====== Swimming ====== {{:abilities:swimming.png?nolink }} A **Swimmer** can cross **Rivers**, which sometimes mark the boundaries of provinces. While some boundary-marking Rivers have bridges across them, quite a few crossings require either [[Scales#Temperature|ice]], [[Flying]], [[Floating]], [[Underwater#Underwater-Traits|Water Breathing]], or Swimming to cross. A Swimmer is also better [[Underwater]] than a Water Breather and a Poor Amphibian, since swimming is much easier than walking along the bottom of the ocean. However, the Swimming trait **does not let you breathe water**, so Underwater combat will require one of the two "lesser" water-breathing traits; as for why this is the case, air in the lungs will make even //reaching// the bottom of the ocean very difficult. Aquatic beings and proper Amphibians are already good Swimmers, so the Swimming trait is completely redundant on them. Swimmers **cannot cross Seas** in the same manner as [[Sailing|Sailors]], though they may (of course) ride alongside them if they aren't Commanders.