Long time player, but relatively inexperienced DM here. I’m trying to create a campaign, adventures, and encounters that stray from what I typically tend towards, and part of that has been coming up with a more diverse cast of monsters that depends less on fantasy staples. In this pursuit, I stumbled upon the Myconid entry in the Monster Manual, and found them to be quite a good fit for the part—not only for their own sake, but because of the Sovereign’s Animating Spores ability, which lends their unique flavor to other creatures. To quote the description for the Spore Servant Template, applied to creatures brought back to life by said ability, it states: “[t]he servant loses its original...special traits,” and “[t]he servant’s type is plant, and it loses any tags.” Everything about this seemed pretty straightforward, until I thought I was cool beans, and went to slap the Spore Servant Template on a Swarm of Rats. Being that the term Swarm appears both in the type AND the traits/abilities section for swarms of creatures, and that the template specifies that both of these would normally be overwritten, I didn’t know if that simply meant that such a template was not applicable to swarms, or if there was something more on the subject. For the sake of use in my campaign, I went ahead and decided that, although it‘s stated that type keywords are removed, the rats (or any such creature) would instead become a swarm of tiny plants type, or the like. The other half of my question remains, however; am I correct in my understanding of what constitutes a special trait, and has this or a similar topic been addressed—what’s the official ruling? I would greatly appreciate some clarification from an experienced DM.
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I appreciate the play on words as much as I do the vote of confidence—thanksmuch! I just wanted to make sure I was at least on the right track with my thinking, and see if the subject had been expanded upon with more specific errata or anything like that. As you said, though, it’s easily written off, given the creative nature of the game, with even the rulebooks saying to go ahead and break the rules. Here’s to smoothing over bumps in the road, and to you!
I think your thoughts are correct here, that the creature becomes a swarm of tiny plants. The point of the template is that it changes the type (e.g beast into plant) and removes all traits that probably came from being a creature of that type (replacing then with plant zombie traits). In the case of a swarm, there is a set of features that come from it being a swarm, not from the type of creature it is. Compare the Swarm of Rats, Swarm of Quippers and Swarm of Insects; anything these three share is the essence of being a swarm (resistances, immunities, the Swarm movement and healing rules, and half damage after half hitpoints), and that should be retained for your swarm of mushrooms.
Long time player, but relatively inexperienced DM here. I’m trying to create a campaign, adventures, and encounters that stray from what I typically tend towards, and part of that has been coming up with a more diverse cast of monsters that depends less on fantasy staples. In this pursuit, I stumbled upon the Myconid entry in the Monster Manual, and found them to be quite a good fit for the part—not only for their own sake, but because of the Sovereign’s Animating Spores ability, which lends their unique flavor to other creatures. To quote the description for the Spore Servant Template, applied to creatures brought back to life by said ability, it states: “[t]he servant loses its original...special traits,” and “[t]he servant’s type is plant, and it loses any tags.” Everything about this seemed pretty straightforward, until I thought I was cool beans, and went to slap the Spore Servant Template on a Swarm of Rats. Being that the term Swarm appears both in the type AND the traits/abilities section for swarms of creatures, and that the template specifies that both of these would normally be overwritten, I didn’t know if that simply meant that such a template was not applicable to swarms, or if there was something more on the subject. For the sake of use in my campaign, I went ahead and decided that, although it‘s stated that type keywords are removed, the rats (or any such creature) would instead become a swarm of tiny plants type, or the like. The other half of my question remains, however; am I correct in my understanding of what constitutes a special trait, and has this or a similar topic been addressed—what’s the official ruling? I would greatly appreciate some clarification from an experienced DM.
Congrats on wanted to break out of the mould ... by using molds ( oh the irony! ).
I think you hit upon the answer yourself, when you said "for the sake of use in my campaign". You're the DM - you get to choose :)
Go with what makes logical sense, for you and your game - don't necessarily get tied up in the "official rulings".
Personally, I really like your take on a swarm of mold and tendril wrapped zombie rats swarming towards the party.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.
I appreciate the play on words as much as I do the vote of confidence—thanksmuch! I just wanted to make sure I was at least on the right track with my thinking, and see if the subject had been expanded upon with more specific errata or anything like that. As you said, though, it’s easily written off, given the creative nature of the game, with even the rulebooks saying to go ahead and break the rules. Here’s to smoothing over bumps in the road, and to you!
Hey Dunkin,
I think your thoughts are correct here, that the creature becomes a swarm of tiny plants. The point of the template is that it changes the type (e.g beast into plant) and removes all traits that probably came from being a creature of that type (replacing then with plant zombie traits). In the case of a swarm, there is a set of features that come from it being a swarm, not from the type of creature it is. Compare the Swarm of Rats, Swarm of Quippers and Swarm of Insects; anything these three share is the essence of being a swarm (resistances, immunities, the Swarm movement and healing rules, and half damage after half hitpoints), and that should be retained for your swarm of mushrooms.
All good points--and much appreciated input! Thanks, again, folks!