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When a rule is clear but leads to illogical efffects
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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7020803" data-attributes="member: 6801845"><p>As others have said, "killing" a swarm just means that you've done enough damage that the swarm goes away. I also don't see why poisons would not work on spiders.</p><p></p><p>Narrating exactly how the swarm is getting smashed? That's a bit weird. The rogue is using the flat of his blade, the barbarian is brushing them off (ala Indiana Jones wiping the spiders off the back of the woman in one of his movies) and then smashing or stomping on them.</p><p></p><p>What's really odd is the elven ranger firing an arrow in such a way as to damage swarms. <em>That</em> is just weird.</p><p></p><p>But the issue is, how could you change the rule to be better and more fun? If you want to have swarms in your game, you need <em>some</em> way of defeating them. </p><p></p><p>I've debated options and honestly I've never come up with a better option. If you say that they can only be killed by area effect, then at lower levels non-magic users can use flasks of alchemist fire or acid but at higher levels it's ineffective. </p><p></p><p>For example</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">swarms are immune to piercing</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">resistant to slashing and attacks have disadvantage as people use the flat of their blades</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">resistant to bludgeoning</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">if you miss the swarm with an attack, risk hitting any person caught in the swarm</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">you can take an action to brush the swarm off yourself or someone else</li> </ul><p></p><p>Is that better? More fun? Maybe, and it would be fine as a house rule. But it's also more complex and I'm not sure it's adding enough to the game to make it worth while.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 7020803, member: 6801845"] As others have said, "killing" a swarm just means that you've done enough damage that the swarm goes away. I also don't see why poisons would not work on spiders. Narrating exactly how the swarm is getting smashed? That's a bit weird. The rogue is using the flat of his blade, the barbarian is brushing them off (ala Indiana Jones wiping the spiders off the back of the woman in one of his movies) and then smashing or stomping on them. What's really odd is the elven ranger firing an arrow in such a way as to damage swarms. [I]That[/I] is just weird. But the issue is, how could you change the rule to be better and more fun? If you want to have swarms in your game, you need [I]some[/I] way of defeating them. I've debated options and honestly I've never come up with a better option. If you say that they can only be killed by area effect, then at lower levels non-magic users can use flasks of alchemist fire or acid but at higher levels it's ineffective. For example [LIST] [*]swarms are immune to piercing [*]resistant to slashing and attacks have disadvantage as people use the flat of their blades [*]resistant to bludgeoning [*]if you miss the swarm with an attack, risk hitting any person caught in the swarm [*]you can take an action to brush the swarm off yourself or someone else [/LIST] Is that better? More fun? Maybe, and it would be fine as a house rule. But it's also more complex and I'm not sure it's adding enough to the game to make it worth while. [/QUOTE]
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