Treading water in combat

[drose25]

Question: while in combat, is treading water a standard action, move action, or some other type of action?

In particular, if a character is in the water and stops swimming to tread water in order to cast a spell with somatic components, can it be cast? Should any checks be made?

 

[Sound of Azure]

Treading water is just what you do when you're not swimming or sinking, as far as I can tell. You may need to make concentration checks to cast a spell with somatic components if the water is not calm (refer to the Concentration section on page 170, PHB). Additionally, if you're in fast-moving (not just choppy) water, you may be taking non-lethal damage (or lethal, if there are rocks or coral). This would add to the concentration check you need to cast because you're taking damage.

You should also be aware of the water temperature if you're in a cold region. Cold water deals 1d6 points of non-lethal damage per minute of exposure (which may add tot he difficulty of casting).

It's likely there are more detailed rules in Stormwrack, but I don't have that book.

 

[interwyrm]

Question: while in combat, is treading water a standard action, move action, or some other type of action?

In particular, if a character is in the water and stops swimming to tread water in order to cast a spell with somatic components, can it be cast? Should any checks be made?

As long as somatic components require only arms, I'd say it should require a DC 15 or so swimming check. Treading water with just your legs is doable, but not particularly easy.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Question: while in combat, is treading water a standard action, move action, or some other type of action?

The answer to this question depends on how you rule 'treading water'. Is it swimming and thus require a swim check or can anyone (or anything) automatically succeed at it (basically you tell us what action it requires). I'd require a move action and treat it as swimming 0ft. No Concentration check or anything else to cast a spell requiring a standard action or less.

 

[Kwitchit]

As long as somatic components require only arms, I'd say it should require a DC 15 or so swimming check. Treading water with just your legs is doable, but not particularly easy.

In fact, somatic components only require 1 hand. It's fairly easy to tread water with 1 hand. So no Swim check, move action.