How long can a character hold their breath underwater?

[Quasqueton]

Patryn of Elvenshae posted the passage from the SRD. It's in the PHB too, under the Swim skill.

I've read and memorized this rule because I have had an armored paladin adventuring in Freeport. "Water, water, everywhere, and all I will do is sink."

Quasqueton

 

[TheEvil]

Patryn of Elvenshae posted the passage from the SRD. It's in the PHB too, under the Swim skill.

I've read and memorized this rule because I have had an armored paladin adventuring in Freeport. "Water, water, everywhere, and all I will do is sink."

Quasqueton

Cool, thanks!

 

[JamesDJarvis]

In the SRD under "Water Dangers"


Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score. After this period of time, the character must make a DC 10 Constitution check every round in order to continue holding her breath. Each round, the DC increases by 1.


The rules just don't agree with themselves in this category.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The rules just don't agree with themselves in this category.

Actually, they do.

If you're under water and not doing anything (or are just swimming around), then the passage you quoted is still true.

 

[Slobber Monster]

So far as what makes the most sense applying real life logic, I would have to go with twice constitution for someone only taking move actions. That's a guaranteed two minutes for an average person, which should be doable especially in a life or death situation. That would get cut to half for someone who is engage in vigorous activity, which again seems fair. With a DC 10 (and climbing) constitution check the odds of surviving past either point are not good.

 

[MaesterOlorin]

PHB page 84 says, "You can hold your breath for a number off rounds equal to your Constitution score..." DMG page 304 says, "Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score." The PHB and DMG errata don't say anything about breath holding.

Assuming an average person has a 10 Constitution, the PHB implies an average person could hold their breath for 1 minute (1 turn/Con * 10 Con * 6 seconds/turn) and the DMG implies an average person could hold their breath for 2 minutes (2 turns/Con * 10 Con * 6 seconds/turn). Holding your breath for 1 minute sounds more realistic than 2 minutes.

The PHB refers to when you have failed a swimming check. I believe the implication is that you are not at your best, but that holding your breath is while active and swimming, while the DMG is referring to holding your breath with a little preparation, like if the room started filling with gas.

 

[Kichwas]

Since this is in the Pathfinder forum and not one of the D&D forums:

Drowning and Suffocation - Rules - Archives of Nethys: Pathfinder 2nd Edition Database

You can hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier. Reduce your remaining air by 1 round at the end of each of your turns, or by 2 if you attacked or cast any spells that turn. You also lose 1 round worth of air each time you are critically hit or critically...

2e.aonprd.com

Source Core Rulebook pg. 478 4.0
You can hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier. Reduce your remaining air by 1 round at the end of each of your turns, or by 2 if you attacked or cast any spells that turn. You also lose 1 round worth of air each time you are critically hit or critically fail a save against a damaging effect. If you speak (including casting spells with verbal components or activating items with command components) you lose all remaining air.

When you run out of air, you fall unconscious and start suffocating. You can’t recover from being unconscious and must attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save at the end of each of your turns. On a failure, you take 1d10 damage, and on a critical failure, you die. On each check after the first, the DC increases by 5 and the damage by 1d10; these increases are cumulative. Once your access to air is restored, you stop suffocating and are no longer unconscious (unless you’re at 0 Hit Points).

 

[Larnievc]

Holy thread necromancy, Batman!

 

[AnotherGuy]

Those rules are better than those in 5e, where everyone is basically an amphibian

 

[Kichwas]

Holy thread necromancy, Batman!

Ah, didn't notice. Someone right above me 'rezzed the thread yesterday. And I was sitting there wondering why it was in this category - but didn't see the dates on the earlier posts...

Oops.