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So a swarm (Fine or Diminutive) is immune to weapon damage, but what about weapons enchanted with special abilities? Specifically those that deal energy damage?
Do swarms take the energy damage part from such weapons?
For example if a +1 flaming longsword was used to attack a fine swarm, would it deal 1d6 fire damage to the swarm?
In 3.5 it did. Back then you could use a burning torch to deal damage to swarms but as far as I know both rules were not included in pathfinder.
Sure they do. Swarms are immune to weapon damage (slashing, bludgeoning, piercing), not energy damage.
But they are immune to spells and effects that deal damage to a specific number of creatures. The flaming weapon property deals damage to exactly 1 creature, the one you hit. Because of that swarms are immune to it.
Besides: There have been a ton of other threads on this topic.
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But they are immune to spells and effects that deal damage to a specific number of creatures. The flaming weapon property deals damage to exactly 1 creature, the one you hit. Because of that swarms are immune to it.
Besides: There have been a ton of other threads on this topic.
I don't think weapon special qualities like flaming can be "targeted". I mean you can't just hold up a +1 Flaming longsword and target a monster and have flames leap forth to deal only the 1d6 fire damage to the targeted monster.
Flaming and similar weapon special qualities works more like riders, aka they do something extra, in addition to the basic weapon attack.
I understand that facing monsters immune to certain energy attacks a +1 <energy> weapon would still deal the weapon damage if the monster immune off the energy damage. Hence I'm wondering if the oppose is true?
Don't torches deal damage to swarms? Why wouldn't a flaming (or other energy weapon) deal damage?
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Don't torches deal damage to swarms? Why wouldn't a flaming (or other energy weapon) deal damage?
If you allow the fire from a torch or energy damage from a weapon to do damage to a fine or diminuative swarm, I would think that you would also have to allow targeted spell effects such as ray of frost, acid splash, scorching ray, etc to do damage as well...which is a direct contradiction to the rules of the swarm creature type. It's not a terrible house rule, but it would take away some of the punch from swarms when a spell caster is present.
Note that even if the fire damage from a torch was applicable, it would only be 1 point of fire damage.
Don't torches deal damage to swarms?
There was a rule that torched hurt swarms (1d3 fire damage) but that was not included in PF.