Swarm Form: Spells or magic items?


Rules Questions


So, I am trying to find any spells or magic items which will allow the caster/user to assume Swarm Form, similar to that of a Nosferatu vampire variant. I need by-the-rules methods of emulating the supernatural powers of a nosferatu, namely their Telekinesis and Swarm Form powers.

Now, while it is expensive, the nosferatu's Telekinesis can be replicated with a scroll or (better) Ring of Telekinesis. I was hoping for a wand, but Wands are limited to spells of 4th level or below. Scrolls work, but are FAR more difficult (realistically) to use in conjunction with Sleight of Hand. This limitation makes the ring the best method (unless someone has a cheaper, concealable suggestion... something with limited per-day usage?

The swarm form supernatural ability, however, is proving to be quite problematic. My villain is a stock vampire who is trying to convincingly conceal his nature as that of a nosferatu, while simultaneously shifting suspicion of his nefarious exploits toward an actual nosferatu. A little magic to change his appearance is easily attained. Simulating telekinesis during his encounter with the PCs is expensive, but plausible. Using swarm form as his method of escape, instead of the stock Change Shape or Gaseous Form of a traditional vampire, is proving to be quite the tricky wicket.

I tried homebrewing spells, but ended up crafting spells which broke Pathfinder/d20 System rules, which I would prefer not to do. Spells such as Beast Shape come close (Common Bat is listed as an animal, not vermin), but don't provide the swarm option. I'm pulling my hair out here! I've already allowed the villain to perform these feats during his staged encounter with the PCs, as I must have misinterpreted the Undead Anatomy spell... I thought I had discovered a spell which allowed an undead to assume the form of another undead, but I was wrong!

Now... I suppose I could create a Lesser Ring of Telekinesis... something that has a per-day limit (3/day, perhaps). That would work, and wouldn't be too out of the question, though again, I'd prefer an actual Pathfinder item. I could say he used a Wand of Summon Swarm with sleight of hand to fake the swarm form ability. I would have Quickened the wand, but Quicken Spell is a +4 level spell level adjustment, making the wand illegal (assuming it would even be legal to quicken a spell completion item). Even if I could quicken a summon swarm spell (villain is a rogue, so it needs to be an item), I'm not sure how to justify the vampire himself becoming a bat in the swarm... vampires can use their change shape ability to become a Dire Bat, which is a large animal. I would want him to become a common bat, which is a diminutive animal. Beast Shape III allows transformation into a diminutive animal, but now we're combining two spells simultaneously. One of them has to be quickened. I can't justify giving the villain the equivalent of a 9th level spell (Beast Shape III + Quicken).

Thoughts on how I can make this all Pathfinder legal? I'm down to this:

1) Telekinesis through a spell completion item or other magic item.
2) Summon Swarm, similarly, to cover his exit, with...
3) Beast Shape III, similarly, to blend in with the swarm.

How can I do this (or Swarm Form) with a wealthy 12th level vampire rogue?


One additional note:

I don't use "GM FIAT". I hate it when the GM does it to me. It always feels cheap, like the GM can justify cheating the rules when the players cannot. I am making every effort to justify my mistake by coming up with alternate methods through which the villain could have achieved this feat of deception. He did, after all, plan the encounter in advance, so I can pretty much justify any Pathfinder-legal approach as part of that plan.

The players caught up with and captured this villain at the end of our last game, so I need help ASAP as they will have access to all his nasty tricks and secrets come next game (this upcoming Saturday).


So, I could give the villain a Cloak of the Bat to cover his own transformation into a bat (having him blend into the Bat Swarm). Using the cloak would be a standard action, so I just need a way to complete the Summon Swarm spell as a swift action via a spell completion item or magic item.


UGH!!! And since Summon Swarm has a 1 round cast time, it doesn't even qualify to be quickened, even if I wanted it to be. Holy heck, this is turning into quite a complicated issue for a conceptually simple subterfuge!


Okay... new approach to the "swarm" dilemma. Since the PCs didn't actually interact with the villain when he became a swarm, it could be argued that he utilized a quickened Minor Image to create the illusion of a swarm of bats, disappeared into the swarm as either a common bat via the aforementioned Cloak, or as just a Dire Bat (via the change shape vampire ability), simultaneously disguising himself with the Minor Image spell.

So, now I theoretically don't even need the cloak. Rather, I just need a way to activate a quickened Minor Image via Use Magic Device.


I'm getting there!!!

So, if the villain had theoretically used a Wand of Contingent Action, choosing the "readied action" from the spell to be "activate my Wand of Minor Image" with the contingent condition being "when I Change Form into a Dire Bat", does that sound like a plausible way for him to give the appearance of transforming into a swarm of bats and fleeing the scene? If so, maybe I have this figured out!

