Swarm-Shifter
The vampire that explodes onto a flock of bats, the mummy that crumbles into a pile of scorpions - these are swarm-shifters, undead that have been granted the dark power to become swarms.
A swarm-shifter appears like a normal undead creature until its body explodes into a swarm. There are many varieties of swarm-shifters, and although some are more common than others, swarm-shifters do not seem limited to certain kinds of swarms by their form of undeath.
Creating A Swarm-shifter
"Swarm-shifter" is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal undead with an Intelligence score (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
A swarm-shifter uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Note: Unlike most templates, an undead can potentially acquire this template more than once, gaining a new swarm form with each application.
Size and Type: The base creature's type and size do not change, but it gains the shapechanger subtype. When in swarm form, it also has the swarm subtype and a new size (as determined by the particular swarm form, each described below). The swarm's size influences how wind affects it and how weapons damage it.
Hit Dice: The base creature retains its Hit Dice and hit points when it takes swarm form, but changing forms heals damage (as described in the swarm form ability description, below).
Speed: When in swarm form, the base creature has the movement modes and speeds listed for the particular kind of swarm (each described below).
Armor Class: When in swarm form, change the base creature's natural armor according to its size change using Creature Size Changer. In swarm form, the base creature also gains a new size modifier to Armor Class depending on the swarm's size.
Base Attack/Grapple: When in swarm form, the base creature cannot grapple or be grappled. See the swarm subtype for details.
Attack and Full Attack: When in swarm form, the base creature lacks its normal attacks. Instead, a swarm-shifter has a swarm attack. This attack automatically damages any creature in the swarm-shifter's space when it ends its move.
If the base creature's natural attacks are treated in a manner that allowed it to overcome damage reduction, it retains that ability with its swarm attack in swarm form. For example, if the base creature's natural attacks are treated as chaotic-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, its swarm attack is also treated as chaotic-aligned for this purpose. See the swarm subtype description for more details about the swarm attack.
Damage: The amount of damage a swarm-shifter deals with its swarm attack is based on its Hit Dice, as shown in the table below.
| HD | Damage |
| 1-5 | 1d6 |
| 16-20 | 4d6 |
| 21 or more | 5d6 |
Space/Reach: When the base creature is in swarm form, it has a space of 10 feet. In swarm form, it has a reach of 0 feet, it cannot make attacks of opportunity, and it provokes attacks of opportunity when it enters a creature's space. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and moves through other creatures' squares without impediment and vice versa. The swarm can move through holes and cracks large enough for its component creatures.
Special Attacks: When in swarm form, a swarm-shifter loses all the special attacks of the base creature. It gains the distraction and swarm special attacks, and gains new special attacks dependent on the swarm form it takes (as described in the individual swarm form entries below).
Distraction (Ex): As described in Swarm Traits section.
Swarm (Ex): As described under the Attack and Damage entries above, the base creature in swarm form has a swarm attack.
Special Qualities: The base creature retains all special qualities and gains the swarm form special quality. When the base creature is in swarm form, it also gains the hive mind special quality. It loses special qualities of the base creature that rely on the base creature's shape or abilities it lacks in swarm form. In addition, it gains other special qualities dependent on the swarm form it takes (as described in the individual entries below).
Hive Mind (Ex): A swarm-shifter with this ability is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of effects that command, control, turn, rebuke, bolster, or destroy undead specifically. A swarm-shifter in swarm form is affected by turn and rebuke attempts just like the base creature.
Swarm Form (Su): The base creature can take the form of an undead swarm at will. The swarm (or swarms, if this template is applied multiple times) the base creature can turn into is chosen when this template is first applied. Each form alters the base creature in swarm form in different ways (as described in the individual entries below).
Changing shape to or from swarm form is a standard action that infuses the undead with negative energy and heals 1 hit point of damage per HD of the base creature. The undead cannot change from swarm form to its normal form in an area where its body could not normally fit. As with the alter self spell, the base creature's items are absorbed into the swarm form and provide no benefit. When it would normally be dispersed due to damage taken, the swarm reverts to the base creature's form and is destroyed (except in the case of vampires, liches, and other undead with special destruction rules).
If the swarm-shifter has multiple swarm forms, it can change from one swarm form directly into another, losing the first swarm's traits and gaining those of the other. When switching from one swarm form to another, the undead does not heal damage.
Although the use of this ability is a supernatural effect, remaining in one form or another is not supernatural, and the base creature in swarm form does not change into its normal shape in an antimagic field. True seeing and similar magic reveals both forms.
Abilities: The base creature's Strength and Dexterity scores are different in swarm form due to the swarm creatures size. When the base creature takes swarm form, change the base creature's Strength and Dexterity scores according to Creature Size Changer. This template cannot reduce the base creature's Strength in swarm form to less than 1.
