Insectbane Candles [PF/3.0/3.5]

[Yanisa]

Someone in the Q&A question asked about Insectbane Candles (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services/hunting-camping-survival-gear#TOC-Candle-Insectbane), which he found on the d20PFSRD (Here (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/goods-and-services/hunting-camping-survival-gear#TOC-Candle) if that other link fails you). But after a lot of Googling and even checking some Chronicles, I start to doubt whether these even exist in Pathfinder. Because they share the same wording as the Insectbane Candles described in the Arms and Equipment Guide (Which is 3.0 or 3.5, I forgot).

So does anyone know where candles came from and if they are official in Pathfinder or not?

Also does anyone have a good idea of the intend of the item?

My first guess was that would effect "Mundane Vermin", aka the type of Vermin you won't fight in battle like a common housefly, or a cockroach. Not an angry fly swarm or a giant cockroach. But that item seems pointless because DnD doesn't now mundane vermin. Pathfinder happens to do (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/traps-hazards-and-special-terrains/hazards/environmental-hazards/mundane-insect-swarms-cr-2), but that is unrelated to the 3.0 (or 3.5) item from A&EG

[Doc_Maynot]

Swarms aren't monstrous vermin, and D&D as a lot of them, just saying.

[weckar]

Mundane vermin certainly do exist. Open any chapter on illnesses to find a reference.

[Yanisa]

Swarms aren't monstrous vermin, and D&D as a lot of them, just saying.

There are no monstrous vermin in Pathfinder, there is no such thing as monstrous vermin in DnD at all. So technically the Insectbane Candles works against all creatures of the vermin type. Which seems just silly and even overpowered.

3.5 has the Monstrous Spider and Centipede (and maybe more?). And I am not sure if being named "monstrous [insect]" qualifies as a monstrous vermin, because monstrous is just a synonym for giant in this case (which is the PF name, Giant Spider). Even then all other vermin except spiders and centipedes would still be affected


Mundane vermin certainly do exist. Open any chapter on illnesses to find a reference.

Got any examples? Can't find it in the disease chapter of the PHB.