General Rules: Monsters - Corpse Rat Swarm

Corpse Rat Swarm (adapted from Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead and Dragon Magazine #329)
Tiny Undead (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hit points)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 15 feet, climb 15 feet
Armor Class: 13 (+2 size, +1 Dexterity); touch 13, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +4/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Disease, distraction

Special Qualities: DR 5/slashing, darkvision 60 feet, swarm traits, undead traits

Saves: Fortitude +2, Reflex +3, Will +6
Abilities: Str 4, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 13, Con -, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pack (2 - 4 swarms), or infestation (7 - 12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

Like a bone rat swarm, a corpse rat swarm is made up of countless undead rats. These, however, are closer to zombies than skeletons, with hunks of rotting flesh still hanging on their bones. They are even more disease ridden than a normal rat swarm, and every but as hungry for flesh.

Combat
A corpse rat swarm seeks to engulf and devour any living prey it encounters. A corpse rat swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a corpse rat swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it swarms all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Corpse rat swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A corpse rat swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a corpse rat swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a corpse rat swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Disease (Ex): Filth fever - swarm attack, Fortitude DC 16, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dexterity and 1d3 Constitution. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A corpse rat swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A corpse rat swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a corpse rat swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Undead Traits: A corpse rat swarm is immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised and resurrection only works if it is willing. It has darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Vulnerabilities
Corpse rat swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Corpse Rat Swarms as Familiars
Corpse rat swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat, be evil in alignment, and be at least a 11^th-level caster. Powerful ratman necromancers often have corpse rat swarm familiars in place of their usual undead servitor.

The corpse rat swarm remains an undead creature, but gains an Intelligence score of 1. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The corpse rat swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Corpse rat swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Spider Swarm

Spider Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual and Dragon Magazine #329)
Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hit points)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 feet, climb 20 feet
Armor Class: 17 (+4 size, +3 Dexterity); touch 17, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +1/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus poison)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus poison)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 feet, vermin
Saves: Fortitude +3, Reflex +3, Will +0
Abilities: Str 1, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +11, Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: -
Environment: Warm forest
Organization: Solitary, tangle (2 - 4 swarms), or colony (7 - 12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A spider swarm is a scuttling horde of venomous spiders.

Combat
A spider swarm seeks to surround and attack any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a spider swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Spider swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A spider swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a spider swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a spider swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 11, initial and secondary damage 1d3 Strength. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A spider swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A spider swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a spider swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Vermin: No Intelligence score, and immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Skills: A spider swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. It uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Vulnerabilities
Spider swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Spider Swarms as Familiars
Spider swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat and be at least a 3^rd-level caster. Chitine spellcasters and other worshipers of Gangyn often have spider swarm familiars.

The spider swarm becomes a magical beast swarm familiar. The spider swarm gains an Intelligence score of 1. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The spider swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its poison attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Spider swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Viper Swarm

Viper Swarm (from Dawnforge: Crucible of Legend)
Tiny Animal (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hit points)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 15 feet, climb 15 feet, swim 15 feet
Armor Class: 17 (+2 size, +3 Dexterity, +2 natural); touch 15, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus poison)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus poison)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, poison
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits
Saves: Fortitude +3, Reflex +8, Will +2
Abilities: Str 6, Int 1, Wis 12, Dex 17, Con 11, Cha 2
Skills: Balance, +12, Climb +7, Hide +8, Listen +8, Spot +8, Swim +7
Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, tangle (2 - 4 swarms), or colony (7 - 12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A viper swarm is a terrifying tanle of tiny snakes, all writhing and slithering over one another to get where they are going.

Combat
Viper swarms slither over their prey, delivering a number of poisonous bites to each foe.

In order to attack, a viper swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Viper swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A viper swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a viper swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a viper swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 11, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Constituion. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A viper swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A viper swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a viper swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Tiny size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Skills: A viper swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Viper swarms have a +8 racial bonus on all Swim checks to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. They can always take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered. Viper swarms can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line.

