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BenTheJester
2010-03-29, 11:51 AM
Are there any way to acquire the swarm subtype, preferably permanently?

Greenish
2010-03-29, 11:55 AM
There's an undead-only template somewhere, 'twas +0 LA is my memory serves.

[Edit]: According to Crystal Keep, it would be Swarm-Shifter from Libris Mortis, applicable to any corporeal undead with int score. - LA though.

…And ninjaed whilst editing.

Person_Man
2010-03-29, 11:55 AM
Brood Keeper's Heart: Totemist soulmeld: Provides 2 + (essentia * 2) bonus to Concentration checks. When bound to Heart chakra, it grants you the Swarm subtype, although you still count as your normal size. You lose your Armor bonus and Natural Armor bonus to AC while this is in effect. Dragon Magazine 350, pg 86.

Anyone can get the soulmeld by taking the Shape Soulmeld feat. You can open your Heart chakra with Incarnate 16, Totemist 17, Necrocarnate 11 (ECL 18), or Ironsoul Forgemaster 10 (ECL 15, and probably your best option for a variety of reasons), or high level psionics or magical spells in Magic of Incarnum.


Also, Polymorph any Object should work fine as well.

SpikeFightwicky
2010-03-29, 11:59 AM
There's an undead-only template somewhere, 'twas +0 LA is my memory serves.

That would be a template in Libris Mortis, iirc. It works like an alternate form (I don't think there's a time limit, but I'm not 100$ sure). As I recall, the options are:
Spider Swarm, Bat Swarm, Scorpion Swarm, Centipede Swarm, Grave-Earth Swarm, Sand Swarm and body-part swarm.

Eloel
2010-03-29, 12:01 PM
That would be a template in Libris Mortis, iirc. It works like an alternate form (I don't think there's a time limit, but I'm not 100$ sure). As I recall, the options are:
Spider Swarm, Bat Swarm, Scorpion Swarm, Centipede Swarm, Grave-Earth Swarm, Sand Swarm and body-part swarm.

That template is LA -, not LA 0. I looked for a way to gain Swarm subtype, and the best I could find was Master of Flies PrC from Savage Species, giving 'Swarm Shape' instead of Wild Shape (so it becomes kinda permanent after Level 8)

PhoenixRivers
2010-03-29, 12:03 PM
You're referring to Swarm-Shifter, a template in Libris Mortis. Unfortunately, it is not LA: +0.

It is LA: -.

That means it's not suitable for PC use.

Edit: Ninjad!

AmberVael
2010-03-29, 12:04 PM
Dark Discorporation is a Warlock Invocation which turns you into a swarm. It's not permanent, but it lasts 24 hours and you can cast it as much as you want, so... close as you can get, really.

The only real drawback is inability to use it in Antimagic.

FishAreWet
2010-03-29, 12:37 PM
Anyone can get the soulmeld by taking the Shape Soulmeld feat. You can open your Heart chakra with Incarnate 16, Totemist 17, Necrocarnate 11 (ECL 18), or Ironsoul Forgemaster 10 (ECL 15, and probably your best option for a variety of reasons), or high level psionics or magical spells in Magic of Incarnum.Not even the spells or powers open the Heart chakra. Sadly.:smallfrown: Otherwise my Shadowpouncing Petal would be immune to weapon damage. :smallwink:

PhoenixRivers
2010-03-29, 12:39 PM
Not even the spells or powers open the Heart chakra. Sadly.:smallfrown: Otherwise my Shadowpouncing Petal would be immune to weapon damage. :smallwink:

Spells and powers can make you immune to weapon damage though. :P

Lysander
2010-03-29, 12:42 PM
Technically it's an aberration rather than a swarm, but becoming a Worm That Walks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/WormThatWalks.htm) might work for you. Have to be an arcane caster though, and its hard to pull off without an epic caster.

Ravens_cry
2010-03-29, 12:57 PM
Something about the Worm that Walks summons ancient fears in me.

Lord Vukodlak
2010-03-29, 01:28 PM
I did some digging in web searching and there is a spell from dragon magazine, issue 280 and on age 42 is a wiz/sorc spell called swarm form.

Eurus
2010-03-29, 01:57 PM
Remember, creatures with the Swarm subtype don't make normal attacks, so I'm not entirely sure how well you'll be able to do the shadowpouncing thing.

GolemsVoice
2010-03-29, 02:02 PM
Something about the Worm that Walks summons ancient fears in me.

That's what it's all about, my friend.

hamishspence
2010-03-29, 02:06 PM
This quote is used in Dragon Magazine's Ecology of the Spawn of Kyuss article, but it also works pretty well for the Worm that Walks (and is used in the D20 Call of Cthulhu Worm That Walks monster entry).

Happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes. For it is of old rumour that the soul of the devil-bought hastes not from his charnel clay, but fats and instructs the very worm that gnaws; till out of corruption horrid life springs, and the dull scavengers of earth wax crafty to vex it and swell monstrous to plague it. Great holes secretly are digged where earth’s pores ought to suffice, and things have learnt to walk that ought to crawl. (“The Festival")

Creepy.

taltamir
2010-03-29, 02:16 PM
Something about the Worm that Walks summons ancient fears in me.

it is pretty horrifying.

Note that there are two ways to make a worm that walks. An epic spellcaster may cast the epic spell to create it (always succeeds)

or a ritual is performed on a corpse and the chance of success is 1% per spell it had prepared (or spell slot if spontaneous).

A level 20 wizard has only 40 spell slots total + int bonus. You can get 18 more by being focused specialist for 58 + int bonus.
if you started with int 20, added 5 from levels, 5 from wishes, and wore a +6 item you had an int of 36 giving you 24 bonus spells. Still putting you at only 82% chance.
You could wait until you are old or venerable (+2 and +3 int respectively) if venerable you have int 39 giving you 2 more spells for a total of 84%. or you could get a ring of wizardry I and a ring of wizardry II, doubling your 1st level and 2nd level spell slots, adding 10 each.
actually you could use the mummufied mage hand amulet to convert your amulet slot into a third ring slot which will give you the option to wear a third ring of wizardry for +30, this will lower the other requirements. Things like ultimate magus will help here...
but yea, it is possible to ensure 100% success rate.

Lord Vukodlak
2010-03-29, 02:24 PM
I recall a feat that let you break up a higher level slot into lower level slots, this could get you a few more spells.

HunterOfJello
2010-03-29, 02:26 PM
this is a very creative idea. you should try to mix some other crazy stuff with it

Lysander
2010-03-29, 02:33 PM
but yea, it is possible to ensure 100% success rate.


Or alternatively, just have the caster perform the ritual over and over until it works. It doesn't say anywhere they can't try again. It justs costs them 2,000xp and a chunk of gold each time.

And technically once in a blue moon a non-wizard can also become a Worm:


Some worms that walk arise spontaneously from ordinary burial plots, but such an event is exceedingly rare.

"Hey everyone, it's time to visit grandpa's grave!"
"I'll bring the flowers!"
*ten minutes later at the cemetery*
"It's peaceful here."
"Yeah, so serene...hey, who's that guy in the cloak?"
"...grandpa?
"hello.....children..."