I need suggestions for this since no one in my party has any sort of AoE attack, and throwing CR 3 swarms with a more deadly disease at a party of level 2-3 characters makes it seem like the writer of this AP is a Killer GM, to say nothing of the rum rations that I just revised to 3e's alcohol rules from Arms and Equipment Guide.
My first idea would be stirges and giant flies, but I'm interested in hearing other suggestions as well.
Also, why in the hell would the swarms have ghoul fever? I'm pretty sure that mosquitoes would not feed off of ghouls, since I'm under the impression that most undead creatures lack any sort of blood that mosquitoes could live off of without immediately dying of "food poisoning"
I put a halfway depleted wand of Burning hands and som alchemist fire on their track. They found them at the spot with the big unlit bonefire.
They used the barrels of stinking parfume at the “Brides hut” as anti bug repelent.
Yeah... unfortunately no one can use such a wand (except for the bloodrager; the rest of the party consists of a slayer focusing on the crossbow style, a negotiator [bard archetype, no Use Magic Device ranks], and cleric of Pharasma). Such wands are only caster level 1st, so the amount of hit points of damage it would do (along with alchemist's fire) is really garbage, even with vulnerability, since these damn swarms have over 30 hit points, deal a lot damage and bleeding every round for 2nd-3rd level characters, plus nausea.
On a side note, I did discover the giant botfly from PF Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle, which is only CR 1/2 and Tiny-sized, so I can throw 6 of those at the PCs at the fields and the stockade, instead of the "botfly swarm."
I might also consider replacing the giant moray eel with a bunyip, given the sheer advantage aquatic monsters have against PCs when they don't have freedom of movement or a swim speed.
You could incorporate the Chase rules - put in some sort of foreshadowing that the swarms of insects on this island are deadly. Put in a Perception check to come just before the Swarm arrives, where if they get high enough, they can make a Stealth check to hide from the Swarm before it gets to the clearing. The chase itself could otherwise consist of running through the swamp, serpentining around trees, or leaping into water to evade the insects. Could make for some very fun encounters.
Alternatively, I think adding some giant insects of CR 3 would be perfectly fine. Giant Ticks and Flies (with the Advanced and Giant templates) are both perfectly thematic (and mechanically sound) stand ins.
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I put a halfway depleted wand of Burning hands and som alchemist fire on their track. They found them at the spot with the big unlit bonefire.
They used the barrels of stinking parfume at the “Brides hut” as anti bug repelent.Yeah... unfortunately no one can use such a wand (except for the bloodrager; the rest of the party consists of a slayer focusing on the crossbow style, a negotiator [bard archetype, no Use Magic Device ranks], and cleric of Pharasma). Such wands are only caster level 1st, so the amount of hit points of damage it would do (along with alchemist's fire) is really garbage, even with vulnerability, since these damn swarms have over 30 hit points, deal a lot damage and bleeding every round for 2nd-3rd level characters, plus nausea.
On a side note, I did discover the giant botfly from PF Chronicles: Heart of the Jungle, which is only CR 1/2 and Tiny-sized, so I can throw 6 of those at the PCs at the fields and the stockade, instead of the "botfly swarm."
I might also consider replacing the giant moray eel with a bunyip, given the sheer advantage aquatic monsters have against PCs when they don't have freedom of movement or a swim speed.
With that party composition they will have lots of trouble in an Pirate Campaign with lots of aquatic encounters.
An underwater crossbow will help the slayer and piercing weapons for the others.The cleric can take Air Bubble” and the bloodrager can use a wand og “touch of the sea”.
Later on “alter self” (cleric), “aboleth’s lung” (bard) gives more options.
Fortunately, the PCs did take the fact it's an aquatic campaign into account: The slayer actually is already like 4/5 finished modifying her heavy crossbow to function underwater (and they just finished Act One), the cleric already has those spells at the ready, as well as the Water domain. The bloodrager is also a lizardfolk with a swim speed.
I ended up also finding a 3rd party giant mosquito stat-block that is only CR 1/2 and Small-sized, so I'll be using those in place of the swamp swarms. And giant botflies as mentioned in my earlier post in place of botfly swarms.
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Fortunately, the PCs did take the fact it's an aquatic campaign into account: The slayer actually is already like 4/5 finished modifying her heavy crossbow to function underwater (and they just finished Act One), the cleric already has those spells at the ready, as well as the Water domain. The bloodrager is also a lizardfolk with a swim speed.
I ended up also finding a 3rd party giant mosquito stat-block that is only CR 1/2 and Small-sized, so I'll be using those in place of the swamp swarms. And giant botflies as mentioned in my earlier post in place of botfly swarms.
Perfect then they will have more fun.