Swarm Versus Swarm?

[Trench]

Okay. So I DM a PbP game that has an ettercap absolutely brutalizing my party on a mountain trail. The ettercap has been sticking happily to the wall side well out of most melee and ranged weapons (with the exception of the rifle-toting ranger who is regularly webbed every other round.) A spider swarm is snacking on the party the whole time and rather than pay attention to the swarm, the party has been focusing all attacks on the ettercap in the hopes that the swarm will go away after it dies. As a result, for six rounds the party has been whittled down on STR, HP and nauseated every other round. It's a surprisingly brutal encounter.

The druid just got sick of it and summoned a spider swarm to go against the spider swarm.

So... how do we handle this? Friendly Fire? Have a tidal wave of spiders temporarily give the party some relief? It's a clever idea, and I'm often willing to give clever ideas some leeway- but I'm curious what the consensus here would be.

 

[Shin Okada]

Assuming that the Druid used Summon Swarm spell, the Druid has no control on the Spider Swarm. The Swarm simply attacks everything within it's space. So, both the enemy spider swarm and PCs will be attacked by the swarm summoned by the PC druid. Some PCs may attacked by BOTH swarms.

 

[Quartz]

Follow the KISS principle: either treat it as a full counterspell or as a temporary counterspell - it holds off the attacking swarm for the duration of the spell.

 

[Shin Okada]

Well, while summoned swarm does not distinguish PCs from other creatures, it will not move away while attacking some living creatures. So, PCs can move away from there (nauseated creature can still take a move action) while 2 swarms are attacking each other.

Summon Swarm does not immediately counter enemy swarm. But until one swarms is eaten up the other one, PCs will not be followed by them.

 

[roguerouge]

Turn on a nature documentary in which rival ant colonies duke it out. Just play it like the spells say. They automatically damage each other.

 

[frankthedm]

Turn on a nature documentary in which rival ant colonies duke it out. Just play it like the spells say. They automatically damage each other.

and the players!

 

[Vegepygmy]

I agree with Shin Okada and roguerouge: just play it out. One swarm will triumph over the other (but probably not by much).