Hordes and Swarms

Hordes represent one of two things: a cluster of creatures that act as a singular being in combat, or a creature that degrades rapidly as it takes damage.

Hordes deal significantly lower damage with each attack, though they land an additional hit for every 5 by which their attack roll exceeds your defenses. Furthermore, they have a special trait, Horde Strength, that grants them +10 to hit, and their hit point totals are far higher than other creatures of their level.

However, they also have a unique Horde Anatomy:

• Whenever making an attack with multiple targets (such as Swordkind’s Cleave), each of those attacks may target the Horde.
• Alternately, if making an area of effect attack, it hits the Horde once per 5 ft. square the Horde occupies in that area.
  • If making an attack that hits everything within a certain radius, line, etc, it hits the Horde once per 5 ft. square in reach.
  • If the Horde itself is Medium and only occupies one 5 ft. square at all, any area of effect attacks hit it three times instead.
• Or if making an attack that makes one attack per target in range, it hits the Horde once per 5 ft. square the Horde occupies.
  • If the Horde itself is Medium and only occupies one 5 ft. square at all, it may be treated as three targets for this purpose.

Furthemore, Horde Strength decreases to +5 at two-thirds of the Horde’s HP, and disappears entirely at one-third HP. Combined with their vulnerability from Horde Anatomy, Hordes are glass cannons who can dish out the pain (unless their target has Aegis) but are uniquely fragile in return.

There is also the stronger Swarm Strength/Anatomy that works similarly, though these are found on high CR creatures.