Best spells for underwater and at sea?

[bret]

In other people's experience, what are the best spells for underwater and combat at sea?

Please concentrate on the lower level spells.

 

[Keith]

Well, experience is going to vary depending on how the DM handles things, but here is low level: what if a Ray of Frost underwater results in a great big icicle hanging off the target? I'm not saying it would, but good fun if it did...

 

[Crothian]

Well, experience is going to vary depending on how the DM handles things, but here is low level: what if a Ray of Frost underwater results in a great big icicle hanging off the target? I'm not saying it would, but good fun if it did...

Ice floats, that could save someone's life

 

[Keith]

That too, but I was thinking more of someone trying to poke you with a trident and finding a 30' spear of floating ice attached (no save) to their arm...or face...

 

[the Jester]

Obviously, water breathing.

Also, freedom of movement is essential.

Water walk, cast underwater, is a great escape route (you bob to the surface).

 

[Keith]

If you have been deep for any length of time, Water Walk would be a big mistake. That rate of ascent is unforgiving. In fact, if an opponent has been well down there, even if not for very long, this would be a very nasty offensive spell. They are liable to reach the surface messed up either by an air embolism or the bends. Depending on how they are alive down there in the first place, of course.

 

[Silver Surfer]

When you are engaged in naval combats, some Wall spells directly cast before the enemy ship are surprisingly effective. For example, a Wall of Fire should get rid of those nasty sails (and posiibly some sailors). Or imagine a galley in full speed, crashing against a Wall of Force .
Summoned Water Elementals (the bigger, the better) can also provide help with their vortex or stop/overturn vessel abilities. As we are already talking about summoned creatures: most "water-based" creatures in the summon list are much more powerful than "land-based" creatures of equal spell level. Try to escape from a grappling (giant) octopus!
When fighting underwater, remember to check with your DM if he allows spells with verbal components (some don't). Freedom of Movement comes in handy, or, even better, a Pearl of the Sirens (a magic item, though).

 

[Dingleberry]

Straying from the PHB: cloak of the sea (MotW) puts water breathing to shame, and buoyancy net (Relics & Rituals) is a very handy 1st-level spell with many uses (attack, escape, rescue, recovery, etc.).

 

[bret]

I've got a 4th level Wizard in Forgotten Realms that I'm looking at spells for. I will pass along suggestions to our cleric and druid as appropriate.

I usually use Alter Self (into a Sea Elf or Merman) so that I can breath underwater. Provided you can breath, the GM hasn't been requiring any special checks to cast spells.

I'm mostly looking at spells for levels 1-3, trying to decide which spells I need to be looking for.

Sources for spells would include FRCS, PHB, the WotC splat books, and Seafarers Handbook (published by Legends & Lairs). The last is the only non-WotC source I know he has approved. Since the GM has a copy, more than likely Magic of Faerun would also be allowed.


I'm not sure how he would modify ray and missle attacks underwater. Since I don't have a very good attack bonus, for the most part I'm avoiding things that require an attack roll.

Right now, I've got Magic Missle and Hypnotic Pattern as my main attack spells. I'm looking for something that will do a little bit of damage, Snilloc's Snowball Swarm looks interesting. We've been getting outnumbered a lot recently.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Well, experience is going to vary depending on how the DM handles things, but here is low level: what if a Ray of Frost underwater results in a great big icicle hanging off the target? I'm not saying it would, but good fun if it did...

They got rid of this nonsense in general, why start underwater? It's magic, so it doesn't work like normal elements. A fireball won't use up all the oxygen in a small, closed-off room, suffocating everyone. Also, it won't scorch away your hair or clothes. Why, then, should ray of frost freeze the water along the line of effect? Why should lightning bold affect anything in a radius, as water is a good conductor? Keep it simple, stick to the stuff in the spell descriptions, keep physics out.



Water breathing and freedom of movement will be quite useful, as well as shape changing effects that will give you a form adapted to underwater action.
But there are other choices: Hold Person will make the target a playball of the currents, Poison will critically limit the amount of time someone can hold her breath (cause of reduced CON), so will bestow curse (bestow curse can also make him lose his actions 50% of the time). Polymorph other works the other way around: instead of giving the other one the form of a fish, you'll give him the form of a bird or something. Suggestion ("Take a deep breath of the clean, fresh sea air") is quite destructive, as is command ("breathe!").