Burrow speed

[sirpercival]

Say you're a normal badass human character that acquires a burrow speed from somewhere or other.  How do the combat rules work for burrowing?  How do you attack people aboveground with a melee and/or ranged weapon?  What kind of senses do you need to do so (since you generally don't have LoE, I think)?  Can you just hang out in dirt without suffocating?

[Kethrian]

Actually, I'd like to know, too!  A friend's upcoming PC is taking the Mineral Warrior template, so he'll have a burrow speed...

[IGNG]

Say you're a normal badass human character that acquires a burrow speed from somewhere or other.  How do the combat rules work for burrowing?  How do you attack people aboveground with a melee and/or ranged weapon?

I'm pretty sure you can't with most weapons/ spells.  Spells that can work though walls would probably work but that's about it.  A brilliant energy reach weapon would probably work but talk to the DM.  Of course you can always pop up shoot an arrow at someone and burrow again using shoot on the run or something similar.

What kind of senses do you need to do so (since you generally don't have LoE, I think)?

Tremor sense, life sense, think there is one for plants too.  Course you could just use divination magic/psionics.  "ground level above me +5 feet" is probably a specific enough location for most such spells or powers.

Can you just hang out in dirt without suffocating?

That's entirely up to your DM but probably not.  Just pick a race that doesn't need to breath or pick up a magic scuba tank at your local Magi Mart.  Decanter of Endless Air anyone?

[ksbsnowowl]

What kind of senses do you need to do so (since you generally don't have LoE, I think)?

Tremor sense, life sense, think there is one for plants too.  Course you could just use divination magic/psionics.  "ground level above me +5 feet" is probably a specific enough location for most such spells or powers.

Problem is, the ground breaks line of sight and line of effect, thus no spell use for you!

Can you just hang out in dirt without suffocating?

That's entirely up to your DM but probably not.  Just pick a race that doesn't need to breath or pick up a magic scuba tank at your local Magi Mart.  Decanter of Endless Air anyone?

Necklace of Adaptation or Bottle of Air, both in the DMG.

But again, it probably depends on your DM if you don't have either of those items.  Moles live underground for hours at time.  They don't suffocate.  Badgers have a burrow speed, and the rules don't allow you to follow through the tunnel, but they don't suffocate either.
But put a worm in mud, and it climbs to the surface, because it doesn't want to drown.

[nijineko]

if you don't leave a tunnel, you will need a source of air or the ability to not breath. even if you leave a tunnel, the dm would be legit to claim that after so far, you need a source of fresh air.

[IGNG]

You could just use divination magic/psionics.  "ground level above me +5 feet" is probably a specific enough location for most such spells or powers.

Problem is, the ground breaks line of sight and line of effect, thus no spell use for you!

Many divination spells/powers specifically state that you don't need line of sight or effect.

[ksbsnowowl]

You could just use divination magic/psionics.  "ground level above me +5 feet" is probably a specific enough location for most such spells or powers.

Problem is, the ground breaks line of sight and line of effect, thus no spell use for you!

Many divination spells/powers specifically state that you don't need line of sight or effect.

Yes, but for most "combat" spells (which the OP is asking about - combat) aren't those.  In fact, I'm pretty sure none of them are.

[IGNG]

Well yes, that's something I addressed in a difference part of the post.  The part you quoted was where I was addressing his question as to how to sense people above ground.

[ksbsnowowl]

Well yes, that's something I addressed in a difference part of the post.  The part you quoted was where I was addressing his question as to how to sense people above ground.

Indeed you did.