[3.5] Hivenest - Decent Swarm Options

[Thurbane]

So, I've always been kind of fond of the Hivenest Monster template in Dungeonscape.

Just wondering, what are some of the better options for the swarms? They must be fine or diminutive vermin swarms.

If the swarm has blindsense, blindsight, or tremorsense, the host gets this as well. The host also benefits from any bonuses to Spot or Listen that the swarm has.

The hosts natural attacks also pass on any poison, acid or special effects that the swarms attack has.

So what are some swarms that best take advantage of these abilities?

Cheers - T

[Korahir]

Away from books so I cannot check it in detail but Hellwasp swarm?

[Thurbane]

Away from books so I cannot check it in detail but Hellwasp swarm?

Unfortunately, they are magical beasts.

Actually, checking my sources, the list of eligible swarms (fine or diminutive vermin) is a lot smaller that I would have thought:


Centipede
Crystal Beetle
Hoard Scarab
Jellyfish
Leech
Locust
Locust, Bloodfiend
Locust, Rapture
Plague Ant
Ruin Swarm
Scarab Beetle
Scorpioin
Shimmer Swarm
Spider
Swamp Strider
Vineswarm
Wasp

[ShurikVch]

There are also:

Cockroach Swarm (Sinister Spire)
Demonweb Swarm (http://ddm-images.s3.amazonaws.com/cards/DoD/41R.gif) (Desert of Desolation)
Hastendeath Spider (Dungeon #138)
Hoard Scarab Swarm (Draconomicon)
Rancid Beetle Swarm (Sharn: City of Towers)
Rot Grub Swarm (Dungeonscape)
Rot Scarab Swarm (http://ddm-images.s3.amazonaws.com/cards/DoD/32R.gif) (Desert of Desolation)
Wormswarm (Dragon #343/Dungeon #130)

[liquidformat]

Unfortunately, they are magical beasts.

Actually, checking my sources, the list of eligible swarms (fine or diminutive vermin) is a lot smaller that I would have thought:


Centipede
Crystal Beetle
Hoard Scarab
Jellyfish
Leech
Locust
Locust, Bloodfiend
Locust, Rapture
Plague Ant
Ruin Swarm
Scarab Beetle
Scorpioin
Shimmer Swarm
Spider
Swamp Strider
Vineswarm
Wasp


Where does Vineswarm come from?

Its a shame you don't keep the special attacks of the swarm, getting Dominate Monster from Shimmer Swarm would be really powerful.

Also its weird that you can't have any type of swarm and its limited to vermin I am really not seeing any reason for this. A Treant infested with pixies (Shimmerling Swarm) is a hilarious concept that seems pretty reasonable!

[ShurikVch]

Where does Vineswarm come from?
Toxic Paradise: Monsters of the Rainforest (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20030531a)


Also its weird that you can't have any type of swarm and its limited to vermin I am really not seeing any reason for this. A Treant infested with pixies (Shimmerling Swarm) is a hilarious concept that seems pretty reasonable!
So true!
And Magmacore Golem with Fire Elementite Swarm should be possible too!

[liquidformat]

Toxic Paradise: Monsters of the Rainforest (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20030531a)

Cool article, saving in my archives! Restless Prey is an interesting template.

Comically you could add the hivenest template to Verminvine to give it another type of swarm, Bloodfiend Locust seems like a good choice which adds 3d6 plus energy drain to its damage.


So true!
And Magmacore Golem with Fire Elementite Swarm should be possible too!

OO that is an interesting one, you could say the 'magma core' is made out of the Fire Elementite Swarm, very thematic. As a DM I would probably dump the vermin requirement and also let all special attacks of the swarm be available to the hivenest both of those seem reasonable.

Another interesting thought is could a hivenest have multiple types of swarms in it.