Neverending Dungeon - Generic

[Tanaric]

The air surrounding you fairly hums with the residue of magic, an aftereffect of the spell that brought you to this place. A quick glance reveals that you are in a small room, devoid of any life save for yourself. The sound of dripping water can be heard faintly, and the stone walls are slick with moisture. In complete defiance of logic, a torch is already lit, resting in a sconce near the room's single door.
Map:{table]|A_|B_|C_
1|||
2||G|
3|||
4|||[/table]

There is a door at C-4, south side.

DM notes:Sheet. (http://www.thetangledweb.net/forums/profiler/view_char.php?cid=31803)

[chilepepper]

Alright, here's the plan.

I'll summon swarm (spider or rat, but probably always spider) to set off traps (they are heavy enough for pressure plates, I checked). The swarm is out of my control and I believe they seek the nearest prey, but they are dismissed as soon as I stop concentrating (not Conc+2rds) so if they turn on me, I'll stop concentrating. If there's something wrong with that assumption, let me know.

The Unseen Servant will open doors. 5 spells @ 1 hour each gives me potentially 5+ hours to clear a floor or at least find a safe room to sleep in (I've heard rumors those exist). If the duration expires, I'll wait until I need to open a door to cast the next one. The swarm damages creatures they share a square with so it isn't technically area damage. I shouldn't have to worry about the swarm and the U.S. interacting.

If that's all good, then I open my flask so it starts filling, snuff out the torch (60' darkvision), cast U.S., have it open the door, and start summoning the swarms. Don't forget, swarms are 4 squares but not necessarily 2x2. If the hallway is only 5' wide, the swarm would cover 4x1 squares. If the swarm moves along the path I'm going to take, I'll follow it, otherwise I'll dismiss it and resummon.

To speed things along a little, I'll travel following the wall on my left. It's as if I put my hand out and kept it touching the wall on my left as I walk. I'll take all left turns and open and pass through all doors on my left. When I come to a door, I'll back away up to 25' away from the door, but still within LoS/LoE. The U.S. will open the door and I'll summon a swarm just inside the door.

That should put most of the movement on autopilot. Also, if I get popped by a one time source of damage (like setting off a trap) but I'm still at or above 6HP, you can just tell me and keep going. Once under 6HP or if it wasn't a one time hit, then I'll heal or take some other course of action.

edit: Question: If I make it to the stairway to the second floor / magic shoppe before clearing the dungeon, can I go to the magic shoppe activating the "save point" and then finish clearing the 1st floor?

[Tanaric]

The save point is the start of the second floor. The magic mart is at the end of the first floor, near the exit. The two are not related.

[Tanaric]

Oookay, let's see here.

You open the door without issue.

Opening the door reveals a hall running to the south and east. To the east, it runs beyond the range of your darkvision. After ten feet, it splits north and south. After thirty feet, there is a door on the north side of the hall. After sixty feet, it splits north and south.

To the south, it runs for thirty feet before teeing to the east and west. After twenty feet, it splits east.

You go east, then turn north at the intersection, which runs north for twenty feet, then east for ten feet, then north for ten feet before teeing to the east and west. To the east, it goes on for fifty feet before turning south. After twenty feet, it splits north. After thirty feet, there is a door on the south side of the hall. At the bend, there is a door on the north side of the hall.

To the west, which is the way you're going, it runs for thirty feet before turning north, and splits north after twenty feet. You go all the way to the end hall, then north for twenty feet before the floor falls out under your swarm. The hall continues for ten feet beyond the pit before turning east.

[chilepepper]

How wide / long is the opening to the pit, how deep is the pit, and is there anything at the bottom?

[Tanaric]

The pit is a five foot square in a five foot wide hall. It's twenty feet deep. There's some rubble at the bottom, but nothing else.

[chilepepper]

Summon a swarm to check the other side of the pit, summon a swarm in the bottom of the pit while watching to make sure it isn't trapped. Assuming it isn't...

I'm going to knot my rope and affix my grappling hook.

Set the hook and descend.

Use Rope DC 10 to set the hook - taking 10 for result of 15
Climb DC 0, 4 checks - can't fail

Shake the hook loose and toss it up to the other side.

Use Rope DC 14 - taking 10 again
Climb DC 0, 4 checks again - can't fail

Continue.

