Hello all! I am a fairly new DM that has been running mostly homebrew games for almost two years now. I've been thinking of getting a new campaign going, and something that caught my eye is underwater environments and the variety of 3D combat. I feel like the oceans of DnD are vastly under exploited and warrant exploration. I am reaching out to see if anyone has run something similar, and if they have any tips/tricks/notes/challenges that came up during the underwater run. I had some ideas regarding current flow changing battlefield movement, certain spells requiring some re-flavoring, and the condition that ranged attacks have to handle. Also, any sources of inspiration you found particularly useful? Thanks much :)
Lighting becomes an issue pretty quick. Unless you're fairly close to the surface, it's just dark everywhere, all the time.
Also, the 3D combat is novel but gets old when applied to every single battle. Be careful about having lots of small enemies that surround PCs, because you can fit a lot more around them in 3D and it can be lethal.
I haven't run such a game, but it's something I've thought about doing. (Mostly because of the game Subnautica.)
A mostly-underwater game has a huge amount of tinkering to do. Just off the top. of my head:
Breathing becomes the number one concern, unless you make access to spells and items to deal with it cheap and easy. (And how does it interact with spellcasting?)
Most player species have no inherent swimming speed, so you either need to customize them, or the monsters will be running rings around them.
Ranged weapons are much less effective. Combined with the above, and there's no real way to stop something escaping or closing.
As mentioned above, light is a much larger issue. (Also murky water. Even darkvision isn't going to help when the silt on the bottom gets stirred up.)
How do spells work? Not just fireball and lightning bolt, though certainly them, but lots of spells just assume an air atmosphere. You're going to spend a lot of time customizing the spell list, both to fix spells that don't work right anymore, and to add utility spells that ought to exist.
How do you deal with pressure? Ignoring it feels unrealistic, but nobody actually wants to play Bends Simulator.
Hello all! I am a fairly new DM that has been running mostly homebrew games for almost two years now. I've been thinking of getting a new campaign going, and something that caught my eye is underwater environments and the variety of 3D combat. I feel like the oceans of DnD are vastly under exploited and warrant exploration. I am reaching out to see if anyone has run something similar, and if they have any tips/tricks/notes/challenges that came up during the underwater run. I had some ideas regarding current flow changing battlefield movement, certain spells requiring some re-flavoring, and the condition that ranged attacks have to handle. Also, any sources of inspiration you found particularly useful? Thanks much :)
Lighting becomes an issue pretty quick. Unless you're fairly close to the surface, it's just dark everywhere, all the time.
Also, the 3D combat is novel but gets old when applied to every single battle. Be careful about having lots of small enemies that surround PCs, because you can fit a lot more around them in 3D and it can be lethal.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I haven't run such a game, but it's something I've thought about doing. (Mostly because of the game Subnautica.)
A mostly-underwater game has a huge amount of tinkering to do. Just off the top. of my head:
Breathing becomes the number one concern, unless you make access to spells and items to deal with it cheap and easy. (And how does it interact with spellcasting?)
Most player species have no inherent swimming speed, so you either need to customize them, or the monsters will be running rings around them.
Ranged weapons are much less effective. Combined with the above, and there's no real way to stop something escaping or closing.
As mentioned above, light is a much larger issue. (Also murky water. Even darkvision isn't going to help when the silt on the bottom gets stirred up.)
How do spells work? Not just fireball and lightning bolt, though certainly them, but lots of spells just assume an air atmosphere. You're going to spend a lot of time customizing the spell list, both to fix spells that don't work right anymore, and to add utility spells that ought to exist.
How do you deal with pressure? Ignoring it feels unrealistic, but nobody actually wants to play Bends Simulator.