How Long Can You Hold Your Breath?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
or full-round actions. Which is right?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 10:49:14 -0700, Dormammu
<Dormammu@thedarkdimension.com> scribed into the ether:

>In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
>Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
>point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
>or full-round actions. Which is right?

The SRD says the PHB is right.

Average person (10 con) would get a minute of underwater time, assuming
they only took move (or less) actions. Seems like a realistic time frame.
The 2 minutes granted to the same person by the DMG would seem overly high.
Most people who are not practiced swimmers cannot hold their breath for 2
minutes.

 

[willie]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

"Matt Frisch" <matuse73@yahoo.spam.me.not.com> wrote in message
news:lqb4g1pm3ie4k15vc7i0ikgsbf9s40m8me@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 10:49:14 -0700, Dormammu
> <Dormammu@thedarkdimension.com> scribed into the ether:
>
>>In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
>>Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
>>point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
>>or full-round actions. Which is right?
>
> The SRD says the PHB is right.
>
> Average person (10 con) would get a minute of underwater time, assuming
> they only took move (or less) actions. Seems like a realistic time frame.
> The 2 minutes granted to the same person by the DMG would seem overly
> high.
> Most people who are not practiced swimmers cannot hold their breath for 2
> minutes.

Actually, I believe BOTH are rigtht! Just holding your breath would be 2
rnd/CON
but holding your breath WHILE swimming would be exercise, which would use up
the air in your lungs at twice the rate. That is where you get 1 rnd/CON.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Matt Frisch wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 10:49:14 -0700, Dormammu
> <Dormammu@thedarkdimension.com> scribed into the ether:
>
> >In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
> >Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
> >point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
> >or full-round actions. Which is right?
>
> The SRD says the PHB is right.
>
> Average person (10 con) would get a minute of underwater time, assuming
> they only took move (or less) actions. Seems like a realistic time frame.
> The 2 minutes granted to the same person by the DMG would seem overly high.
> Most people who are not practiced swimmers cannot hold their breath for 2
> minutes.

I would concur. With no practice a minute is a strain. With practice,
you can stretch this quite a bit.

MadKaugh

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 18:31:17 -0400, "Willie" <wroop@net-link.net> scribed
into the ether:

>
>"Matt Frisch" <matuse73@yahoo.spam.me.not.com> wrote in message
>news:lqb4g1pm3ie4k15vc7i0ikgsbf9s40m8me@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 10:49:14 -0700, Dormammu
>> <Dormammu@thedarkdimension.com> scribed into the ether:
>>
>>>In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
>>>Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
>>>point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
>>>or full-round actions. Which is right?
>>
>> The SRD says the PHB is right.
>>
>> Average person (10 con) would get a minute of underwater time, assuming
>> they only took move (or less) actions. Seems like a realistic time frame.
>> The 2 minutes granted to the same person by the DMG would seem overly
>> high.
>> Most people who are not practiced swimmers cannot hold their breath for 2
>> minutes.
>
>Actually, I believe BOTH are rigtht! Just holding your breath would be 2
>rnd/CON
>but holding your breath WHILE swimming would be exercise, which would use up
>the air in your lungs at twice the rate. That is where you get 1 rnd/CON.

The rules do not agree with that, unless you are swimming pretty slowly. A
full speed swim check is a full round action, and eats up your airtime.

http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/SkillsII.rtf

Check: Make a Swim check once per round while you are in the water. Success
means you may swim at up to one-half your speed (as a full-round action) or
at one-quarter your speed (as a move action).

 

[willie]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

>>>>In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
>>>>Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
>>>>point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
>>>>or full-round actions. Which is right?
>>>
>>> The SRD says the PHB is right.
>>>
>>> Average person (10 con) would get a minute of underwater time, assuming
>>> they only took move (or less) actions. Seems like a realistic time
>>> frame.
>>> The 2 minutes granted to the same person by the DMG would seem overly
>>> high.
>>> Most people who are not practiced swimmers cannot hold their breath for
>>> 2
>>> minutes.
>>
>>Actually, I believe BOTH are rigtht! Just holding your breath would be 2
>>rnd/CON
>>but holding your breath WHILE swimming would be exercise, which would use
>>up
>>the air in your lungs at twice the rate. That is where you get 1 rnd/CON.
>
> The rules do not agree with that, unless you are swimming pretty slowly. A
> full speed swim check is a full round action, and eats up your airtime.
>
> http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/SkillsII.rtf
>
> Check: Make a Swim check once per round while you are in the water.
> Success
> means you may swim at up to one-half your speed (as a full-round action)
> or
> at one-quarter your speed (as a move action).