[Tanaric]

You continue north for ten feet, then east for twenty feet, then south for ten feet before opening a door on the east and summoning a swarm inside. The hall continues west for ten feet before turning south.

How long are you going to concentrate on the swarm? Also, I presume you weren't actually going to poke your head inside to see what's in there, yes?

[chilepepper]

I open doors if it's the path I would take. In other words, if I come to a door on my left, I go through it. A door on my right I ignore until I come upon it again with it on my left, which should theoretically happen eventually.

[Tanaric]

The door was on your left as you walked.


The U.S. will open the door and I'll summon a swarm just inside the door.

Yes? Duration, and is your US going to leave the door open?

[chilepepper]

Ah, okay. The US leaves the door open. When I summon a swarm in a newly opened door, I continue concentrating on it long enough to determine if there's anything in the room and until that creature is dead or slumps to the ground because of 0 Str. Don't forget it's tremorsense. Additionally, I'll make sure and get the swarm onto every square of rooms before entering them.

Spider Swarm stats, for your convenience

Spider Swarm
Size/Type: Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (+4 size, +3 Dex), touch 17, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/—
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus poison)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, tremorsense 30 ft., vermin traits
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +0
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 17, Con 10, Int Ø, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +11, Listen +4, Spot +4
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary, tangle (2-4 swarms), or colony (7-12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —
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.
Distraction (Ex)

Any living creature that begins its turn with a spider swarm in its space must succeed on 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 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.
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.

edit: If it's just a room with no other doors, I'll make a mental note of it and continue on. I am leaving all doors open.

[Tanaric]

Round 1:You know something is inside by the sound of surprised shouting.

Swarm damage: [roll0]

Fort: [roll1]

If you continue concentration on the swarm, open the next spoiler.

Round 2:Something comes barreling out into the hallway with you. It is quite large (though still medium sized) and oddly rounded. Its skin is gray and wrinkled, and there is much too much of it even for the creature's great girth. It snarls at you, and... I need to see whether it made the first fort save.

[Tanaric]

Forget the "if" part, just noticed that you said you would maintain concentration until it was dead. I assume that having an enemy in your face might change that, though.

It attacks you, pawing at you with one of its clawed hands: [roll]1d20+5[/roll[ for [roll0]

Do you want to continue concentrating on the swarm at this point?

[Tanaric]

Durhhur, too much celebratory bubbly for me, I think.

Attack roll: [roll0]

[chilepepper]

How tall are the corridors?
and do I get an AoO for the unarmed attack it just made?

[Tanaric]

All ceilings are twenty feet tall unless otherwise specified.

[chilepepper]

reposting the question I edited it after you posted:

Do I get an AoO for the unarmed attack he just made?

[Tanaric]

That was a claw attack, not an unarmed strike. No AoO.

[chilepepper]

Well, the attack hits, so Concentration Check to see if that ended my concentration involuntarily.

[roll0] DC 13

[chilepepper]

Oh, you needed 2 fort saves. One for the poison on the spiders turn and one for the distraction at the beginning of the creatures turn.

[Tanaric]

Fort V. Poison Distraction: [roll0]

[chilepepper]

Stop rolling high.

Cease concentration
5' step back
Standard action- summon rat swarm on and behind the creature
Swift Action- cast Blockade, creating a 5x5x5 block of wood between the creature and I, duration 3 rounds
Move action- hide [roll0]

Rat swarm does [roll1] damage
The filth fever is 1d3 incubation, so there's no point in rolling the save against it as either it or I will be dead shortly
DC 12 Fort save or nauseated at the beginning of it's turn

DC 40 Jump check as part of movement to jump on the block, or DC 15 climb and a move action to pull himself onto the block

Rat Swarm
Rat Swarm
Size/Type: Tiny Animal (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 4d8 (18 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/—
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Disease, distraction
Special Qualities: Half damage from slashing and piercing, low-light vision, scent, swarm traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +16, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Spot +7, Swim +10
Feats: Alertness, Stealthy, Weapon FinesseB
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pack (2-4 swarms), or infestation (7-12 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —
Combat

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

Filth fever—swarm attack, Fortitude DC 12, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Distraction (Ex)

Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its square must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
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.

