Fighting from water


GM Discussion

1/5

Ok I am looking at an encounter in a scenario I am about to run. The encounter takes place in a sewer that runs about 8 feet deep. Currently the party is on a ledge to one side of the running sewer, and is about to engage a couple bad guys. If the bad guys move into the sewer to attack the group, they need a DC 10 swim check to traverse the running sewer water. If they decide to fight from the running water what happens?

I see the PCs gaining a +2 to their attack, for attacking down, but I found the following rule.

Attacks from Land: Characters swimming, floating, or treading water on the surface, or wading in water at least chest deep, have improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves) from opponents on land. Land-bound opponents who have freedom of movement effects ignore this cover when making melee attacks against targets in the water. A completely submerged creature has total cover against opponents on land unless those opponents have freedom of movement effects. Magical effects are unaffected except for those that require attack rolls (which are treated like any other effects) and fire effects.

Do I apply this to the bad guys AC? Seems a little harsh giving it is a 1st level scenario. Can I modify the AC bonus, or am I stuck with the above rule giving it is a society scenario?

The Exchange 4/5 5/5

You can apply this, of course the question is if the bad guys want to go into the sewers. Most carry filth fever, and NPCs don't want that any more than PCs.

Don't forget the baddies have to make swim checks and are still subject to the modifiers given in the table on the next page. If they go to the bottom of an 8' sewer... they aren't going to be able to see the party any better than the party can see them.

Edit: oh, and the PCs would get a +1 for higher ground.

1/5

Thanks for the feedback

5/5 5/55/5 ** Venture-Captain, Germany—Hamburg

In the same chapter you took that quote about cover from (Underwater combat), there's a nice table telling you what modifiers to apply to the NPCs' attacks.

They'll have to succeed at a swim check each round or be off balance, losing their Dex bonus to AC and granting the PCs a +2 bonus on attacks against them. Or, if they fail by 5 or more, they'll sink.

Even if they succeed at the swim checks, any attacks made with bludgeoning or slashing weapons will suffer a -2 penatly on attacks and deal only half damage (and if they fail their swim check, this penalty also applies to attacks made with piercing weapons).

In addition, as Belafon already mentioned, the PCs will get a +1 bonus for attacking from higher ground, anyway.

Also, check if the scenario actually talks about the sewer moving characters downstream.

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