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So I play this conjuration wizard (inspired by the Treantmonk guide). I've got Summon Swarm and we face a lot of stupid enemies with poor healing skills like orcs. There's lots of open terrain and I've got a magpie(raven) familiar, so usually I see them coming, giving me time to cast the spell.
But the tricky part is keeping the swarm focused on enemies. The bat swarm is the most powerful, but its speed (40 fly) and my casting range (40 ft) make me very nervous, since you can't control where the swarm goes; it just attacks the nearest creatures, even you. I have to wait until the enemy is close before unleashing it, and then somehow make sure the enemy doesn't bring it back to me...
And actually, swarms in general. Is there a way, a spell perhaps, to keep swarms at bay? Something along the lines of Magic Circle vs. Alignment, but focused on icky {size <= tiny} critters? They're usually Neutral...
I was also toying around with making a new campaign setting, and animal swarms seem like a really big problem for low-level (civilian) populations. How can you for example keep a leech swarm from killing all life in a river?
Repel Vermin?
Or, get some kind of levitation, and then go nuts.
Protection from Evil. Protects against summoned creatures and is lvl 1, relatively decent duration (1min/lvl) and can be cast with Extended Metamagic feat. Or make a magic item that duplicates it.
Vomit Swarm is more controllable, but it does have the disadvantage of starting next to you.
not to mention anything with the word vomit in it just kicks arse
The pestilent sorcerer gains immunity to swarms at level 9 and can control them. Not useful for wizards, but you can get it through Eldrich heritage.
Candles of insect bane keep non monstrous insects at bay.
If you know they will be coming light a candle and then summon an insect swarm (wasp swarm) it should not be able to ener your square.
Another thing is one of the taldor regional traits. Honey harvester or something like that. It gives you a DR3/- vs swarms if I remember correctly. And a save bonus vs. the poison from swarms.
...or just use protection from evil
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I noticed you prefer the bat swarm, but the spider swarm can be slightly more fun if you've got Augment Summoning. The +4 Con not only adds +2 to the Distraction DC, but also the Poison save DC. (or the Disease save DC for the rats, but that rarely is useful)
The bat swarm just seems superior. Bleed 1, instead of a DC 11/13 poison; 3 instead of 2 HD (9/13 vs. 13/19 hp), and 40ft fly speed to ensure enemies can't outrun them or easily evade them using the environment. OTOH, bats are animals, not vermin, so Repel Vermin doesn't do anything to them.
Found another, Barbarians can take the hive totem to gain immunities to swarms and other minor bonuses. She has to be level 6 to gain full immunity and it also doesnt help the wizard, but is another way to be immune.
