3.P - Options for Becoming a Swarm?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

What are the options for becoming a swarm in 3e and PF? The only ones I know of off-hand are to do a mind-swap with a non-mindless swarm, to have polymorph/wildshape/alternate form into a swarm as a racial ability (usually or [Su]), to contract lycanthropy[s]/entomanthropy* of an animal or vermin with the [swarm] subtype (which is part of the racial ability thing, though most people don't seem to know this is an option), or to bind the brood keeper's heart soulmeld to your heart chakra -- though I'm not exactly sure how that's supposed to work.

What other ways are there to become a swarm of creatures? Doesn't matter what kind. Spells, feats, and wildshape options are preferred but not exclusively necessary.




*Turns out you can turn into a lycanthropic swarm but not an entomanthropic swarm.

[Maat Mons]

Pathfinder has the Swarm Skin spell, the Swarm Monger archetype for Druid, and the Swarm Shifter archetype for Shifter.

One of the 3.5 incarnations of Urban Druid can turn into swarms.

[Dragonsworn]

Druids have two options to become swarms via Wildshape that are usually brought up as less intensive than the ones you described

The simplest one is an ACF from this article (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a), but that might change more options of your standard Wildshape than you might want

The other is the Vermin Keeper (https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/classes/prestigeUd/verminKeeper.html) PrC

edit: Swordsage'd

[Doctor Despair]

I had a thread discussing this recently in fact. In addition to Vermin Keeper and City Shape Druid, there's a dragon magazine spell called Swarmshape. Iirc it's Wizard/Sorcerer 5 or 6.

There's also the 3.0 Master of Flies, but it needs a serious update to be compatible with 3.5 mechanics

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I had a thread discussing this recently in fact. In addition to Vermin Keeper and City Shape Druid, there's a dragon magazine spell called Swarmshape. Iirc it's Wizard/Sorcerer 5 or 6.I couldn't find it, and after a bunch of looking, it's Dragon Magazine #280, page 42, and it's swarm form.

Thanks for that, though. And everyone else who's mentioned stuff.

I found the swarm skin (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/swarm-skin/) spell for PF, as well, which has interesting applications, even if they're a bit risky. Still, it's not often that you can fragment your own consciousness into thousands of pieces and spread yourself out over a wide area. I guess you could alternate that with swarm form and use both as needed.

[edit] Swarm skin is an...interesting way to heal broken bones. You slough off your flesh and hire someone to repair them using make whole or whatever, which should be fairly inexpensive. You could also have your skeleton enhanced with magic item effects, as well. Or coated in riverine, etc.

[Dragonsworn]

There is also a Warlock Dark Invocation, Dark Discorporation (https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/magic/invocations/invocations/invocationscarc.html#DARK%20DISCORPORATION), which does the same thing and lasts for 24 hours, though being a Dark Invocation equivalent to an 8th level spell I am not sure it will fit your needs

[Doctor Despair]

There is also a Warlock Dark Invocation, Dark Discorporation (https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/magic/invocations/invocations/invocationscarc.html#DARK%20DISCORPORATION), which does the same thing and lasts for 24 hours, though being a Dark Invocation equivalent to an 8th level spell I am not sure it will fit your needs

I was unaware of this one, but this kinda kills it:


—Possessions: All of your worn or carried equipment and items become nonfunctional, absorbed into your new form. You can take only move actions (so you cannot use other invocations) while under the effect of dark discorporation.

[Dragonsworn]

I was unaware of this one, but this kinda kills it:

Wow, I did not remember that part. Truly a joy killer if I have ever come across one.

Pity, seems that the intent was to disallow the use of invocations while in swarm form, which could have been done by simply spelling it out instead of crippling the ability as such

[Gruftzwerg]

I was unaware of this one, but this kinda kills it:

The ability falls under the polymorph subschool (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060501a&page=5) rules.
The real issue is, that you need a standard action to revert back to your normal form.. so... you're stuck in this form.. really silly. Further you get all the stats, including mental stat changes..

