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Old 05-16-2022, 01:43 PM   #1
Shuckster
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Near Chicago
Default Approximating Swarm NPC attacks for players

So under "Swarm Attacks" on p. B461 of the basic set its explained that swarms automatically deal damage to anyone within their C reach every second.

On p. TT2:43 its explained that swarms of tiny creatures with the Infiltration modifier on their Injury Tolerance (Diffuse) can crawl under clothing in 2 seconds and through chinks in armor in five. This is affirmed on p. PY80:33 where the ordinary clothing protects against the brain worm swarm for only 2 turns even though no full traits list is given.

On p. DF5:9 The insect swarm allies innate attack gets listed with the following modifiers:
(Area Effect, 1 yard, +25%; Contact Agent, +150%; Cosmic,
No die roll required, No active defense allowed, +400%;
Melee Attack, C, No Parry, -35%) for +540% total.

This insect swarm are tiny creatures but their Injury tolerance does not have infiltration, so I think the contact agent is added to make up for that since the insects are still tiny? Although this is much, much more powerful than needing to wait up to 5 rounds before the swarm can start hurting a target.

However this innate attack also lacks Selective Area meaning that any allies in the swarm's range are also automatically being attacked (not ideal for an ally).

Couldn't the same effect be represented for far less points with
(Aura +80%; Area Effect, 1 Yard +25%; Melee Attack, Reach C -30%) for only +75%, since auras cannot parry anyway and the aura automatically hits anybody in range without any need to roll to hit or any active defenses?

If a player character wanted to be a swarm themselves which way should they represent their approximation of the NPC swarm's attacks?
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