D&D 5E Underwater interest (Closed)

[tglassy]

I’m not exactly saying I’d like to run an underwater game, but there are so many races and creatures made for underwater gameplay, it makes me wonder how this would work. The other games I ran were rather large, and I very well may pick them up again soon, seeing as many of my players are still here, so this would likely be more of a one shot with future possibilities, but is there any interest in an underwater game?

Character creation would, obviously, be extremely limited. Water Genasi, Tritons, and the new Sea Elves are the only PC characters who can naturally breath underwater, though Air Genasi can hold their breath indefinitely, which means they can’t talk.

I suppose the spell Water Breathing could be utilized, as it has a 24 hr duration but that puts an awe full lot of power on the PC who has it prepared. Druids, Sorcerers, Wizards and high level Rangers can cast it. It also means always needing to expend a 3rd lvl spell slot every day to keep it going for the whole party.

Of course, the Warlock Invocation Gift of the Depths eliminates all of this, granting the Warlock, of any race, the ability to not only breath underwater, but also cast Water Breathing once a day. So technically, if one person played a Warlock then the party could be whatever they wanted. But would you put your life in the hands of a warlock?

There are also a number of Uncommon items that could grant Water Breathing as well.

All in all, if I were to run an underwater game, and I’m not saying I will, I would likely start play at lvl 5, with one uncommon magic item and two common ones, to give people an opportunity to make the character they wanted. The main requirement being how you survive below the surface, and why you’re there. Taking a Sea Race frees up your class and Magic Items, but if you really want to play a Dragonborn or Human Variant, then you would either need to take a class that can cast Water Breathing and use a high level spell slot everyday, be a Warlock, or use your one free Uncommon Magic Item.

I may introduce something I did before, and make the traditional Genasi the Human Version, and make it so each race that has a subrace can switch their subrace for a Genasi subrace. But I’m not sure if I want to do that, seeing as the point of the game would be to try these things WotC made for underwater adventuring.

So, thoughts? Is there any interest for this?



RG: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?641685-Underwater-Adventer-RG&p=7428017#post7428017

IC: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?651491-Underwater-Adventures!&p=7461357#post7461357

 

[Neurotic]

5e? I have water genasi fighter champion in dead game ready to go

 

[tglassy]

Yes, 5e

 

[EarlyBird]

post interest in this - as I will need some underwater experience for a few games I am running. haha

So there will be no submersible? or area with air? I'm thinking Triton sorcerer or druid at the moment.

 

[tglassy]

So there will be no submersible? or area with air?

No to the submersible, but possible on the areas with air. Air pockets, things like that. Maybe even sojourns to the surface for one reason or another. But underwater would be a very big part.

 

[EarlyBird]

Sounds good - I am interested in underwater combat and the effect it has on spells and items.

How many players would be a good party? I think the norm is 5.

 

[jmucchiello]

Expressing interest. I haven't really looked at the water breathers but a gensai might be good.

Is underwater a terrain for rangers?

 

[tglassy]

Probably 5. I don’t know, I really just want to see what interest there is. I’ve always been interested in the concept, so we’ll see where it goes.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

This sounds interesting. I'm thinking of a warlock. Shipwrecked sailor who pledged himself to some deep unknown entity to save his life.

 

[Ancalagon]

In my main (IRL) campaign, the conflict between the home city of the party (a very large trading port) and an underwater race (squid-men, backed up by krakens) is an important background element.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Interested, though race variants are the sticking point. Maybe make a merfolk race that is a variant human with a "feat" of water breathing and a swim speed and pressure immunity

 

[Neurotic]

Attributes: 4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 2, 5, 4] = 14
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 4, 1, 2] = 11
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 2, 5, 2] = 12
4D6.HIGH(3) = [4, 6, 3, 6] = 16
4D6.HIGH(3) = [2, 5, 6, 3] = 14
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 2, 1, 6] = 13


Not stellar, but functional. How do you plan handling prone condition in underwater campaign? Will push work? Moving something 15' through the water is MUCH more difficult than pushing someone for the same distance through the air


STR 16
DEX 14
CON 16 (14+2 racial)
INT 11
WIS 14 (13+1 racial)
CHA 13

4th level ASI Lucky feat

Fighter Battlemaster 5

 

[tglassy]

Underwater interest

Interested, though race variants are the sticking point. Maybe make a merfolk race that is a variant human with a "feat" of water breathing and a swim speed and pressure immunity

In my opinion, that is what the Water Genasi are. They don’t have pressure immunity, that’s reserved for Triton, but not every fish is immune to great pressure. Just being able to breath water will alleviate the problems with pressure to a certain point. Once they go deep enough, they’ll have issues, but I’d like that to be a trait To make Triton more appealing in this case.