It's easy enough to justify him having a couple of wands (one 2nd level spell, and one 3rd level). He already came equipped with a second level wand in the adventure.


WAND OF TELEKINETIC MANEUVER!!! HAHAHA!!!! The villain only used "telekinesis" to attempt a grapple on the group's sorceress, so that would be completely viable! Also, significantly cheaper than a Ring of Telekinesis, and with limited usage.

So long as I can use the Contingent Action spell as I previously described, I think I've covered all my bases. If I could get feedback on that contingent action (viable, not viable, or alternative suggestions to make it viable), then I think I'm golden!

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

So have you seen the Swarm Skin spell?

It is a level 6 spell (level 5 with Vermin Domain) that turns you into a swarm, until the swarm dies or you come back to your bones.

If combined with contingency/contingent action to dimension door your bones to a known location.


Thank you for your response, Taenia.

I did actually check out the Swarm Skin spell. There were a couple of problems with utilizing it to retrofit (unfortunately this is a backwards fix for something I already did, as GM) to cover my needs.

1) It's level 6, so it can't be put into a wand or potion. The scroll option is a possibility, but...

2) It's level 6. I didn't feel inclined to give my Rogue villain a level 6 spell completion item. I've been trying to keep them wand-able or potion-able, so 4th level or lower (3rd for potions).

3) It transforms the caster into a swarm of spiders, rats, crabs, wasps, centipedes, leeches, or army ants. I needed something that would transform (or appear to to transform) my villain into a swarm of bats, specifically, similarly to a Nosferatu.

4) You leave behind a pile of bones and gear. I needed to use this as a method of escape for my villain, so leaving his physical being behind would not suffice. Now, I could rule that, since the swarm(s) are under the caster's command, they take his bones and gear with them, but that's still sloppy, and it would only work (as intended) if I used wasp swarms (wasps fly, like bats). Again, no bat swarms.

4a) Side note: I could theoretically, as GM, choose to allow the spell to create bat swarms, say added to the 4 caster level block. GM's house rule things all the time, and we have plenty of our own house rules. However, now I'm specifically modifying a spell to suit my needs, retroactively, and that's delving into the grey area of "GM FIAT", which makes me uncomfortable.

5) The spell is only available to those with access to the Druid and/or Witch spell lists. The only Druid NPC available to my villain, and technically believes they are on the same side, does not particularly care for the villain character. She (the Druid) is an extremist who hates "civilized" society, and he (the villain) is a pompous lesser noble who revels in the intrigues of political society. He (villain) is more closely associated with a pair of Witches (who are technically advanced enough to cast this spell), but his association with them is very secretive, and he can't be caught dealing with them (until the final encounter, when all his plans have been ruined and he has no choice but to flee to them for assistance). Therefore, getting his hands on a scroll of Swarm Skin would be much more difficult than obtaining a spell from a more traditional spell list (Wizard or Cleric).

Now don't get me wrong, Swarm Skin is a pretty darned cool spell. Definitely one I'd love for my necromancer Arcanist (character in a game I'm playing in) to get his hands on. Unfortunately for me... Druid/Witch spell list, not Wizard/Sorcerer spell list. I may have to (eventually) grab the Leadership feat, and take a Gravewalker Witch or Blight Druid under my wing. ;)

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

One nice thing about this spell is its range, personal. So you could cast it on a familiar.

Keep in mind that this spell gives you an idea of what the designers think is appropriate. Now imagine if you were to lower the duration, the ability to split into multiple swarms, limit it to bat swarms and remove the "leave behind body and gear" you might get something like this:

Wings of the Night
School transmutation; Level druid 4, hunter 4, sorc/wizard 4, witch 4
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a druid piece of bat guano)
Effect
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level
Description
You transform into a swarm of diminutive bats. While in this form your gear, active spells on you and other effects cease operating for the duration of the spell. You cannot cast spells, use Spell-like or supernatural abilities or doing anything other than move and swarm attack while in this form. While transformed you retain your hit points, effective hit dice, saving throws and mental ability scores (including being vulnerable to single target mind affecting effects).

Note the level of the spell is based off Shadow Projection since it grants similar protection and offering the ability to damage in a limited fashion. The spell is pretty weak for a 4th level but does offer substantial protection in the right situation.

I know you mentioned avoiding GM Fiat but if you are trying to create an effect then its important to just do it but balanced.

Another option is using Beast Shape 2 (level 4) to turn into a Flying Fox (Tiny) or Beast Shape 3 to turn into a Bat (dimunitive) combined with illusion or mirror image to fake a swarm.

Also Vomit Swarm could easily be modified to include a Bat Swarm instead of a Wasp Swarm, can be quickened as a standard action and combined with Bat Cloak could be used for the effect you mentioned.

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