Starfinder Secrets of the Swarm Adventure Path (Review & Deep Dive)

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What’s included in Secrets of the Swarm?
• What is the Adventure Path like?
• What are the locations and lore like?
• What are the new alien stat blocks like?
• What are the new Ancestries like?
• What is the art and design like?
• How much is Secrets of the Swarm?
• Is Secrets of the Swarm worth picking up?
• Final thoughts and review score

Among the countless intergalactic threats facing the Pact Worlds, there are few more terrifying than the Swarm. A nightmarish horde of insectile aliens, these ravenous, space-faring locusts consume everything in their path, absorbing the best attributes of their prey into their twisted physiology. Over the years, the Swarm has appeared in numerous Starfinder supplements, including the popular 2020 Attack of the Swarm Adventure Path.

Now the hive mind has descended upon Starfinder Second Edition with the brand new Secrets of the Swarm Adventure Path. Set in the distant region of space known as the Szandite Collective, the campaign is designed to take characters from Level 6 to 11 and is available now in PDF and hardcover from your local game store, Paizo, DriveThruRPG and Amazon.

So is this new SF2E Adventure Path worthy of any buzz? Below, I break out all the details on what to expect. (NOTE: I did not receive a review copy from Paizo, and I purchased the PDF version of the book at my own expense.)

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What’s included in Secrets of the Swarm?

Starfinder: Secrets of the Swarm is a 144-page Adventure Path that consists of the following content:

• The Adventure (100 pages): Spanning five chapters that take characters from Level 6 to 11, this core campaign has the PCs defending the peaceful Szandite Collective from an offshoot Swarm.
• Szandite Collective Gazetteer (4 pages): An overview detailing the history, planetary systems, starships and culture of the seven allied worlds who are united by magical communication crystals.
• New Gear (2 pages): Features seven new weapons and magic items, including psychic Magefoil Grenades and an Iridescent Baton.
• New Ancestries (20 pages): Introduces six brand-new playable alien ancestries native to the Collective: Atraxids, Binnaquids, Hardors, Mecenaics, Ords and Phasorqs – complete with heritages and full Level 1 to 17 feat progressions.
• Alien Archive (10 pages): A bestiary providing 10 new stat blocks and accompanying lore.

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What is the Adventure Path like?

*** SPOILERS AHEAD ***

In the campaign, players face an offshoot colony of the Swarm that recently emerged from the barren and long-abandoned world of Krethiskar. These creatures soon set their sights on the nearby Szandite Collective, an alliance of seven peaceful planets that uses ancient magical crystals to communicate but possesses little military power to repel the threat.

The Krethiskar Swarm, however, is interested in more than just assimilating the Collective’s technology and biological mass. Instead, they are planning on conducting a powerful magical ritual that will transfer their hive mind into the galaxy-wide szandite crystal network and forcibly absorb the entire population of the Collective into a single, unified ravenous intellect.

The campaign is broken down into five chapters:

• Chapter 1: Bounty’s End: The metropolis-class Szandite starship Knowing Bounty falls under a surprise Swarm attack, forcing the PCs to fight their way through the chaos, rescue civilians and escape the doomed vessel.
• Chapter 2: Battle for Jonid’s Star: Operating out of the wildlife observatory on Rodnarth, the PCs lead countermeasures against Swarm operations and experimental arrays across the planet Jonid’s star system.
• Chapter 3: A Single-Minded Pursuit: The PCs travel directly to the desolate husk world of Krethiskar, investigating ancient ruins and test sites to uncover the true nature of the Swarm’s occult ritual.
• Chapter 4: On the Offensive: Armed with new intelligence, the PCs embark on a mission to capture Swarm specimens who have integrated szandite crystals into their DNA.
• Chapter 5: Into the Swarm: The party pursues the Swarm armada to an ancient fleet of comet-ships, exploring a massive supership to confront the forces of the Swarm and stop the final stages of the ritual.

It’s a stellar setup that contains a solid mix of action, investigation, exploration and horror. This iteration of the Swarm is also cleverly done and goes beyond the standard assimilation hive mind and bug hunt that’s been explored in both Starfinder and other sci-fi mediums (Star Trek’s Borg, Warhammer 40K’s Tyranids, Starship Troopers, Aliens, etc.). One thing worth noting, however, is that the potential for a TPK is pretty high with this campaign (even by the standards of a Level 6-11 adventure). It also definitely requires some hefty GM investment to wrap your head around and there’s a fair bit of prep that will likely be involved.

That being said, this is easily the best Starfinder 2E Adventure Path yet, and feels like a definite step up after Guilt of the Graveworld in terms of hitting all the right notes and having a fairly broad appeal.

*** END OF SPOILERS ***

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What are the locations and lore like?

The new gazetteer of the Szandite Collective is a solid look at a part of Near Space that hasn’t really been thoroughly documented before in any previous SF1E or SF2E materials.

In particular, the book details the Collective’s seven member worlds across four star systems – ranging from the waterlogged Binnaquid home world of Czelle and the subterranean Ord tunnels of Lazel to the predator-filled jungles of Xofirth and the towering spider-cities of Zulphan. It’s great stuff and there’s honestly enough material and inspiration to run plenty of adventures outside the campaign.

