There is an aspect of underwater combat I am rather confused with
It says that if you pass a swim check you can move up a quarter speed as a move action . But what if you don’t want to move? Do you need to take an action to stay in place ?
I ask because if we assume a character in heavy metal armour if they were in the water making no movement of any kind they would sink.
You can roll a swim check but how does this keep you in place if no movement is involved? It doesn’t seem to logically flow that this swim check is free or no action. But it seems to be what the rules suggest
So effectively I am asking if a character without a swim speed can full attack or do a move and standard action in the water whilst staying in place...?
The Aquatic Adventures campaign setting book has a nice write-up of this; you have to succeed on a Swim check at the beginning of your turn to move or stay in place, otherwise you sink or ascend (depending on ballast).