Swarm Multiple Actions

[RDSBrazil]

How many times can a Rat Swarm (Bestiary pg 276), use its Swarming Bites in a turn??

Bestiary pg 276 wrote:

Swarming Bites [one-action] Each enemy in the swarm’s

space takes 1d6 piercing damage and must
attempt a DC 17 basic Reflex save. A creature
that fails its save is exposed to filth fever.

[jdripley]

3! It’s not good to stand in a rat swarm :)

[jdripley]

So the d6 damage happens automatically which is a bit crazy but not too bad really. Average result is 11damage to a target that is in the rat swarm's space when the rat swarm starts its turn. At that point it’s the players fault if they don’t move away.

I think if you KOed a PC within a rat swarm it would keep chewing on the PC which could have dire consequences for that PC... it’s not good to get damaged while dying.

But do remember that multiple exposures to Filth Fever don’t do anything more. They come into contact, they get it, or they don’t. Doesn’t matter how many times the swarm gnaws on your ankles,

[BellyBeard]

Yes, but you'll have to make a lot of saves, which makes it quite likely you'll fail one.

[Laran]

BUT it is large and moves 30' (which is faster than most characters and the large means you have to move 40' to get out of area). It will do average 11 pts first round (could kill outright round 1 if lucky) and 7 pts automatic damage every round (killing most 1st levels in the second round). Filth fever is almost an after thought

Now if there are three - that is bad.

Interestingly, can multiple swarms occupy the same space? Cannot find that rule yet

[SuperBidi]

There's a Basic Reflex save, guys. So it's half damage half of the time. Still deadly, but not as much as you say.

And swarms can occupy the same space. But any area of effect attack would be deadly then.
Swarms are dangerous, but they are no more immune to everything.

[Laran]

The way it reads is that the damage is not savable. Filth fever exposure is the result of a failed save (if you fail you are exposed

*edit. You are correct, I keep forgetting that the basic phrase means it refers to damage

[Castilliano]

Swarms in the same space would eat/sting/etc. each other, at least while using their swarm attack which arguably should trigger their AoE Weakness.
And hopefully they don't get 3 attacks in the first round, since that means you walked into them...or fell in a really nasty pit.
Hmm. Let me write that one down.

It wasn't uncommon to blast allies to kill swarms in PF1. While their immunities have lessened to a decent resistance, I could still see that happening. I like that they're scary now more for their offense (a SWARM of fangs/poison/etc.) rather than their defense where most PCs struggled to contribute (especially if the swarm resisted alchemist's fire).