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Symbiotic Creature (+1 LA) with a swarm that has Swarm Traits listed in its Special Qualities. However, the swarm will be the one calling the shots (its mental stats replace yours).

[ShurikVch]

to contract lycanthropy/entomanthropy of an animal or vermin with the [swarm] subtype (which is part of the racial ability thing
Note: Entomanthropy (https://web.archive.org/web/20201112005748/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a) explicitly forbids swarms:

The entomanothrope takes on characteristics of some monstrous vermin (not swarms) no more than one size category larger than the base creature (referred to as the base vermin).

Technically, another option to play as a swarm is is Silthilar from Lords of Madness - ECL 17 is prohibitively high, but still the possibility is there...

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Note: Entomanthropy (https://web.archive.org/web/20201112005748/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a) explicitly forbids swarms:Thanks. I knew that lycanthropy allowed it, and I didn't remember entomanthropy being different enough from it to warrant another look.

[Crake]

The ability falls under the polymorph subschool (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060501a&page=5) rules.
The real issue is, that you need a standard action to revert back to your normal form.. so... you're stuck in this form.. really silly. Further you get all the stats, including mental stat changes..

No you don't? The only adjustments to your ability scores is that your strength drops to 1, and your dexterity increases by 6. Keep in mind, dark discorporation doesn't turn you into the creature "bat swarm", it turns you into a "swarm of bat-like shadows", which is not a form that has predefined stats, so even under the polymorph subschool rules, it still has no mental ability score changes, since none are mentioned, and there is no existing statblock to draw the stats from otherwise.

Edit: Also the ability itself lacks the polymorph subschool, and isn't based on alter self and polymorph, so by the polymorph subschool's own rules of 'spells that came before', it doesn't qualify to have the polymorph subschool, since only spells and abilities based on those two spells should have the polymorph subschool


Spells That Have Come Before

For the purpose of adjudicating effects that apply to polymorph spells, any spell whose effect is based on either alter self or polymorph should be considered to have the polymorph subschool. However, note that the spells' existing rules text takes priority over that of the subschool. Alter self, for instance, does not change the target's ability scores (unlike normal for spells of the polymorph subschool).

[meschlum]

Worm that Walks? It's another way to pick up the ability to turn into a swarm, and is available in both Pathfinder and 3.5 (albeit Epic 3.5, but the method for becoming one in 3.5 can be achieved at lower level).

[ShurikVch]

Worm that Walks? It's another way to pick up the ability to turn into a swarm, and is available in both Pathfinder and 3.5 (albeit Epic 3.5, but the method for becoming one in 3.5 can be achieved at lower level).
Unfortunately, Worm that Walks - despite how counter-intuitive it is - lacking the Swarm subtype

Ruin Swarm is a Swarm, and have ECL 25 (LA -25) - [epic], but still technically possible

[meschlum]

Unfortunately, Worm that Walks - despite how counter-intuitive it is - lacking the Swarm subtype



Pathfinder: you do not have the swarm subtype when not in swarm form, though you have all the practical features of one. When you turn into a swarm, via Discorporate, you "gain all the standard swarm traits", which is pretty close to me.

D&D 3.5: granted. You do become "a creature composed of hundreds of discrete crawling worms" which seems to satisfy the initial request even if the immunities are lacking.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Spheres of Power's Wraith class has the Swarmheart archetype

[ShurikVch]

D&D 3.5: granted. You do become "a creature composed of hundreds of discrete crawling worms" which seems to satisfy the initial request even if the immunities are lacking.
Well, with such logic, you can play as a hivemind of cats - it would be "a creature composed of hundreds of" creatures too

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Well, with such logic, you can play as a hivemind of cats - it would be "a creature composed of hundreds of" creatures tooThe bane and terror of commoners and low level wizards everywhere.

And in this case, that saying about 'herding cats' would be more like 'hurting cats,' because they'll hurt you very badly if you get on their bad side. Or sides? How do you refer to a singular being composed of lots of other singular beings?