As the title suggests, can we make a static variable into a random variable?
This is a thought experiment involving the empower metamagic feat, a wayfinder, an orange prism ioun stone, and the resonant power of the wayfinder ioun stone combination.
Spoiler:
Empower Spell
You can increase the power of your spells, causing them to deal more damage.
Benefit: All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by half including bonuses to those dice rolls.
Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables.
Level Increase: +2 (an empowered spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.)
Orange Prism in a Wayfinder
Orange prism: Every time the bearer casts a spell, roll 1d4–2 and add this (and the +1 caster level granted by the normal power of the ioun stone) to his caster level. If this modified caster level is too low to cast the spell, the spell fails and is lost.
Constant Variables of a Spell not normally modified by the empower feat:
-----Caster Level
-----Range
-----Saving Throws
-----Opposed Rolls
Random variables of a spell normally modified by the empower feat:
-----Random damage (plus any bonus applied to them)
With the addition of the resonant bonus of the orange prism ioun stone in the wayfinder, the caster level becomes a random variable.
example: CL 20 + 1d4 -1 or CL 1d4+19.
Would this then qualify the caster level of the spell to be modified by the empower spell feat due to it now being a random variable? If so, then that means this combination allows the use of the empower feat on any spell because they now all have a random variable.
To reiterate the question:
Does the resonate power of the orange prism ioun stone in a wayfinder cause the caster level to become a random variable that can be modified by the empower metamagic feat?
Now, Shoggoth can be a pain to fight if you're unprepared.
But if the character's are optimized and chew through them pretty quickly it can be a bit boring. So I was thinking of making a unique one for a capstone villain.
Unique Shoggoth:
Advanced Giant Shoggoth CN Gargantuan ooze (aquatic, unique) Init +13; Senses all-around vision, blindsight 60ft, darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +35
DEFENSE AC 37, touch 13, flat-footed 30 (+7 Dex, +24 natural, –4 size)
hp 405 (23d8+322); fast healing 10
Fort +23, Ref +16, Will +17
DR 15/—; Immune blindness, charm effects, cold, deafness, ooze traits, sonic; Resist acid 30, electricity 30, fire 30; SR 35
OFFENSE Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 50 ft.
Melee 4 slams +36 (3d8+21/19–20 plus grab)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 35 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (3d8+21), maddening cacophony, engulf (4d8+31 bludgeoning damage plus 8d6 acid damage, AC 25, hp 37), trample (4d10+21, DC 38)
Spell-like Abilities (Divine) (CL 20th, Concentration +28)
At-will — quickened dimension door, widened black tentacles
3/day — tsunami, whirlwind
STATISTICS
Str 52, Dex 28, Con 39, Int 9, Wis 26, Cha 17
Base Atk +17; CMB +42 (+47 grapple); CMD 61 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Blind-Fight, Improved Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Great Fortitude, Dimensional Agility, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Staggering Critical
Skills Climb +29, Perception +35, Swim +29; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
Languages Aklo
SQ amphibious
SPECIAL ABILITIES
All-Around Vision (Ex)
A shoggoth's many sense organs grant a +4 racial bonus on Perception and immunity to flanking.
Maddening Cacophony (Su)
As a free action, a shoggoth can give voice to sounds and words sane life was not meant to hear. All creatures in a 60-foot radius must make a DC 24 Will save or be confused for 1d6 rounds. Each round a creature is affected it takes 1d6 points of Wisdom damage. A creature that saves cannot be affected by this shoggoth's maddening cacophony for 24 hours. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Engulf (Ex)
To use this ability, the shoggoth must begin its turn grappling a creature or must trample. A shoggoth may attempt to engulf as many creatures as it grapples or tramples in a round. This ability otherwise functions as swallow whole, save that a creature that cuts is way out of a shoggoth leaves no hole in the protoplasmic creature's body.
