Scorpion Swarm

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

I want to pit my party against a couple of scorpion swarm, but then noticed that there's no such animal in the bestiary.

So should I just use a spider-swarm, re-skin them and call it a day? Or would someone like to point me to an open-source Swarm template of some-kind to create my own swarm of deadly scorpions.

Thanks in advance.

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

The cling ability from the army ant swarm looks like it fits my angry scorpion swarm, but I wonder how to make it fit...

[Exle]

DM_aka_Dudemeister wrote:

So should I just use a spider-swarm, re-skin them and call it a day?

I do stuff like that all the time. Tack on the cling if you like it (and maybe a few extra hp) and raise the CR by one.

[Bwang]

You might check the 'in game' differences between spider and scorpion poisons if possible. One might affect a different Stat. Just a thought...

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

Okay so this is my attempt at a scorpion swarm. I upped a Spider Swarm's HD by 1, gave it a lesser version of the Army Ant Swarm's Cling special ability and decided that was enough to up its CR by one.

Scorpion Swarm wrote:

Scorpion Swarm
An awful, scuttling mass of legs, stinging tails and mandibles scrambles forward out of the darkness.
Scorpion Swarm
CR 2
XP 600

N Diminutive vermin (swarm)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +4

DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size)
hp 13 (3d8)
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +0
Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune mind-affecting effects, weapon damage
Weaknesses swarm traits

OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee swarm (1d6 plus poison and distraction)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks distraction (DC 11)

STATISTICS
Str 1, Dex 17, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB —; CMD —
Skills Climb +11, Perception +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception; uses Dexterity for Climb checks

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Swarm—injury; save Fort DC 10; frequency 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Cling (Ex) If a creature leaves a scorpion swarm's square, the swarm suffers 1d6 points of damage to reflect the loss of its numbers as several of the crawling pests continue to cling tenaciously to the victim. A creature with scorpions clinging to him takes 1d6 points of damage at the end of his turn each round, and must save against the swarm's poison. As a full-round action, he can remove the scorpions with a DC 13 Reflex save. High wind or any amount of damage from an area effect destroys all clinging scorpions. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Compared to a swarm of Bats (also a CR 2 swarm), these guys can potentially be more lethal, but can't fly (and thus can't follow the party anywhere they might go). Still this one has me a little leery of calling it CR 2 and might be CR 3. What do others think?

[Krome]

resurrecting an old topic :)

I too need a scorpion swarm. But I need a rather tougher one. I need a CR 8 scorpion swarm to be specific.

Any suggestions?

[DM_aka_Dudemeister]

Army Ant Swarm

Advance this by about 2 HD, remove its "consume" ability and give it a poison (probably ghost scorpion venom injury; save Fort DC XX; 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Strength damage; cure 1 save. The Fort DC should be Constitution based).