Introduction: Angry mobs of peasants, roiling bar fights, swarms of

goblins - groups of low-level minions are a necessity for campaigns

involving higher level characters. Unfortunately, the numbers
necessary to make such encounters challenging often precludes using
such creatures. Indeed, tracking 20-30 goblins at once is a
logistical nightmare. Fortunately, 5th Edition gave as a useful
mechanic: THE SWARM. This template makes it easy to convert any
tiny, small, or medium creature into a swarm.

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warms are a catch-all phrase for a creature of the same size as the
describing any large group of base creature.
low-level combatants such as The swarm can't regain hit points or
swarming insects, mobs of gain temporary hit points.
enraged commoners, or murderous hordes The swarm inflicts half damage when
of goblins. reduced to half its hit points or
fewer.

Statistics
When applying the Swarm Template to a Actions
creature, use the following The swarm retains all of the Actions
adjustments to its base statistics: of the base creature, modified as
follows:
Ability Scores
Use the Ability Scores of the base
Attack
creature, modified as follows: +4 STR, Attacks from a Tiny swarm have Reach
+2 CON, -4 CHA, and -2 WIS. 0, one target in the same space.

Armor Class Attacks from a Small or Medium swarm

have Reach 5ft., one target.
Use the Armor Class of the base
creature.
Add the swarm’s Proficiency Bonus to
all Attack rolls the swarm makes.
Hit Dice
The swarm’s Hit Dice is an arbitrary Damage
number that represents an
The Damage caused by the swarm’s
approximation of the total number of
attacks is based upon its Hit Dice:
creatures in the swarm. The larger the
creatures in the swarm, the more Hit
Dice the swarm will have. 1-5 2d4
6-10 2d6
Size 11-15 2d8
16-20 2d10
A swarm of Tiny creatures counts as a 21+ 2d12
Medium creature, a swarm of Small
creatures counts as a Large creature, If the base creature has a special
and a swarm of Medium creatures counts ability that deals additional damage
as a Huge creature. with an attack (e.g. poison), double
the amount of damage. The swarm still
Speed inflicts any additional special damage
as well.
Use the Speed of the base creature. For example, a poisonous snake deals
1 piercing damage plus 2d4 poison
Other Statistics damage. A swarm of poisonous snakes
The swarm retains any other special deals 4d4 damage plus 2d4 poison
abilities of the base creature, and damage.
gains the following:
Condition Immunities: Charmed,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified,
prone, restrained, stunned.
Damage Resistance (Tiny Only):
Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing.
Swarm: The swarm can occupy another
creatures space and vice versa and can
move through any opening large enough
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