Drowning Mechanics

[InTheFlesh]

Why are the in-game "drowning" mechanics (separate from the "Drown" spell) used with a "Constitution modifier" as a save, and not Fortitude like effectively every other effect and spell in the game? The "Drowning auras" of certain enemies are almost literally a guaranteed death sentence for those that don't specifically have the Water Breathing spell, and it's bizarre to instantly drop dead against them when one has a stratospheric Fortitude save.

[renshouj]

Because thats how it works in 3.5, its one of the rare instances where its a straight up ability check. The drowning auras indeed are very dangerous, people shouldn't take them lightly. It's easy to counter once you know they're there, but they're a death sentence for the unprepared

Read up on Suffocation:
https://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm

And on a Drowned's Drowning Aura, and how it makes it so you cant even try to hold your breath if you fail:
https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Drowned

Its not meant to be forgiving, thankfully those aren't common enemies

[DaloLorn]

Slightly harder to counter than it should be, because a few of the counters that exist are currently broken pending the next big patch:

• Wearing an iridescent ioun stone (thankfully I passed my save and ran away!)
• Being an air genasi

And the water breathing spell is next to useless in the kinds of parties you see in major DM events, because it divides the spell's duration across the entire 30+ party members you catch in the AoE. I might want to limit it to hitting a maximum of 1xCL people per casting, so you always get at least 30 minutes of amphibiousness...

[renshouj]

And the water breathing spell is next to useless in the kinds of parties you see in major DM events, because it divides the spell's duration across the entire 30+ party members you catch in the AoE.

But whats being talked about here are mostly the drowned, and water breathing is a beautiful solution to that problem

[DaloLorn]

The reason ITF opened the thread, though, is that every battle with the demons has either featured a bunch of Drowned or been underwater! It's not a very helpful solution when it only lasts like 5 minutes (if even) every time you cast it.