Water World

[Steverooo]

Early submarines

IIRC, the earliest submarine was made by a barrel-maker in (US) Revolutionary War days. It was mainly spherical, with fins, and propelled by a hand-screw.

The Aparatus of Kwalish in the DMG, of course, is another example. Oddly enough, both resemble barrels!

You can make your fantasy versions out of whatever you please! Wood, metal... Can adamantine subs plumb the ocean's depths?

I ran some underwater adventures in a module I wrote, once (1e and 2e), and there really isn't a spell to protect PCs from water pressure at great depths, or the bends (and I did use stuff like that). The Druid PC solved that by becoming a Dolphin, and I had an NPC supply the rest of the party with Pearls of the Sirines (which, with a little "hand-waving", I let work, since they allow PCs to breath and move freely underwater).

Of course, with subs, one needn't worry about drowning, swimming, pressure & temperature differences, nor the bends upon returning. Just Merrows and Scrags in the airlocks!

 

[Corlon]

I'll do a bunch o math on the iron whale and get a price or something, too bad there's only one priced submarine.

 

[Jeph]

Don't suppose I could play a water genasi . . ? Anyway, does the seafarer's handbook have base AC rules, because if we're going to be adventuring on the high seas in full plate . . . you get the picture.

As for subs . . . I'm guessing with medium-magic water worlds, they'd be pretty commonplace, for those with enough $$. A few simple transmutations to alter a vessel's weight and make it airtight, maybe to create extra air, should be all it takes.

 

[Corlon]

actually, there are only two.

The gnomish iron whale, which is actually a submarine.

And the deep lurker or soemthing like that, which is a jellyfish looking thing that mindflayers ride in.

I'll think about the water genasi thing.