Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[Cleon]

Endurance appeals, and I don't mind hold breath. However, if we use hold breath, will we need to remove the Aquatic subtype? Since it is technically a fish, that feels odd.

The Aquatic subtype means it breathes water and uses the drowning rules when out of the water. That's supported by examples such as:

Water Dependent (Ex): Sahuagin can survive out of the water for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution (after that, refer to the drowning rules).

Thus, the breath the Icetail's holding with its Hold Breath is water, and it determines how long it can stay in the air before it needs to check against drowning.

 

[Shade]

Hmm...I suppose we should be explicit then. Although why not use water dependent since it appears to be the norm for aquatic creatures on land?

 

[freyar]

Stick with water dependent, I guess, but make it much shorter duration.

 

[Cleon]

Stick with water dependent, I guess, but make it much shorter duration.

I still prefer Hold Breath.

Water dependent seems more for Aquatic creatures that can breathe out of water for a while, but start to suffocate when they dry out. It's unlikely a Sahuagin can move around on dry land for 6 hours on one lung full (gill full?) of air.

Besides, all Aquatic creatures use the drowning rules out of the water, unless they have Amphibious or Water Dependency or something similar, so I could argue that holding their breath is the norm, not Water Dependency, since they should be allowed the same "holding the breath" grace period air-breathers get underwater. It's just Hold Breath multiplies it.

 

[Shade]

Besides, all Aquatic creatures use the drowning rules out of the water, unless they have Amphibious or Water Dependency or something similar, so I could argue that holding their breath is the norm, not Water Dependency, since they should be allowed the same "holding the breath" grace period air-breathers get underwater. It's just Hold Breath multiplies it.

If you can show me where that's stated in the rules, I'll be more inclined to go that route. All I can find is that amphibious creatures "cannot also breathe air unless it has the amphibious special quality."

I'll also accept an official creature with the Aquatic subtype that has Hold Breath as a sufficient precedent.

 

[freyar]

Would it count that drowning and suffocation rules are the same and that you can drown in other substances than water? I'm inclined to go with this, since it's a pretty reasonable interpretation. EDIT: I wonder if it's in the official FAQ or errata somewhere.

 

[Cleon]

I'll also accept an official creature with the Aquatic subtype that has Hold Breath as a sufficient precedent.

Well I can't think of any official sources offhand, but there's at least one creature in the Enworld Creature Catalog that uses "Aquatic Hold Breath".

 

[Cleon]

Would it count that drowning and suffocation rules are the same and that you can drown in other substances than water? I'm inclined to go with this, since it's a pretty reasonable interpretation. EDIT: I wonder if it's in the official FAQ or errata somewhere.

Does this mean Shade's outvoted.

 

[freyar]

Does this mean Shade's outvoted.

Possibly.

 

[Shade]

Well I can't think of any official sources offhand, but there's at least one creature in the Enworld Creature Catalog that uses "Aquatic Hold Breath".

If we use that writeup's wording, I can begrudgingly go along with it.