[Tanaric]

Incidentally, would you say that damage reduction applies to a swarm's attack? I'm trying and failing to find something definitive, though I'm certain-sure there's an answer in the SRD somewhere.

[chilepepper]

I'm assuming so...


A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. A certain kind of weapon can sometimes damage the creature normally, as noted below.

Swarm damage is none of those. I'll keep looking, but if I don't find a definitive NO soon, we'll have to let it slide.

[chilepepper]

Aha, found the answer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typessubtypes.htm), and DR does apply


Swarm Attack

Creatures with the swarm subtype don’t make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no attack roll needed. Swarm attacks are not subject to a miss chance for concealment or cover. A swarm’s statistics block has “swarm” in the Attack and Full Attack entries, with no attack bonus given. The amount of damage a swarm deals is based on its Hit Dice, as shown in the table.

A swarm’s attacks are nonmagical, unless the swarm’s description states otherwise. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce a 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. Some swarms also have acid, poison, blood drain, or other special attacks in addition to normal damage.

Swarms do not threaten creatures in their square, and do not make attacks of opportunity with their swarm attack. However, they distract foes whose squares they occupy, as described below.

[Tanaric]

There we go.

Fort saves, as necessary: [roll0][roll1][roll2][roll3][roll4]

*sigh*

[Tanaric]

Nauseated, whoo!

Climb: [roll0]

2 rounds left on Blockcade. Your go.

[chilepepper]

If all I had to do was ask for you to roll low, I'd have done that a long time ago, thank you.

Continue concentration for the 2 additional rounds unless he gets on top of the blockade.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Tanaric]

He's going to vomit on you as his next attack. I hope you know that.

Climb 1: [roll0]
Climb 2, if needed: [roll1]

He's up on the first try.

[chilepepper]

Does he see me? I still have melee cover from him so my hide is still valid.

If he sees me, then I'll move 15' back and continue concentrating. If he doesn't see me, then I'll hang out there for one more round. hang on, changed my mind

edit2: nevermind, I'll go with that: If he sees me, then I'll move 15' back and continue concentrating. If he doesn't see me, then I'll hang out there for one more round.

[Tanaric]

Spot: [roll0] Whitetext.

[chilepepper]

So yeah, move 15' back and continue concentrating. He doesn't get the AoO because I had cover.

The rat swarm has a climb movement, so they have no trouble getting up to him.

[Tanaric]

So he's nauseated once more.

He moves up to you and vomits on the floor between the two of you. He hopes he hit your boots.

[chilepepper]

My boots are tiny so they get a bonus to AC, oh and they have arch support so they aren't flat-footed.:smallbiggrin:

Anyway, 5' step back and let the swarm do it's thing.

He looks injured right?

[roll0]

[Tanaric]

Not a bit. Does that change anything?

[chilepepper]

OMG, how high is his DR?

Instead of letting the swarm do it's thing, I'll stop concentrating, 5' step back, and EB him.

[roll0] vs touch AC
[roll1]

[Tanaric]

A solid hit. He looks... angry. And somehow more intimidating.

He steps toward you and claws at you twice.

[roll0] [roll1]
[roll2] [roll3]

Edit: That should be +6, not +5.

[chilepepper]

5' step and do it again

[roll0] vs touch ac
[roll1]

[Tanaric]

Another hit. He looks even angrier, and even more intimidating.

Rinse and repeat.

[roll0] [roll1]
[roll2] [roll3]

[chilepepper]

C'mon dice, papa needs a new pair of "I'm not dead" shoes

5' step
[roll0] vs touch AC
[roll1]

[Tanaric]

Another hit. He looks pretty badly injured, but also angrier and more intimidating (how many times do I have to say that in one fight? :smallconfused:).

[roll0] [roll1]
[roll2] [roll3]

[chilepepper]

Apparently just that once more as I am dead.

[Tanaric]

He vomits on your shoes for good measure, then contemplates why the world hates him enough that he contracted Filth Fever.

[chilepepper]

Him having filth fever doesn't make me feel any better. DR 5 at level one?! I guess I have to abandon the Touch of Healing and go with DMM Persisted Vigor. I feel pushed to increase the cheese, but it may just be the freshness of defeat.

Ah well. Good game sir. Thank you.

[Tanaric]

Yup. There are CR 2 monsters with DR 10, believe it or not.