D&D5EDrowning

PostedbyRonnyonMay3,2015 5Comments

Ihaventpostedhereinawhile.Ihavebeenworkingon5EShiptoShipcombatrules.Theywillbefinishedsoon.Inthemean
timehereispartthatmaybeofgeneralinterest.

DrowningRulesforD&D5E
FallingOfftheShip

Roughwateradds5toallthefollowingDCsexceptforsavesmadewhenmorethan5feetunderthesurface.Flotsamorother
floatingitemsgrantadvantagetosavestostayafloat.

TheFall

Thiscanbehazardoustoyourhealth.Ifyoufalloverboardyouwillsplashdown1d6+5feetfromyourship.Ifyouarepushed
overboardyouwillfall2d6+5feetfromyourship.Ifyoujumpordiveintothewateryoucanenterthewateratanypointup
tothemaximumdistanceyoucanjump(refertotheJumpingrulesinthePlayersHandbook).Ifyoufallorarepushed
overboard,youmustsucceedonaDC10Dexterity(Acrobatics)checktoenterthewaterwithoutdamage.Otherwiseyou
receive1d6hitpointsdamagefromthefall.

Swimming

Eachfootyouswimcostyouoneextrafootofspeed.Ifyouarewithin5feetofamovingship(oronethathasbeeninvolved
inarammingorgrapplingmaneuver),youmustmakeasDC10Strength(Athletics)check.Failuremeansthatyoucannot
movethisround,youareusingallofyourstrengthtosimplykeepyourheadabovethewaves.Onceyoureachtheship,you
mustmakeasDC15Strength(Athletics)checktoclimbbackontotheship.Failureresultsinyoufallingbackintothewater.

Underwater

Youcanswimunderwateraslongasyoucanholdyourbreath(seeDrowningbelow).Yourunderwaterswimmingspeedis
thesameasyoursurfaceswimmingspeed.Youcanswimstraightdownathalfthatspeed.Youcanswimstraightdownat15
feetperroundifholdingtheequivalentofmediumarmor,or25feetperroundifholdingtheequivalentofheavyarmor.If
unencumbered,youcanswimstraightupat20feetperround.

Armor

Ingeneral,heavyarmorisnotterriblycommononships.Theweighttendstobethemostprohibitivefactorfallingoverboard
in65poundfullplatenormallyresultsindeath.Occasionally,combatInfantrywilldonlightormediumarmorforabattle,but
mostofthetimesailorsgounarmored.Aluckyfew(usuallythePCsandimportantNPCs)havemagicitemsthatimprovetheir
AC,butmostsailorsrelyontheirnaturalDexterity.

LightArmor

AttemptingtoswimwhilewearinglightarmorrequiresthatyoumakeaDC10Strength(Athletics)savingthroweachround.
Failuremeansyouhaveaspeedof0asyougounderwaterforthatroundandlooseonecarrieditem,shieldorweapon(your
choiceastowhatyoudrop).
Ifyouchoosetoremoveyourarmorafterenteringthewater,itwilltakeoneminute(10rounds).AsuccessfulDC15Dexterity
(Acrobatics)savewillcutthattimeinhalf.Duringthistimeyoucannotswimortakeanyotheractions.YoumakeaDC10
Dexterity(Acrobatics)savingthroweachround.Eachroundthatyousucceedyoukeepyourheadabovewaterandcountsas
oneroundoftheroundsrequiredtoremoveyourarmor.Failuremeansthatyouwentunderwaterthisroundandmadeno
headwayinremovingyourarmor.After3failuresyoureceiveonelevelofexhaustion.

MediumArmor

Youcanattempttoswimwhilewearingmediumarmor,butyoumustmakeDC15Strength(Athletics)savingthroweach
round.Onasuccess,ifyouareonthesurfaceatthebeginningoftheround,youstayonthesurface.Eachfootyouswimcost
youtwoextrafeetofspeedandyoucantakenootheractionsbesidesshoutingandstowingaweapon.Failedsavemeansyou
sink10feetandloseanystillcarriedshieldsorweapons.Ontheroundfollowingafailedsaveyouareunderwater.Afterthat,
onasuccessfulsaveyoucanswimtowardthesurfaceatarateof15feetperround.Onfailureyousinkanother10feet.

Youcanattempttoremoveyourarmor,butyouwillbesinkingatarateof10feetperroundduringthistime.Itnormallytakes
1minute(10rounds)todoffyourarmor,butasuccessfulDC15Dexterity(Acrobatics)savewillcutthattimeinhalf.Without
yourarmoryoucanswimtowardthesurfaceatarateof20feetperround.

HeavyArmor

Youcannotswimwhilewearingheavyarmor,givingyouaneffectivespeedof0.Wheneveryouareinwater,youloseany
carriedshieldsandweaponsandbegintosink.YoumakeaDC25Strength(Athletics)savingthroweachround.Successkeeps
yourheadabovewater,orifyoustarttheroundunderwateryoucanswim15feettowardthesurface.Youcantakenoother
actions.Failedsavemeansyousinkanother20feet.

Youcanattempttoremoveyourarmor,butyouwillbesinkingatarateof20feetperroundduringthistime.Itnormallytakes
5minutes(50rounds)todoffyourarmor,butasuccessfulDC15Dexterity(Acrobatics)savewillcutthattimeinhalf.Without
yourarmoryoucanswimtowardthesurfaceatarateof20feetperround.

Drowning

After1+(conbonus)minutesofholdingyourbreathunderwateryoufallunconscious,yourhitpointsfallto0,andyoubegin
makingyourdeathsavingthrowsasperthestandardrules.However,ifyoubecomestablethereisaproblem.Ifyouarestill
underwateryoucantremainstable.Soyoumuststartmakingdeathsavingthrowsagain.Thiscontinuesuntilyoudieunless
youaresavedinsomeway.