Creature Sub-Types

Sub-types provide specific details on a creature's nature, including its movement, combat statistics and so on. Sub-types are used to distinguish particular creatures within a given type. Below is a list of all the possible sub-types:

Aquatic

These creatures always have swim speeds and thus can move in water without making Swim checks. An aquatic creature can breathe underwater. It cannot also breathe air unless it has the amphibious quality.

Cold

A creature with the cold subtype has immunity to cold. It has vulnerability to fire, which means it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from fire.

Fire

A creature with the fire subtype has immunity to fire and heat. It has vulnerability to cold, which means it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold.

Incorporeal

An incorporeal creature has no physical body. Only other incorporeal creatures, supernatural weapons (or creatures that strike as supernatural weapons), and powers can harm it. It is immune to all mundane attack forms. Even when hit by powers or supernatural weapons, it has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source.

An incorporeal creature has no natural armor bonus but has a bonus to its Defense equal to its Charisma score (always at least +1, even if the creature's Charisma score is +0 or less).

An incorporeal creature can pass through solid objects. An incorporeal creature's attacks likewise pass through (ignore) natural armor, armor, and shields. Incorporeal creatures pass through and operate in water as easily as they do in air. Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or take falling damage. Incorporeal creatures cannot make trip or grapple attacks, nor can they be tripped or grappled. In fact, they cannot take any physical action that would move or manipulate an opponent or its equipment, nor are they subject to such actions. Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do not set off traps triggered by weight.

An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard if it doesn't wish to be. Non-visual senses, such as scent and blindsight, are either ineffective or only partly effective with regard to incorporeal creatures.

Incorporeal creatures have an innate sense of direction and can move at full speed even when they cannot see.

Swarm

A swarm is a collection of tiny creatures that acts as a single creature. A swarm has the characteristics of its type, except as noted here. A swarm has a single level and Toughness save, a single initiative modifier, a single speed, and a single Defense bonus. A swarm makes saving throws as a single creature. A single swarm occupies a circle (if it is made up of non-flying creatures) or a sphere (of flying creatures) 10 feet in diameter, but its reach is 0 feet, like its component creatures. In order to attack, it surrounds an opponent. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey. A swarm can move through an area occupied by enemies and vice versa without impediment. A swarm can move through cracks or holes large enough for its component creatures.

Swarms of non-flying creatures include many more creatures than could normally fit in a 10-foot square based on their normal space, because creatures in a swarm are packed tightly together and generally crawl over each other and their prey when moving or attacking. Larger swarms are represented by multiples of single swarms. The area occupied by a large swarm is completely shapeable, though the swarm usually remains in contiguous areas.

Traits: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernable anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits. A swarm takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons. Reducing a swarm to dying status on the damage track causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not affect its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent.

A swarm is immune to any power or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target supernatural powers), with the exception of mind-influencing effects if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from powers or effects that affect an area, including widened powers.

Swarms are susceptible to high winds such as created by the Wind Shaping power. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures. A swarm rendered unconscious by non-lethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until it makes a successful recovery roll.

Swarm Attack: Creatures with the swarm subtype don't make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no attack roll needed. Swarm attacks are not subject to a miss chance for concealment or cover. A swarm's statistics block has "swarm" in the Combat entry, with no attack bonus given. The amount of damage a swarm deals is based on its level, as shown on the table that follows.

Swarm LevelSwarm Base Damage
1-5+2
6-10+4
11-15+6
16-20+8
21 or more+10

A swarm's attacks are not supernatural, unless the swarm's description states otherwise. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce a swarm attack's damage below 0, being incorporeal, and other special abilities can give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm. Some swarms also have acid, poison, blood drain, or other special attacks in addition to normal damage.

Distraction: Any living creature vulnerable to a swarm's damage that begins its turn surrounded by a swarm is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (Difficulty 10 + 1/2 swarm's level + swarm's Constitution score) negates the effect. Using or concentrating on supernatural powers within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (Difficulty 25). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a Difficulty 20 Concentration check.