So, my DM wants to make underwater adventuring feel different from on land. So much so that he does not allow talking underwater unless you can breath air and use air to produce sound. This means water breathing is not enough to talk underwater. For roleplay purposes this creates some funny scenarios (because we use webcams so we can mime during session) but my character relies 100% on Vocal components for all his spells. This resulted in me taking my turns in combat just walking around and dodging attacks. As this got boring very quickly we first decided you could roll arcana before you cast the spell, DC10 + spells level. fail the arcana roll and you don't get to cast. Later I touched something and got an air bubble around my head for 1 minute, i promptly carved a piece of what i was touching off to take with me, but soon found out DM rolls a d6 and decides that way if the item works or not given it is now a carved of little piece. Inconsistent, unreliable and boring are my take aways.
Long story short! I am looking for creative (RAW or homebrew) ways to basically get a ball of air around my head( or any other way i could use air to produce sounds with my vocal cords underwater), that is reliable, consistent and does not eat up my spell slots!
What I came up with myself is a Wand of Air Bubble, with 3 charges. It's important that we can't just give everyone an air bubble and completely circumvent the no talking underwater, since this has it's use in roleplay.
To answer your question, I think the air bubble spell and the cap of water breathing are the only official items that will work under the conditions you're playing under.
However, I think you need to have a talk with your GM about this. As a full caster, you are basically useless without the ability to speak. Almost every spell has verbal components, and if you can't cast, you can't really play.
I'm considering running a heavily-underwater game in the future, and this is one of the problems I've been kicking around in my head. One of the things I'm considering is that casting (or other brief speech) underwater costs you a round of breath -- significant, but still allowing people to play. (It's still going to be deeply unrealistic, because realistic wouldn't allow for D&Ding.)
As mentioned, having access to a Subtle Spell feature or something similar would solve this problem.
Also, casting spells from magic items requires no components (including Verbal components).
Alternatively, just try to play within the limitations of the game by trying to prepare spells which have no Verbal components. Such spells that could have some combat use might include:
Cantrips: Minor Illusion, Mold Earth, Shape Water, Thunderclap, True Strike.
So, spellcasting options are limited but not nonexistent.
You can also try to find some creative things for the character to do during such encounters that helps the party that doesn't include casting spells or doing damage but is more than just walking around doing nothing. I'm sure that the DM has meant for this to be a fun and interesting experience, not boring. Especially if this represents only a small portion of the overall campaign. Keep in mind that the DM is likely trying to balance the encounters with limited spellcasting in mind. It can be fun and interesting for a spellcaster to temporarily lose the ability to cast spells or for, say, a martial character to temporarily lose access to any weapons if you lean into the RP of the situation and try as a group to come up with creative ways to overcome the challenges presented. If after some effort it's still not fun for you then just have another chat with your DM and express that thought. The DM won't want his players to not be having any fun so they will probably work something out with you.
Maybe this touching of the object that created the air bubble is his way of trying to work this out with you within the game. It could be the beginning of a quick side quest to improve your situation. Maybe you need to look for a way to mine a much larger portion of this material and then also come up with a solution for transporting it around with you. Maybe it's a first clue about eventually figuring out that there's some other more specific way of creating an air bubble within this environment.
So, my DM wants to make underwater adventuring feel different from on land. So much so that he does not allow talking underwater unless you can breath air and use air to produce sound. This means water breathing is not enough to talk underwater.
Although your DM is within their rights to alter the rules as they see fit, they are dropping the ball on this one.
Being able to breathe underwater is sufficient for being able to cast spells with a verbal component. For the RAW indicators of this, I direct your attention to some example monster spellcasters, such as the Sea Hag and the Sahuagin Priest.
As written, both of these creatures can breathe both air and water (as your character would be able to with a Cap of Water Breathing, or a Potion of Water Breathing, or similar). Both of these creatures can also cast spells requiring verbal components (all of their listed spells in the Monster Manual require verbal components). Their innate magical abilities only allow them to drop the material components from the requirements. They are still required to use the verbal and somatic components, just like anyone else.
Thus, by simple extension, the same rule should apply to your character, as long as you have a way to breathe underwater.
To answer your question, I think the air bubble spell and the cap of water breathing are the only official items that will work under the conditions you're playing under.
