Level Up (A5E) Knack: Amphibious Combatant

[Quartz]

Here's the knack:

Amphibious Combatant: Swim speed, spend 1 exertion to reroll a failed Athletics check, and can add proficiency bonus bonus to the number of minutes you can hold your breath, can spend 1 exertion to add +1 minute.

Notice that the knack doesn't actually address combat. When I think of amphibious combat, I think about being wholly underwater, or being partially underwater - fording a river etc. Think of Robin Hood's fight against Little John in RH: Prince of Thieves or any beach invasion scene. I think that this knack should primarily address the latter, being more common, than the former, which is a purely fantastical adventure held once in a while. I think that someone with this knack might not suffer Disadvantage for fighting in a current, might be proficient in suitable checks, and so on. I would keep the ability to hold one's breath as ambushing from beneath the surface is an old standby.

 

[tetrasodium]

Here's the knack:



Notice that the knack doesn't actually address combat. When I think of amphibious combat, I think about being wholly underwater, or being partially underwater - fording a river etc. Think of Robin Hood's fight against Little John in RH: Prince of Thieves or any beach invasion scene. I think that this knack should primarily address the latter, being more common, than the former, which is a purely fantastical adventure held once in a while. I think that someone with this knack might not suffer Disadvantage for fighting in a current, might be proficient in suitable checks, and so on. I would keep the ability to hold one's breath as ambushing from beneath the surface is an old standby.

I think that's more a result of giving it a cool name rather than something bland like "swimming knack". With that said though, it's reasonable to include with it some loopholes drilled into these from phb 198 or their a5e equivalent

Spoiler: under water combat's restrictions.

The might not come up all that much more than the rest, but bob will feel really awesome for picking it when they do. Rogue does a great job of making the knacks expand the class. Fighter & druid should do that at least as well.

Edit: An expertise die on saves against breathable poisons might be another way of bumping this as well

 

[aco175]

I would be fine adding some more to this. I do not see it being used much, if at all. Maybe in a limited way like it the DM said they were running a naval campaign or one where this stuff was highlighted.

 

[Horwath]

I would go with knacks being at-will and maneuvers costing exertion points.

Simple:
gain swim speed equal to your land speed,
Advantage on Athletics checks for swimming,
double your hold breath time,

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Given (as the OP noted) that "amphibious" implies on/near, as well as actually within, the water, I'd say possible additions could be:

• Something to do with thrown pointy weapons, in the tradition of spear-fishing. Perhaps a flat +1 damage?
• Some kind of Bonus Action option to exploit watery terrain (e.g. "while standing in water at least up to your knees, or while diving, you can Shove opponents as a Bonus Action. If a swift current or other circumstance is favorable to you, you have advantage on the roll.")
• A defensive bonus of some kind, as opposed to an offensive one. +1 AC while swimming or walking through water at least knee-deep, for example.

I wouldn't want this to be a super complicated knack, so I'd favor either only adding one of the above, or at most two. The Bonus Action Shove seems particularly apt, given how easy it is for people to lose footing in combats near shores, riverbanks, or marshy/swampy/wetland areas.

 

[Amakard]

Dosent having a swim speed nullify all the penalties of in/ under-water combat? This Knack is pretty strong but situational with not much water in many adventures.

 

[tetrasodium]

Dosent having a swim speed nullify all the penalties of in/ under-water combat? This Knack is pretty strong but situational with not much water in many adventures.

Good catch.