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| 5 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
1) "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."
1-a) The Calm Animals spell does not target a specific number of creatures ("Targets : animals within 30 ft. of each other"), but "The maximum number of HD of animals you can affect is equal to 2d4 + caster level."
If my Druid casts Calm Animal at a swarm of rats (ie, Int score but no hive mind) with 3 HD, is it affected by the spell ?
1-b) Can my Druid use Wild Empathy on the swarm of rats ?
2) Imagine said Druid has the Vermin Heart feat from the APG : "You may target vermin with spells and special abilities that only affect animals (although they are still affected by spells targeting vermin as well). You may use wild empathy to influence vermin as easily as you influence animals.".
2-a) If he casts Calm Animal at a swarm of spiders with 3 HD, is it affected by the spell ?
Note that the Calm Animal is a mind-affecting spell and that Vermin (such as the swarm of spiders) is "Mindless: No Intelligence score, and immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms)."
However, maybe Vermin Heart allows the Druid to ignore the immunity to mind-affecting effects of Vermin in the case of spells and special abilities that only affect animals.
2-b) Can my Druid use Wild Empathy on the swarm of spiders ?
Note that this is for a PFS character, thus official stances and quotes will be really appreciated.
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At first I was going to say 'No' across the board, as the swarms were not strictly listed as hive minded. But due to the lack of sensibility of that, I checked every swarm entry. There are only two hive minded swarms: the Hellwasp Swarm, which is a 6 INT magical beast, and the Mandragora Swarm, which is a plant type, thus immune to mind affecting effects. Based on that, my thought is that as a swarm, all of them are to be treated as hive-minded. They all certainly behave in a hive-minded manner, especially spiders. Otherwise, only the Hellwasp swarm would be susceptible to mind affecting spells. Therefore...
1a. Yes. Calm away.
1b. No- a swarm acts as a single creature, but it is not a single creature. Wild empathy affects an animal only, as stated in the druid abilities.
2a. Yes. The Vermin Heart would otherwise only allow you to use Hide from Animals, Speak with Animals, and Hold Animal on vermin. Wild Empathy affects emotion, as does Charm Animal and many other mind affecting effects.
2b. No, for the same reason as above.
I admit that this would probably require talking to the GM for sensibility, as a straight check of the rules would yeild "oh, they don't say they're hive minded, so they're immune to charms", and likewise for vermin. Unfortunately, most GMs for society would probably dismiss the discussion. FAQ'ed.
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1a. Yes, the animals affected are within the HD limit.
1b and 2b. As the previous poster said
2a. I have to disagree with Nightskies. There's no suggestion in the Vermin Heart description that it allows you to affect mindless things with mind-affecting spells. The feat explicitly allows you to use wild empathy, even though it's arguably mind-affecting (but not explicitly - it works "just like a Diplomacy check" but is not specified to be one).
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The feat explicitly allows you to use wild empathy, even though it's arguably mind-affecting (but not explicitly
That is, Vermin Heart allows you to use wild empathy, but wild empathy as written doesn't have to be mind-affecting - it just happens to use the same rules as a skill check that influences the target's mind.