There are a few things different with this one, such as the addition of SLAs and a few changes to feat selection. There have also been additions in the form of templates, the advanced and giant template. I was not sure how items and oozes interact, so it didn't receive any.
While robust, I still think it could be a challenge to a party of 18th - 20th level characters. Though the additional enemies may be necessary for the capstone fight, maybe advanced black puddings, advanced gibbering mouthers, or other shoggoth.
Would this be too much for an average optimized party of 4 by itself (think classic party; cleric, wizard, fighter, rogue or divine, arcane, barbarian, slayer)?
I was thinking of making the location be like Blackreach from Skyrim.. I think this link will help. (link is an screenshot from imigur and not my own).
Levels of the winter witch prestige class stack with witch levels for determining when she learns new hexes, the effect of her hexes and other witch class abilities (including archetype abilities), the abilities of her witch's familiar, and the level at which she can select major hexes or grand hexes.
The class itself raises the caster level every level except the first one.
My rules questions are as thus:
If a class has access to spellcasting, is it a class feature or a separate ability for that class?
If spellcasting from a class is a class feature, does winter witchcraft also increase it as per the wording of the ability?
If spellcasting is a class ability, would it be treated separately from other features that the winter witchcraft ability modifies?
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I've seen more threads on the winter witchcraft ability focus on hexes than the spellcasting aspect.
Looking through a few posts about dealing with swarms, I did not find adequate information or arguments about the subject. Even if this is beating a dead horse, a few questions came up in a gaming session the other day that were ruled roughly, so I will make a few inquiries with the information below.
The Whirlwind Attack feat does say that you attack each opponent within reach, is the swarm considered one enemy for this purpose or as multiple opponents?
RAW: The swarms are made up of hundreds or thousands of non-targetable creatures; and is instead a targetable area
RAI: Swarms should be considered as one targetable area
Can the Whirlwind Attack combat feat be used to damage swarms with weapon damage and additional energy damage attached to said weapon? This mostly applies to swarms made up of tiny creatures, the energy damage part applies more to swarms made p of fine and diminutive sized creatures.
The next part is in relation to the Manifest Blood general feat’s ability to damage creatures making a natural weapon attack or an unarmed strike against the user. For this, it was ruled as an AoE against swarms doing damage to the user.
This brought up the argument that swarm damage is not truly considered a natural weapon attack, it is considered automatic damage as it’s written. The other side was that the individual creatures of the swarm are making natural attacks and so each creature would be subject to the feats damage component.
Whirlwind Attack (feat)
Spoiler:
You can strike out at every foe within reach.
Benefit: When you use the full-attack action, you can give up your regular attacks and instead make one melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against each opponent within reach. You must make a separate attack roll against each opponent.
When you use the Whirlwind Attack feat, you also forfeit any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats, spells, or abilities.
Manifest Blood (feat)
Spoiler:
Once per day, you can surround yourself with the element associated with your bloodline. For a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), you gain resistance 5 to that energy type, and all creatures that attempt a natural weapon attack or an unarmed against you take 2 points of damage of that same energy type. If you already have resistance to that energy type, the resistance increases by 5.
Monster Subtype: Swarm
Spoiler:
A swarm is a collection of Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creatures that acts as a single creature. A swarm has the characteristics of its type, except as noted here. A swarm has a single pool of Hit Dice and hit points, a single initiative modifier, a single speed, and a single Armor Class. A swarm makes saving throws as a single creature. A single swarm occupies a square (if it is made up of nonflying creatures) or a cube (of flying creatures) 10 feet on a side, but its reach is 0 feet, like its component creatures. In order to attack, it moves into an opponent’s space, which provokes an attack of opportunity. A swarm can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey. A swarm can move through squares occupied by enemies and vice versa without impediment, although the swarm provokes anattack of opportunity if it does so. A swarm can move through cracks or holes large enough for its component creatures.
A swarm of Tiny creatures consists of 300 nonflying creatures or 1,000 flying creatures.
