How do you kill spider swarms?

[Lora Grim]

I tried setting them on fire, splashing them with acid, throwing lightning at them... nothing seems to work. Are they "bugged"?

[SIlverblade-T-E]

NUKE THE SITE FROM ORBIT!
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE SURE.....

:p

[SIlverblade-T-E]

Kyutaru lähetti viestin:

They're immune to physical attacks because killing one of them is meaningless. As a swarm they are numerous, it's like trying to squash an large number of spiders one by one. AOE attacks and magic can deal with lots of them at once, such as the torch swings burning a swath through them. As small as that torch is the fire on the end of it is still a very small AOE attack.

Swarm is an official subtype in Pathfinder RPG. Here's the description:
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/creature-types/#TOC-Swarm-Subtype

Spider swarms have an entry already.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/vermin/spider/spider-swarm/

Since they are diminutive, it's basically 1500 spiders that are immune to spells that target individual numbers of creatures and all weapon damage (but not physical AOE attacks). You have to kill them with AOEs.

Exactly, trying to smash a swarming wrigglign carpet of THOUSANDS of bugs with a sword is NOT going to work
a Molotov Cocktail or flamethrower on the other hand, will work ;)

swarms *would* be scary as hell.
ever seen a swarm of wasps for example? ick that's scary and potentilaly *deadly*

[Mr Fred]

This thread was really enjoyable to read! thanks for the laugh everyone!

[SIlverblade-T-E]

Mr Fred lähetti viestin:

This thread was really enjoyable to read! thanks for the laugh everyone!

Imagine how many wizard's towers have been destroyed, because the wizard is sitting there on his or her W.C.. communing with nature, and in flies a wasp, horsefly or whatever
or they're in the bath, and s centipede or spider crawls over the rim
and.....

"AAAAARGH! KILL IT WITH FIRE!"

KAAAAAA BOOOOOOMSKI !!!!!

Meteor Swarm, when you absolutely, positively have to kill every MTF bug in the room!
Accept no substitute!


:p

[TheMorrigan]

Not sure if it will help anyone but fighting swarms in turn based mode helped a lot. I could get my AOE spells or abilities off before they got to my front line most of the time. That way the melee fighters would not be hit by them.

[Blue Drache]

Qooper lähetti viestin:

@RafaelElendil

Well this is blatant ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ then. I never played Pathfinder or D&D but watched a lot of games on YT and I play and GM Shadowrun on frequent occasion, but this spider swarms are wrong.

You are telling me that swipes with a torch or a slap with a greatsword like the one Amiri is hodling doesnt fry or squash at lesat some of those buggers? ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. If that were the case I will take over the world with my army of trained pet spiders.

In the games defense that was actually the first major red flag, the rest was quite good so far

Actually, swipes with torches work. You'll do 1 point of fire damage. As long as your melee isn't poisoned to the point of over encumbrance. Swarms, in Pathfinder tabletop, are no joke, and poisoning swarms are worse, punching way ... way above its CR.

[EolSunder]

the early game spider swarms you fight in the cave are easily defeated with acid potions. At the trading post buy 40 acid flasks i think for 10 each, go into the battles and have 1 character up front to draw attention and the rest of the party just hurl acid flasks until the swarms are dead. Or a mage you can blast them of course.

The character up front is the only one in their aura, they can attack regular spiders up front. Since acid flasks thrown always do minimal 1 damage (more if you actually hit the swarm) with spash damage, the swarms will be dead in a few rounds. There aren't many swarms for most of the game so once you learn how to deal with the early game spider swarms, your set for a while.

So, buy a bunch of acid flasks, have everyone equip some, send 1 person in as a distraction, and hurl acid flasks until swarms are dead, then you can beat up any spiders left over. 40 flasks is usually plenty to handle them with no problem.

[Strandly]

The spider swarms wouldn't even be that bad if the potions would go where you throw them. Throwing 8 potions and having 1 of them hit a swarm is simply stupid game design, imo. The spider web thing is also surprisingly dumb and irritating.

[Orion Pax]

SIlverblade-T-E lähetti viestin:

NUKE THE SITE FROM ORBIT!
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE SURE.....

:p

Hah. Nice one.

[MOK]

this is a necropost yall

[mmarsh]

Best done at Level 3, depending on difficulty. Can be done at 2 but harder.
First Kill the Spiders first, the swarm comes last.
Equip the melees with torches, have your support like Linzi/Reg use acid/fire potions
Have Octavia learn burning hands and use her to flank the swarm, position her so her arch doesnt hit to many of your own people.

[SIlverblade-T-E]

Orion Pax lähetti viestin:

Hah. Nice one.

Mandragora swarms really DO deserve and need tactical nukes, jeesh :P

[Jester]

You can use the Acid Splash cantrip on them over and over as well.

[Babbles]

Jester lähetti viestin:

You can use the Acid Splash cantrip on them over and over as well.

Not on Unfair you cant ...

[Steve]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.