image allow you to create the illusion of a creature, here for example the text from Major Image:
You create the image of an object, a creature, or some other ...
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How do Swarms interact with Damage Reduction?
As far as I understand Swarms are basically a hundred (or thousand) of the same creature and instead of having each of them roll to hit for one damage it is abstracted with swarms dealing damage based ...
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Tiny swarms and weapons with multiple damage types
I've just run an encounter for my players with several Carrionstorms. While doing so, one of my players with a weapon that did both Bludgeoning and Piercing damage (Akashic Mysteries' Hand Cannons ...
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Can a player begin and end its movement inside a swarm's space and not incur an opportunity attack?
Dirk, Hermes, Necryx, Jomil and Sing Lore- avert your eyes, or incur the wrath of Spuggroth the Humbled and Aflame!
I'm designing an encounter where the party is trying to confront some foes in the ...
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Is there any way to become a swarm of bats as a PC?
Is there any way to transform a PC into a swarm of bats without breaking any of the official rules?
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Can you take the form of a swarm with the polymorph spell?
The Polymorph spell says:
The new form can be any beast whose challenge rating is equal to or less than the target's
Swarm of insects says:
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts
Can a wizard choose the form ...
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Is a Gathered Swarm considered to be worn or carried by a Swarmkeeper Ranger?
According to the description of a Ranger's 3rd-level Swarmkeeper feature Gathered Swarm, it indicates:
Until you die, the swarm remains in your space, crawling on you or
flying and skittering around ...
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Can the rats summoned using a Hat of Vermin allow a character to use the Pipes of the Sewers to call forth a swarm of rats?
(Full disclosure: this is a silly question, not to be taken too seriously.)
A Hat of Vermin (XGtE, p. 137) can be used to conjure up to 3 rats:
This hat has 3 charges. While holding the hat, you can ...
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Do the benefits of the Slasher Feat work against swarms?
I am curious whether the abilities granted from the Slasher feat from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (p. 81) would work on swarms. More specifically, the second and third benefits:
Once per turn when ...
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Can creature swarms be targeted by spells that target 1 creature?
In Pathfinder 2, are swarms considered a single creature for purposes of spellcasting?
During game, a spellcaster attempted to target a raven swarm with fire ray. The spell states that it targets '1 ...
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Is there some monster that works like a swarm of bodies?
I want to ask whether somebody has designed a monster that works like a swarm of bodies.
Not undead but simply human, dwarf, etc. bodies that are corrupted or something similar. I want this monster to ...
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How do *you* run the Sleep spell on swarm-type enemies? [closed]
I have a feeling the RAW will suggest that this work just like with any single entity (like a goblin), but affecting a swarm seems like it should not simply be an "all or nothing" consideration. While ...
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How are swarms considered in terms of number of creatures?
There is, in Adventurers League Dnd, a monster statblock with the following ability :
At the start of his turn, every living creature within 100 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving ...
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Can Swarms/Troops in Pathfinder 1e cast spells and deal damage in the same turn?
I'm creating a Troop of casters and wanted to know if they could both deal their "swarm damage" and cast a spell in the same turn.
It makes sense to me since an attack for a swarm reads as follows:
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Can the Selective Spell metamagic feat be used to exclude a swarm from targeting?
I'm researching the attack spells available to druids. Creeping Doom looks very useful for some situations, but it seems like it doesn't combine well with other spells like Flame Strike and Fire Storm ...
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Swarms and Targeted Spells [duplicate]
Last night, I had a Swarm of Bats sharing a space with one of my PCs, and two of the others used spells against it: Fire Bolt and Poison Spray. The question came up asking if it would affect the PC ...
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Can a Beast Master ranger choose a swarm as an animal companion?
The Beast Master ranger's Ranger's Companion feature says:
At 3rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast ...
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What are inexpensive and efficient ways for mundane characters to deal with swarms? [duplicate]
Swarms can be a big problem. In both Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 and in Pathfinder they are either immune to weapon damage or take less damage than normal from many weapons (see here and here, ...
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Can a swarm be intimidated?
Last night the party ran into a swarm (this one was rats) which proved rather difficult, but interesting, for them to overcome. The bard, looking for an effective way to light them on fire cast ...
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What happens when you cast the Polymorph spell on a swarm?
If a caster targets a swarm with the spell polymorph, what happens?
The polymorph spell description says:
This spell transforms a creature with at least 1 hit point that you can see within range into ...
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Which spells or tactics allow a low-level non-blaster Arcanist to deal with creatures immune to mind-affecting spells or who have a lot of HD?
I played The Confirmation yesterday, and it was a rather interesting experience. Our party consisted of:
2 Arcanists with Grease and Color Spray prepared and Quick-Study (my friend and me)
A party ...
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Can a bunch of druids wild-shape into a creature that can swarm, then form a swarm with other wild-shaped druids?
Related to these questions:
Can a druid wild shape into a cranium rat and use telepathy?
Can a Druid Wild Shape into a Swarm or “Giant”?
The Cranium Rat question establishes that the full stat ...
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Does the bard's Inspire Courage feature increase damage for swarms?
The Bard's Inspire Courage feature references weapon damage rolls:
A 1st level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and ...
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What HD and Size does a Vampire's "Become the Swarm" Feat give?