A swarm of Diminutive creatures consists of 1,500 nonflying creatures or 5,000 flying creatures.
A swarm of Fine creatures consists of 10,000 creatures, whether they are flying or not.
Swarms of nonflying creatures include many more creatures than could normally fit in a 10-foot square based on their normal space, because creatures in a swarm are packed tightly together and generally crawl over each other and their prey when moving or attacking.
Larger swarms are represented by multiples of single swarms. The area occupied by a large swarm is completely shapeable, though the swarm usually remains in contiguous squares.
Swarm Traits
Spoiler:
A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking.
A swarm made up of Tiny creatures takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons.
A swarm composed of Fine or Diminutive creatures is immune to all weapon damage.
Reducing a swarm to 0 points or less causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack.
Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent.
A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind.
A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.
Swarms made up of Diminutive or Fine creatures are susceptible to high winds, such as those created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.
Swarm Damage
Spoiler:
Creatures with the swarm subtype don’t make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no roll needed. Swarm attacks are not subject to a miss chance for concealment or cover. A swarm’s stat block has “swarm” in the Melee entries, with no attack bonus given.
Characters should use 20 point buy for starting ability scores
Any class (including archetypes), race (except for custom races), and feat from Pathfinder can be used, no 3PP material (ex: dream scarred press, wotc, ect…); additional restriction, magic item crafting costs cannot be reduced beyond the 5% produced by the hedge magician magical trait (to prevent excessive WBL abuse).
For the use of honor or fame systems, or any system that is similar; Points may be purchased for a cumulative cost of 500 gold pieces per rank. 1 points 500gp, 2 points 1500gp,…, 5 points 7,500gp,…, 10 points 27,500gp, ect…
Builds should be as descriptive as possible as per the original beastmass and the Zen Archer monk guide.
One to Four party members may enter the combat for contest; for each party member beyond the first, reduce starting wealth for each by a cumulative percentage; 2nd party member would reduce would reduce overall wealth by 5%, 3rd party member would reduce overall wealth by 10%, 4th party member would reduce overall wealth by 20%
Cohorts do not count towards the party member limit, but they start with having npc wealth of their level -3. As such, Familiars and Animal companions also do not count towards the party member limit.
The PC(s) receive on rest period between every 3 encounters.
Each creature will have a starting attitude of hostile towards the single PC or Group of PCs
Gathering information on creatures is crucial for any PC, but to represent the more unusual creatures in each bestiary after the first, we need to make it more difficult. The baseline is the Bestiary 1, which allows for Knowledge DCs at 10 + CR/ +5 after that to know more about the creatures.
Knowledge checks DCs for Bestiary 2 are: 15 + CR/ + 5 for each ability after the initial result
Knowledge checks DCs for Bestiary 3 are: 20 + CR/ + 5 for each ability after the initial result
Knowledge check DCs for Bestiary 4 are: 25 + CR/ + 5 for each ability after the initial result; however the base DC will increase on a 1:1 basis if the creature has Mythic Ranks.
Every combat encounter should be a CR 25 challenge or greater. Environmental factors, I believe, do not greatly influence an encounters CR in a meaningful way after level 10, so they should not be factored in for the encounters final CR. If a player wishes to impose such extreme environmental factors that they alone would constitute a challenge to their PC or PCs, then that will be on top of the base CR of the challenge.
Using table 12—3 on page 398 of the Core Rulebook we can determine how many creatures are needed to make a CR 25 encounter. 1 Creature = CR; 2 Creatures = CR+2; 3 Creatures = CR+3; 4 Creatures = CR+4; 6 Creatures = CR+5; 8 Creatures = CR+6; 12 Creatures = CR+7; 16 Creatures = CR+8. If an encounter has more than 4 creatures, they will be broken down into groups of two (or the nearest whole number rounding up) for initiative counts. Example Shoggoth needs 8 creatures to make a CR 25 challenge, for initiative we will have 2 Shoggoth in each initiative grouping.
