D&D 4E Swarm making guidelines?

Garthanos · Dec 12, 2018

Could have sworn that I had seen this enumerated some where.... or did I imagine it.

Garthanos · Dec 12, 2018

I guess I am really looking for methods to convert a monster into a swarm...

Monster Manual said:
Swarm: A swarm is considered a single monster even though it is composed of several Tiny creatures. Most single swarms are Medium, but some can be larger.

A swarm takes half damage from melee and ranged attacks. It is vulnerable to close and area attacks, as indicated in the monster’s stat block.

A swarm is immune to forced movement (pull, push, and slide) effects from melee and ranged attacks. Close or area attacks that impose forced movement affect the swarm normally.
A swarm can enter or move through an enemy’s space; this movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. An enemy can enter a space occupied by a swarm, but the space occupied by the swarm is considered difficult terrain, and doing so provokes an opportunity attack.
A swarm can squeeze through any opening large enough to accommodate even one of its constituent creatures. For example, a swarm of bats can squeeze through any opening large enough for one of the bats to squeeze through. See the Player’s Handbook for squeezing rules.

AbdulAlhazred · Dec 13, 2018

There are 2 ways you can mean this. Do you mean you want guidelines for making a swarm OF monsters of some sort? Or do you mean you want to change an existing stat block to represent a swarm? (IE reskinning with the added variation of including the swarm keyword).

Garthanos · Dec 13, 2018

AbdulAlhazred said:
There are 2 ways you can mean this. Do you mean you want guidelines for making a swarm OF monsters of some sort? Or do you mean you want to change an existing stat block to represent a swarm? (IE reskinning with the added variation of including the swarm keyword).

I was wondering if the Monster Vault or something I didnt have had some more formal mechanics for it.

Minionizing an existing monster seems pretty simple increase its level by 5 or 6 give it half damage but static instead of a roll, remove special affects that complicate or create hindrances but retain movement ones add minion mechanic and..... If the creature was an elite you might make it a two hit minion.

Reflavoring sure
For swarms I could take a monster with regeneration move the regeneration to a leader type and describe the hoard of zombies as being raised from the dead by their necromancer leader periodically instead of regenerating.

Teemu · Dec 13, 2018

Unfortunately there are no swarm-making guidelines in any of the books as far as I know, but then again, I don't think there are any comprehensive guides on creating enemy leaders or soldiers and so forth. Personally I've simply adapted existing swarms to suit my needs, or taken a trait or attack from this or that enemy.

AbdulAlhazred · Dec 14, 2018

Teemu said:
Unfortunately there are no swarm-making guidelines in any of the books as far as I know, but then again, I don't think there are any comprehensive guides on creating enemy leaders or soldiers and so forth. Personally I've simply adapted existing swarms to suit my needs, or taken a trait or attack from this or that enemy.

Agreed. DMG1's monster design rules are really notable mostly for what they DON'T say, which is really almost everything! All they give are some numbers, which the MMs then never followed very well, which tells you something about that sort of thing...

TBH I don't think there's much to making a swarm. Just put the keyword on the monster and describe it however you want. It is harder to damage with single target attacks, but easier to damage with AoEs. It all balances out in the end. The tactical situation you create may of course change that calculus...