# How long can a character hold their breath underwater?



## runtime

PHB page 84 says, "You can hold your breath for a number off rounds equal to your Constitution score..." DMG page 304 says, "Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score." The PHB and DMG errata don't say anything about breath holding.

Assuming an average person has a 10 Constitution, the PHB implies an average person could hold their breath for 1 minute (1 turn/Con * 10 Con * 6 seconds/turn) and the DMG implies an average person could hold their breath for 2 minutes (2 turns/Con  * 10 Con * 6 seconds/turn). Holding your breath for 1 minute sounds more realistic than 2 minutes.


----------



## domino

In lieu of any errata saying one way or the other, PHB takes precedence.


----------



## Storyteller01

From the SRD:

_A lizardfolk can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to four times its Constitution score before it risks drowning_.

The PHB makes more sense, but sources that have critters with the 'Hold Breath' ability (like the lizard folk above) are listed as being able to hold their breath for twice as long as normal, rather than four times normal.

Is the errata on this? Possibly a typo?

EDIT: also from the SRD
_Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score_


----------



## Iku Rex

runtime said:
			
		

> Holding your breath for 1 minute sounds more realistic than 2 minutes.



Why? Surely 2 minutes should be easy if you're prepared (relaxed, hyperventilated) and not moving much. If you're unprepared, short of breath or swimming underwater it might be trickier, but I still say it'd be doable when you consider some added motivation beyond "holding my breath sure is uncomfortable". Throw in the 3.5 swim rule of -1 round duration per round of fighting (effectively halved duration) and I think it's a perfectly reasonable rule. 

Still, the "1 round per point of Con" rule was added to the PH in 3.5, so that's most likely the 3.5 intent.  

(The 3.5 DMG is filled with copy-pasted 3.0 holdovers.)


----------



## dcollins

runtime said:
			
		

> PHB page 84 says, "You can hold your breath for a number off rounds equal to your Constitution score..." DMG page 304 says, "Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score." The PHB and DMG errata don't say anything about breath holding.




I vote for the PHB rule. This was revised in 3.5, while the DMG line was just a (possibly overlooked) copy-and-paste from 3.0. 

Also, regardless of real-world time for holding breath, there's the game-balance issue that most D&D fights only last 4 or 5 rounds. In that context, 10 rounds of breath holding is long already, 20 rounds means it would almost never actually come into play.

Plus, it's just a bit more elegant and simpler to remember.


----------



## Cartigan Mrryl

Ummm... isn't it also after a certain number of rounds you roll with your CON Modifier added to the roll, as well as any bonuses you might be granted (Endurance Feat, anyone?) in order to Continue holding your breath? I know that that's the rule for Dragons (the Draconomicon) but maybe that's because of their huge lungs? I don't know... but yeah, if you use Dragons, necrocomicon is a MUST...

That sounded like an advertisment, anyways, I'm quite sure that about 2 minutes would be MAX, or around 2 minutes, anyways, whereas 1 minute would be the average.


----------



## Quasqueton

Also remember that taking action (standard or full) effectively counts off 2 rounds worth of breath holding. So if 1 round per Con point = 5 rounds of action, 2 rounds per Con point = 10 rounds of action.

Then think of removing armor. Removing most armor takes 10 rounds. So the 1-round-per-Con-point rule would have people drowning (after 5 rounds) if they fell in wearing armor _edit_ and are trying to remove it (which one would think is an assumed smart action to take).

Quasqueton


----------



## TheEvil

Quasqueton said:
			
		

> Also remember that taking action (standard or full) effectively counts off 2 rounds worth of breath holding. So if 1 round per Con point = 5 rounds of action, 2 rounds per Con point = 10 rounds of action.
> 
> Then think of removing armor. Removing most armor takes 10 rounds. So the 1-round-per-Con-point rule would have people drowning (after 5 rounds) if they fell in wearing armor.
> 
> Quasqueton




Whoa!  I missed that one entirely.  Can you give a page citation?


----------



## ForceUser

TheEvil said:
			
		

> Whoa!  I missed that one entirely.  Can you give a page citation?



Yeah, that's major. Where is this?


----------



## Patryn of Elvenshae

Drowning, 3.0 SRD, Environment section:



			
				SRD said:
			
		

> Drowning
> Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score. After this period of time, the character must make a Constitution check (DC 10) every round in order to continue holding her breath. Each round, the DC increases by 1.




It's not mentioned in the 3.5 Environment section.  However, in the 3.5 SRD skills section:



			
				SRD said:
			
		

> If you are underwater, either because you failed a Swim check or because you are swimming underwater intentionally, you must hold your breath. You can hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution score, but only if you do nothing other than take move actions or free actions. *If you take a standard action or a full-round action (such as making an attack), the remainder of the duration for which you can hold your breath is reduced by 1 round.* (Effectively, a character in combat can hold his or her breath only half as long as normal.) After that period of time, you must make a DC 10 Constitution check every round to continue holding your breath. Each round, the DC for that check increases by 1. If you fail the Constitution check, you begin to drown.


----------



## Quasqueton

Patryn of Elvenshae posted the passage from the SRD. It's in the PHB too, under the Swim skill.

I've read and memorized this rule because I have had an armored paladin adventuring in Freeport. "Water, water, everywhere, and all I will do is sink."

Quasqueton


----------



## TheEvil

Quasqueton said:
			
		

> Patryn of Elvenshae posted the passage from the SRD. It's in the PHB too, under the Swim skill.
> 
> I've read and memorized this rule because I have had an armored paladin adventuring in Freeport. "Water, water, everywhere, and all I will do is sink."
> 
> Quasqueton




Cool, thanks!


----------



## JamesDJarvis

In the SRD under  "Water Dangers"


Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score. After this period of time, the character must make a DC 10 Constitution check every round in order to continue holding her breath. Each round, the DC increases by 1. 


The rules just don't agree with themselves in this category.


----------



## Patryn of Elvenshae

JamesDJarvis said:
			
		

> The rules just don't agree with themselves in this category.




Actually, they do.

If you're under water and not doing anything (or are just swimming around), then the passage you quoted is still true.


----------



## Slobber Monster

So far as what makes the most sense applying real life logic, I would have to go with twice constitution for someone only taking move actions. That's a guaranteed two minutes for an average person, which should be doable especially in a life or death situation. That would get cut to half for someone who is engage in vigorous activity, which again seems fair. With a DC 10 (and climbing) constitution check the odds of surviving past either point are not good.


----------

