If you are playing against a deck without creatures, then the most this card could typically do is about 5 or 6 damage, at the most, and to do that you have to get out all your creatures and keep them out.

Another spell such as a quiddich damage spell which includes another effect, like fouled, a charms spell such as stupefy, or a potion, would be better in this case, as would steelclaw, which will probably just do lots more damage than swarm will.

The only time that I think swarm could be good is if BOTH you and your opponent are playing decks with lots of creatues, AND you are not using transfiguration, so that you cant play steelclaw. Since that is the only time this card is good, I wouldnt recommend playing it. I would either play steelclaw instead, or some other damage spell. Since you generally arent going to play ONLY creatures, since its really easy to get another color of spells, you could always have the option to have either Quiddich, Charms, Potions, or Transfiguration, so there will always be some better spell you can play to do damage, whether it be a fouled, a stupefy or stream of flames, a dogbreath potion, or a steelclaw.

Rating: 2

Rating: 3

Of course, right after your opponent plays a Trans Exam, it's just taking up space in your hand.

Since the amount of damage depends totally on the cards in play, there is no guarantee that it will do damage. It's a good complement to the Steelclaw but (normally) not as dangerous. Make sure you have 4 Steelclaws in your deck before you consider adding Swarm.

Rating: 3

Rating: 2

   Steelclaw far out numbers it in total damage, just look at it logically: you had 2 Boa Constrictors and 2 baby dragons out(Combined DPT: 10), and your opponent had the same. Steelclaw would do: 10; Swarm would do: 8. And that's if your opponent had around the same the amount of creatures as you, also if you dont play Hagrid, which would make steel do 14 damage. Half of Swarm's effectiveness depends on the opponent and the amount of creatures they play. And as your opponent is ever changing(unless ya play the same person that plays the same deck :x), the chance of it's effectiveness damage wise is cut as much as half, again assuming that your deck has a creature base (which it better should, in this case). Creatures that don't do damage in the first place, like Unicorn, Pet Toad, etc, will do better than steelclaw, but if you are putting those non damage creature's effects to good use, you can do much more than 2-3 damage with a 5C card.

   Bottom line: NO VERSATILITY to your opponents decks, especially against an anti-creature spell only deck, which makes it worth nada. Got a spell based deck? Go with Ouch! or Stream of Flames(All 5 power cards). Why? Straight damage, not a "depends-if"card. Got a creature based deck? Go with Steelclaw. Why? More damage in more situations. Just consider: Which would you hope to draw if you had 3 vicious wolves out: a Steelclaw or a Swarm? Steelclaw is just the more consistent choice, though steelclaw is also dependant on the amount of creatures you play AND the amount of damage it does. But you have more control over that, since you are the one playing the creatures that determine the overall damage( keep in mind your opponent's anti-creature cards, so you dont have complete control on what creatures you play).

   I absolutely hate rating systems, think it's the worst way to go about it. The opponent's deck is ever changing, your deck is ever changing, the metagame is ever changing, the sets that are out are ever changing, so then a final number to rate the card is never, ever perfect (especially one on a 1-5 scale :p). Also some cards depend on what you have(ex: this one), or at a certain time(When your opponent has a large hand, in Charms Exam's case). But...profpoke insists that every CotD member do one, so I'll just approximate.

Rating: 2

Rating: 3

Rating: 3