Swarms and Web

[Zathraas]

Are swarms susceptible to web spells?

 

[phindar]

I am unaware of a specific ruling in the books (which isn't to say that there isn't one, only that I'm unaware of it). But this comes up in idle conversation in my group from time to time, mainly because we have a wizard that loves to toss out Web spells and we've been fighting a lot of giant spiders lately.

Our take on it is the Web spell is magic, and so it works as written on giant spiders, normal sized spiders, and large groups of normal sized spiders, even those that can negoiate webs with ease. That said, as a player, if I cast a Web spell at a giant spider (or a bunch of little ones) and it ran right over or through it, I wouldn't complain about it. That's a justifiable ruling, even if it isn't RAW.

 

[the_mighty_agrippa]

I would say no and the main reason I say this is because the spell must be anchored. That leaves plenty of room for a bunch of bugs to maneuver under. I would only apply this to tiny creatures and this leaves plenty of options for the PC spellcaster to abuse the ruling, so be careful.

 

[frankthedm]

Given how sticky, thick and resiliant a web spell is, I'd assume it would stop most mundane swarms in thier tracks. Though I can't help but picture a spider swarm moving right on trough.

 

[Celebrim]

I don't know that a web spell would be particularly effective against diminutive or smaller creatures because the ratio to space inside the web to webbing is very high as a web is typically pictured. I'd rule that a swarm diminutive or smaller creatures took some amount of damage moving through a webbed space, but that it wouldn't otherwise provide a barrier to movement.