Hi,

I know that the Half-Elf Aquatic variant can swap out skill versatility for an innate swimming speed of 30 ft, but can they also breathe underwater, without needing DM powers to make it so?

Cheers

Foxes

Races do exactly what they say they do. If a race doesn't say it can breath underwater, it can't breath underwater.

As Jeremy Crawford says, the rules aren't trying to trick you

If you say that your elf parentage is Sea Elf, you can take the trait Child of the Sea instead of skill versatility.

Quote from Wtfdndad >>

If you say that your elf parentage is Sea Elf, you can take the trait Child of the Sea instead of skill versatility.

That’s not how aquatic half-elves work. You get the swim speed, but no ability to breathe underwater.

The only reason to take aquatic half-elf is to get the swim speed.  For all the half elf variants, they should have just left off the skill versatility and keen sense (which is just plain stupid if you have skill versatility as an option).   If you want the skill versatility just take regular half-elf and describe your elven ancestor as whichever elf variant you desire.

But back to the question at hand:  Swim speed does not grant breath underwater.  Lots of creatures have a swim speed but can not breathe underwater.

Lizardfolk for example have a swim speed and the ability to hold their breath rather than being amphibious.   Fish, like the quipper, have a swim speed and water breathing which does not let you breath air.

Only certain creatures have "Amphibious" which grants both air and water breathing.  Just because the Sea elf has it does not mean their children do.

"

Aquatic Half-Elf

Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage.

Swimming Speed

A half-elf of aquatic heritage can forgo Skill Versatility and instead choose a swimming speed of 30 feet.

" 

Bolded print is the focus here. Still the DM's decision but, one that is suggested by the rules themselves. As the swimming speed completely explains itself and repeats what it costs to take, I feel that it is the standard option and not the only one implied by the bolded text's statement which clarifies with DM approval, you could pick something else entirely different altogether.

Quote from Wtfdndad >>

"

Aquatic Half-Elf

Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage.

Swimming Speed

A half-elf of aquatic heritage can forgo Skill Versatility and instead choose a swimming speed of 30 feet.

" 

Bolded print is the focus here. Still the DM's decision but, one that is suggested by the rules themselves. As the swimming speed completely explains itself and repeats what it costs to take, I feel that it is the standard option and not the only one implied by the bolded text's statement which clarifies with DM approval, you could pick something else entirely different altogether.

 With DM approval your Half-Elf could be part flying fish and have wings.

With DM's approval you can do anything.  But you believe the Swim speed is a suggestion, when it is clearly the 'trait based on your elf parentage'.

Expecting the DM to approve anything else is just silly.

Thanks for your responses everyone.

Being able to breath under water only mattered because the character was meant have lived with the Aquatic Elves (under water) until their late teens; when they ran away to look for their Human family on the surface, as they were were fed up of not fitting in with their Elven family.

You have all pointed me in the right direction though.

Thanks

i wonder if this was taken into consideration for the novels when regis who is part genasi was able to breathe underwater or at least hold his breath for extended periods.