Summons and hirelings handled at an individual level can significantly complicate the ability of a dungeon master to run a game, both slowing down initiative and providing an undue amount of power creep. Often, swarms completely surpass all other strategies in both damage and versatility. The following rules are presented to control some of these somewhat problematic issues, while still allowing this otherwise enjoyable and flavorful playstyle to work in the context of an ordinary game.
When you have multiple followers, they organize themselves into small groups called "swarms". A swarm of followers contains up to 10 statistically identical creatures, and a single player character may only have 3 swarms accompany them in initiative. Creatures organized in swarms are mostly treated as a single creature, acting, moving, and defending themselves in unison. Effects that target a single creature can also target a swarm of creatures, acting as normal, but due to their organization, swarms are much heartier and more dangerous than the individuals that compose it.
Swarms can be composed of any kind of creature - one might be a gang of thugs you have hired, a horde of zombies that you have raised, or possibly even single heroic NPC that has sworn themselves to you. Anything that is taking your orders is considered part of a swarm, but each statistically unique creature must use another of your 3 swarm slots if it accompanies you in initiative.
You might have more followers than can accompany you in initiative. Such followers are assumed to stay away from combat and defend themselves, and will not be subject to damage unless you call them into initiative after other followers fall or retreat.
Instead of tracking each creature in the swarm's health independently, you should instead keep track of the total damage taken by the swarm. When the damage taken exceeds the health of a single individual, remove one unit from the size of that swarm, and reduce the total by the hit point maximum of a single individual in the swarm. If needed, repeat this process until the total damage taken is below the hit point maximum of a single unit in the swarm.
A swarm of creatures has the swarm creature property, may not gain hit points or temporary hit points. However, if two swarms are within the movement range of one another, you may transfer any number of individuals from one one swarm to another on your turn (no action required by you), increasing their effectiveness.
When an attack or effect would target a single creature, it effects the entire swarm as if it was a single creature, meaning that it may be able to damage more than 1 creature in the swarm if it deals enough damage.
If a damaging area of effect includes the entire swarm, the damage of that effect is applied a number of times equal to the number of creatures in the swarm. If an area of effect only reaches to the center of the swarm, the damage of that effect is applied a number of times equal to half the number of creatures in the swarm. If the area does not include the center of the swarm, the effect does not target the swarm.
A swarm's size is increased in comparison to that of an individual - one size category larger than an individual if 3 or less individuals are in the swarm, or two categories larger otherwise. Swarms have the swarm creature trait, which means that the swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for any one individual without squeezing.
A swarm uses the normal attacks and damage that an individual would have access to. For each creature in the swarm beyond the first, add each creature's relevant damage bonus beyond the die roll (minimum of 1) to the damage of these attacks. Typically, this will be the ability modifier used to make the attack.
For example, a ogre's greatclub attack deals 2d8+4 bludgeoning damage. A swarm of 3 ogre's would instead deal 2d8+12 bludgeoning damage when using this attack.
Why Not Full Damage? From a narrative perspective, each creature in the swarm might be doing something different - attacking from behind cover of allies, helping others, defending themselves, fumbling, or missing, all factors that reducing the damage dealt by the swarm.
Spellcasters in a swarm may choose to one of the following benefits instead of adding their ability modifier to their damaging spells:
If the spell works over a certain range or creates an area of effect, one of these distances can be doubled for each member of the swarm beyond the first. For example, if seven wizards are casting locate object, the object can be sensed if it is within 64,000 feet (about 12 miles), instead of the normal 1,000-foot range.
OR
The spell's duration is doubled for each member of the swarm beyond the first. For example, a swarm of four druids could increase the duration of a polymorph spell to 8 hours, instead of one.
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