Stirge Swarm: Feasible or Way Too Much?

[JiffyPopTart]

2D6 is VERY generous for 1000 stirges.

I ran an encounter from the Worlds Largest Dungeon with only 14 stirges played individually and it was almost a TPK against a 4-man 3rd level party.

DS

 

[Wish]

Anything that is going to deal auto-con damage is hideously broken. You're thinking about one of them, but what happens when somebody drops 6 of them in (about the equivalent to a CR 16). "Ok, roll initiative. The swarms go first. Bob, Jadaeth takes *rolls some dice* 42 Con drain. Lisa, Hadrach takes 47 Con drain. And Mike, Sir Werrlin takes 39 Con drain. Ok, Jadaeth's turn." *Bob picks up his chair and hurls it at the DM*

 

[EricNoah]

Maybe I don't know how swarms work. Can more than one swarm be in the same area or affect the same target? I don't see how one PC is going to take more than 2d6 CON damage in a given round.

 

[Wish]

There doesn't appear to be anything preventing swarms from sharing space. They can occupy the same space as a creature of any size. That would apparently include swarms. Note that the first swarm to move into a space will take damage from each subsequent swarm that end in the same space, on down the line. Only the last swarm to move is safe. Since swarms do have hit points and Con scores (and they don't appear to be immune to ability damage/drain), this would cause them to die off pretty quickly, but that's cold comfort to the PCs who take the 12d6 Con damage with no save, no SR.

 

[ElectricDragon]

You are working on the theory that all 1,000 can get attacks against the PC every round. Tiny creatures usually take up 1/4 of a 5-ft. square, limiting the number that can attack you (i.e. get into your square to attack you) to a much lower number (4 by my counting for normal stirges/round). In reality, only about 1/4 of the stirges would be in the PC's square (250). If only four could get an effective attack (in vulnerable areas) at a time, 2d4 Con. damage seems generous.

Wouldn't the other swarms stacking up on the party be immune to the Con. damage because the Attach ability can only target Small and larger creatures? Plus:

From the SRD Larger swarms are represented by multiples of single swarms. A large swarm is completely shapeable, though it usually remains contiguous.

According to the SRD the stirge is CR 1/2 not 1/8. Don't forget the half damage from all piercing and slashing weapons does increase combat effectiveness, too. Immunity to critical hits and flanking also constitutes an increase in combat effectiveness. Never staggered or reduced to dying state, not subject to being tripped, grappled, bull rushed. Immune to spells that target specific numbers of creatures. Please re-figure the CR.

Also swarms do auto damage according to their HD (even Locusts with no effective attack) so auto damage should be 3d6 each round and add the 2d4 Con damage after the first round.

I am also of the belief that there should be a round before Con. damage is assessed. So 1st round, distraction and damage only. 2nd and following rounds: distraction, damage, and Con. damage.

Ciao
Dave

 

[ElectricDragon]

Would getting out of the swarm area really detatch all the drinking stirges? Maybe a rule for having to detatch 1d4 stirges (as normal stirges) once the swarm was vacated?

Ciao
Dave

 

[Wish]

none