Beefing Up Swarms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Beefing Up Swarms? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sysane
11-27-06, 10:12 PM Anyone have any suggestions on strengthening swarms? There's no offical advancement option for them in the SRD, but was curious if anyone has seen any rules or templates that do so.
Roivas
11-28-06, 12:17 AM Best just to use multiple swarms at once, higher CR swarms, or add HD on your own. I don't use swarms often since they are very situational enemies.
Also the BoVD has rules for hivemind swarms, which can make a large enough swarm able to cast epic levels spells. If the players aren't scared of that it souns like time for the final battle against Vecna on the negative energy plane.
RavenDrake
11-28-06, 08:46 AM There are a couple of options... Remember that you can add many templates to swarms(Feindish and Celestial come to mind) to make interesting foes.

The Hiveminding from BovD(as Roivas pointed out) is also an excellent way to make a swarm more frightning.

Keep in mind, too, that ANY Tiny or smaller creature can be made into a swarm, consider the possibility of making new swarms (raven or owl swarms, viper swarms, etc)
Finarin Panjoro
11-28-06, 03:40 PM I'm fond of making them into undead as well. A swarm of wight rats is increadibly nasty. Just compare the stats of a human commoner to a wight and extrapolate the differences to for a rat swarm to a wight rat swarm.

You want to scare living hell out of your players have them engulfed in rats that are giving them an automatic negative level every round. A swarm of actual vampire bats would be fun as well (automatic blood drain, energy drain, numerous immunities and resistances, etc).

I have turning affect undead swarms purely by hit dice damage. That is no turning check is required. The cleric just rolls his turn damage and that many hit dice of the swarm/s depart the scene. I apply turn resistance first (so you subtract the turn resistance from the damage done each time).
Critical_Failure
11-28-06, 03:43 PM awaken them and give then class levels

wizard bat swarm :)
RavenDrake
11-28-06, 11:47 PM Also, I'm currently working on writeups of insect based entothropes who have a hybrid human/insect form and then assume the form of a swarm of diminutive/fine insects for thier animal form....
Critical_Failure
11-29-06, 02:30 PM the green man?
Sysane
11-29-06, 04:52 PM Also, I'm currently working on writeups of insect based entothropes who have a hybrid human/insect form and then assume the form of a swarm of diminutive/fine insects for thier animal form....
Have you looked over the Swarm From template from Libris Mortis? That may help you with your swarm mechanic for this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sysane 11-27-06, 10:12 PM	Anyone have any suggestions on strengthening swarms? There's no offical advancement option for them in the SRD, but was curious if anyone has seen any rules or templates that do so.
Roivas 11-28-06, 12:17 AM	Best just to use multiple swarms at once, higher CR swarms, or add HD on your own. I don't use swarms often since they are very situational enemies. Also the BoVD has rules for hivemind swarms, which can make a large enough swarm able to cast epic levels spells. If the players aren't scared of that it souns like time for the final battle against Vecna on the negative energy plane.
RavenDrake 11-28-06, 08:46 AM	There are a couple of options... Remember that you can add many templates to swarms(Feindish and Celestial come to mind) to make interesting foes. The Hiveminding from BovD(as Roivas pointed out) is also an excellent way to make a swarm more frightning. Keep in mind, too, that ANY Tiny or smaller creature can be made into a swarm, consider the possibility of making new swarms (raven or owl swarms, viper swarms, etc)
Finarin Panjoro 11-28-06, 03:40 PM	I'm fond of making them into undead as well. A swarm of wight rats is increadibly nasty. Just compare the stats of a human commoner to a wight and extrapolate the differences to for a rat swarm to a wight rat swarm. You want to scare living hell out of your players have them engulfed in rats that are giving them an automatic negative level every round. A swarm of actual vampire bats would be fun as well (automatic blood drain, energy drain, numerous immunities and resistances, etc). I have turning affect undead swarms purely by hit dice damage. That is no turning check is required. The cleric just rolls his turn damage and that many hit dice of the swarm/s depart the scene. I apply turn resistance first (so you subtract the turn resistance from the damage done each time).
Critical_Failure 11-28-06, 03:43 PM	awaken them and give then class levels wizard bat swarm :)
RavenDrake 11-28-06, 11:47 PM	Also, I'm currently working on writeups of insect based entothropes who have a hybrid human/insect form and then assume the form of a swarm of diminutive/fine insects for thier animal form....
Critical_Failure 11-29-06, 02:30 PM	the green man?
Sysane 11-29-06, 04:52 PM	Also, I'm currently working on writeups of insect based entothropes who have a hybrid human/insect form and then assume the form of a swarm of diminutive/fine insects for thier animal form.... Have you looked over the Swarm From template from Libris Mortis? That may help you with your swarm mechanic for this.