The question is quite simple but I've looked and can find no clear answer.
Lets say a 10HD vampire has the Become the Swarm feat; do you calculate the damage and size via the Swarm Damage by Size ...
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Can the Conjure Animals spell summon swarms?
The spell conjure animals (PHB, pg. 225) says:
You summon fey spirits that take the form of beasts and appear in unoccupied spaces that you can see within range. Choose one of the following options ...
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Can a wizard have a swarm of animals as a familiar?
Can a wizard have a swarm of animals as a familiar? An Imp is a possible familiar and has a CR of 1, and most swarms have CRs of 1/4. Does it have to be a single creature or could the spirit take the ...
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What does Sacred Flame do to a swarm?
So a player casts sacred flame on a swarm. What would the effect be?
Sacred flame targets a creature that you can see within range
A swarm is made up of many tiny (or smaller) beasts.
Would it take ...
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Is an intelligent swarm subject to an ability damaging (pseudo) gaze attack?
The question comes from the following situation. There were two monsters present on the battlefield: a ghost with Horrific Appearance special attack and a silthilar (Lords of Madness, p. 168) in the ...
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Do swarms limit sight?
The spell Insect Plague summons locust swarms composed of 1,500 locusts per 10 by 10 feet square (shapable). This should limit sight severely. But is there any rule that it does?
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How can I make a swarm of cats?
The PCs in my homebrew campaign setting are finally to the point where a lone cat is not an excessively dangerous foe, yet a clowder of cats could still worry them. However, my research efforts have ...
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Does reactive damage affect swarms?
Swarms have the following trait:
A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of ...
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Does a summoned swarm's Distraction use the caster's save DC or the one in the MM?
When a druid casts Insect Plague, is the save DC of the swarm's Distraction ability 12 (what's written in the MM), or is it based on the 5th level druid spell (15+ability)?
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What are the rules for swarms joining together?
I have a swarm-summoner in a level 15-15-14-13 party that I'm DMing in. He has explained to me that swarms may join together to increase their hit dice, damage, saves, size, etc. I was wondering if ...
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Can a swarm with the hivemind ability gain class levels?
Can a swarm gain class levels, specifically a hellwasp swarm as it has an intelligence score of 6?
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Can you get sneak attack as a swarm?
Can a character with the sneak attack ability, deal sneak attack damage with a swarm attack while under the effects of a spell like Verminous Transformation? (Unfortunately Swarm Skin isn't an ideal ...
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What is the difference between Summon Swarm and Natural Swarms?
What is the difference between a natural Bat Swarm and one summoned by the spell besides it having a duration and concentration by the caster?
Do the summoned bats not behave as natural bats?
Are ...
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Does a swarm damage other swarms or creatures of the same kind?
I am wondering if swarms damage other swarms of the same kind if they occupy the same square, or other animals of the same species/kind that move through, or even join them.
An extended example shows ...
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Does a spell with a target of "You" work if cast by a Swarm on itself? [closed]
Herbert is a Rat Swarm with Psychic levels.
As such, he is able to cast magic and has the Int score on the level of a wizard.
HOWEVER.
A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a ...
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Where, exactly, is it laid out that a torch can do damage to swarms?
So it's pretty common that people say that torches can do a single point of fire damage to swarms. However, my group can't seem to find any sources that confirm this.
Basically, it comes down to ...
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How could I phys-rep a swarm of flying creatures?
Suppose my referee friend wanted to send a swarm of bees, bats, crows, or some other small flying creatures at some players. How could he simulate something that'd evoke the right reactions?
The ...
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Are the rats in 5e over powered? [closed]
So killer rat swarms in D&D always seemed weirdly overpowered to me. In 5e a swarm of rats does 2d6 damage, or the equivalent of being hit by someone swinging a greatsword every six seconds. Or ...
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Can swarms be pushed or pulled?
Following up my question about grappling conditions on swarms, a situation came up in my group when the Druid attempted to use the spell Thorn Whip to pull a swarm of piranhas on shore to defeat them, ...
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Can you grapple a swarm?
While it doesn't make sense from a rules as intended perspective, I haven't seen anything in the Grapple section or your average swarm's stat-block that protect it from being grappled.
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If someone attacks a swarm with a single-target spell while it's in a character's space, is that character also affected by the spell?
My players have walked into a Spider Lair and fought their first group of Spiderlings, or effectively a Swarm of Spiders from the MM. I didn't realize until after the encounter that they have a reach ...
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Handling many similar opponents in combat
I plan to send my players into a town of about 600 inhabitants. Overnight the town will be infested with zombies, with about 400 inhabitants turned. When my players awake, they will need to get out of ...
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Alchemic fire/bomb vs. Swarm of Fine creatures
There is another discussion in our group and since my Google Foo and Rules Lawyering skill is not very high, I decided to bring this up.
According to swarm traits
A swarm composed of Fine or ...
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Should I replace the swarm with the individual creature after enough damage?
So one thing I found odd in the DM's Basic Rules v0.1pdf was a large list of animals that seemed so insignificant as to wonder why it was included in the PDF. For example, the "Rat" monster, has 1 ...
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Can a Druid Wild Shape into a Swarm or "Giant"?
The Players handbook has a list of creatures in the back which are designed for use by the players. Various tweets and materials have said that the players handbook has creatures that players need to ...
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