An operative with a projectile pistol full of explosive rounds tries to trick attack a swarm. The explosive rounds make the weapon effective against swarm defenses, but what about the trick? Does it fail because it is a single target effect, resulting in a standard attack, or can the extra damage and debillitation be brought to bear?
SWARM DEFENSES (EX)
Swarms take damage from weapons differently depending on how the weapon targets them.A swarm is immune to attacks and effects that targets a single creature (including single-target spells), with the exception of mind-affecting effects if the swarm has an Intelligence score and an ability similar to the formian’s hive mind (see page 50).A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from effects that affect all targets in an area, such as grenades, blast and explode weapons, and many evocation spells.A swarm takes normal damage from an attack or effect that affects multiple targets (including lines and fully automatic mode attacks). For the purpose of automatic fire, the swarm counts as five targets. For example, if an automatic attack is made using 12 rounds of ammunition, it can attack a maximum of six targets, so it can damage a swarm normally. However, if two other targets are closer to the attacker than the swarm, they must be attacked first, leaving only four attacks to target the swarm, so it takes no damage.Format: Defensive Abilities swarm defenses.
Ah, the one other thing I forgot to include here is that basically every debilitating would be covered by swarm immunities, so I think only damage is even a possibility, here.
SWARM IMMUNITIES (EX)
Swarms are immune to the following effects, unless the effect specifies it works against swarms.
Bleeding, critical hits, flat-footed, off-target, pinned, prone, staggered, and stunned.
Combat maneuvers—swarms can’t be affected by and can’t perform combat maneuvers, unless the swarm’s description says otherwise.
Flanking—swarms are unflankable.
Dying—a swarm reduced to 0 Hit Points breaks up and ceases to exist as a swarm, though individual members of it might survive.
