this is what the PLAYERS rule book states
Characters can hold their breath a number of rounds equal to their Endurance rank number. At this point. they must make a green Endurance FEAT. The next round, they must make a yellow Endurance FEAT.
In each following round, they must make a red Endurance FEAT or start drowning.
This means that if your character has an endurance rank number of Excelent (16)
the you can hold your breath for 16 rounds
this means that the PC can hold their breath for 96 secounds
at 102 secounds a green endurance feat must be made.
at 108 seconds a yellow feat
at 114 seconds a red feat
and every 6 seconds after that is a red feat
NOW IN THE JUDGES BOOK
Based on what we know about automatic and impossible FEATs, here is what we come up with:
• Each round a character holds his or her breath, make an Endurance FEAT. Failure indicates the hero must breathe in the next round or pass out for 1-10 rounds (during which normal breathing will take place, if possible).
• Take the number of rounds the hero has been holding his or her breath as a rank number. The Intensity of the required FEAT is that Rank. (Holding your breath for 8 rounds is a Good Intensity FEAT.)
• More than three ranks below the hero's Endurance in Intensity is an Automatic FEAT. (A character with Remarkable Endurance can hold her breath for 4 rounds without any sweat.)
• From one to three ranks below the Hero's Endurance requires a green FEAT.
• Intensity equal to the Endurance requires a yellow FEAT. Intensity one rank greater requires a red FEAT.
• If the Intensity is more than one rank greater it is an Impossible FEAT. If the
hero has been holding her breath this long, she will automatically have to breathe or suffer the consequences. (In our Remarkable example, this is 46 rounds. about 4-1/2 minutes.)
I can see where you are saying it is confusing.
In this instance I would personally opt for the rule in the players book as it is more straight forward and requires less rolls.
now if the PC in undergoing combat underwater and needs to hold his/her breath then I would use the rule in the Judges book as this reflects the added presure, if you will excuse the pun, to be able to do this.
The Judge may increase the intensity of the feat due to the added difficult circumstances.
