D&D 5E Swimming in armor

[brehobit]

Am I correct that, RAW, there is no penalty for swimming in armor? That seems like a significant oversight. We've some house rules we are planning on using, but wanted to be sure I'm not missing anything.

 

[PnPgamer]

I think this is the case. You could houserule that armors with disadv to stealth also grant disadv to swimming.

 

[Quartz]

I think it should be very simple: if you're in armour, you can't swim in it! At least with the heavy furs you have the ability to shed them.

 

[not-so-newguy]

I think it should be very simple: if you're in armour, you can't swim in it! At least with the heavy furs you have the ability to shed them.

I would have agreed with you...until I saw this on Yahoo answers:

It is indeed possible to swim in full Plate Armor, though as one might imagine it would be difficult and exhausting, however if you were in a situation where you needed to do so, not only would it be possible but the adrenaline would give a significant boost.

Furthermore, it is not only possible to get up once being knocked over, you can also do cartwheels, vault (jump) onto the back of a horse, and climb a ladder using only your arms.

The misconception of Plate being overly heavy and encumbering stems from poor recreated armor, wearing armor tailored from someone else. Unfit historians trying it out for the first time, and from novels and fantasy games quoting it as awkward and heavy. In truth there is little you can do unarmoured that you can't do whilst armoured, the difference is ini armour you will be a little slower, a little more restricted and tire a little quicker.

 

[Riley37]

Furthermore, it is not only possible to get up once being knocked over, you can also do cartwheels, vault (jump) onto the back of a horse, and climb a ladder using only your arms.

Well, you can do those tasks in plate mail IF you can also do those tasks without wearing plate mail.

You can also do those tasks while wearing boots. Wearing boots is not, so far as I know, a significant detriment to performing any of those tasks, and might make some of them easier.

But have you compared swimming in boots, to swimming barefoot?

Demonstrating that one can do tasks X, Y and Z while wearing boots, does NOT mean you can swim well while wearing boots.

Therefore, demonstrating that one can do tasks X, Y and Z while wearing metal armor, does NOT mean that you can swim well while wearing metal armor.

Who here has gone swimming while wearing metal armor? What was your actual experience?

 

[Quartz]

I would have agreed with you...until I saw this on Yahoo answers:

It is indeed possible to swim in full Plate Armor, though as one might imagine it would be difficult and exhausting, however if you were in a situation where you needed to do so, not only would it be possible but the adrenaline would give a significant boost.

I find that very difficult to believe. Wading, yes. Hanging on to a large flotation device like a mast, yes. But humans are only just buoyant as it is, and real armour is heavy. On land, with acrobatics etc, you can use your strength to fight gravity because you're standing on the ground' that's not the case in water!

 

[Paraxis]

There is no detailed swimming rules. That does not mean there is no penalty to athletics rolls to try and swim in armor. What that means is like most things the DM decides if what the character is trying to do automatically fails, automatically succeeds, or if there should be some kind of roll. If there is a roll do circumstances warrant advantage or disadvantage to the check.

In my games I would apply disadvantage to the check for anyone trying to swim while wearing medium or heavy armor.

 

[Li Shenron]

I guess there are also no penalties in the RAW for swimming in lava with armor. 5e is unplayable!

 

[CapnZapp]

I guess there are also no penalties in the RAW for swimming in lava with armor. 5e is unplayable!

Exactly.

A hero that can defeat dragons and fly to the moon isn't bothered by something as mundane as armor weight in water...

 

[Hand of Evil]

I would have agreed with you...until I saw this on Yahoo answers:

It is indeed possible to swim in full Plate Armor, though as one might imagine it would be difficult and exhausting, however if you were in a situation where you needed to do so, not only would it be possible but the adrenaline would give a significant boost.

I got to say this is incorrect, there is no water displacement and the weight would drag you down. This was why moats were such a good defense. If you're in plate, if you're in deep water, you are not swimming; you may be walking but you are not swimming.