However, I think you need to have a talk with your GM about this. As a full caster, you are basically useless without the ability to speak. Almost every spell has verbal components, and if you can't cast, you can't really play.
I'm considering running a heavily-underwater game in the future, and this is one of the problems I've been kicking around in my head. One of the things I'm considering is that casting (or other brief speech) underwater costs you a round of breath -- significant, but still allowing people to play. (It's still going to be deeply unrealistic, because realistic wouldn't allow for D&Ding.)
I had not thought of cap of water breathing, that might be the easiest fix to keep the DM's intent for the underwater adventuring intact.
As mentioned, having access to a Subtle Spell feature or something similar would solve this problem.
Also, casting spells from magic items requires no components (including Verbal components).
Alternatively, just try to play within the limitations of the game by trying to prepare spells which have no Verbal components. Such spells that could have some combat use might include:
Cantrips: Minor Illusion, Mold Earth, Shape Water, Thunderclap, True Strike.
So, spellcasting options are limited but not nonexistent.
You can also try to find some creative things for the character to do during such encounters that helps the party that doesn't include casting spells or doing damage but is more than just walking around doing nothing. I'm sure that the DM has meant for this to be a fun and interesting experience, not boring. Especially if this represents only a small portion of the overall campaign. Keep in mind that the DM is likely trying to balance the encounters with limited spellcasting in mind. It can be fun and interesting for a spellcaster to temporarily lose the ability to cast spells or for, say, a martial character to temporarily lose access to any weapons if you lean into the RP of the situation and try as a group to come up with creative ways to overcome the challenges presented. If after some effort it's still not fun for you then just have another chat with your DM and express that thought. The DM won't want his players to not be having any fun so they will probably work something out with you.
Maybe this touching of the object that created the air bubble is his way of trying to work this out with you within the game. It could be the beginning of a quick side quest to improve your situation. Maybe you need to look for a way to mine a much larger portion of this material and then also come up with a solution for transporting it around with you. Maybe it's a first clue about eventually figuring out that there's some other more specific way of creating an air bubble within this environment.
Good luck!
I am playing a sorcerer with 0 non-verbal spells and no swim speed. This is what makes my usefulness very limited, 15feet of movement and 0 spells. Thank you for your well articulated suggestions!
I am playing a sorcerer with 0 non-verbal spells and no swim speed. This is what makes my usefulness very limited, 15feet of movement and 0 spells. Thank you for your well articulated suggestions!
Oh, if you are playing a Sorcerer then you should definitely be using the Subtle Spell Metamagic in this situation. Problem solved. You get access to this at Level 2 and if you didn't pick this option at Level 2 and you were thrust into this situation mid-level then upon your next level-up you are allowed to swap out one of your Metamagic options anyway:
Whenever you gain a Sorcerer level, you can replace one of your Metamagic options with one you don’t know.
I wouldn't expect the DM to change anything about this situation when you have this option so easily available to you as a Sorcerer character.
This means water breathing is not enough to talk underwater.
Ask your DM to explain why creatures like sahuagin have their own language if they can't talk underwater
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Edoumiaond Willegume "Eddie" Podslee, Vegetanian scholar (College of Spirits bard) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator (Assassin rogue) Peter "the Pied Piper" Hausler, human con artist/remover of vermin (Circle of the Shepherd druid) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
So, my DM wants to make underwater adventuring feel different from on land. So much so that he does not allow talking underwater unless you can breath air and use air to produce sound. This means water breathing is not enough to talk underwater. For roleplay purposes this creates some funny scenarios (because we use webcams so we can mime during session) but my character relies 100% on Vocal components for all his spells. This resulted in me taking my turns in combat just walking around and dodging attacks. As this got boring very quickly we first decided you could roll arcana before you cast the spell, DC10 + spells level. fail the arcana roll and you don't get to cast. Later I touched something and got an air bubble around my head for 1 minute, i promptly carved a piece of what i was touching off to take with me, but soon found out DM rolls a d6 and decides that way if the item works or not given it is now a carved of little piece. Inconsistent, unreliable and boring are my take aways.
Long story short!
I am looking for creative (RAW or homebrew) ways to basically get a ball of air around my head( or any other way i could use air to produce sounds with my vocal cords underwater), that is reliable, consistent and does not eat up my spell slots!
There are no wrong answers!
What I came up with myself is a Wand of Air Bubble, with 3 charges. It's important that we can't just give everyone an air bubble and completely circumvent the no talking underwater, since this has it's use in roleplay.
