Breathing down your neck

[Ormraxes]

I don't recall seeing rules for casting spells underwater anywhere. But I haven't read the entire DMG, so I could have missed this. But my question is: Can a normal player character race cast spells with verbal components underwater, either with or without a water breathing spell?

 

[Crothian]

There are no rules in the core rules that detail casting or fighter underwater. A slight oversight IMO. There are supplements that do deal with this, and I doubt they are all the same.

 

[Ormraxes]

So how would you DM's out there rule on this?

 

[Crothian]

I'd allow it with the water breathing spell.

 

[Uller]

I'd let a character who can comfortably breath underwater (via water breathing, gills or whatever) be able to cast spells with verbal components and freedom of movement (or some other means to let them move naturally in water) would let them cast spells with somatic ones. It is simple, it is easy and then I don't need to worry about it.

 

[Xarlen]

Here we go again.

Well, I'll second water breathing to allow spellcasting.

 

[kreynolds]

Here we go again.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

At worst, I'd give a % chance to fail for somatic components, not not require Freedom of Movement. We are not talking about running, just making jestures. The only one water would really interfere with would be a broad flailing of the arm, and that can't be vital to evey spell in the book. Now spell books and components exsposed to water could be ugly.

BTW, ditto on the Water Breathing, or an Amulet of Adaptation. You really can't get around needing to breath to speak, unless you really want to complicate things by letting every spell take off of the amount of time you can hold your breath.

 

[Xarlen]

Water doesn't STOP movement for spell creation, it just SLOWS it.

And if SLOWING the spell casting makes the spell fizzle, then there should be extra penalties for the Slow spell. Because the character Is moving slow.