Vulnerabilities
Viper swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

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General Rules: Monsters - Swamp Strider Swarm

Swamp Strider Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual III and Dragon Magazine #329)
Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 9d8 (40 hit points)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 50 feet
Armor Class: 19 (+4 size, +5 Dexterity); touch 19, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +6/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6)

Full Attack: Swarm (2d6)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, wounding
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits, water walk, wavesense
Saves: Fortitude +6, Reflex +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 1, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 20, Con 10, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +21 (+25 in swamps or wetland terrain), Spot +4
Feats: Improved Initiative
Environment: Warm marshes
Organization: Solitary, fleet (2 - 4 swarms), or flotilla (11 - 20 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

Swamp striders are predatory insects whose physiology allows them to "walk" on water as easily as on land. They mob large creatures, piercing them with their dangerously long stingers, consuming the blood that leaks into the water. Despite the swarm's dangerous nature, humanoid races sometimes hunt swamp strider swarms, considering roasted striders to be a fine delicacy. An individual strider is 7 inches long and weighs ½ pound.

Combat
Like any swarm, a swamp strider swarm seeks to surround and attack any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move, plus damage from its wounding ability.

In order to attack, a swamp strider swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Swamp strider swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A swamp strider swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a swamp strider swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to a swamp strider swarm's swarm damage that begins its turn with a swamp strider swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. Even after a successful save, spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swam requires a Concentration check (Dc 20 + the spell level). Using skills requiring patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check. The save DC is Constitution-based..

Wounding (Ex): Any living creature damaged by a swamp strider swarm continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or other healing magic.

Water Walk (Ex): Swamp striders can move across water as easily as on land. This ability functions as the water walk spell, except that it is an extraordinary ability and the swamp strider swarm actually touches the water rather than floating above it. A swamp strider swarm that is submerged will rise to the surface (as per the spell effect), but if it is forced to remain underwater for 5 rounds or more, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save every round thereafter or perish.

Wavesense (Ex): A swamp strider swarm notices and locates any creatures within 30 feet as long as they are in the same body of water as the swarm.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A spider swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A spider swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a spider swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Vermin: No Intelligence score, and immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Skills: Swamp striders have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks. Swamp striders gain a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks when in swamps or wetland terrain.

Vulnerabilities
Spider swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Swamp Strider Swarms as Familiars
Spider swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat and be at least a 11^th-level caster. Goblinoid spellcasters and other worshipers of Ninkurra often have swamp strider swarm familiars.

The swamp strider swarm becomes a magical beast swarm familiar. The swamp strider swarm gains an Intelligence score of 1. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The swamp strider swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its poison attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Swamp strider swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Locust Swarm

Locust Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual and Dragon Magazine #329)
Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 6d8-6 (21 hit points)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 10 feet, fly 30 feet (poor)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dexterity); touch 18, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +4/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6)

Full Attack: Swarm (2d6)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin
Saves: Fortitude +4, Reflex +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 1, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 19, Con 8, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: -
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary, cloud (2 - 7 swarms), or plague (11 - 20 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A locust swarm is a cloud of thousands of winged vermin that devours any organic material in its path.

Combat
A locust swarm seeks to surround and attack any living prey it encounters. A locust swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a locust swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Locust swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A locust swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a locust swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a locust swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based..

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A locust swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A locust swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a locust swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Vermin: No Intelligence score, and immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Skills: A locust swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

Vulnerabilities
Locust swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Locust Swarms as Familiars
Locust swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat and be at least a 7^th-level caster. Goblinoid spellcasters and worshipers of Ninkurra and Kivutar often have locust swarm familiars.

