How long can your knight hold its breath and how much fire damage are you doing per round? I think you may run out of air first. Definitely an interesting idea if it’s already hurt.
this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2025
308 points (97.8% liked)
RPGMemes
13849 readers
1381 users here now
Humor, jokes, memes about TTRPGs
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
If its 5e, he can hold his breath for 1min + a number of minutes qual to the constitution modifier, which should be at least +2. That 30 rounds, with a lv 2 heat metal that's 60d8 or a 270hp average, with a lv 9 heat metal that's 270d8 or 1215 average. Water breathing spell is also super easy to get though one could say the inside of the kraken isn't exactly water.
Necklace of Adaptation lets you breathe normally in any environment. There's an Air Bubble spell in Astral Adventurer's Guide you could use instead of Water Breathing as well.
Very interesting! Though both are significantly harder to obtain than water breathing ofc
Also, tiny little detail I forgot to mention: heat metal is only 1min duration haha
Harder than Water Breathing, but the necklace should be easier to get than the armor or ring mentioned in the original meme
oh yeah, not even sure those exist, its a 'combo' that requires a lot of pieces
Or he's just one of the dozens of races that can just decide to not beathe...
Well yeah but kinda hard to swap if you aren't already one of those races.
/theydidthemath
/theydidthemonstermath
though one could say the inside of the kraken isn't exactly water.
That's why the post says "ring of acid immunity" ;)
That comment is about Water Breathing. Technically the inside of the Kraken wouldn't be water so the spell wouldn't work.
5E characters can actually hold their breath for a silly amount of time, there's a solid chance here.
Assuming the knight has a +4 Con mod, they've got 5 minutes or 50 rounds before they suffocate. Heat metal averages 7 damage per round without upcasting, so you can expect around 350 damage before you pass out. A kraken has 150 hp on average, so it's done for
Amusingly, the rules do not technically specify a condition for the kraken to voluntarily regurgitate something, only for it to do so when triggered by taking a lot of damage in one go. Obviously no sensible GM is going to say that it can't do that, but by the most miserable RAW-only approach this plan actually seems to work
Now imagining a Kraken desperately trying to throw-up an Eldritch Knight while the Knight is trying as hard as possible to stay inside the Kraken.
BRB, writing to Ask a DM to ask about the propulsive force of a Kraken's gag reflex...
I feel like an opposed strength check would be the easiest way to settle that
"Can I use my pitons to stay lodged inside?"
lol I’m used used to pf2e and pf1e were drowning kills, a lot.
Also that’s hilarious that it actually works. 5e is such a good time.
What if the kraken has a giant beak and treats your knight more like a crunchy hot cinnamon candy?
Then spits them out when they fail a concentration save and the flavor goes away
You are assuming we have these items...
Sounds like somebody just started a quest for some items!
If the throat of a Kraken is anything like a shark you'll be taking A (dm specified) LOT of bludgeoning damage each turn. Good luck on those concentration saving throws.
If my players went through all that trouble of obtaining those items they deserve that one win
Literally did this as the bard-healer of the group; one of the players got swallowed by a construct, so I went in after him, healed him and then cast heat metal on my armor.......and then had to heal him again (I had full HP).
(Or maybe I cast heat metal on the construct; can't remember, it's been ages)