Knights & Knaves Alehouse

Would you allow a Summon Insects (as per druid) to affect a vampire beyond just the couple of points of damage per round? Meaning, is the vampire too distracted to do anything at all except fend off the swarm?

I ruled that the king of the undead was only mildly distracted and could still perform usual vampire actions. The reasoning is that undead just don't care about bugs.

What do you think?

TRP wrote:I ruled that the king of the undead was only mildly distracted and could still perform usual vampire actions. The reasoning is that undead just don't care about bugs.

What do you think?

Sounds reasonable and maybe even generous. Hell, I could see some powerful vampires having dominion over nearby flies, maggots, roaches, worms and so forth.

TRP wrote:Would you allow a Summon Insects (as per druid) to affect a vampire beyond just the couple of points of damage per round? Meaning, is the vampire too distracted to do anything at all except fend off the swarm?

I ruled that the king of the undead was only mildly distracted and could still perform usual vampire actions. The reasoning is that undead just don't care about bugs.

What do you think?

Well he's not going to be casting any spells if the bugs are doing damage...but as to other stuff (attacking, etc.), then, yeah he's free to do that.

Shee-it .. all she wuz using wuz her 2-fisted, suck-yer-soul attack and a couple o' swings of her sword.

Yeah, undead not going to be effected site/sense-wise. I would think they would like the bugs crawling all over them, the sick fucks. Yeah, spell casting would be problematic (roaches, spiders, and fly maggots crawling threw fingers and in mouth would tend to make proper sounds and gestures difficult). Of course, they could simply turn to mist and float someplace else, resolidify to cast.

Would you consider the damage inflicted by the insects a magic weapon? I don't know if the vampire would be affected at all. Magic summons them, but can the insects damage a creature that can only be damaged by magic weapons?

I think the question is whether or not they would count as "spell damage", which will hurt a vampire.

Since I wouldn't consider a giant rat summoned by MS1 to in this category, I wouldn't put summon insects into it, either.

Even creeping doom, a 7th level spell, notes that there are many ways to defeat the horde that it brings. So I don't consider any insect spell like that to be special damage.

ScottyG wrote:Would you consider the damage inflicted by the insects a magic weapon? I don't know if the vampire would be affected at all. Magic summons them, but can the insects damage a creature that can only be damaged by magic weapons?

Its magical damage so I'd say it works, (if its sting/venom damage your envisioning then no, but if its flesh being torn out be big pinchers then yes).

How is it magical damage? Magic summons the bugs. I don't see them as magical bugs. How could being hit by a sword from Conan do no damage, but insect bites would?

I guess its a DM's call. I see the bugs effected by some magic aura otherwise they wouldn't stick around and wouldn't nec. be biting targets. So 10,000 ants attacking a vampire wouldn't do damage, but those same ants effected by summon insects would. But I can see someone thinking the opposite.

You HAVE to use DM discretion to mitigate the effects of summon insects. I have a Druid player in my group who throws it against every single big-bad that the group has ever encountered. You can’t blame him for wanting to win combats, but as-written it basically amounts to an auto-win against big-bads, and as DM, there’s no way I’d allow that. So I’ve ruled that it doesn’t seem to bother some monsters, and some monsters it stops for a round or two but they emerge berserk.

Falconer wrote:You HAVE to use DM discretion to mitigate the effects of summon insects. I have a Druid player in my group who throws it against every single big-bad that the group has ever encountered. You can’t blame him for wanting to win combats, but as-written it basically amounts to an auto-win against big-bads, and as DM, there’s no way I’d allow that. So I’ve ruled that it doesn’t seem to bother some monsters, and some monsters it stops for a round or two but they emerge berserk.

Thats a good call. Yeah, size and skin type etc. would count...can't see these doing too much to stone giants say. Also, if its a zombie or skeleton...they probably wouldn't notice them at all. Maybe dice/chance on these tricky situations. I might say, "well I guess it depends what sorts of insects are in the mix (more stinging or tearing), tell you what on a 1-3 d6 it works somewhat. The vampire could easily get out of range transforming into gaseous form soon enough. But with players trying there best to be creative, and a druid having so few options underground its a good way to give a break to an otherwise dead group (you might say, "it seemed to work this time, but next time it might not") I think thats in the spirit of the game (keep the players guessing and reduce dependency on odds and tricks, which are gamey killers -compared to having no clue on weird shit). Experience (what it takes to hit an orc, what spells work best against x monster, whats the AC of a troll) can be the death of "role play" (that feeling of uncertainty, exploration and seat of your pants adventure).

DD...amazing what you can pull out of your ass! Great Spidey strip.

summon insects won't do jack IMHO. No damage, although they might be able to blind/impair a vampire (-1-4 to hit penalty).