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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Azrof" data-source="post: 3706454" data-attributes="member: 19052">OpportunitiesPotential abuses:Undead usually (at lower levels) kind of wander mindlessly. At higher levels, mindless undead either have a controller (lich, master zombie etc) that would be able to resist the affects of Hide from Undead. Vermin, on the other hand, lack such progression.At their higher CRs, Vermin become more effective at player control due to their Swarm ability – key examples include Wasp Swarm variants (including the Hell version), the rat swarms (including undead rat swarms, though in this example not applicable) and so forth. At their highest CRs, Vermin are exemplified by Devastation Vermin – though I suspect you will never encounter or use these in your game. So, the key attributes of the cloak as described: Vermin cannot sense the wearer (they are mindless anyway) unless attacked. And the question is – how can a player exploit this? 1: The Collector. The collector collects vermin of all sorts, gently sorting them, breeding them – invisibly creating colonies of hellfire ant swarms in bottles of sweet honeyed hell-substance. Then, when the time comes, he, with gentle care, releases his swarm – the invisible God of the colony, while they create havoc. 2: The Beguiler: The beguiler wears vermin on his skin. Yeah, it’s disgusting. Imagine the smell, or the opportunities to avoid detection. Also, consider the thought that while vermin cannot be trained, different vermin react uniquely to different situations. Put honey on a rope and loose a few rats. Who knows how long it might take to chew through the rope? May not work, but it might – to the man who is invisible to vermin, using them as allies (particularly if you allow feats or skills oriented around vermin) essentially gives the player opportunities outside the normal scope of such a cloak. There are other examples – some less pretty – honey on a victim you wish to garner information from….and cockroaches. Talk about torture. Yum. And you never have to fear the insects rising up against you. 3: The Berserker. The berserk gathers insects similarly to the collector or beguiler, but uses them in combat, flinging pots of wasps, glasses containing swarms of spiders or ants – at his opponents. Of course, the suppositions above rely on the player being smart, and you might want to reward such activities – I usually do. It also relies on the assumption that “gathering” insects would not result in an attack (such as setting a trap, “attacking” a few to start a breeding colony and so forth). There is also an assumption of time. Ignoring all of these assumptions….4: The opportunist. The opportunist finds environments where vermin breed – sewers, ancient locations of power where Devastation Vermin breed – and lures his enemies into those locations, collecting their gear once they die.</blockquote>

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