How well do skeletons swim?
- Thread starter Ragnar_Deerslayer
- Start date
Sejs
First Post
Skeletons shouldn't have to swim - as noted already, the cool factor of just walking along the bottom of a body of water is not to be ignored.
However! Should they WANT to swim for some reason.. to get up to the underside of a boat, to go after a target that is higher up than they can reach, or whatever, they should be able to. If you are looking for a pseudoscience answer, that's doable too. The ability to swim is mostly determined by 3 factors: strength, displacement, and density. Skeletons don't weigh much at all; they're not very dense. They also don't displace very much, certainly much less than a normal, fleshy member of their former species. Skeletons, considdering their very low body weight, are rather strong. Easily strong enough to propel said low body weight thru the water. Bam, there you go - rubber science says skeletons can swim if they want to.
However! Should they WANT to swim for some reason.. to get up to the underside of a boat, to go after a target that is higher up than they can reach, or whatever, they should be able to. If you are looking for a pseudoscience answer, that's doable too. The ability to swim is mostly determined by 3 factors: strength, displacement, and density. Skeletons don't weigh much at all; they're not very dense. They also don't displace very much, certainly much less than a normal, fleshy member of their former species. Skeletons, considdering their very low body weight, are rather strong. Easily strong enough to propel said low body weight thru the water. Bam, there you go - rubber science says skeletons can swim if they want to.
Last edited:
MerakSpielman
First Post
Can't skeletal winged beasties still fly?
If a character has 20 lbs (IIRC) they can choose either to walk along the bottom of the water or swim. So maybe a skeleton can swim or walk, as directed?
If a character has 20 lbs (IIRC) they can choose either to walk along the bottom of the water or swim. So maybe a skeleton can swim or walk, as directed?
Liquidsabre
Explorer
MerakSpielman said:
3.5 MM p.225
"Speed: Winged skeletons can't use their wings to fly."
Sue Bloodbucket
First Post
greetings,
i just want to give out a warning:
as "sejs" correctly points out swimming is also a question of density.
skelletons are all but dense.
so if you go by physical phenomena you might as well give everyone atempting to bullrush or overrun a bunch of them bonie guys a +15 since is's mutch like walking trough a dense foliage...
after all i say: let them swimm if they like (means: are ordered to) or let them crawl at the bottom of the sea (and pray that there is no tide or current
) if you see fit, but stay out of physical explanations as long as you dare.
yours
sue
post scribtum:
skelletons does not posses any glands but still are capable of feelings as t.pratched points out. just want you guys to keep that in mind.
i just want to give out a warning:
as "sejs" correctly points out swimming is also a question of density.
skelletons are all but dense.
so if you go by physical phenomena you might as well give everyone atempting to bullrush or overrun a bunch of them bonie guys a +15 since is's mutch like walking trough a dense foliage...
after all i say: let them swimm if they like (means: are ordered to) or let them crawl at the bottom of the sea (and pray that there is no tide or current
) if you see fit, but stay out of physical explanations as long as you dare.yours
sue
post scribtum:
skelletons does not posses any glands but still are capable of feelings as t.pratched points out. just want you guys to keep that in mind.
Last edited:
Sejs
First Post
Heh, yeah I've used Mr Pratchet's model for a while also. Skeletal creatures, particularly the intelligent ones like say liches, don't get angry. One needs glands to get properly angry, and well... they lack those.
What they do get, however, is really, really annoyed. Honestly, I'd have to say Terry Pratchet has been the biggest inspiration I've had for when it comes to roleplaying liches. His Death stuff is just wonderful. So is the rest of his work
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