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This is an extension of Benefits of Amphibious Items? and covers the benefits of the Amphibious Enchantment for people.

If someone swallows a Snapper (as in the monster, see the linked question above) whole (no easy feat and its jaws must be held closed by a Rubberized band besides), crushes it with their bare hands or feet, or crushes/smothers it by lying on top of it, they will gain the Amphibious Enchantment. (Ditto if they use a spear tipped with a head made of their own bone; if you are the weapon, killing a monster with said weapon gets you its Enchantment.)

Such individuals can breathe air and water with equal ease, and their motion in water is significantly less hampered-like any Amphibious items, Amphibious people have the same drag moving in water as they do in air. However, in water they don't sink like they are in air; they can swim like a normal person and float like a whale or manatee does. They also have thermoregulatory/cold protection abilities equivalent to a dolphin's.

Someone who kills or eats twelve Snappers, however, becomes a Skyswimmer. Skyswimmers can swim or float in air like it's water (and vice versa), and standing on the seafloor is like standing on a valley on land to them, while standing in a deep-sea trench is like standing in a really, really deep mine on land (minus the incredible heat).

In other words, my question is How Useful Would The Amphibiousness Enchantment Be For People?

Specifications For Best Answer:

  1. All the other questions of this kind just considered humans (AKA regular people), but all things considered, answers to this question should really consider the benefits of Amphibiousness for merpeople as well. By merpeople, I mean the standard version of the half-fish, half-human fantasy staple.

  2. The best question will also account for:

a. the benefits of being able to be submerged indefinitely without drowning, having your skin fall apart, or getting wrinkly

b. the benefits of being able to not only float where you are in water (again, like a whale or manatee), but being able to swim and move in water with the same resistance as you'd get if you were moving in air

c. the benefits of being a Skyswimmer (being able to swim or float in air as if it's water, not to mention better take water pressure, etc.)

  1. Finally, the best answer will account for whether the Amphibious Enchantment will make humans and merpeople more equal or will just leave merpeople OP.
Vogon Poet
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Alendyias
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    How does the amphibious enchantment affect the effects of ocean pressure? – The Sophomore Mar 11 '21 at 19:37
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    I don't see how you can measure usefulness in this situation without producing an exhaustive list of possible new applications. I also don't see any mention of thermoregulation. – rek Mar 11 '21 at 19:45
  • @Korblox: on Skyswimmers, from the OP: "standing on the seafloor is like standing on a valley on land to them, while standing in a deep-sea trench is like standing in a really, really deep mine on land (minus the incredible heat)." Normally, standing in the deep sea or on the seafloor would be harmful due to water pressure. – Alendyias Mar 11 '21 at 20:38
  • Are we talking the semi-common fish snapper or something supernatural snapper? The question is a little open-ended, you nay want to narrow it down to allow it to stay open (is it useful for x?) Obviously it's useful, super-useful for a fisherman, not so useful for a desert nomad. How do you WANT it to be useful? – DWKraus Mar 12 '21 at 03:11
  • @DWKraus: the linked question and the fact snapper starts with a capital letter should explain everything. If it doesn't, I will clarify. Thank you so much! – Alendyias Mar 12 '21 at 03:20
  • Deep water exploration without extensive need for technology, the literal ability to fly but less gracious, being given the option to reject your humanity but with less buff dudes and magic sunlight powers, the ability to be naked in the artic without a care (you didn't specify what kind of dolphin, and belugas are dolphins) and the list goes on. As of now this is not something answerable because all answer would be just giant lists of how each and every part of society would be affected by the simple existence of this (nevermind the monsters you kill to acquire it) – ProjectApex Mar 12 '21 at 03:28

1 Answers1

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A single Snapper worth of this enchantment would eliminate many/most of the casualties from shipwreck (especially when due to storm at sea, as opposed to running aground on a reef). As such, it would surely be very popular with long-haul sailors: it wouldn't get them home if their ship sinks, but it would greatly improve their odds of surviving long enough to get themselves home. Fisherfolk, too -- falling overboard was one of the greater hazards of this job before we started using power equipment (now getting caught up in a winch is nearly as likely).

Even for ordinary folks, drowning was a major cause of death in medieval times, apparently due to a combination of nearly no one knowing how to swim, and the weight and drag of saturated wool clothing. If you can breathe under water, however, the only way falling in the branch will kill you is if you die of hypothermia before you can get dry and change clothes.

Skyswimming, by comparison, is of rather limited usefulness (IMO). Yes, it's like a low grade version of flight that works both above and below water, but flight at swimming speed isn't that useful unless you're a second-story burglar or you work on high scaffolding (cathedral construction/roofing, tower clock cleaners, etc.).

Zeiss Ikon
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  • Thank you for your answer, it's one of the best I've seen. Simple and to the point, but no less thorough. – Alendyias Mar 11 '21 at 20:41