So, how do low-level adventurers fight swarms, exactly?

LordVyreth · Jun 24, 2006

I'm referring to ones so small that regular attcks don't work, specifically. The half damage ones a problem, but at least they can be worn down. What can a low level party do to fight one? They presumably have few area effect spells at that point. Is it just a matter of tossing alchemist's fires and hoping for the best, or am I missing something?

Psion · Jun 24, 2006

Don't you ever watch Indiana Jones or the Mummy?

Torches, or RUN!

Drowbane · Jun 24, 2006

Low level is the perfect time to remind your players that RUNNING is an option. That said, Burning Hands, Torches, Flasks of Greek fire, Acid, and the occasional Warlock's Summon Swarm.

Liquidsabre · Jun 24, 2006

Yup, no arcane caster with an area fire spell? No alchemist fire? Yea just hope you outrun the halfling!

Ilium · Jun 24, 2006

Yeah swarms are bad. I have a swarm critter in my game that is the only thing to strike terror into my players. And they were about 7th or 8th level at the time.

frankthedm · Jun 24, 2006

My players Hated swarms of roaches [rat swarm stats]

LordVyreth · Jun 24, 2006

Okay, I heard torches used as a possible solution twice. Where does it clarify how to use them against swarms, though? How much damage do they do, for example?

Bront · Jun 24, 2006

Oil flask and a torch is probably worth a makeshift greek fire (1d6 burning, maybe a second round if the swarm doesn't move (unlikely).

Liquidsabre · Jun 24, 2006

In the equipment section under the torch description it references Improvised Weapons (p. 113). There it says to compare the improvised weapon with a similar weapon on the chart. In this case it might be a club but since a 1lb torch is lighter than a 3lb club (at 1d6) I'd downgrade the damage to 1d4. At that point though it's pretty much entirely DM adjudication as far as I can tell. At least, I haven't found anything else to go on.

Presently, we use 1d4+Str Mod for dmg for a torch (an improvised wpn so -4 to attacks) 1 point of which is fire damage. We also allow a standard action (provokes an AoO) to attempt to catch a creature with flammable items on fire dealing 1 point of fire damage followed by a reflex save by the creature to put out the flames as per the normal fire rules.

Len · Jun 24, 2006

LordVyreth said:
Okay, I heard torches used as a possible solution twice. Where does it clarify how to use them against swarms, though? How much damage do they do, for example?

In the MM, under "Swarm". Lanterns work too.

SRD said:
A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon’s normal damage can’t affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.