Specific rules for casting spells underwater...

[entr0py]

where do i find them? what are the limitations? etc.

 

[Vegepygmy]

DMG, page 93.

Basically, fire spells require a DC 20 + spell level Spellcraft check or they fizzle. The water's surface blocks line of effect for any fire spell, regardless of the Spellcraft check. That's it. Everything else works as normal.

 

[cmanos]

we made up our own. For spells requiring a Verbal component, you could get one off, but if you were holding your breath, you would immediately start making Con checks to see if you drown. There might have been a Concentration check in there as well. I don't recall. I asked our DM to send me the rules again.

Fire spells may fizzle and I believe lightning spells are more of a ball instead of a line.

 

[GilaMonster]

we made up our own. For spells requiring a Verbal component, you could get one off, but if you were holding your breath, you would immediately start making Con checks to see if you drown. There might have been a Concentration check in there as well. I don't recall. I asked our DM to send me the rules again.

We use much the same, except there's a spellcraft check for verbal spells. I think it's 10 + spell level if you have water breathing and 15 + spell level (or maybe 20) if you don't. That's to reflect the difficulty of formulating precise words underwater. It's not a major deal past low levels

Fire spells may fizzle and I believe lightning spells are more of a ball instead of a line.

Electricity spells are unaffected underwater in 3.x rules. I think they were in 2nd ed.

 

[Abraxas]

Mongoose Publishing's "Seas of Blood" supplement has some rules that I looked up after the lastt game session you weren't at.

Their rules state
1) No casting spells with a Verbal component unless you are an aquatic creature that can naturally breathe underwater or have a bubble of air around your head so you can speak normally.
2) For spells with a Somatic component, a DC: 15 concentration check must be made to cast the spell.
3) For spells with a Material component, the DM determines on a case by case basis if the components are usable or ruined underwater.
4) Electrical spells have their range reduced to 0 and become area effect spells with a radius of 1' per caster level.

These seem pretty reasonable.
In addition I would add a twist on what we used during the game. To item 1) above add "If the caster is under the effects of something that grants the ability to breathe water a DC:25 + spell level concentration check is required to cast spells with a verbal component."

Has Brian suggested thatv there will be more underwater encounters?

 

[entr0py]

DMG, page 93.

actual text is: from DMG p.93 is...
Nonmagical fire (including alchemist’s fire) does not
burn underwater. Spells or spell-like effects with the fire descriptor
are ineffective underwater unless the caster makes a
Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level). If the check succeeds, the
spell creates a bubble of steam instead of its usual fiery effect, but
otherwise the spell works as described.

Abrax, i'm much more inclined to except this as an "official" rule and apply the Spellcraft check to all spells including fire spells.
The other text seems too restrictive as it assumes you cannot verbalize something underwater, which is not true. The spellcraft check seems more reasonable. (and not just cause i rock at spellcraft either )

and no Brian made no such inference, tho i saw the glint

 

[Abraxas]

Given the restrictions on non spellcasters when fighting underwater I don't think it unreasonable for it to be difficult for a non-aquatic air breather to cast spells while underwater. Moto was the one who originally suggested NO casting of spells with a verbal component - Brian thought that was too restrictive and went with a DC 25 concentration check. I personally think that that's a little too liberal. I revise my previous post and could see 25 + spell level without a water breathing effect in operatioin and 20 + spell level with water breathing in effect, let the Somatic restriction slide - but still rule on a case by case basis for material.

If you just assume no difficulty except for that described for fire based spells (and adopt this for all spells), being underwater is less of an impediment to spellcasting than to almost any other activity.

By the way, what are you doing at home reading the boards, shouldn't you be at work?
Slacker!!

 

[entr0py]

If i'm not mistaken, in 2nd ed. it was treated like being deaf... 20% chance of failure or such, but i can't find my old books to confirm.

This could be a reasonable ruling if one assumes that casters must clearly hear themselves to properly cast using a verbal componant.

either way it appears no official text thoroughly covers the situation -- much to my surprise. I was hoping it was "spelled" out somewhere and i had overlooked it. :\