Swarm-Shifter (prc)
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REQUIREMENTS:To qualify to become a Swarm Shifter, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Type: Must be a corporeal undead.
HD: d12Level | Bab | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature |
1 | + 0 | +0 | +0 | + 2 | Swarm Body, Swarm Form, Distraction, Swarm Attack, Hivemind |
2 | + 1 | +0 | +0 | + 3 | No escape, Consume, Swarm Master |
Skills: 2 + Intelligence modifier per level, no class skills
Proficiencies: The Swarm-Shifter gains no new proficiencies.
Swarm body: Unlike other monster classes, the Swarm Shifter doesn't lose his racial ability modifiers, but he does gain the shapeshifter subtype. When turned into a swarm, it gains the swarm subtype, and any other sutbtype the swarm may have.
Swarm Form:Distraction:Creatures starting the turn on the same space as the swarm-shifter must make a Fort save with DC 10+1/2HD+Cha mod or be nauseated for 1 round. The swarm-shifter may choose to don't affect allies with this.
Swarm Attack:The Swarm shifter automatically deals 1d6 damage per 2 HD to every creature sharing it's space at the end of it's turn. DR applies as normal, but the Swarm-Shifter applies any special qualities it's natural attacks have on normal form to it's Swarm Attack. So for example a Swarm-Shifter with an enanchment bonus to natural attacks and counting his attacks as chaotic aligned on his normal form would penetrate DR/magic and chaotic with it's Swarm Attack. The swarm-shifter may choose to don't affect allies with this.
Hivemind: A swarm-shifter with this ability is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specifi c number of creatures
(including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of effects that command, control, turn, rebuke, bolster, or
destroy undead specifi cally. A swarm-shifter in swarm form is affected by turn and rebuke attempts just like the base creature.
No escape:Running from the swarm is futile. At 2nd level, the Swarm-Shifter gains a +10 feet bonus to all its movement speeds while on Swarm form.
Consume:As the swarm slowly bleeds its prey to death, it replenishes its own numbers. Whenever it deals Swarm Attack damage, it recovers half the damage dealt to its own HP. It cannot gain more HP than its max, and cannot Consume more creatures in a single turn than its Cha mod.
Swarm Master:At 2nd level, the Swarm Shifter gains three new Swarm forms from the list below. For every 3 HD it has, it gains an extra one.
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Swarm Forms:
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These are the Swarm Forms from wich the Swarm-Shifter may pick. At the DM's discretion, new forms may be added to these options.
Swarm of Undead BatsDiminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft. (good).
Special Attacks: An undead in bat swarm form has the following
additional special attack.
Wounding (Ex): A living creature damaged by the swarm
attack continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per 2 HD per round thereafter.
Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss.
The bleeding can be stopped with a DC 10+HD Heal check or the
application of a cure spell or some other healing magic.
Special Qualities: An undead in bat swarm form has the
following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Blindsense (Ex): A bat swarm notices and locates creatures
within 10 feet per HD feet by hearing.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Swarm of Undead BeetlesDiminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft., fl y 10 ft. (poor).
Special Qualities: An undead in beetle swarm form has the
following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of beetles can pinpoint the location
of anything in contact with the ground within 20 feet per HD.
Swarm of Undead CentipedesDiminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in centipede swarm form has
the following additional special attack.
Poison (Ex): Swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 HD
+ Cha modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Dex. This
damage increases one die step for every 4 HD. At 10 HD it
affects creatures immune to poison and/or ability damage, but
they only take half damage from a failed save.
Special Qualities: An undead in centipede swarm form has
the following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Swarm of Undead FliesFine Undead (Swarm)
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (8 squares) (perfect).
following
additional special attack.
Disease (Ex):Special Qualities: An undead in fly swarm form has the
following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Fine creatures.
Swarm of Undead LeechesDiminutive Undead (Aquatic, Swarm)
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), swim 30 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in leech swarm form has the
following additional special attack.
Wounding (Ex): A living creature damaged by the swarm
attack continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per 2 HD per round thereafter.
Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss.
The bleeding can be stopped with a DC 10+HD Heal check or the
application of a cure spell or some other healing magic.
