Excerpt: Swarms

[ForbidenMaster]

What does aura 1 mean exactly?

It effects every 1 square away from it (think close burst 1).

 

[Mort_Q]

if you stand near it, it bites you.

Yes that was implicit. I was, however, looking for explicit.

It effects every 1 square away from it (think close burst 1).

Thanks. That was my guess.

 

[Sojorn]

Yes that was implicit. I was, however, looking for explicit.

Everything in an adjacent square.

 

[pukunui]

Yes that was implicit. I was, however, looking for explicit.

Thanks. That was my guess.

If you stand in a square adjacent to the swarm, it gets to bite you.

EDIT: Damn, Ninja'd!

Also, Mouseferatu, you fell for mach's feigned ignorance there. Didn't you see his little winky face? I'm sure he knows what exsanguinate means. I'd just like to go on the record and say that I think it's really awesome that they used that word! Way better than just saying "they suck your blood" or whatever.

 

[MindWright]

Edited since everyone seems to be answering the aura question:

I would expect aura 1 to be the same area as a close burst 1, but always in effect instead of requiring an action. The swarm auras seem to be a free action that lets the swarm hit you at the start of your turn if you are standing near or in the swarm.

Oh, and swarms no long provoke when they enter your square... seems like spreading out is still a good precaution, overall they look like they will run a lot smoother and easier than the 3rd edition tetris-shape swarms.

 

[Lurker37]

nice word! If only I knew what it meant?!?

It's what aliens do to cattle.

...

Why is everyone staring at me?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Also, Mouseferatu, you fell for mach's feigned ignorance there. Didn't you see his little winky face? I'm sure he knows what exsanguinate means. I'd just like to go on the record and say that I think it's really awesome that they used that word! Way better than just saying "they suck your blood" or whatever.

Better to be certain everyone knew, what with knowing being half the battle, and all.

 

[Family]

Because of the swarm of aliens coming up behind you.

 

[Rechan]

I'm not convinced.

The first thing that struck me is that both swarms are Medium. If the drakes are the size of cats, surely a swarm of them should be more than 5' x 5'?

And I'm not sure my first thought was, as promised, "Get these things off me!"

EDIT: After looking at them a second time, they do look like formidable foes. I guess I miss the idea (although perhaps not the implementation) of the nausea caused by 3e swarms. That, to my mind, accurately represented the effect of having 100s or 1000s of beasties crawling over you.

In Jurassic Park 2, there's a scene where a guy gets eaten by about twenty of these little dinosaurs the size of a terrier. They're biting him everywhere - his lip, between his fingers. They leap and bite and weigh him down until he falls down, and then they just disseminate him.

In that situation I dont' think nausea or distraction is appropriate, because you can still swing your sword when they're biting you and hanging on.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

In Jurassic Park 2, there's a scene where a guy gets eaten by about twenty of these little dinosaurs the size of a terrier. They're biting him everywhere - his lip, between his fingers. They leap and bite and weigh him down until he falls down, and then they just disseminate him.

I thought of that as soon as I read the Drakes part.