Ok thought exercise for the day:
Let's say a small swarm is half in, half out of Deep Bog (the other half is on solid ground)
Deep Bog provides Improved Cover to small or smaller creatures within it.
Question 1: If the swarm is half in, half out, does it benefit from Improved Cover?
Question 2: If half the swarm is in the water but an alchemist throws a bomb at the half that is on land, should the bomb do full damage?
Thoughts appreciated :)
Wouldn't a Deep Bog be a whole square or a group of whole squares? The swarm only occupies one square, so it would have to be either all in or all out.
conan_the_barbarian wrote: Wouldn't a Deep Bog be a whole square or a group of whole squares? The swarm only occupies one square, so it would have to be either all in or all out. Swarms are all 10'x10', meaning they occupy four squares.
As to the original questions:
#1: You calculate cover based on tracing a line from corners of your squares to corners of theirs. If two of the swarm squares are in cover, you should just trace your line(s) to the non-covered squares.
#2: The bomb, frustratingly, cannot do full damage because you cannot directly hit a swarm. The Splash damage, however, would deal full damage--150% damage, actually, due to their AoE vulnerability.
mplindustries wrote: conan_the_barbarian wrote: Wouldn't a Deep Bog be a whole square or a group of whole squares? The swarm only occupies one square, so it would have to be either all in or all out. Swarms are all 10'x10', meaning they occupy four squares.
As to the original questions:
#1: You calculate cover based on tracing a line from corners of your squares to corners of theirs. If two of the swarm squares are in cover, you should just trace your line(s) to the non-covered squares.
#2: The bomb, frustratingly, cannot do full damage because you cannot directly hit a swarm. The Splash damage, however, would deal full damage--150% damage, actually, due to their AoE vulnerability. For #1: So in other words, for all intents and purposes you think swarms wont' get improved cover?
For #2: This is totally off topic but in fact you can directly hit a swarm (common misconception tho...). The rule is as follows (just so we get it out of the way and back to the main topic)
From PRD wrote: A swarm made up of Tiny creatures takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons. A swarm composed of Fine or Diminutive creatures is immune to all weapon damage
silverace:
Swarms can't be hit directly by bombs not because of their resistances, but because: "A creature swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures"
Bombs are thrown splash weapons: "A hit deals direct hit damage to the target, and splash damage to all creatures within 5 feet of the target."
Thus, the direct hit requires a specific target, which won't affect the swarm. The splash damage, however, will.
silverace99 wrote: For #1: So in other words, for all intents and purposes you think swarms wont' get improved cover? It would depend on what squares you were able to attack. In a general sense, assuming equal access to all four squares, no, they would not get improved cover by being half in a deep bog and half out.
silverace99 wrote: For #2: This is totally off topic but in fact you can directly hit a swarm (common misconception tho...). The rule is as follows (just so we get it out of the way and back to the main topic)
From PRD wrote: A swarm made up of Tiny creatures takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons. A swarm composed of Fine or Diminutive creatures is immune to all weapon damage
No, you cannot directly hit a swarm with a bomb. You can hit them with a melee attack, no question. Bombs, however, are supernatural effects:
"A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures."
It's a shame, and I houserule it otherwise, but you can't directly hit a swarm with a splash weapon.
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