After all, if I added a Feat of Water Breathing for Variant Human, what are you getting over just choosing a Water Genasi? One less ability point, and a skill instead of magic? I suppose you can put your ability points where you want them, but seeing as Constituents would be the score to help with deep sea exploration, Genasi are really better anyway. The point of Human Variant is to get a free feat, and this would waste that.

And I don’t see why pushing wouldn’t work if you have a swim speed. Swim speed, IMO, means you are able to move underwater just as fast as on land. Dolphins push people easily enough.

 

[Neurotic]

And I don’t see why pushing wouldn’t work if you have a swim speed. Swim speed, IMO, means you are able to move underwater just as fast as on land. Dolphins push people easily enough.

I meant pushing as in shove maneuver or push battlemaster maneuver - one that makes someone fly away...that simply shouldn't work underwater...just as thrown weapons don't work and any similar "not-shot-from-a-crossbow" thing doesn't work

 

[tglassy]

I’m sorry. This is why I shouldn’t post that early in the morning.

Um...yeah, things like that will be much more difficult. Forced movement would still work, but likely be cut in half.

Also, prone isn’t really a thing in weightless environments. Technically, every time you move, you’re prone, as you’re going headfirst. However, I imagine it might be easier to Stun a creature underwater. I’ll think about that.

 

[tglassy]

I’m beginning to have ideas.

I like the idea of a sunken city, ruins filled with forgotten treasure and unseen danger. I’d need to know who everyone is to know where’re to begin.

And since there is a bit of interest, let’s move forward. I’ll try to create a short introductory adventure, something we can get through quick enough to test the mechanics and see if we want to go forward. I’ll post the character gen info in a bit.

 

[JustinCase]

Sounds very interesting, and my mind is swimming (hehe ) with possibilities.

Not sure if I’ll play yet, but I’m definitely interested.

 

[EarlyBird]

In my main (IRL) campaign, the conflict between the home city of the party (a very large trading port) and an underwater race (squid-men, backed up by krakens) is an important background element.

Nice I like the way that story might play out. Wonder about why the conflict (could lead to good a story), its not like they are fighting over territory, lol

 

[EarlyBird]

Attributes: 4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 2, 5, 4] = 14
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 4, 1, 2] = 11
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 2, 5, 2] = 12
4D6.HIGH(3) = [4, 6, 3, 6] = 16
4D6.HIGH(3) = [2, 5, 6, 3] = 14
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 2, 1, 6] = 13


Not stellar, but functional. How do you plan handling prone condition in underwater campaign? Will push work? Moving something 15' through the water is MUCH more difficult than pushing someone for the same distance through the air


STR 16
DEX 14
CON 16 (14+2 racial)
INT 11
WIS 14 (13+1 racial)
CHA 13

4th level ASI Lucky feat

Fighter Battlemaster 5

See those are questions that I need answered for other games. When the group enter the Plane of Water, all kinds of stuff like that will come up.

I'm in - making character tonight- 6 more hours of work ahead of me, *sigh* Triton Druid Circle of "Land" yesh right.

 

[tglassy]

Sounds perfect!

I know there’s a lot of thought on magic underwater, specifically lightning and fire and cold.

So, turns out the player handbook says a creature completely submerged in water has resistance to fire, so for fire I’m just going with that. No need to nerf it further.

I’m thinking electrical damage also stuns the victim on a failed DC 10 Con Save.

Cold probably works like normal, I’ll think about it.

Also, the spell Create or Destroy Water, when used to destroy water, actually converts it to oxygen and hydrogen, creating a big bubble. Could be used to create an air pocket. W highly flammable air pocket.