Swimming
Overview
With the exception of shallow water spaces, a character must swim to stay afloat. With the exception of certain races as noted by their racial passives, all characters can swim by default.
Athletics is used to determine how long you can swim in water. At 0 ATH, you can swim for the round you entered the water. This basically means you can move into water and then out of it again within the same turn. If knocked into deep water in a round you already took your turn, and you have 0 ATH, refer to mechanics on "Drowning". For every 10 Athletics, you may sustain battle in water for an additional round. So with 30 ATH, you have until the end of your fourth round in the water to get out.
In RP, a character with 0 Athletics can hold their breath for 30 seconds. Each increment of 10 Athletics increases this time by an additional 45 seconds.
Shallow water spaces do not require swimming, but count as water spaces for water-related modifiers.
Drowning
When you run out of time, you start taking damage. At the beginning of each round, you take 10% of your max HP in damage, plus 10% for each previous round you spent in the water. If you're KOed in the water whether though drowning damage or normal damage, you have two full rounds to be rescued before you drown. If you are dragged free of the water in this time, you can be resuscitated.
Water Surface Fighting
When swimming on the surface of water, you cannot use any quick actions other than Dive, Recover, and Run (which only provides 1 space of movement rather than the normal 3), but can move normally otherwise. Reactions cost an additional 5 Stamina, including dodge. You can use techniques, but they all cost 10 additional stamina to use unless underwater, and can target people on the surface of or out of the water in range, but not underwater.
Dive: You dive below the surface of the water for a Quick Action. From there, refer to the section on Underwater Fighting. Costs 5 STM
Underwater Fighting
You cannot use any sort of Quick Actions while swimming except Surface and Aid Ally. You may otherwise perform normal actions such as techniques, but movement is reduced to 2 spaces and you cannot Run. Reactions cost an additional 5 Stamina, including dodge. While underwater, any enemy must make an Awareness check versus your Stealth before they can target you, each time you move. You can target people under and on the surface of the water, but not outside of the water.
You may leave water through movement underwater, but this requires two spaces of movement to do, just like climbing a 1 block high ledge.
Surface: If underwater, surfacing requires a Quick Action. From there, refer to the section on Water Surface Fighting. Costs 5 STM
Aid Ally: This allows you to help someone return to the surface. They remain KOed if they already have been, but this saves them from drowning. While you are aiding someone, you can only move 2 spaces. Furthermore, you and the person you're aiding occupy the same space in the interests of targeted attacks. If you perform a reaction while aiding someone, you drop them instantly. Costs 10 STM
Notes
- There are certain passives that aid aquatic combat, namely "Aquatic Fighting" and "Instictive Swim".
- Social Skills do not function while swimming.
- If you are bound, or binding someone with Strength, you cannot Dive, Surface, or use Aid Ally.