Skills: An undead in swarm form gains a +10 bonus on Disguise checks to act like a normal grouping of its constituent creatures. An undead in sand swarm form gains this bonus when acting like inanimate sand. An undead in parts swarm form gains this bonus when acting like inanimate body parts. In swarm form, the swarm creatures' new size, speed, and ability scores can affect skill bonuses. An undead in swarm form loses the ability to speak.
Feats: Same as the base creature, but when the base creature is in swarm form it cannot benefit from feats that rely on attacks (such as Power Attack and Combat Expertise), special attacks of the base creature, or other abilities the base creature cannot use in swarm form.
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1. If this template is applied multiple times, the base creature's Challenge Raring increases by 2, regardless of how many swarm forms the creature can take in excess of one.
Level Adjustment: -
Swarm Forms
When this template is applied, one of the following forms must be chosen for the swarm-shifter:
Swarm of Undead Bats
Diminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good).
Special Attacks: An undead in bat swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Wounding (Ex): A living creature damaged by the swarm attack continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped with a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or some other healing magic.
Special Qualities: An undead in bat swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Blindsense (Ex): A bat swarm notices and locates creatures within 20 feet by hearing.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Swarm of Undead Beetles
Diminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 10 ft. (poor).
Special Qualities: An undead in beetle swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of beetles can pinpoint the location of anything in contact with the ground within 60 feet.
Swarm of Undead Centipedes
Diminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in centipede swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Poison (Ex): Swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 swarm HD + Cha modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Dex.
Special Qualities: An undead in centipede swarm form has the following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Swarm of Undead Flies
Fine Undead (Swarm)
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect).
Special Attacks: An undead in fly swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Disease (Ex): Red ache - swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 swarm HD + Cha modifier, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d8 Dex.
Special Qualities: An undead in fly swarm form has the following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Fine creatures.
Swarm of Undead Leeches
Diminutive Undead (Aquatic, Swarm)
Speed: 5 ft., swim 30 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in leech swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Wounding (Ex): A living creature damaged by the swarm attack continues to bleed, losing 1 hit point per round thereafter. Multiple wounds do not result in cumulative bleeding loss. The bleeding can be stopped with a DC 10 Heal check or the application of a cure spell or some other healing magic.
Special Qualities: An undead in leech swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of leeches can pinpoint the location of anything in contact with the ground or in the water with it within 30 feet.
Swarm of Undead Maggots (or Worms)
Fine Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in maggot swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Extended Nausea (Ex): A creature nauseated by a maggot swarm's distraction special attack remains nauseated for 2d4 rounds.
Special Qualities: An undead in maggot swarm form has the following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Fine creatures.
Swarm of Undead Parts
Tiny Undead (Swarm)
This swarm is composed of the body of the base creature broken into a pile of bones, sometimes including rotted flesh and organs. This swarm can skitter and slosh across the ground or rise in a cyclone of limbs and pieces.
Speed: 20 ft., fly 20 ft. (poor).
Special Attacks: An undead in parts swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Fear (Su): A creature damaged by a parts swarm must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the swarm's HD + Cha modifier) or be frightened for 1d4 rounds.
Parts (Ex): A parts swarm undead is a swarm made up of the body parts of the undead creature. This causes the swarm to deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with its swarm attack.
Special Qualities: An undead in parts swarm form has the following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Half Damage From Slashing and Piercing (Ex): Slashing and piercing attacks deal half damage to a swarm of Tiny creatures.
Swarm of Undead Rats
Tiny Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 15 ft., climb 15 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in rat swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Disease (Ex): Filth fever - swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 swarm HD + Cha modifier, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con.
Special Qualities: An undead in rat-swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Half Damage From Slashing and Piercing (Ex): Slashing and piercing attacks deal half damage to a swarm of Tiny creatures.
Scent (Ex): See Scent.
Swarm of Undead Sand (or Tomb Dust or Grave Dirt)
Fine Undead (Swarm)
Speed: Fly 60 ft. (perfect).
Special Qualities: An undead in sand swarm form has the following additional special quality, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Fine creatures.
Swarm of Undead Scorpions
Diminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in scorpion swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Poison (Ex): Swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 swarm HD + Cha modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d2 Con.
Special Qualities: An undead in scorpion swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of scorpions can pinpoint the location of anything in contact with the ground within 60 feet.
Swarm of Undead Spiders
Diminutive Undead (Swarm)
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Special Attacks: An undead in spider swarm form has the following additional special attack.
Poison (Ex): Swarm attack, Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 swarm HD + Cha modifier, initial and secondary damage 1d3 Str.
Special Qualities: An undead in spider swarm form has the following additional special qualities, in addition to darkvision out to 60 feet and undead traits.
Immune to Weapon Damage (Ex): Weapon attacks are useless against a swarm of Diminutive creatures.
Tremorsense (Ex): A swarm of spiders can pinpoint the location of anything in contact with the ground within 60 feet.
Sample swarm-shifter: Swarm-Shifter 13th-Level Mummy King Druid.