Infestation (Ex): Any living creature that takes damage from a crystal nipper swarm might also be infested with crystal nippers each round. A creature must make a successful DC 18 Reflex save to dodge the swarming nippers or bat them aside. The crystal nipper infesting the creature burrow into its flesh. An infested creature takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage per round, plus an additional 1d4 points of Constitution damage for each failed Reflex save against a crystal nipper swarm's attack. A successful DC 16 Fortitude save halves this damage. After 2d4 rounds, the sated crystal nippers crawl or swim away. A crystal nipper infestation can be removed with a successful DC 20 Heal check, though this check (whether successful or not) deals 1d6 points of damage to the infested target. Alternatively, a crystal nipper infestation can be destroyed by remove disease or any other effect that halts or counters a disease. Such spells destroy all the crystal nippers inhabiting a target.
Medium or larger creatures that die from crystal nipper infestation spawn a new crystal nipper swarm within 2d4 days. Burning or otherwise destroying the body prevents this. Casting raise dead to restore a creature killed by a crystal nipper swarm but this does not destroy the crystal nippers infestation, casting remove disease or a similar spell in the round afterward removes the nippers normally. Resurrection and true resurrection destroy the crystal nipper when cast.
The Reflex save DC is Dexterity-based. The Fortitude save DC is Constitution-based.
