Player Handout 1: Underwater Combat Rules

PCs should have these rules readily available once they arrive in Seremas

  1. Without Freedom of Movement, any non thrusting piercing weapon does only half damage. This means that all melee weapons that are slashing, bludgeoning, or chain type weapons deal half damage.
  2. Thrown weapons are completely ineffective underwater. Other ranged weapon attacks like a bow or crossbow take a -2 for each 5’ of distance to the target. Guns follow this rule, but packed Altherian Shot will become useless after 6 rounds of water immersion. Thus any shot must be stored in an extra dimensional space or it will be fouled. As per the LARC, only one piece of equipment can be called from a bag of holding a round.
  3. As per the DMG, any spell with a Fire Descriptor fails to work unless a Spellcraft roll DC 20+ spell level is succeeded at first. If the check succeeds, then the spell produces steam rather than fire.
  4. Invisible creatures only get a 20% miss chance underwater instead of the normal 50%. You can clearly see the outline of displaced water with an invisible creature. This means invisible creatures still provoke AOOs. See DMG page 93.
  5. The water at the bottom of the bay does become cold. PCs not protected with Endure Elements will suffer 1d6 subdual damage for every minute of exposure. See page 304. PCs can purchase an Endure Elements spell at caster level 1 for 10 gold.
  6. Land based creatures that are fighting underwater suffer a -2 to attack rolls, saving throws, and AC unless under the effects of Freedom of Movement.
  7. Spells with a verbal component may not be cast unless the creature casting a spell can breathe water in some manner.
  8. When walking on the bottom of the sea, any PC without freedom of movement is considered to be in difficult terrain. PCs may make swim checks to move half their speed as a full round action if they are not walking on the bottom. You may move ¼ your speed as a move action. Yes this means that you can only swim 5’ as a move action if your base speed is 30’. If you can fly, your speed is reduced to half without Freedom of Movement since you are considered flying through difficult terrain.
  9. PCs can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to twice their Con score as long as they only do free actions or move actions. Each standard action or full round action reduces this total number by 1. In effect, a PC in combat can hold his breath only half as long. After that, the PC must make a Con check DC 10, +1 for every round there after. Failure means the PC begins to drown.
  10. The water in Seremas bay is quite dark, and PCs without dark vision will find their vision range reduced to ¼ its normal distance.
  11. Unless you have a swim speed or freedom of movement, it is impossible to tumble as swimming is not part of normal movement for you.
  12. Creatures without the water subtype suffer pressure damage when below 100 feet in depth. For every minute below 100 feet in depth, PCs must make a DC 15+1 Fort Save per additional check made or suffer 1d6 points of subdual damage per 100 feet. See DMG Page 304 for more information.
  13. Scrolls are destroyed when immersed in water. Potions may be used without penalty.
  14. Flaming and Flaming Burst weapons require a caster level check when used underwater instead of a spellcraft check. The DC is 23 and you use level that the weapon was crafted at to determine caster level. For those whose bloodline allows them to make flaming weapons, use your character level + bloodrank. The weapon flickers in and out of lit existence, so this roll must be made each time the weapon is used.