I'm sure that I'm not alone in not liking the Dragonbane rules for drowning. Many RPGs have this problem, and I thought I would present my solution to the problem.
As a former Lifeguard and Lifeguard-Trainer I feel obligated to point out that, while drowning is complicated situation and never exactly the same twice, the main thing that precipitates it is panic. Not being able to breathe is terrifying in any context. Once panic sets in the ability to self-rescue is (except for blind luck) completely gone. The determining factor is not how long you can hold your breath, but how long you can keep your cool. I'm not sure how you might simulate that within the Dragonbane Rules. I don't recall any game system that accounted for it. I don't think CON is the applicable attribute, though. Maybe Willpower. Anyway, having said that, its a game and its fiction and you want a rule that gets you through without bogging the game down too much. Your house rule works as well as any I've seen.
Speaking as someone who has almost drowned before, drowning is an ever changing situation. You will feel like you lost HP due to the constant exertion of trying to swim to stay alive and lack of oxygen each time you can’t breathe will cause physical issues. I like that your house rule as has the opportunity to save yourself. I think it should still include the opportunity for losing HP but the original rule of every round doesn’t make sense and the amount seems harsh.
How does this sound?
Underwater, you need to make a successful roll against CON each round to hold your breath (not an action). If the roll fails, you begin to drown and must make a roll against SWIMMING. If the roll succeeds, you swim to the surface, if possible, and can breathe. If the roll fails, you take [D2 or D4?] damage that round, and continue to drown; You must continue to make this role against swimming every round until you succeed or someone rescues you. If you reach zero HP while drowning, you make death rolls as usual, but only failed rolls count.
I’m new to playing RPGs so I don’t know how well that rule would work in the game, it seems like a more realistic scenario to me. I like that is gives a continued penalty if you can’t breathe and the opportunity to keep trying to save yourself.
Hi, Sarah. I’m glad that you survived that ordeal. Puuh.
I wrote that the rules should be somewhat realistic. Of course, you can suffer lung, heart, and brain injuries from drowning. But in a fantasy setting, you usually just need a breather and then you're ready to continue questing as if nothing happened. That was the "quality" I was looking for. I also like the idea of saving oneself, because I’ve done that many times while diving. When I feel the air running low in my lungs, I know it’s time to return to the surface.
If you like a "losing HP" rule, then go for it. You do you, boo. Maybe a combination could be in order. You lose, say, 1D3 HP each round, but also immediately begin making death rolls. Then you will probably die of drowning before you die of your "internal" injuries. Not that that is a better way to go...
I like how you use Swimming to see if you are really drowning. I think it’s odd the official rules didn’t account for your ability to swim when drowning. Thanks for coming up with a house rule!
Great start. I think that there should be some effect of how encumbered/heavy you are. You are not swimming very well in weapons and armor. You should minimally have a bane, but I think metal items - heavy swords, maces, etc. and metal armor would need to be discarded to even attempt swimming. In ancient naval actions, armored marines/crew that fell into the water SANK IMMEDIATELY, ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM. Come to think of it, you should have to make multiple successful SWIMMING rolls to ascend from deeper waters.
There is a top part of the rules that deals with being in armor. I didn’t include it because that part stays the same. I was more interested in changing the "injury" section. And I agree – if you fell into deep water wearing heavy armor, you’re a goner. Not even Michael Phelps could avoid Davy Jones’ locker in that situation.
As a former Lifeguard and Lifeguard-Trainer I feel obligated to point out that, while drowning is complicated situation and never exactly the same twice, the main thing that precipitates it is panic. Not being able to breathe is terrifying in any context. Once panic sets in the ability to self-rescue is (except for blind luck) completely gone. The determining factor is not how long you can hold your breath, but how long you can keep your cool. I'm not sure how you might simulate that within the Dragonbane Rules. I don't recall any game system that accounted for it. I don't think CON is the applicable attribute, though. Maybe Willpower. Anyway, having said that, its a game and its fiction and you want a rule that gets you through without bogging the game down too much. Your house rule works as well as any I've seen.
Very interesting. I never thought about the panic that drowning causes. Maybe the CON roll should be changed to a WIL roll?
Speaking as someone who has almost drowned before, drowning is an ever changing situation. You will feel like you lost HP due to the constant exertion of trying to swim to stay alive and lack of oxygen each time you can’t breathe will cause physical issues. I like that your house rule as has the opportunity to save yourself. I think it should still include the opportunity for losing HP but the original rule of every round doesn’t make sense and the amount seems harsh.
How does this sound?
Underwater, you need to make a successful roll against CON each round to hold your breath (not an action). If the roll fails, you begin to drown and must make a roll against SWIMMING. If the roll succeeds, you swim to the surface, if possible, and can breathe. If the roll fails, you take [D2 or D4?] damage that round, and continue to drown; You must continue to make this role against swimming every round until you succeed or someone rescues you. If you reach zero HP while drowning, you make death rolls as usual, but only failed rolls count.
I’m new to playing RPGs so I don’t know how well that rule would work in the game, it seems like a more realistic scenario to me. I like that is gives a continued penalty if you can’t breathe and the opportunity to keep trying to save yourself.
Hi, Sarah. I’m glad that you survived that ordeal. Puuh.
I wrote that the rules should be somewhat realistic. Of course, you can suffer lung, heart, and brain injuries from drowning. But in a fantasy setting, you usually just need a breather and then you're ready to continue questing as if nothing happened. That was the "quality" I was looking for. I also like the idea of saving oneself, because I’ve done that many times while diving. When I feel the air running low in my lungs, I know it’s time to return to the surface.
If you like a "losing HP" rule, then go for it. You do you, boo. Maybe a combination could be in order. You lose, say, 1D3 HP each round, but also immediately begin making death rolls. Then you will probably die of drowning before you die of your "internal" injuries. Not that that is a better way to go...
I like how you use Swimming to see if you are really drowning. I think it’s odd the official rules didn’t account for your ability to swim when drowning. Thanks for coming up with a house rule!
Great start. I think that there should be some effect of how encumbered/heavy you are. You are not swimming very well in weapons and armor. You should minimally have a bane, but I think metal items - heavy swords, maces, etc. and metal armor would need to be discarded to even attempt swimming. In ancient naval actions, armored marines/crew that fell into the water SANK IMMEDIATELY, ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM. Come to think of it, you should have to make multiple successful SWIMMING rolls to ascend from deeper waters.
There is a top part of the rules that deals with being in armor. I didn’t include it because that part stays the same. I was more interested in changing the "injury" section. And I agree – if you fell into deep water wearing heavy armor, you’re a goner. Not even Michael Phelps could avoid Davy Jones’ locker in that situation.
It’s intuitive. I like it.
Thank you!