I'm DM'ing a campaign for a group of low levels, a barbarian, ranger w/ bow, fighter, and bard. the bard has no AoE spell damage.
As part of the module they are going to fight several spider swarms and bat swarms.
How do low level martial characters deal damage to/kill swarms? Any advice? Trying to figure out how I can give them "hints" to do it or what I should allow...
Alchemist's fire.
Burning oil.
Smoke.
Swarm suits.
Torches.
Running away.
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Badly.
Not very well....But jokes aside,alchemist fire lots of alchemist fire.
Vermin repellent is pretty good at low levels to protect you from most swarms, since most tend to be vermin. Alchemical fire is a good idea. Also, don't be afraid to allow your players to come up with interesting ways to do it on their own. Like, I had a player use a table to attack a swarm of spiders on the ground. I allowed it and it was fun and rewarded clever thinking.
Vermin repellant from the Adventurer's Armory
Luckily it got reprinted in Ultimate Equipment. My players use it all the time in my current campaign, as they are in the jungle and have dealt with leech swarms, giant bees, scorpions, and giant botflies.
Ah! Argh! Get it off me!
This is why you have henchmen.
This is why you don't name your henchmen, you just give them a number.
"A swarm? Alright number 5,756. Just do what I told you to do while the party and I go get some help."
Do bludgeoning weapons damage swarms of spiders?
Even a blunt arrow?
Fine or Diminutive Swarms are immune to all weapon damage. The swarm subtype doesn't say anything about bludgeoning.
Even a blunt arrow?
If the swarm is Tiny, they take full damage from bludgeoning. I know Rat Swarms are Tiny. Snake Swarms are too.
I've also allowed characters with enlarge person the ability to step on Fine and Diminutive swarms for damage.
Same way the vast majority of casters do.
You may want to consider altering those encounters, if the party is that ill-equipped to deal with them.
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I see a lot of people suggest items such as alchemist fire and even magical items. All of which may be the most effective ways to fight swarms, but in an actual campaign one cant just get the usual PFS core equipment like that.
You dont just walk over to the grocery across the street and ask him: "Hey, so do you have any handgrenades?"
I believe that in most campaigns, fighting swarms are done more through improvised means. Like for instance pouring oil or petrolium over the swarm and then ignite it.
No, you go to an alchemist or a wizard and ask 'Hey, so do you have any alchemist's fire'.
Yeah, what Zhayne said. I also start the game with some handy alchemical items and tools, just in case. I mean, we're adventurers right? You're going to be fighting monsters, looting dungeons, and all around doing stupid, nigh-suicidal things. So you gotta be prepared for anything, whether it's lycanthropes or alchemist's fire or ghosts. Hell, one of my players bought a ton of holy water for the same reason, and it came in handy when the party fought a ghost.
Better to spend 20 g on alchemist's fire than 5,000 g on raise dead.
Akisu the analogy would be more like going to the Army-Navy store and asking if they have hand grenades. Then they'll ask if you want frag, white phosphorus, etc. etc.
With all the swarms of monstrous creatures immune to weapons apparently running around, I would imagine that alchemist fire would be in fairly high demand, especially since any commoner (or even kid) can use it while only highly trained wizards could use a fireball or something.
But the general idea seems like it would be to save them for swarms, and if you still run out, ask why your GM is so obsessed with swarms. Sure, there are spells to summon swarms, but how often does a foe use that repeatedly? Unless of course he is named "Spidur, lord of the crawling terror." But outside of some infestation themed campaign, I wonder how often you would meet more that one or two swarms per session.
I'm a fighter who has been dealing with swarms a few times. I wasn't able to do much because we don't have much gold or any good items, so I stick close to the spell casters and hope that will get the job done while protect them from the bigger things. Once it was a rescue mission, I had no choice but to jump into the battle filled with swarms of ants. It was very bad, lucky I saw it coming so I had oil and spice on me to get the ant off me. It your GM play it with enough realism, just think what your character would know in his real life to deal with that. But if you are martial, you might want to leave it to the caster unless you have items that can help.
For spider, peppermint oils and chestnut might make them go away as long as you leave them alone. Vinegar will deal damage to them.
They're adventurers. They should be prepared to deal with various encounters. Alchemist's fire (or normal flasks of oil in a pinch) for swarms or to do area damage, an alchemical silver battle aspergillum (and some holy water) for lycanthropes or undead, and a cold iron dagger are fairly inexpensive and easy to obtain.
If the campaign allows gunslingers, dragon's breath alchemical cartridges work pretty well (although relatively expensive).
There is a trait that gives a DR3/- vs swarms. I think it was in Andoran, Spirit of liberty.
That will not kill the swarm or get rid of it. But it makes them much less dangerous.
The best is the item "Swarmbane Clasp". Allows martials to do full damage to swarms with melee weapons for only 3000g.