Swimming Question from a Newb DM

[pjrake]

The other night in our game an NPC fell into a moat and was trying to swim away. One of the players tried to attack him (he was on land and adjacent to the NPC). He felt that he should have gotten a bonus to his attack since it was difficult to swim and actively defend an attack. I agreed and gave him a +2 conditional bonus, after I couldn't find anything in the rulebook (we're playing Essentials, using the Rules Compendium). On a quick side, I gave the same bonus to another player who was trying to hit him with a longbow.

What is the correct way to handle this?

-PJ

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

There is as you have noted no specific rule that makes swimming creatures more vulnerable to attacks. They DO generally have a -2 to their own weapon attacks though. I think a +2 situational modifier for attacking a non-aquatic swimmer from land is pretty good though. The combat rules don't really try to make a huge list of situational modifiers like this though. No list will cover all situations anyway and not every instance of "attacking up hill" or whatever really SHOULD grant a modifier, it depends on the specifics of the situation in that instant. So basically the DM is expected to make these calls for the most part.

So, you did right. Certainly you're on firm ground as a DM using +/-2 whenever you feel it is justified. As a side note though I'd say I don't toss in too many situational penalties as they tend to slow things down, but as a way to give the players a range of different tactical options they can be cool.

 

[samursus]

Yeah. +2 was a good call. Personally I like the +/-2 rule. If something your player does warrants a benefit/penalty, give them one and move on; no muss, no fuss.