The PC or PCs will use their own initiatives, if they have familiars, eidolons, or animal companions they will go on their own initiative counts. This rule will also apply to followers. Summoned creatures will go on the same initiative count as the summoning creature.
Each combat will take place in the environment listed in the creature’s stat block with a few minor changes. There is a 50/50 chance that either the monster or the PC(s) get field advantage. If the monster gets field advantage, then they also get two precombat buffs if applicable and a surprise round. For example, Shoggoth can be found in any cold aquatic or underground environment. If it gets field advantage, the battle will take place in a vast underground cavern system filled with icy flowing murky water (DC 30 swim check to move about; failure drags you 1d6x5 feet deeper into the cavern and characters might start to suffocate). If the PC(s) get field advantage, then they remove the water from the underground cavern system or they decide to fight Shoggoth on a small island or from a boat. This is just an example.
Each combat should be played out five times with the opportunity of gaining field advantage changing each time. To advance to the next opponent, the PC(s) needs at least three wins; any tie will be declared a loss for the PC(s).
Each lost match for the PC(s) will still allow them to advance to the next opponent however with a twist. For every lost match, the PC(s) are reincarnated randomly, with any result of Other (GMs choice) being a kobold with a negative advanced template (-4 to all physical stats, -2 natural armor).
If the PC(s) loses two matches in a row or have lost a total of four matches, then they have failed the challenge.
Each combat should have a round by round post with dice rolls, these combat posts do not need to be detailed, just enough to show what each combatant did with rolls as necessary. <Dice>1d20</dice> with [ or ] replacing the < or > to roll a dice.
While detailed, this is a rough draft of an updated beastmass challenge. I am also working on fleshing on the field advantage system I proposed and also working on making a set of twists for each encounter.
A twist may be that certain abilities may have already been used before combat starts, such as a Pit Fiend's 1/year wish or that the pit fiend is actually an infernal duke with unique traits as presented in the Bestiary.
Meet Bob the human. Bob is not a normal human by any means, first he comes from a cursed lineage of ancient Azlanti blood. He never could keep a steady job or career path, changing his path in life many times.
Bob the Gishy:
Stats at creation before racial adjustments: 14/13/13/13/13/13
Stats after applying human (azlanti) adjustments: 16/15/15/15/15/15
Stats after applying advanced template: 20/19/19/19/19/19
Favored Class Bonus: +6hp (from fighter levels)
Bob the Human
Male Advanced Human Monk (Martial Artist) 4/Alchemist (Internal and Mind-chemist) 4/Bard (Archaeologist) 6/Fighter 6
N Medium Humanoid (Human, Azlanti) Hero Points 3
Init +10; Senses Perception +27 (+30 vs traps)
Defense
AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (+4 Dex, + 2 natural armor, +1 dodge); uncanny dodge, trap sense +1
hp 185 (14d8 + 6d10 + 86)
Fort +19 Ref +19 Will +16; improved evasion, poison resistance +2, disease +2, trap sense +1, bravery +2
Immunities
Offense
Speed 30 ft (6 squares)
Melee +21
Melee Flurry of Blows +24/+24/+19/+14/+9 (1d8+6)
Ranged bomb +20 touch (2d6 fire)
SA exploit weakness (swift action; Wis check [total +8] vs DC 10 + CR or hardness; +2 atk rolls, ignore hardness and DR; or swift action, +2 Sense Motive, AC, and Reflex saves against opponent within 30ft), stunning fist 9/day (F DC 25 or be stunned or fatigued), Bombs 8/day (R DC 16;fire), archaeologist’s luck 8 rounds/day (swift action to start, free to maintain; +2 luck bonus on atk rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls), weapon training 1 (monk weapon group)
Bard Spells CL 6th
2nd 3/day – cure moderate wounds, escaping ward, gallant inspiration, silence
1st 4/day – cure light wounds, enhance water, feather fall, unbreakable heart
0 at will – detect magic, dancing lights, prestidigitation, read magic, ghost sound, spark
Alchemist Infusions Prepared CL 4th
2nd lesser restoration
1st cure light wounds (2), open slot
skill points: 158
used: 30