The locust swarm becomes a magical beast swarm familiar. The locust swarm gains an Intelligence score of 1. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The locust swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its poison attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Locust swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Bat Swarm

Bat Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual and Dragon Magazine #329)
Diminutive Animal (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hit points)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 5 feet, fly 40 feet (good)
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dexterity); touch 14, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, wounding
Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 feet, immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, swarm traits
Saves: Fortitude +3, Reflex +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 3, Int 2, Wis 14, Dex 15, Con 10, Cha 4
Skills: Listen +11, Spot +11
Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot)
Environment: Temperate deserts
Organization: Solitary, flight (2 - 4 swarms), or colony (11 - 20 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A bat swarm is a mass of small, fierce carnivorous bats with a thirst for the blood of any creature unfortunate enough to cross their path. A bat swarm is nocturnal and is never found above ground in daylight.

Combat
A bat swarm seeks to surround and attack any warm-blooded prey it encounters. The swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a bat swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it flies all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Bat swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A bat swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a bat swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Blindsense (Ex): A bat swarm notices and locates creatures within 20 feet. Opponents still have total concealment against the bat swarm (but swarm attacks ignore concealment).

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a bat swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Wounding (Ex): Any living creature damaged by a bat swarm continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell of some other healing magic.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A bat swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A bat swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a bat swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Skills: A bat swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsense is negated.

Vulnerabilities
Bat swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Bat Swarms as Familiars
Bat swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat and be at least a 5^th-level caster. Vampires and vampire-blooded spellcasters often have bat swarm familiars.

The bat swarm becomes a magical beast swarm familiar. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The bat swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Bat swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Emphemeral Swarm

Emphemeral Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual III and Dragon Magazine #329)
Tiny Undead (Incorporeal, Swarm)

Hit Dice: 12d12+108 (186 hit points)
Initiative: +4
Speed: Fly 30 feet (good)
Armor Class: 20 (+2 size, +4 Dexterity, +4 deflection); touch 20, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grapple: +6/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6 Strength)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 Stength)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, Strength damage

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, half damage from slashing and piercing, incorporeal traits, swarm traits, undead traits

Saves: Fortitude +4, Reflex +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str -, Int 2, Wis 11, Dex 18, Con -, Cha 18
Skills: Listen +9, Spot +10
Feats: Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Toughness x4-
Environment: Plane of Shadow
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

Ephemeral swarms are the ghostly collections of many little creatures that suffered a common death. Just as when a spirit of a particular creature lingers on as a ghost when, when many small creatures die a violent death, they may linger on as a vengeful ephemeral swarm. The undead swarm is comprised of the psychic agony and anguish of the newly departed.

The physical appearance of the creatures in the swarm corresponds to what was killed. Thus, in an area where a plague killed all the cats, the ephemeral swarm will look likes a pack of cats and kittens. If a fireball spell took out a rat's nest, the ephemeral swarm would seem to be a ghostly rat swarm.

Combat
Almost all ephemeral swarms return from the dead seeking to inflict pain and suffering similar to that which they experienced upon their deaths. If the agent of their destruction is visible and recognizable by the creatures, a swarm will direct its efforts toward killing them. Otherwise, a swarm surrounds and attacks any living prey it encounters.

In order to attack, an ephemeral swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it swarms all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Ephemeral swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. An ephemeral swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0 and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, an ephemeral swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a ephemeral swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. Even after a successful save, spellcasting or concentrating on spells requires a Concentration check with a DC of 20 + the spell level. Using skills requiring patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Strength Damage (Su): The swarm attack of a ephemeral swarm deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to any living creature whose space it occupied at the end of its move. A creature reduced to Strength 0 by an ephemeral swarm dies. This is a negative energy effect.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. An ephemeral swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. An ephemeral swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on an ephemeral swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Undead Traits: An ephemeral swarm is immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised and resurrection only works if it is willing. It has darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Incorporeal: An ephemeral swarm can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. The creature has a 50% change to ignore any damage from a corporeal source except for force effects or attacks made with ghost touch weapons. An ephemeral swarm can pass through solid objects, but not force effects, at will. Its attacks ignore armor, natural armor, and shields, but deflection bonuses and force effects work normally against them. An ephemeral swarm always moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it does not wish to be.

