I'm planning an ambush for my 8, 5th level PCs as they travel through the Riverlands via canoe. The group will be ambushed by mercenaries who've planted stakes under the water to break the canoes, sending the PC's tumbling into the water.
The next step is having the mercenary wizard casting web on the PCs in the river, causing them to suffocate under the water until breaking through the web. I'm curious if this scenario is feasible or not? Does anyone think it's too far-fetched or not supported by the rules? I haven't read anything that would make it seem like I'm bending the rules here using web to grapple characters who are submerged in water. But I have 2 rules lawyers in the group and like to do my homework so I can have an answer when they have questions (and believe me, oh they will have questions)
Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated!
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Web creates a many-layered mass of strong, sticky strands. These strands trap those caught in them. The strands are similar to spiderwebs but far larger and tougher.[b] These masses must be anchored to two or more solid and diametrically opposed points[\b] or else the web collapses upon itself and disappears
Youll need to anchor the spell first.
Just because the canoes break that does not mean their heads will be under water. They would have to fail a swim check for that, and even then they can swim underwater until they find a place not covered by the web, assuming they are not grappled underwater by the web.
Also be sure the web has two achoring points.
These masses must be anchored to two or more solid and diametrically opposed points or else the web collapses upon itself and disappears.
Other problems include them making perception checks to notice the wizards, and how did the wizards know where they would be at.
Thanks for the clarifications! The note about whether PCs heads are above / below water is really helpful.
I was going to have the web anchored on partially submerged rocks on either side of the river the PC's are heading down on. So the web would be actually in the water causing swimming PC's to make the grapple checks.
As for the details of the ambush itself, the mercenaries knew beforehand the PCs are heading this way. That's why all the planning beforehand. They will be standing off the forested side of the river behind tree cover, waiting to attack after the canoes get trashed. And yes, the PCs will have checks to notice the stakes under the water / hiding mercenaries at the very last minute.
Hopefully it will be more of a cinematic combat rather than devolve into an argument about swimming / grapple / spell check rules. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Why not just use a net suspended across the river. That will save the arguments.
That's an interesting idea...a net across the river would hit 2 birds with 1 stone, toppling the canoes and entangling the PCs after they go swimming.
The only issue being that nets aren't crazy adhesive, like web. So PC's would just swim away, which is what they would normally do after falling in the river. Compare a few stakes submerged between rocks vs. a net spanning the entire length of the river would give the PCs a bonus on their perception checks to notice it for sure. Maybe if I rule it as a makeshift trap that'll make it easier mechanically. Thanks for the idea!
if you have the net slanted into teh water as it goes down river until it hits the riverbed, then yes, you can probably guarantee they will all drown mercilessly.
basically break canoe in some fast part of the river, then down stream a bit have it so the water pushed you farther down and the net pushed them deeper the further the river pushes them.
PS, anyone in heavy armor is already goign to drown anyway.
edit: i'm imagining rapids, which are deep and narrow so my view may be skewed greatly
why don't we cast some electricity spell at the water for good measure.
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A couple of things to keep in mind are that: a) submerged characters have full cover against attacks from the land (and partially submerged characters have improved cover), as per the rules in the 'Aquatic' part of the 'Environment' section of the core book; and b) Web is a spread effect which won't pass through cover. So a web cast from the shore won't spread beneath the surface of the water, and won't hit submerged PCs at all (although they may have to swim round the barrier it forms to reach the surface, of course).
You could use a Witch with the Water Lung hex positioned underwater to cast the spell when the PCs submerge... and harass them whilst they're under there too. Maybe have the ambushing guys on the surface spread oil on the water so that the PCs 'cleverly' dive under to avoid getting torched... and then have the submerged Witch cast the web spell? Should be plenty of web anchor points too between the river bed, rocks, those stakes they put in, etc...
This is why you play Merfolk, people.
This is why you play Merfolk, people.I thought it was for the insane Ability Score bonuses? :)
I am totally doing it for the roleplay potential.
*cough cough*