Gnat Swarm

Non-biting gnats exist, which are not dangerous at all. This entry refers to biting gnats, midges, noseeums, and similar creatures, which cannot kill adventurers by themselves, but which can cause distress complicating a combat or adventure, or leading a PC to flee in a random direction – which may inadvertently lead to death. In an area infested by gnats, such as a marsh or a swampy forest, creatures unable to find relief from the pests must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save to gain the benefits of overnight rest. When a gnat swarm successfully bites a target, the target is distressed, taking a non -cumulative -1d penalty to all die rolls while it remains within the swarm. If a distressed target is successfully bitten again, it must succeed in a DC 10 Will save or flee in a random direction at its fastest speed. Creatures have been known to run blindly off of cliffs to escape gnat swarms. Judges may consider the effect of a swarm of midges complicating matters when PCs try to climb down into a sinkhole, or a swarm of gnats surrounding a group of zombies (which are immune to distress). Mosquitoes: Fort DC 15 to get the benefits of a night’s rest. Fort DC 5 to avoid disease.