Is there a suffocation mechanic?

[Aristarkos]

If so, I have done a bad job at finding it. How would I implement one? I suppose I would have to design it as a Tilt with a moderate (little and / or thin air) as well as a grave (no air at all, vacuum) severity.

[Reighnhell]

RE: Suffocation

There is not currently a commonly mechanic for suffocation, There are mechanics for it in the (1st Edition) World of Darkness rulebook on pg. 49, but it hasn't been updated to 2ndEdition/Chronicles of Darkness. I have encountered this before in game before and have adapted a few environmental tilts from from Lair trait presented in Beast:the Primordial

Drowning (Environmental)
You’re surrounded by more water than you can presently cope with. Either you’re in some sort of container or room filled with liquid, or you’re simply exhausted by swimming through a large body of water. Regardless, your lungs are starting to fill with water, which is a losing proposition for most.
Effect: Your character suffers one point of bashing damage each turn he spends drowning, as oxygen loss takes its toll on your body.
Causing the Tilt: Any form of immersion in a liquid is enough to cause the Tilt.
Ending the Tilt: Getting to a source of air and removing any liquid from your lungs is sufficient to end the ongoing damage from this Tilt.

Thin Air (Environmental)
The air in the affected area is thin, resembling that of a mountain top or deep subterranean cavern rather than sea level, making those inside gasp for breath with any exertion. All Physical rolls made for breathing characters are penalized by (Size -Stamina) dice. This affected area is considered a level 2 Extreme Environment.

[Aristarkos]

Thanks Reighnhell!

I took a look at the 1E rules and did the most basic and lazy Tilt I could imagine.

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Suffocating (Tilt)

Personal
Description: Your body receives no oxygen and their end is imminent.
Effect: Your character can only act normally for a number of turns equal to their Stamina after which your character collapses. When this happens your character takes 1 Lethal damage per turn until they can breathe again. At the Storyteller's discretion, if the character gets Aggravated damage or before, the character can receive persistent Conditions representing the permanent brain damage that often follows such a loss of oxygen.
Causing the Tilt: Drowning, loss of air, choking, psychic domination are all methods of doing one simple thing: cut off oxygen supply.
Ending the Tilt: The character finds a source of oxygen again.

[Reighnhell]

Re: Suffocating

I might suggest running this Tilt with "Hold Breath"(Stamina + Composure) roll, which buys the character a number of rounds equal to successes of action without penalty. After that they take the (Size - Stamina) penalty to Physical actions and a point of bashing each round, which continues until they can breath again. I like the risk of permanent damage once they loop into the Aggravated Damage range.

[Malus]

The roll to resist or overcome biologic phenomenons has traditionally been Stamina+Resolve, as Composure is social based, Resolve qualifies as the mind portion of the mind over matter equation.

[Aristarkos]

Re: Suffocating

I might suggest running this Tilt with "Hold Breath"(Stamina + Composure) roll, which buys the character a number of rounds equal to successes of action without penalty. After that they take the (Size - Stamina) penalty to Physical actions and a point of bashing each round, which continues until they can breath again. I like the risk of permanent damage once they loop into the Aggravated Damage range.

I did not want to complicate things too much, but yeah a Stamina + Resolve roll to buy precious rounds can be done instead of having Stamina rounds to act. I designed the Tilt to be applied in a combat situation or similar, and in those situations a character is 1) usually rather winded already from all the action which worsens the Tilt and 2) doesn't usually get a warning or chance to prepare for suffocation. In that case a Stamina + Resolve roll buys them time and simulates the randomness of how much breath they can reasonably hold in that very moment.

I would not really permit ANY actions however after that time, even with penalties. Being literally breathless to me is such a paralyzing thing as your body shuts off in order to save oxygen for the brain. You better have allies ready to help you. I am also not sure if Bashing damage per turn is the way to go, or even Lethal damage now that I think about it, it seems a bit too slow when in reality lack of oxygen quickly leads to a multitude of terrible long-term effects that are just messy and complicated to simulate in the game.

I'm thinking about having the character simply collapse after the turns they bought themselves with the Stamina + Resolve roll. After that they have are unconscious for a number of minutes = Stamina, if there is an air supply after that (such as if the choker loosen their grip). If there is none or little air the character either dies from a heart attack, suffers brain death or goes into a coma.

PS. I know this obviates the Choke Hold Merit on page 61. This is completely intentional as I've never understood the idea of having to pay extra XP for such a basic ability. If that is a problem for anyone, they are by all means free to ignore this Tilt.