D&D 5E 5e needs swarm rules!

[Tormyr]

because, I think, they were never introduced to the playtest.

They were in the September playtest. The Cifal in Against the Slave Lords uses the swarm rules I adapted for the Acid Beetle Swarm. Really the only difference I added was the incapacitated condition to match the Acid Beetle Swarm from 3.5.

 

[Tormyr]

Actually, it wouldn't:

http://www.mercurynews.com/animal-life/ci_24614989/morris-big-creatures-fit-through-tiny-openings

I would argue that in that case the rats are squeezing through and thus treat the space as difficult terrain. The rats definitely can go through, but you need either a form (gaseous, water, etc.) that is fluid enough to make it through or the gap has to be large enough to move through at full speed. A little acid beetle or a Cifal insect could make it through a 1 inch gap with no effort. A good size rat could get its head through and then wedge its legs and body through, but it would not be at a run. That is where the language without squeezing came in. A rat swarm would only need a gap of a few inches to move through without squeezing, and then these small creatures flood in to the room and overwhelm you.

 

[sidonunspa]

They were in the September playtest. The Cifal in Against the Slave Lords uses the swarm rules I adapted for the Acid Beetle Swarm. Really the only difference I added was the incapacitated condition to match the Acid Beetle Swarm from 3.5.

I stand corrected..

need to find that file in my back-up folders

 

[Stalker0]

The swarm rules were a wonderful edition to the game, they really helped to create the feel and power of a swarm of creatures in a way that made them easy to run.

I also hope to see a good version of it come back!

 

[MerricB]

There is a swarm of rats monster in Hoard of the Dragon Queen (the Encounters pdf), although the stats won't be released until August 8 (or thereabouts).

Cheers!

 

[Joe Liker]

I did not care for the swarm rules in 4e. (And to be honest, I don't remember what they were like in previous editions.)

The idea that you can deal any kind of damage at all to a huge number of minuscule creatures with a sword or axe is absurd. Swarms should be way scarier than that.

I think the problem is in treating them as monsters. A swarm should be treated as a trap or obstacle, like an out-of-control fire. It can damage you if you get caught in it and you can't stop it with weapons, but certain spells might help. Without magic, you just have to be creative with the environment to have any hope of containing it.