Skills Craft (alchemy) +4, Disable Device (+3 vs traps), Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +15, Knowledge (engineering) +15, Knowledge (geography) +15, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (local) +15, Knowledge (nature) +15, Knowledge (nobility) +15, Knowledge (planes) +15, Knowledge (religion) +15, Perception +27 (+30 vs traps); craft (alchemy) +4 class bonus, disable device +3 class bonus vs traps, double Int mod on all knowledge checks, knowledge (all, can make checks untrained) +3 class bonus, perception +3 class bonus vs traps
Traits Divine Favor (+1 on all Luck bonuses), Adopted (Elf [Warrior of Old], +2 Init)
SQ pain points (+1 critical hit confirmation rolls; +1 DC stunning fist and quivering palm), fast movement +10 ft, maneuver training, alchemist discoveries, rogue talents, breath mastery (hold breath for 19 minutes or full-round action 19 hours; suspended animation as a move action), perfect recall (double Int modifier on Knowledge checks), bardic knowledge (make knowledge checks untrained, add half bard level to knowledge checks), cantrips, clever explorer, lore master (can always take 10 on Knowledge checks; 1/day can take 20 on a Knowledge check as a standard action), armor training 1
Discoveries Cognatogen (+2 Int, Wis, or Cha; -2 Str, Dex, or Con), tumor familiar (greensting scorpion [+4 init]), underwater demolition (can create and throw bombs underwater)
Rogue Talents 1
Alchemist Formulae Book 2nd 1/day – lesser restoration
1st 3/day – bomber’s eye, cure light wounds, endure elements, identify, negate aroma, shield, touch of the sea, ant haul
Lots of Multi-class shenanigans going on with Bob, I know. But the kid just couldn't keep still. Bob's design was to be slightly independent of magic (nothing really over 2nd level spells and a wish to gain the advanced template).
This build came about because of my interest in the Beastmass challenge, but I also wanted something else from it too, not just to attempt to beat the creatures, but also have a viable multi-class clown to play through APs.
As such I will also be taking Bob from level one to whichever level he gets to before he permanently expires. So he will be traveling through Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition with some friends (he will be starting off as a monk moving through the progression laid out in the stat block).
I need some help though, I'm not sure which feats to provide Bob for maximum survival (either through DPR or cowardice), I have an idea for items, but I want to see what he might look like without items for the worst case scenario that might happen (AMF or Disjuction).
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I figured this may be the best place for my question concerning the Inner Sea Gods. Specifically regarding the aligned class feature of the Evangelist and how it works with Prestige Classes (one being Mystic Theurge).
My previous thread was about making a Cleric 1/Wizard 1/Class X 1/Mystic Theurge 2/Evangelist 10/Mystic Theurge 6
Race can be Aasimar (alternate traits) or Drow Noble
Spoiler:
By a strict reading of RAW of aligned class
Aligned Class (Ex):
Evangelists come from many different backgrounds, and they show an unusual range of diversity. At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned class. She gains all the class features for this class, essentially adding every evangelist level beyond 1st to her aligned class to determine what class features she gains. She still retains the Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks of the prestige class, but gains all other class features of her aligned class as well as those of the evangelist prestige class.
No class can be an aligned class due to it not specifically calling out Core Classes, Base Class, or Prestige Classes and even if they could they would have to be of a female gender. That is a very very strict reading of the rules with the clarification of core and prestige. This would also be, I suppose asinine would be the term. IF we went with such strict readings.
However the wording in the ability:
At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned class.
Definition of terms as listed on page 374 of the Core Rulebook
Core Class: One of the standard eleven classes found in Chapter 3.
Class Level: The level of a character in a particular class. For a character with only one class, class level and character level are the same.
