Swimming

Swimming is the form of moving in water. Swimming improves one's Athletics more than Running does in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. While swimming, one's Fatigue does not regenerate as fast if one was walking or swimming slowly. Although, at higher levels, it does not matter. There is a thin layer between the surface and where one's vision goes slightly foggy in water; this layer shows everywhere underwater clear as if one was on land.

One can dive underwater by looking down and pressing or pushing the forward key or stick.

By the Skyrim "One minute of game time = three seconds of real time" scale, the Dragonborn can hold their breath for eight minutes of game time.

Arena[]

In The Elder Scrolls: Arena, swimming was very basic and could be used to travel through paths of water. To get out of aquatic areas, one could climb up the sides of a wall.

Daggerfall[]

In The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, this was a skill that could be increased. Riding a horse on water was an unintended form of Water Walking.

Battlespire[]

In An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire, this was a skill that could be increased.

Redguard[]

In The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, swimming was possible, but an unconventional means of travelling as Sharks would attack the player for swimming a few meters away from land.

Morrowind[]

In The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, players could swim underwater and use combat.

Oblivion[]

In The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, players could swim freely anywhere in water and use both weapons and spells.

Skyrim[]

In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, players could swim freely anywhere in water, but combat while swimming was not possible.

Online[]

In The Elder Scrolls Online, swimming is only possible while one's head is above the surface, and swimming underwater is not possible. Swimming into open seas will result in being attacked by Slaughterfish after traveling too far away.

Bugs[]

This section contains bugs related to Swimming. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template 360 / XB1 , PS3 / PS4 , PC / MAC , NX / PS5 , XS , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

360 PS3 If one calls up their large map of Skyrim while under water, they will notice that every single cloud on the map (excluding the ones in areas that are out of bounds) will disappear. This can be very useful when trying to figure out terrain as there will be no obstructions.
PS3 Game sometimes crashes when heading into the water and attempting to swim.
PC The sound of being underwater can still be heard sometimes after coming out of the water. Fast Traveling and loading screens can fix this.