Vulnerabilities
Ephemeral swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have one special vulnerability: A magic weapon with a special ability such as flaming deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

Ephemeral Swarms as Familiars
Ephemeral swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat, be evil in alignment, and be at least a 11^th-level caster.

The ephemeral swarm remains an undead creature. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The ephemeral swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Ephemeral swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Hellwasp Swarm

Hellwasp Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual and Dragon Magazine #329)
Diminutive Magical Beast (Evil, Extraplanar, Swarm)

Hit Dice: 12d10+36 (102 hit points)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 5 feet, fly 40 feet
Armor Class: 20 (+4 size, +6 Dexterity); touch 20, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +12/-
Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus poison)

Full Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus poison)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, inhabit, poison

Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 10/+1, Darkvision 60 feet, hive mind, immune to weapon damage, low-light vision, resistance to fire 10, swarm traits

Saves: Fortitude +10, Reflex +14, Will +7
Abilities: Str 1, Int 6, Wis 13, Dex 22, Con 14, Cha 9
Skills: Hide +19, Listen +10, Spot +10
Feats: Ability Focus (Poison), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Toughness
Environment: Infernal Hells
Organization: Solitary, fright (2 - 4 swarms), or terror (5 - 8 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

Hellwasps are vicious, foul-tempered magical insects from the infernal planes. A single hellwasp resembles a thumb-sized normal wasp, except its carapace is gleaming black with ruby red stripes, and its compound eyes are an iridescent green. In swarms, hellwasps form a collective hive mind intelligence with infernal cunning and bloodlust.

Combat
Like any swarm, a hellwasp swarm seeks to surround and attack any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 3d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. The swarm can take over the bodies of its prey and infest both the living and the dead, using them as horrible living (or unloving) puppets to accomplish acts of wickedness that a swarm of insects could never attempt.

A hellwasp swarm's attack is treated as an evil-aligned weapon and a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

In order to attack, a hellwasp swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls and flies all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Hellwasp swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A hellwasp swarm’s attacks are evil-aligned and magical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a hellwasp swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a hellwasp swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Hive Mind (Ex): Any hellwasp swarm with at least 1 hit point per Hit Die (12 hit points for a standard swarm) forms a hive mind, giving it an Intelligence of 6. When a hellwasp swarm is reduced below this hit point threshold, it becomes mindless.

Inhabit (Ex): A hellwasp swarm can enter the body of a helpless or dead creature by crawling into its mouth and other orifices. Inhabiting requires 1 minute and the victim must be Small, Medium, or Large, although four swarms working together can inhabit a Huge creature. The swarm can abandon the body at any time, although doing this takes 1 full round. Amy attack against the host deals half damage to the hellwasp swarm as well, although the swarm's resistances and immunities may negate some or all of this damage.

If a hellwasp swarm inhabits a dead body, it can restore animation to the creature and control its movements, effective transforming it into a zombie of the appropriate size for so long as the swarm remains inside. if a hellwasp swarm inhabits a living victim, it can neutralize its own poison and control the victim's movement and actions as if using dominate monster on the victim. The hellwasps quickly consume a living victim, dealing 2d4 points of Constitution damage per hour they inhabit a body. A body reduced to 0 Constitution is dead.

A hellwasp-inhabited creature is relatively easy to spot, since its skin crawls with the forms of insects inside. The swarm is intelligent enough to attempt to hide beneath loose clothing or a large cloak to keep its presence from being detected. The swarm can attempt a Disguise check to conceal its inhabitation of a host, with a -4 penalty if currently inhabiting a Small host.

A remove disease or heal spell cast on an inhabited victim forces the hellwasp swarm to abandon the host.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 13; initial and secondary damage 1d4 Dexterity. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A bat swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A bat swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a bat swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Vulnerabilities
Hellwasp swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Hellwasp Swarms as Familiars
Bat swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat, be within alignment one step of lawful evil, and be at least a 16^th-level caster. Powerful goblinoid and goblinoid-blooded spellcasters have been known to have hellwasp swarm familiars.