There’s the spell air bubble in spell jammer. 2nd level spell, lasts 24 hours, no concentration.
To answer your question, I think the air bubble spell and the cap of water breathing are the only official items that will work under the conditions you're playing under.
However, I think you need to have a talk with your GM about this. As a full caster, you are basically useless without the ability to speak. Almost every spell has verbal components, and if you can't cast, you can't really play.
I'm considering running a heavily-underwater game in the future, and this is one of the problems I've been kicking around in my head. One of the things I'm considering is that casting (or other brief speech) underwater costs you a round of breath -- significant, but still allowing people to play. (It's still going to be deeply unrealistic, because realistic wouldn't allow for D&Ding.)
You could homebrew a magic item inspired by Metamagic Option Subtle Spell letting you cast a spell without any Verbal components X/day.
As mentioned, having access to a Subtle Spell feature or something similar would solve this problem.
Also, casting spells from magic items requires no components (including Verbal components).
Alternatively, just try to play within the limitations of the game by trying to prepare spells which have no Verbal components. Such spells that could have some combat use might include:
Cantrips: Minor Illusion, Mold Earth, Shape Water, Thunderclap, True Strike.
Leveled Spells: Catapult, Hypnotic Pattern, Ice Knife, Mind Spike, Mislead, Steel Wind Strike.
So, spellcasting options are limited but not nonexistent.
You can also try to find some creative things for the character to do during such encounters that helps the party that doesn't include casting spells or doing damage but is more than just walking around doing nothing. I'm sure that the DM has meant for this to be a fun and interesting experience, not boring. Especially if this represents only a small portion of the overall campaign. Keep in mind that the DM is likely trying to balance the encounters with limited spellcasting in mind. It can be fun and interesting for a spellcaster to temporarily lose the ability to cast spells or for, say, a martial character to temporarily lose access to any weapons if you lean into the RP of the situation and try as a group to come up with creative ways to overcome the challenges presented. If after some effort it's still not fun for you then just have another chat with your DM and express that thought. The DM won't want his players to not be having any fun so they will probably work something out with you.
Maybe this touching of the object that created the air bubble is his way of trying to work this out with you within the game. It could be the beginning of a quick side quest to improve your situation. Maybe you need to look for a way to mine a much larger portion of this material and then also come up with a solution for transporting it around with you. Maybe it's a first clue about eventually figuring out that there's some other more specific way of creating an air bubble within this environment.
Good luck!
Although your DM is within their rights to alter the rules as they see fit, they are dropping the ball on this one.
Being able to breathe underwater is sufficient for being able to cast spells with a verbal component. For the RAW indicators of this, I direct your attention to some example monster spellcasters, such as the Sea Hag and the Sahuagin Priest.
As written, both of these creatures can breathe both air and water (as your character would be able to with a Cap of Water Breathing, or a Potion of Water Breathing, or similar). Both of these creatures can also cast spells requiring verbal components (all of their listed spells in the Monster Manual require verbal components). Their innate magical abilities only allow them to drop the material components from the requirements. They are still required to use the verbal and somatic components, just like anyone else.
Thus, by simple extension, the same rule should apply to your character, as long as you have a way to breathe underwater.
w00ps
w000ps
I had not thought of cap of water breathing, that might be the easiest fix to keep the DM's intent for the underwater adventuring intact.
I am playing a sorcerer with 0 non-verbal spells and no swim speed. This is what makes my usefulness very limited, 15feet of movement and 0 spells. Thank you for your well articulated suggestions!
Oh, if you are playing a Sorcerer then you should definitely be using the Subtle Spell Metamagic in this situation. Problem solved. You get access to this at Level 2 and if you didn't pick this option at Level 2 and you were thrust into this situation mid-level then upon your next level-up you are allowed to swap out one of your Metamagic options anyway:
I wouldn't expect the DM to change anything about this situation when you have this option so easily available to you as a Sorcerer character.
Ask your DM to explain why creatures like sahuagin have their own language if they can't talk underwater
Active characters:
Edoumiaond Willegume "Eddie" Podslee, Vegetanian scholar (College of Spirits bard)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator (Assassin rogue)
Peter "the Pied Piper" Hausler, human con artist/remover of vermin (Circle of the Shepherd druid)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)