The planet of Krethiskar – complete with its haunted ruins, ancient communication towers and horrifying underground research labs – is also a great option if you’re looking to add a dash of atmospheric sci-fi horror to your Starfinder. This planet alone would be perfect for a one-shot or to drop into an existing SF2E campaign.

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What are the new alien stat blocks like?

The adventure path features 10 new monsters, which are broken out into three types:

• The Swarm: This includes new evolutionary variants like the fast-attacking Vedzaxes, the cargo-swallowing Subranoxes, the psychic Glibraiaxes, and the disruptive, communication-scrambling Szynegators.
• Boss Threats: High-level encounters, including the final boss (without giving away too much, this is definitely a TPK machine).
• Native Wildlife: Regional beasts and anomalies such as the sonic-crested Crested Darroks, volatile Mannoq Beasts and ancient Sardus Endlings.

All of the entries are solid and it’s great to see Paizo offering a range of stats that could be used in other adventures, rather than just a collection of new Swarm variants.

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What are the new Ancestries like?

In addition to the campaign material, the book introduces six brand-new playable alien ancestries native to the Szandite Collective, with each receiving full rules, including attribute boosts/flaws, traits, diverse heritages and a complete feat progression from level 1 to 17:

• Atraxid: Cunning, multi-limbed, spider-like innovators from Zulphan who love intricate riddles and complex etiquette.
• Binnaquid: Stealthy swamp-dwellers from Czelle with strong family bonds and unique aquatic adaptations.
• Hardor: Stout plant creatures from Dorjo with thick, liquid-retaining leaves and natural resistance to harsh environments.
• Mecenaic: Stoic, mollusk-like beings from Xofirth who live strict, regimented lives knowing their exact 101-year lifespans.
• Ord: Towering, lightless subterranean humanoids from Lazel who navigate via precise hearing and possess haunting singing abilities.
• Phasorq: Two-headed academic scholars from Kuxor whose circadian rhythms tie them to decades-long cycles of wakefulness and hibernation.

Honestly, I loved all of these (although the Ord feels a little generic and like something we’ve seen before) and I desperately want to make a snail-like Mecenaic Operative for my next campaign. The Paizo team absolutely killed it with these new Ancestry options.

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What is the art and design like?

As expected from Paizo, the art is absolutely stunning. In fact, this might be my favorite Starfinder 2E book yet in terms of the overall aesthetic. The character illustrations for the new Ancestries are particularly well done and packed with personality, while the interior art really captures the drama of the locations and set pieces. The maps are also extremely well done, with a clean and functional design that works well for either VTT or physical play.

It’s also worth noting that the writing itself is also top-notch, bringing the adventure to life without really bogging things down too much with unnecessary descriptions. Honestly, Wizards of the Coast could learn a thing or two from Paizo about getting more done with less when it comes to adventure material.

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How much is Secrets of the Swarm?

The hardcover retails for $49.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), while the PDF is available for $29.99 USD from either Paizo or DriveThruRPG. A special edition variant is also available for $69.99 USD, which features a faux leather cover and a built-in ribbon bookmark.

This price point puts the book on par with other recent Starfinder and Pathfinder Adventure Paths. As a related side note, however, we will be seeing a price increase in future Paizo books, starting in October 2026, which is a bit of a bummer.

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Is Secrets of the Swarm worth picking up?

Pros

• A fantastic campaign arc: The Adventure Path features a compelling, high-stakes story that juggles combat, exploration and investigation while also offering a clever twist on the classic alien hive mind concept.
• A solid mix of new Ancestries: The six new species are mechanically and narratively distinct and seem like they’d be a blast to play. Paizo absolutely nailed it with these.
• Exceptional production value: The artwork is top-tier, the writing is evocative and the encounters are well-designed and tactically rich.

Cons

• Heavy GM prep: There’s definitely a lot to manage here (even by the standards of a mid-level Adventure Path) and if you’re a GM, chances are you’ll need to spend a fair bit of time sorting it all out.
• A well-worn trope: While the campaign does manage to breathe some new life into the Swarm, if you’re a veteran Starfinder fan (or have previously played the Attack of the Swarm AP) you might find the material a bit overly familiar.
• Bang for your buck: It’s not necessarily Paizo’s fault, but $50 for a 144-page adventure is a little on the pricy side. That being said, if you do want to save a few credits, the PDF is a solid option.

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Final thoughts and review score

Secrets of the Swarm is easily the best Adventure Path that’s been released for Starfinder Second Edition to date (although to be fair, there’s only been one other release). It manages to pack in a ton of material, deliver across all the pillars of gameplay and introduce some fantastic supplementary material you can leverage well beyond the campaign.

If you’re looking for a mid-level adventure path that showcases the very best of Starfinder 2E, this is one book worth braving the Swarm for.

Final Review Score: 19 out of 20

You can pick up Starfinder: Secrets of the Swarm now in PDF and hardcover from your local game store, Paizo, DriveThruRPG and Amazon.