Special Qualities: An undead in leech swarm form has the
following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of leeches can pinpoint the location
of anything in contact with the ground or in the water with it
within 20 feet per HD.
Swarm of Undead Maggots (or Worms)
Fine Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares).
Special Attacks: An undead in maggot swarm form has the
following additional special attack.
Extended Nausea (Ex): Special Qualities: An undead in maggot swarm form has the
following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Fine creatures.
Swarm of Undead PartsTiny Undead (Swarm)
This swarm is composed of the body of the base creature
broken into a pile of bones, sometimes including rotted fl esh
and organs. This swarm can skitter and slosh across the ground
or rise in a cyclone of limbs and pieces.
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fl y 20 ft. (poor).
Special Attacks: An undead in parts swarm form has the
following additional special attack.
Fear (Su): A creature damaged by a parts swarm must make a
successful Will save (DC 10+1/2 HD +Cha modifier)or be frightened for
1d4 rounds. At 10 HD this affects creatures immune to fear, altough
they gain a +5 bonus on their saves.
Parts (Ex): A parts swarm undead is a swarm made up of the
body parts of the undead creature. This causes the swarm to
deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with its swarm attack.
Special Qualities: An undead in parts swarm form has the
following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Half Damage From Slashing and Piercing (Ex): Slashing and piercing
attacks deal half damage to a swarm of Tiny creatures.
Swarm of Undead RatsTiny Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in rat swarm form has the following
additional special attack.
Disease (Ex): Special Qualities: An undead in rat-swarm form has the
following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Half Damage From Slashing and Piercing (Ex): Slashing and piercing
attacks deal half damage to a swarm of Tiny creatures.
Scent (Ex): As the standard ability.
Swarm of Undead Sand(or Tomb Dust or Grave Dirt)
Fine Undead (Swarm)
Speed: Fly 60 ft. (12 squares) (perfect).
Special Qualities: An undead in sand swarm form has the
following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Fine creatures.
Dust to Dust: A swarm of undead Sand can choose to lay perfectly still,
not taking any actions, including Distraction and Swarm Attack. In this situation
it becomes fully immune to all kind of senses and divinations (even true seeing and
indirect ones like Legend Lore), and can only be detected by a sucessfull
Search Check with DC 10+HD+Cha mod.
Swarm of Undead ScorpionsDiminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares).
Special Attacks: An undead in scorpion swarm form has
the following additional special attack.
Poison (Ex): Swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10+1/2 HD+Cha mod,
initial and secondary damage 1d2 Con. This damage increases one die step
for every 4 HD. At 10 HD it affects creatures immune to poison and/or ability damage,
but they only take half damage from a failed save.
Special Qualities: An undead in scorpion swarm form
has the following additional special qualities, in addition to
darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of scorpions can pinpoint the location
of anything in contact with the ground within 60 feet.
Swarm of Undead SpidersDiminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in spider swarm form has the
following additional special attack.
Poison (Ex): Swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10+1/2 HD+Cha modifier,
initial and secondary damage 1d3 Str. This damage increases one die step
for every 4 HD. At 10 HD it affects creatures immune to disease and/or
ability damage, but they only take half damage from a failed save.
Special Qualities: An undead in spider swarm form has the
following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision
out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless
against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of spiders can pinpoint the location
of anything in contact with the ground within 20 feet per HD.
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Comments:
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That's sure long for a 2 lv Prc.
Well, the swarm-shifter is aimed at all those undeads that can divide themselves in pieces, be it bugs or soft vermins or, well, undead parts!
The class comes with a list of custom ready-to-use swarm forms wich include pretty much all of the iconic ones, to wich I added several tweaks of my own. Feel free to ask your DMs to use other swarms, but I couldn't just allow for cherry-picking any swarm from anywhere.
Also made the swarms go faster (otherwise they're easily outrunned) and able to feed on the enemy for filling out the 2nd level a little more.
Altough it probably delays your main class progression, the Swarm Shifter's first level offers the awesome swarm traits (immunity to single-target effects in particular), and the second level offers great versatility.
So if you want to play an undead pile of tiny angry creatures, the Swarm Shifter's for you!
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