Perun
Mushroom
My DM and I discussed the idea for a feat that would grant a druid the ability to wild shape into a swarm, but neither of us is quite certain how it'd affect the game. So we decided I should start a thread on the message boards.
This is what I thought of so far:
At first, I was thinking of limting it to Tiny swarms, but then I checked the MM, and noticed that there was only one Tiny animal swarm (rat swarm). MMIII introduces needletooth swarm (composed of Tiny dinosaurs) and dread blossom swarm (Tiny plant). The only real difference between a Tiny swarm and Fine or Diminutive swarms is that the latter two are immune to all weapon damage, whereas Tiny swarms suffer one-half damage from slashing and piercing weapons.
This might seem as a great boost to the character's power, but look at it this way: the character might be able to avoid weapon damage entirely, but he won't be able to deal much damage to his opponents either. With the exception of cinder swarm (which is copmposed of tiny elementals), the rest of them deal normal damage. Any amount of DR will severely reduce the effectiveness of their attacks (as they generally don't deal much damage, see below), and there's no way for the character to overcome DR while in swarm form (you can't cast (greater) magic weapon on swarm, it affects a single creature, and swarms are immune to spells targeting a spcific number of creatures). Swarm form also makes the character unable to gain benefits of many usefuly spells (various cure spells, most buffing spells, etc.)
Damage by swarm
bat swarm (3 HD): 1d6
rat swarm (4 HD): 1d6 + disease
viper swarm (5 HD, FF): 1d6 + poison
cinder swarm (16 HD, MMIII): 4d6 + 3d6 fire
dread blossom swarm (7 HD, MMIII): 2d6
needletooth swarm (11 HD, MMIII): 3d6
As I said, the character would get all the traits of a swarm. These include:
And as a flavour thing, I though of adding a small downside to the feat – an effective reduction in Intelligence, to represent the mental stress of keeping your mind together when you suddenyl find yourself in 300+ different bodies
With all that said, this is the preliminary feat writeup:
Swarm Wild Shape [General]
You can take the form of a swarm.
Prerequisites: Wis 19, Knowledge (nature) 15 ranks, ability to wild shape into Tiny and Large forms
Benefit: You can use your wild shape ability to change into swarms of any type you could normally wild shape into. While in swarm form you gain the Swarm subtype, and all traits associated with it. You always have the hive mind trait, regardless of the specific swarm you change into. If you are reduced to 0 or less hit points while in the swarm form, you are immediately forced back to your natural shape. In all other ways this ability functions as regular wild shape.
Special: While in the swarm shape, you suffer a –4 modifier to your Intelligence score, as a result of mental stress of trying to keep your mind together in several hundred different bodies.
Note that being wild shaped into a swarm makes you immune to a large number of spells, both beneficial and harmful.
So, what does everybody think? I'd greatly appreciate any comments and thoughts.
This is what I thought of so far:
- Prerequsites: Wis 19, Knowledge (nature) 15 ranks, ability to wild shape to Tiny and Large forms [I thought of requiring both Large and Tiny wild shape ability, because swarms are composed of Tiny, Diminutive, or Fine creatures, and Tiny is the smallest size the druid can assume; and Large because swarms take up space identical to a large creature (a 10 ft. square).]
- the character can wild shape to swarms of any type he can normally wild shape into (druids normally get the ability to wild shape to animals at 5th-level, plants at 12th-level, and elementals at 16th-level, some prestige classes may grant the ability to assume forms of other types)
- when wild shaped into a swarm, the character gains the swarm subtype, and all traits associated with the swarm subtype (unless noted otherwise)
- a character wild shaped into a swarm always has a hive mind trait
- a character reduced to 0 or less hp while in swarm shape is immediately forced back to his natural form
At first, I was thinking of limting it to Tiny swarms, but then I checked the MM, and noticed that there was only one Tiny animal swarm (rat swarm). MMIII introduces needletooth swarm (composed of Tiny dinosaurs) and dread blossom swarm (Tiny plant). The only real difference between a Tiny swarm and Fine or Diminutive swarms is that the latter two are immune to all weapon damage, whereas Tiny swarms suffer one-half damage from slashing and piercing weapons.
This might seem as a great boost to the character's power, but look at it this way: the character might be able to avoid weapon damage entirely, but he won't be able to deal much damage to his opponents either. With the exception of cinder swarm (which is copmposed of tiny elementals), the rest of them deal normal damage. Any amount of DR will severely reduce the effectiveness of their attacks (as they generally don't deal much damage, see below), and there's no way for the character to overcome DR while in swarm form (you can't cast (greater) magic weapon on swarm, it affects a single creature, and swarms are immune to spells targeting a spcific number of creatures). Swarm form also makes the character unable to gain benefits of many usefuly spells (various cure spells, most buffing spells, etc.)
Damage by swarm
bat swarm (3 HD): 1d6
rat swarm (4 HD): 1d6 + disease
viper swarm (5 HD, FF): 1d6 + poison
cinder swarm (16 HD, MMIII): 4d6 + 3d6 fire
dread blossom swarm (7 HD, MMIII): 2d6
needletooth swarm (11 HD, MMIII): 3d6
As I said, the character would get all the traits of a swarm. These include:
- In order to attack, it moves into an opponent’s space, which provokes an attack of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey. A swarm can move through squares occupied by enemies and vice versa without impediment, although the swarm provokes an attack of opportunity if it does so. A swarm can move through cracks or holes large enough for its component creatures.
- A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernable anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking.
- A swarm made up of Tiny creatures takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons. A swarm composed of Fine or Diminutive creatures is immune to all weapon damage.
- A swarm cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and it cannot grapple an opponent.
- 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 mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind.
- A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.
- Swarms made up of Diminutive or Fine creatures are susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures.
- Creatures with the swarm subtype don’t make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no attack roll needed.
- Swarm attacks are not subject to a miss chance for concealment or cover.
- Swarms do not threaten creatures in their square, and do not make attacks of opportunity with their swarm attack. However, they distract foes whose squares they occupy.
And as a flavour thing, I though of adding a small downside to the feat – an effective reduction in Intelligence, to represent the mental stress of keeping your mind together when you suddenyl find yourself in 300+ different bodies
With all that said, this is the preliminary feat writeup:
Swarm Wild Shape [General]
You can take the form of a swarm.
Prerequisites: Wis 19, Knowledge (nature) 15 ranks, ability to wild shape into Tiny and Large forms
Benefit: You can use your wild shape ability to change into swarms of any type you could normally wild shape into. While in swarm form you gain the Swarm subtype, and all traits associated with it. You always have the hive mind trait, regardless of the specific swarm you change into. If you are reduced to 0 or less hit points while in the swarm form, you are immediately forced back to your natural shape. In all other ways this ability functions as regular wild shape.
Special: While in the swarm shape, you suffer a –4 modifier to your Intelligence score, as a result of mental stress of trying to keep your mind together in several hundred different bodies.
Note that being wild shaped into a swarm makes you immune to a large number of spells, both beneficial and harmful.
So, what does everybody think? I'd greatly appreciate any comments and thoughts.
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