Okay, how to handle...

[Dannyalcatraz]

How about fighting fire with fire? Cast Insect Plague.

 

[Hassassin]

I've read a lot of griping and groaning from DM's who've claimed that it can drop things below 1, meaning that it's an insta-kill for most regular animal types that you'd encounter, because even a rampaging dire bear will just flop over if it takes 2 damage. Might need to check into this one a little more...

Ok, so I found it in Spell Compendium. It deals 1d4 + 1 Int damage, so yes it can drop the target to 0 and so into coma. It has SR and no save, so the swarm in the OP would have around a 50% chance of dropping from one such ray.

It's probably not a spell I'd allow in play, but then I usually limit things to core only.

 

[kitcik]

never mind

 

[Ahnehnois]

Ok, so I found it in Spell Compendium. It deals 1d4 + 1 Int damage, so yes it can drop the target to 0 and so into coma. It has SR and no save, so the swarm in the OP would have around a 50% chance of dropping from one such ray.

It's probably not a spell I'd allow in play, but then I usually limit things to core only.

Ray of Stupidity is indeed a problematic spell against animals and does need to be changed or banned. However, as a ray, it is useless against swarms (unless we're thinking of different spells). I am not aware of a spell that does Int damage in an area.

 

[Visigani]

Resilient Sphere + Cloudkill. Game over man... game over.

 

[xigbar]

While it is fairly tough for CR12, I'd like to remind those complaing that these guys are 10th level taking on CR12 that they should be able to have 2 encounters a day against CR=Party Level+2 encounters.

 

[Greenfield]

5 CR 10/11 v 6 Cr12 = TPK

 

[xigbar]

5 CR 10/11 v 6 Cr12 = TPK

Yes, I know, I was responding to those who mentioned my aforementioned complaint before you revealed there were multiple of them.

 

[frankthedm]

This swarm seems to be designed to reverse conventional wisdom for dealing with swarms: Area effect spells are more or less a no-go.

The Swarm is a CR12, and has the typical SR for a critter of that CR. Also a direct damage caster has had plenty of time to pick up spell penetration and Greater Spell penetration. However, the Saves are pretty high and evasion was just cruel for a monster given a ton of HD to bloat it's HP.

One thing worth noting is that this swarm is normally a sidekick to a higher CR monster so the swarm is more of a significant speed bump to it's typical foes. For a party below it's CR, it's defenses synergize strongly and can be very difficult to penetrate for some characters. Notably light weapon wielders and casters who are not ready for SR.

TBH I'd say the Evasion is over the top and ought to be dropped.

 

[Hassassin]

Ray of Stupidity is indeed a problematic spell against animals and does need to be changed or banned. However, as a ray, it is useless against swarms (unless we're thinking of different spells). I am not aware of a spell that does Int damage in an area.

It is not useless, since according to the rules I quoted earlier as a mind affecting spell ray of stupidity does affect it.