Excerpt: Swarms

[DeusExMachina]

No, what FadedC was saying is that the aura attack is at the start of the wizard's turn.

Which makes sense. Otherwise you can have the situation where you start your turn in the swarm's aura, then you run away, then on ITS turn, you take damage even though you're nowhere near the swarm. This doesn't make sense.

Good point. I misread the power there. I thought it got a free attack against everybody that was inside its aura at the start of its turn, but that's not what it says...
That makes them a lot scarier actually...

 

[Rechan]

Swarms: One reason you want a Dragonborn in the party.

Hmm. I guess things like Force Orb and Acid arrow don't count as area effects, even though they radiate out from the point of attack (the equivalent of splash damage), right?

 

[frankthedm]

Scariest thing about the drake swarm: speed 7. Most of the party isn't getting away.

Multiple swarms are truly, truly frightening. Thats a lot of attacks if multiple swarms get next to you.

Yep.

 

[med stud]

I think it would be neat if fire swords and the like would do full damage to swarms. They seem like the kind of weapons that can kill tons of small lizards or insects per sweep. I think it's so neat that it will be my first house rule .

It may sound strange, but this is the preview I feel most thrilled about. The aura is the perfect way of simulating that you are in the swarm when you are fighting it and the lizards' ability to trip someone and tear them apart is really neat. I can imagine the reaction from the players' side already .

Yep, those lizards will end up in an adventure, that's for sure

 

[med stud]

Swarms: One reason you want a Dragonborn in the party.

Hmm. I guess things like Force Orb and Acid arrow don't count as area effects, even though they radiate out from the point of attack (the equivalent of splash damage), right?

I would call the area effects, at least by the way I view those spells. I can see two alternatives when it comes to those spells:

1) The acid arrow spell sends out a swarm of arrows, one large for the main victim and a bunch of smaller for collateral damage. The force orb hits one target and then splits up into smaller orbs that hit the ones close to the target that you want them to hit.

2) The acid arrow splashes out around the target and the force orb is a controlled explosion.

I view them as version 2) and in that case I would say that they can hurt swarms.

 

[Heselbine]

I think it would be neat if fire swords and the like would do full damage to swarms. They seem like the kind of weapons that can kill tons of small lizards or insects per sweep. I think it's so neat that it will be my first house rule .

It may sound strange, but this is the preview I feel most thrilled about. The aura is the perfect way of simulating that you are in the swarm when you are fighting it and the lizards' ability to trip someone and tear them apart is really neat. I can imagine the reaction from the players' side already .

Yep, those lizards will end up in an adventure, that's for sure

I agree - it was too easy to escape 3.5e swarms. The aura seems a great way of extending the use of these - and will almost certainly catch out unwary PCs the first time it happens.

 

[Rechan]

So if I understand the Aura thing correctly, the swarm basically gets a free attack in any square adjacent to it - that it threatens, essentially.

It drives home the "GET BACK" and "Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure" feel.

 

[Voss]

Yes, as written, force orb and acid arrow are not area attacks.

 

[CubeKnight]

I think it would be neat if fire swords and the like would do full damage to swarms. They seem like the kind of weapons that can kill tons of small lizards or insects per sweep. I think it's so neat that it will be my first house rule .

It may sound strange, but this is the preview I feel most thrilled about. The aura is the perfect way of simulating that you are in the swarm when you are fighting it and the lizards' ability to trip someone and tear them apart is really neat. I can imagine the reaction from the players' side already .

Yep, those lizards will end up in an adventure, that's for sure

IIRC, the Flaming Weapon we saw a but ago made the weapon deal Fire damage instead of Weapon damage. So yes, a Flaming Longsword deals full damage to a swarm.

 

[Andor]

The dwarves just have to out run you. Oh wait. They're dwarves. Comedy gold.

Gimli: "Dammit!"