Note the class level definition, it is any level of a class the character has. Whether or not it is a core class, prestige class, or base classes is irrelevant to the class.
So let's look at the Evangelist ability again.
Aligned Class (Ex):
Evangelists come from many different backgrounds, and they show an unusual range of diversity. At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned class. She gains all the class features for this class, essentially adding every evangelist level beyond 1st to her aligned class to determine what class features she gains. She still retains the Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks of the prestige class, but gains all other class features of her aligned class as well as those of the evangelist prestige class.
At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned class.
This class can be any class that the character has a level or levels in as per the definition of class level found on page 374.
So the aligned class ability works by RAW apparently with any class the character has prior to gaining the second level in the Evangelist PRC.
Now the next set of questions belongs to how certain classes interact with the prc if they get to higher levels. This is one such example:
We have a virtual pool of 9 levels of Mystic Theurge and an actual pool of 4 levels in the prc. For a total calculation of 13 levels of the prestige class.
There are a very limited number of prestige classes that do not have the standard 10 levels and so no table is given to give their class abilities.
The core rulebook however gives players something that works just as well as a table. I've posted this earlier but it seemed to be ignored:
Scaling Powers:
Hit dice, base attack bonuses, and saving throws continue to increase at the same rate beyond 20th level, as appropriate for the class in question. Note that no character can have more than 4 attacks based on its base attack bonus. Note also that, before long, the difference between good saving throws and poor saving throws becomes awkwardly large—the further you get from 20th level, the more noticeable this difference grows, and for high-level characters, bolstering their poor saving throws should become increasingly important. Class abilities that have a set, increasing rate, such as a barbarian's damage reduction, a fighter's bonus feats and weapon training, a paladin's smite evil, or a rogue's sneak attack continue to progress at the appropriate rate.
Bold emphasis is mine. Class abilities that have a set, increasing rate with examples given in the text, continue to progress at the appropriate rate. The Mystic Theurge has a class ability that fits this definition.
The mystic theurge gives +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class/+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class at every level. This is a set increasing rate that continues to progress every level.
So does there need to be a table describing what the Mystic Theurge gives after 10th?
Spontaneous Generation: At 3rd level, you gain Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat. In addition, when you craft a magic item (except a potion, a spell-trigger item, or a spell-completion item), you may ignore one spell prerequisite without increasing the creation DC. You can ignore an additional spell prerequisite at 9th, 15th, and 20th levels.
When we look at Spontaneous Generation, it says we may ignore up to X spell prerequisites by Y level.
If we get to ignore the spell prerequisite when crafting magic items, with the exceptions listed in the description. Do we also ignore any expensive spell components that it might have?
Or does the bloodline ability just let me ignore the requirement of having to cast the spell at the necessary time?
By RAW and RAI, I will suppose that the intent is to just ignore spell requirements of items when it is necessary to cast them and not ignore the spell component aspect.
So recently I've been looking over things to get the highest caster level I could.
Base race is the Dhampir with the Jiang Shi alternate race. I picked Dhampir because of their favored bonus with the wizard class.
Class is Wizard, doesn't matter which school you specialize in, but Necromancy will be the focus.
For versatility, I will also go for the Primalist archetype and Sin Magic (Necromancy).
This will be a rough level 20 build, any pathfinder material would be acceptable, 25 point buy.
I may answer my own question, but as far as RAI and RAW go; when using Use Magic Device (UMD) to emulate class features; does spellcasting fall under this use of the skill?
Let's say for example I am a non-divine non-spontaneous caster and want to use Incense of Meditation. Can I even use UMD to use the item before I prepare my spells?
As the title suggests, if one holds a touch attack spell (i.e. shocking grasp) and is attacked by a swarm.
Does the swarm's attack release the held touch spell and receive damage, or does it release the spell with no damage?
As RAW goes, swarms are immune to or take half damage from certain attack groups. In the text it says they are immune to spells that target a specific number of creatures (or single target spells).
