Swarm Mechanics
OOC:
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Quick questions on the swarm, and some 5e mechanics: How big is the swarm, and is it all/mostly flying bugs? In 5e, would it be feasible or possible to try to push the swarm (say with a shield), or to use the shield to hold it in place while someone else pulls Redis out of the way?
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It's a medium-sized swarm of tiny, mostly flying insects. Mechanically, the swarm has a reach of 0, so it has to be sharing a space with an enemy in order to attack it. And that's pretty much all the rules say about it.
Personally, I had a difficult time not houseruling a mechanic that shared damage between the swarm and its target. I mean, if I have a mosquito on me, and you hit it with a baseball bat... it's gonna hurt. But alas, it wasn't in the rules, so I didn't do it. Seems like that'd probably raise the CR of the swarm anyway, and that's nothing I wanted to do either.
That being said, I don't think it'd be possible to hold a swarm down (or back) with a shield, either. A swarm is able to fit through an area as small as one of its parts, and I can't imagine trying to hold a wasp-sized creature back or down with a shield.
I will tell you, however, that the swarm is not long for this world. Another couple of successful attacks should take care of it. Of course, another couple of unsuccessful attacks should take care of Redis, so...