Draw Steel skill
Swim
Swim is a skill in Draw Steel: Moving through water, fighting currents, and staying afloat in rough conditions.
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Key facts
- Characteristic
- Might
Overview
Swim covers crossing a river, diving for a sunken key, escaping a flooding chamber, treading water in a storm. It is a Might skill because the danger in real water is the current and your tiring limbs, not technique. Calm water rarely needs a roll. Tests come with strong currents, cold water, heavy armor, or a race to reach something before it sinks. Fights on docks, ships, and flooded ruins make it a survival skill for everyone.
How it works
Characteristic: Might. Skill group: Might skills. Test: 2d10 + Might; 11 or lower is tier 1, 12 to 16 tier 2, 17 or higher tier 3. Training grants a benefit and unlocks attempts untrained heroes cannot make. How it is used: Tier 3 gets you there quickly and safely. Tier 2 succeeds slowly or with a loss such as a dropped item. Tier 1 leaves you swept away or submerged. Edges and banes: Calm water, a rope, or something to float on grants an edge (+2). Heavy armor, strong current, freezing water, or being grabbed imposes a bane (-2).
Tips and playstyle
Best for: Heroes in coastal, riverine, or underwater campaigns, and anyone whose kit uses light armor. Character concepts: Rural fisher, ship's diver, smuggler who swam contraband past harbor chains. Synergies: Endurance for long swims, Lift for pulling others out, Search for finding things underwater once you can stay down.
Frequently asked questions
Can I swim in heavy armor?
You can try with a bane, and a poor result may have you sink or shed the armor. Lighter kits make water far less dangerous.
Does Swim cover holding my breath?
Holding breath under pressure is usually Endurance. Swim decides whether you reach the air in time.