The hellwasp swarm is a magical beast swarm familiar. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The hellwasp swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Hellwasp swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Centipede Swarm

Centipede Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual and Dragon Magazine #329)
Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 9d8-9 (31 hit points)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 feet, climb 20 feet
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dexterity); touch 18, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +6/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus poison)

Full Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus poison)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 feet, vermin
Saves: Fortitude +5, Reflex +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 1, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 19, Con 8, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +12, Spot +4
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, tangle (2 - 4 swarms), or colony (7 - 12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A centipede swarm is a crawling mass of voracious centipedes that can climb over obstacles to get at prey.

Combat
A centipede swarm seeks to surround and attack any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 2d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a centipede swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Centipede swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A centipede swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a centipede swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a centipede swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 13; initial and secondary damage 1d4 Dexterity. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A bat swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A bat swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a bat swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Vermin: No Intelligence score, and immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Skills: A centipede swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, and uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb checks. A centipede swarm can always choose to Take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Vulnerabilities
Centipede swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Centipede Swarms as Familiars
Bat swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat and be at least a 9^th-level caster. Goblinoids and goblinoid-blooded spellcasters often have centipede swarm familiars.

The centipede swarm becomes a magical beast swarm familiar. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The centipede swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Centipede swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Ironbiter Swarm

Ironbiter Swarm (from Dungeon Crawl Classics #30.5: Trek from the Vault)
Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 12d8+12 (66 hit points)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 feet, climb 20 feet
Armor Class: 17 (+4 size, +3 Dexterity); touch 17, flat-footed 14
BAB/Grapple: +9/-
Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus poison plus special)

Full Attack: Swarm (3d6 plus poison plus special)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Destructive bite, distraction, poison

Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 feet, vermin

Saves: Fortitude +9, Reflex +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 3, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +11, Spot +4
Feats: -
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, raid (2 - 4 swarms), or invasion (7 - 12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

An individual ironbiter beetle is roughly four inches long with a dull, metallic carapace and razor-sharp mandibles.

Combat
An ironbiter swarm seeks to consume metal along with any other prey it encounters. A swarm deals 3d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, an ironbiter swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Ironbiter swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. An ironbiter swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, an ironbiter swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Destructive Bite (Ex): Ironbiter swarms cherw through metal as easily as flesh. An ironbiter swarm automatically deals its swarm damage to metal armor and weapons as well as living targets. Characters may attempt a DC 17 Fortitude save to halve the damage inflicted to any attended magic armor or weapons. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with an ironbiter swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 17 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1d2 Strength. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. An ironbiter swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. An ironbiter swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on an ironbiter swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Vermin: No Intelligence score, and immune to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).

Skills: An ironbiter swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. It uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Vulnerabilities
Ironbiter swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

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General Rules: Monsters - Rat Swarm

Rat Swarm (adapted from the Monster Manual and Dragon Magazine #329)
Tiny Animal (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 4d8 (18 hit points)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 feet, climb 15 feet
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dexterity); touch 14, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +3/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Disease, distraction

Special Qualities: Half damage from slashing and piercing weapons, low-light vision, scent, swarm traits

Saves: Fortitude +4, Reflex +3, Will +2
Abilities: Str 2, Int 2, Wis 12, Dex 15, Con 10, Cha 2
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +4, Listen +6, Spot +7, Swim +10
Feats: Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pack (2 - 4 swarms), or infestation (11 - 20 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A rat swarm is a mass of teeming, famished, disease-ridden rats. A swarm is composed of ordinary individual rats, but in such great numbers that they become implacable hunters capable of killing a human with hundreds of bites. Rat swarms can sometimes be found in the sewers and foundations of human cities.

