Can a Druid Wildshape into a Rat Swarm?

[Primitive Screwhead]

Swarms: Wildshape

Swarm Subtype
A swarm is a collection of Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creatures that acts as a single creature

Wild Shape (Su)
At 5th level, a druid gains the ability to turn herself into any Small or Medium animal and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all creatures with the animal type.

For game purposes a swarm is defined as a single creature with a space of 10 feet—gigantic hordes are actually composed of dozens of swarms in close proximity.

From... http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/swarm.htm


Looking at the individual monster desriptions, Swarms maintain the size of the individual creature. Therefore, no matter how you read "For game purposes a swarm is defined as a single creature", the RAW Wildshape cannot turn into a Swarm because of the size restriction.

There is a 'Swarm-Shifter' template in Libris Mortis, altho it is for undead.
I remember seeing a Feat for Druid's, but can't recall where.. I would allow it alongside a variant Druid in Wildscape that changes the Wildshape to Vermin and at level 6 allows changing to Dim. and Tiny creatures.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Hmm...although if the druid has Natural Spell, this form could become very tempting.

If? I dare you to name a druid that doesn't.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Druid w/out Natural Spell

Carl

 

[Lord Pendragon]

If I'm the DM, then I'd say no. I don't care what the swarm is treated as, it is multiple creatures. Druids can only change into one. Case closed.

-The Souljourner

My thoughts exactly.

I like the image. I'd House Rule it to allow a druid to do it...but I'd remove the immunity to spells, half damage from weapons, etc. Wild Shape is powerful enough as it is.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Looking at the individual monster desriptions, Swarms maintain the size of the individual creature. Therefore, no matter how you read "For game purposes a swarm is defined as a single creature", the RAW Wildshape cannot turn into a Swarm because of the size restriction.

An 11th-level Druid can wildshape into a Tiny creature. A rat swarm has a size listing of Tiny.

 

[Diirk]

Is this a benefit that outpaces the benefit of Gaseous Form in any way? Keep in mind that the druid in this form loses all attacks.

Have you read gaseous form? It gives you dr 10/magic, makes you immune to poisons and criticals. Thats pretty much it, defensively. You're still subject to any and all spells, and your DR is fairly easy to bypass. It also disables any spells with any sort of component.

Also the druid in question doesn't lose all attacks.. he still has all his offensive spells (which are quite potent), and also gains a 1d6 auto hit 'attack' and the disease and distraction abilities (albeit with a low dc).

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

...he still has all his offensive spells (which are quite potent)...

How's he still have spells if he's wildshaped? Maybe with the right feat, but not without.

edit: oops! Missed that.

 

[Diirk]

The vast majority of druids will take that feat at lvl 6 anyway, so such a situation is really the norm, not the exception.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Ahh..

An 11th-level Druid can wildshape into a Tiny creature. A rat swarm has a size listing of Tiny.

Just goes to show that I dont run games over 10th level very often doesn't it
I had scanned down teh descriptions and had not seen the smaller sizes mentioned.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I think that's a very questionable assumption to be making... (re: the vast majority of druids taking Natural Spell)