The only point I was trying to make was that both rules can be right.... the
first is for
just holding your breath.... the second for holding it WHILE swimming.
Anyone can
hold their breath longer if they are just sitting or slowly walking through
than if they
were swimming or running.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Long enough to make it interesting.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 04:16:20 -0400, "Willie" <wroop@net-link.net> scribed
into the ether:

>>>>>In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
>>>>>Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
>>>>>point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
>>>>>or full-round actions. Which is right?
>>>>
>>>> The SRD says the PHB is right.
>>>>
>>>> Average person (10 con) would get a minute of underwater time, assuming
>>>> they only took move (or less) actions. Seems like a realistic time
>>>> frame.
>>>> The 2 minutes granted to the same person by the DMG would seem overly
>>>> high.
>>>> Most people who are not practiced swimmers cannot hold their breath for
>>>> 2
>>>> minutes.
>>>
>>>Actually, I believe BOTH are rigtht! Just holding your breath would be 2
>>>rnd/CON
>>>but holding your breath WHILE swimming would be exercise, which would use
>>>up
>>>the air in your lungs at twice the rate. That is where you get 1 rnd/CON.
>>
>> The rules do not agree with that, unless you are swimming pretty slowly. A
>> full speed swim check is a full round action, and eats up your airtime.
>>
>> http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/SkillsII.rtf
>>
>> Check: Make a Swim check once per round while you are in the water.
>> Success
>> means you may swim at up to one-half your speed (as a full-round action)
>> or
>> at one-quarter your speed (as a move action).
>
>The only point I was trying to make was that both rules can be right....

Reiterating an incorrect point does not cause it to become correct. At no
point do you get Conx2 airtime. You get Conx1...if you are swimming (or
fighting) during that time frame, then you get Con/2

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Matt Frisch <matuse73@yahoo.spam.me.not.com> wrote in
news:ke87g1tv4ho7gd0b1i9om458kbqmjlpagu@4ax.com:

> On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 04:16:20 -0400, "Willie" <wroop@net-link.net>
> scribed into the ether:

>>The only point I was trying to make was that both rules can be
>>right....
>
> Reiterating an incorrect point does not cause it to become correct. At
> no point do you get Conx2 airtime. You get Conx1...if you are swimming
> (or fighting) during that time frame, then you get Con/2

You get Con*2 when you're holding your breath other than swimming. If
you're trying to avoid the effects of a poison gas, say, or are in a
vacuum. The SRD's section on suffocation:

<SRD>
Suffocation

A character who has no air to breathe can hold her breath for 2 rounds
per point of Constitution. After this period of time, the character must
make a DC 10 Constitution check in order to continue holding her breath.
The save must be repeated each round, with the DC increasing by +1 for
each previous success.

When the character fails one of these Constitution checks, she begins to
suffocate. In the first round, she falls unconscious (0 hit points). In
the following round, she drops to -1 hit points and is dying. In the
third round, she suffocates.
</SRD>

For some reason, they treat suffocation and drowning distinctly. You're
free to disagree with their decision, of course, but the RAW let you hold
your breath longer when being smothered in sand than when you're dunked
in the bottom of the lake.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Chipacabra wrote:

>Matt Frisch <matuse73@yahoo.spam.me.not.com> wrote in
>news:ke87g1tv4ho7gd0b1i9om458kbqmjlpagu@4ax.com:
>
>
>
>>On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 04:16:20 -0400, "Willie" <wroop@net-link.net>
>>scribed into the ether:
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>>The only point I was trying to make was that both rules can be
>>>right....
>>>
>>>
>>Reiterating an incorrect point does not cause it to become correct. At
>>no point do you get Conx2 airtime. You get Conx1...if you are swimming
>>(or fighting) during that time frame, then you get Con/2
>>
>>
>
>You get Con*2 when you're holding your breath other than swimming. If
>you're trying to avoid the effects of a poison gas, say, or are in a
>vacuum. The SRD's section on suffocation:
>
><SRD>
>Suffocation
>
>A character who has no air to breathe can hold her breath for 2 rounds
>per point of Constitution. After this period of time, the character must
>make a DC 10 Constitution check in order to continue holding her breath.
>The save must be repeated each round, with the DC increasing by +1 for
>each previous success.
>
>When the character fails one of these Constitution checks, she begins to
>suffocate. In the first round, she falls unconscious (0 hit points). In
>the following round, she drops to -1 hit points and is dying. In the
>third round, she suffocates.
></SRD>
>
>For some reason, they treat suffocation and drowning distinctly. You're
>free to disagree with their decision, of course, but the RAW let you hold
>your breath longer when being smothered in sand than when you're dunked
>in the bottom of the lake.
>
>
>
Frankly that sounds reasonable to me. The average Commoner will have
a CN of 10, correct? That means a two minute period of time to aviod
suffocation. In my youth I was able to hit four minutes if motionless.
But I was odd in that I actually practiced that...

