Hey Brandes, I just wanted to say thank you for the help again. I checked the pages you recommended PHB, you’ve been a huge help!

You’ve been a huge help! I’m going to check the pages you refer to in the PHB when I get home!
Thanks again!

Natural language might interpret fireball as an attack, but in 5e’s language, it isn’t an attack. Something is an attack if makes an attack roll, or if it says it is an attack. Dealing damage isn’t enough, and forcing a saving throw isn’t enough. I haven’t checked all available texts, but basically, if the thing doesn’t fit the precise format laid down in the Player’s Handbook, p. 193-194, it is something other than attack. Check the rules for Grappling to see an example of something that uses a different format, but tells you in the text that it is an attack.

I am happy to discuss this further if it is helpful to you.

Thanks so much for your response, I really appreciate you’re input!
My confusion came in because I couldn’t find anything that clearly defined what constitutes an ‘attack.’ Whether is was something that requires and attack roll or just something that can be considered threatening.
And I couldn’t really decide because, as an example, the fireball spell, I would consider and attack, yet makes no attack roll, and was trying to figure out if this class feature would follow the same kind of mechanic.

The Storm Herald’s damage aura from the Desert and Sea Storm Auras do not make an attack roll, so you do not satisfy the requirements of the barbarian’s Rage feature.

Colin and others have done some great, incisive writing about what a harsh mistress the Rage feature can be, in terms of shaping a barbarian’s playstyle. I recommend these as top-flight design commentary.

https://standsinthefire.com/2018/02/13/rage-against-the-barbarian/
https://samhaine.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/dd-5e-how-will-you-rage/

It was just a thought. If the cave has air pockets, you might not need more than 6 minutes.

But clearly, the subclass could be refined. I think there’s merit to projecting an aura of water breathing, but perhaps tying it to the rage mechanic is impractical before 20th level.

With a hard upper limit of one minute per rage, and only 6 rages per day before 20th level, I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that this is not what anyone would call an efficient use of time or energy.

Or, to put that another way, “Excuse me, sir, your bag of rats is showing.”

😀

Or better, keep a Kuo-Toa enslaved; you don’t need to grant them water breathing and the aura grants water breathing to your allies, not your enemies!

I’m sort of kidding here, though I could totally see my group coming up with this idea. 🙁

While I would certainly play a game set in the New California Republic, I am going to say this is probably not a sustainable long-term solution 😉