Excerpt: Swarms

[Rechan]

Actually, if swarms are just a regular monster (for xp purposes), that means a swarm will be fighting with something else.

So... what sorts of things fight WITH a swarm? What will a swarm fight with, rather than attack?

Although I do kinda like the idea of the swarm being a threat to EVERYONE, enemy and ally, but I'm just wondering what the swarm won't attack.

 

[pukunui]

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

Fair enough.

They leap and bite and weigh him down until he falls down, and then they just disseminate him.

What, you mean they turn him into little pamphlets and distribute him around the neighborhood? I don't remember them doing that!

Actually, if swarms are just a regular monster (for xp purposes), that means a swarm will be fighting with something else.

More than one medium-sized swarm perhaps? Unless they've actually got larger swarms in the MM, you'd need to use several at once to make a "plague of locusts" and whatnot.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Well we can have Drakes and Dragons is a obvious one.

Stirges and beings the feat off dead corpses (co-symbiotic relationship).

I can imagine the bug-pit from King Kong be a good place for Swarms, coupled with the giant bugs.

 

[Scipio202]

Swarms + Undead? Stirges wouldn't be able to suck any blood from a zombie.

 

[Rechan]

Am I the only one not that scared of the stirge swarm? It's kinda eh in the ability department. Especially for a 12th level monster.

However, I find this interesting. A swarm gets a free attack against anyone adjacent to it. Then it gets a regular attack, plus a 'knock you down' attack as a minor. And if anyone moves into it, it gets an OA.

That's harsh.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Swarms + Undead? Stirges wouldn't be able to suck any blood from a zombie.

Hmm... Mini-plot, Stirges carry a disease that once drained of blood regenerates corpses into zombies... OOO, I can just imagine large-huge zombies that have the Stirge perched on them as they wander about.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Am I the only one not that scared of the stirge swarm? It's kinda eh in the ability department.

Well it does get ongoing damage, and ordinary attack does a fair deal (especially coupled with the aura/OA).

Hmm... Would the ongoing damage stack? So would it be first-attack 5, next-attack (if not saved) 10, and so on.

 

[Family]

Head spolder: To mock up a large battle, could you have swarms of minions?

 

[Rechan]

Well we can have Drakes and Dragons is a obvious one.

Aren't dragons solo?

Also, while it says "Drake", I don't think these guys are mini-dragons. I mean, they don't have a fly speed, so they don't have Wings. I think of them as well... pack-hunting lizards. The equivalent of African Wild Dogs, but bite sized.

A flying foe coupled with these buggers, however, is good.

That reminds me - pushing someone into the square that a swarm occupies probably wouldn't let the Swarm make an OA against the pushed target, would it?

 

[Mort_Q]

... what sorts of things fight WITH a swarm? What will a swarm fight with, rather than attack?

How about a nice non-close, non-area, trap? Skill challenges? Rope bridges and stirges go together like shifters and fleas.

I mean, they don't have a fly speed, so they don't have Wings.

That doesn't follow. Having wings is no more evidence of the ability to fly than not having wings is evidence of being unable to fly... especially in D&D.