--
Tetsubo
My page: http://home.comcast.net/~tetsubo/
--------------------------------------
If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.
-- Anatole France

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 15:55:48 -0500, Chipacabra <chipb@efn.org> scribed into
the ether:

>Matt Frisch <matuse73@yahoo.spam.me.not.com> wrote in
>news:ke87g1tv4ho7gd0b1i9om458kbqmjlpagu@4ax.com:
>
>> On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 04:16:20 -0400, "Willie" <wroop@net-link.net>
>> scribed into the ether:
>
>>>The only point I was trying to make was that both rules can be
>>>right....
>>
>> Reiterating an incorrect point does not cause it to become correct. At
>> no point do you get Conx2 airtime. You get Conx1...if you are swimming
>> (or fighting) during that time frame, then you get Con/2
>
>You get Con*2 when you're holding your breath other than swimming. If
>you're trying to avoid the effects of a poison gas, say, or are in a
>vacuum. The SRD's section on suffocation:
>
><SRD>
>Suffocation
>
>A character who has no air to breathe can hold her breath for 2 rounds
>per point of Constitution. After this period of time, the character must
>make a DC 10 Constitution check in order to continue holding her breath.
>The save must be repeated each round, with the DC increasing by +1 for
>each previous success.

Then we are back to inconsistancy. Why would it be more twice as taxing to
hold your breath while stationary underwater than while stationary in a
room of poison gas?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Dormammu wrote:
> In the DMG under "Suffocation" it says 2 rounds per point of
> Constitution, but the Swim rules in the PHB say 1 round per
> point of Constitution and that is reduced if you take standard
> or full-round actions. Which is right?

I'd say they are both right. If you're doing nothing, it's 2x CON
bonus, while if you're taking actions it's 1x or less.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

elfbard wrote:
> Long enough to make it interesting.
>
>

DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Some Guy wrote:

> elfbard wrote:
>
>> Long enough to make it interesting.
>>
>
> DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!

ObCreepshow: "I can hold my breath FOR A LONG TIME!!!"

- Ron ^*^

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Werebat wrote:
>
>
> Some Guy wrote:
>
>> elfbard wrote:
>>
>>> Long enough to make it interesting.
>>>
>>
>> DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!
>
>
> ObCreepshow: "I can hold my breath FOR A LONG TIME!!!"
>
> - Ron ^*^
>

Dude, I think she was referring to SOMETHING ELSE about holding her
breath. THink Linda Lovelace.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Dormammu wrote:
> Werebat wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Some Guy wrote:
>>
>>> elfbard wrote:
>>>
>>>> Long enough to make it interesting.
>>>>
>>>
>>> DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!
>>
>>
>>
>> ObCreepshow: "I can hold my breath FOR A LONG TIME!!!"
>>
>> - Ron ^*^
>>
>
> Dude, I think she was referring to SOMETHING ELSE about holding her
> breath. THink Linda Lovelace.

Oh, you're making me think bad thoughts about those siamese twin girls
who were in TIME a few years back. Basically one body with two heads.
They wouldn't even HAVE to hold their breath. They've got to be... how
old, now?

Stop.

- Ron ^*^

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Werebat wrote:
>
>
> Dormammu wrote:
>
>> Werebat wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Some Guy wrote:
>>>
>>>> elfbard wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Long enough to make it interesting.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> DING-DING-DING-DING-DING!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ObCreepshow: "I can hold my breath FOR A LONG TIME!!!"
>>>
>>> - Ron ^*^
>>>
>>
>> Dude, I think she was referring to SOMETHING ELSE about holding her
>> breath. THink Linda Lovelace.
>
>
> Oh, you're making me think bad thoughts about those siamese twin girls
> who were in TIME a few years back. Basically one body with two heads.
> They wouldn't even HAVE to hold their breath. They've got to be... how
> old, now?
>
> Stop.
>
> - Ron ^*^
>

Can they do the Sarajevo Slide?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

In article <RxbQe.1644$mH.1093@fed1read07>, someguy@thedoor.gov says...

> >> Dude, I think she was referring to SOMETHING ELSE about holding her
> >> breath. THink Linda Lovelace.
> >
> > Oh, you're making me think bad thoughts about those siamese twin girls
> > who were in TIME a few years back. Basically one body with two heads.
> > They wouldn't even HAVE to hold their breath. They've got to be... how
> > old, now?
> >
> > Stop.
>
> Can they do the Sarajevo Slide?

What's that?


--
Jasin Zujovic
jzujovic@inet.hr

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Jasin Zujovic wrote:
> In article <RxbQe.1644$mH.1093@fed1read07>, someguy@thedoor.gov says...
>
>
>>>>Dude, I think she was referring to SOMETHING ELSE about holding her
>>>>breath. THink Linda Lovelace.
>>>
>>>Oh, you're making me think bad thoughts about those siamese twin girls
>>>who were in TIME a few years back. Basically one body with two heads.
>>>They wouldn't even HAVE to hold their breath. They've got to be... how
>>>old, now?
>>>
>>>Stop.
>>
>>Can they do the Sarajevo Slide?
>
>
> What's that?
>
>

Rather than describe it, there's an example (by Scarlett Scharleau) in
this fine film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132162/

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Neither. I can't hold my breath for more than 3 seconds.