Combat
A rat swarm seeks to surround and attack any warm-blooded prey it encounters. The swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a rat swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it swarms all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Rat swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A rat swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a rat swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Disease (Ex): Filth fever - swarm attack, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dexterity and 1d3 Constitution. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a rat swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A rat swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a rat swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Skills: A rat swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Swim checks. A rat swarm can always choose to Take 10 on all Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

A rat swarm uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks.

A rat swarm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to Take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Vulnerabilities
Rat swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Rat Swarms as Familiars
Rat swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat and be at least a 5^th-level caster. Ratman spellcasters often have rat swarm familiars.

The rat swarm becomes a magical beast swarm familiar. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The rat swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Rat swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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General Rules: Monsters - Bone Rat Swarm

Bone Rat Swarm (adapted from Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead and Dragon Magazine #329)
Tiny Undead (Swarm)

Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hit points)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 15 feet, climb 15 feet
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +3 Dexterity); touch 15, flat-footed 13
BAB/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6)

Full Attack: Swarm (1d6)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/0 feet
Special Attacks: Distraction

Special Qualities: DR 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 feet, half damage from slashing and piercing weapons, immunity to cold, swarm traits, undead traits

Saves: Fortitude +1, Reflex +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str 2, Int -, Wis 10, Dex 17, Con -, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pack (2 - 4 swarms), or infestation (7 - 12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -

A bone rat swarm is a mass of undead skeletal rats. though individually such creatures would pose little risk, in great numbers they can strip a creature clean in short order.

Combat
A bone rats swarm seeks to engulf and devour any living prey it encounters. The swarm deals 1d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.

In order to attack, a bone rat swarm moves into opponents' spaces, which provokes attacks of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it swarms all around its prey, but remains a creature with a 10 foot by 10 foot space. Bone rat swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity. A bone rat swarm’s attacks are nonmagical. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce the swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm.

Unlike other creatures with a 10 foot by 10 foot space, a bone rat swarm is shapeable. It can occupy any four contiguous space and it can squeeze through any space large enough to contain one of its component creatures.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a bone rat swarm in its space must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Swarm: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A bone rat swarm is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or lower causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent. A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells. A bone rat swarm is susceptible to high winds such as that created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a bone rat swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of Diminutive size. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.

Undead Traits: A bone rat swarm is immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage. It cannot be raised and resurrection only works if it is willing. It has darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Vulnerabilities
Bone rat swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. They have a few special vulnerabilities as follows.

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon's normal damage can't affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.

Bone Rat Swarms as Familiars
Bone rat swarms can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat, be evil in alignment, and be at least a 9^th-level caster. Powerful ratman necromancers often have bone rat swarm familiars in place of their usual undead servitor.

The bone rat swarm remains an undead creature, but gains an Intelligence score of 1. Swarm familiars do not gain the ability to speak with others of their kind, and neither the swarm nor its master gains the Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot) feat. Instead, the following special qualities are substituted for those standard familiar abilities.

Granted Abilities: In addition to special abilities gained as a result of standard familiar progression, swarm familiars also bestow the following abilities upon their masters. The bone rat swarm's master gains immunity to her swarm's nauseating effect and its wounding attack and can occupy the same space as her familiar without suffering penalties. Swarm familiar granted abilities replace the granted abilities listed for improved familiars.

Hive Mind (Ex): Bone rat swarm familiars gain a hive mind that connects them to each other by the arcane power of their master. The master gains an empathic link and the ability to share spells with the hive mind of the swarm familiar.

Nonhealing (Ex): When a swarm takes damage, part of it is physically destroyed. Therefore, swarm familiars cannot be healed in the normal manner. Instead, new creatures much be summoned to the swam to replace those that have died. A summon swarm spell "cures" a swarm familiar by replacing dead creatures in the swarm at a rate of 1d6 hit points per caster level. The number of hit points healed in this manner cannot exceed the swarm's maximum hit point total. Only a druid or the wizard to whom the swarm familiar belongs can cure a swarm familiar in this fashion. Summon swarm spells used to heal a familiar create no other effect.

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