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View Full Version : [3.5] Is there a spell that surrounds you with water?



AvatarZero
2010-07-06, 08:27 AM
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/merfolk.htm

Really specific thread topic here. I had an image of a merfolk caster, possibly a sorcerer, who can use their Swim speed outside the water by being constantly surrounded by a bubble of water. (Merfolk can breathe air, but they can only crawl around on the ground.) I've discovered there are plenty of spells that allow a land-based adventurer to act freely underwater in the Spell Compendium and Magic Item Compendium, but not vice versa.

Is there already a spell or magic item that does that? If not, what do you reckon for a custom spell? (Alter Self is level 2, Fly is level 3.)

Snake-Aes
2010-07-06, 08:39 AM
swimming inside the bubble that is centered on you? I don't think that would let you bypass land speed. You could try an alter self instead.

Grumman
2010-07-06, 08:52 AM
Would the Planar Bubble spell work? It's level 7, but it creates an area around the target that emulates their native plane, which for the Elemental Plane of Water might include the water. If you're not a native of the Elemental Plane of Water, playing a Sorcerer who uses the animal companion ACF from Unearthed Arcana and then exchanges the animal companion for an elemental companion using the ACF from Complete Mage would get you permanent access to a Water Elemental to target with the spell.

Or you could be boring and use the level 2 spell, Fins to Feet, from Stormwrack.

sdream
2010-07-06, 09:06 AM
I think there is gilled armor in the MIC that allows water breathers to function on land. Besides that and levitation rings, I had an idea for a merfolk raiding party - portable flood.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/controlWater.htm

Specifically mentions the effect can spill over onto dry land, and lasts 10 min /level.

By the book, it would be a 7th level cast permanant item, replicating a 4th level spell to create a permanent mound of water around an item, 14 feet high, and 70 feet on a side

"Use-activated or continuous = Spell level × caster level × 2,000 gp"

"If a continuous item has an effect based on a spell with ... duration is 10 minutes/level, multiply the cost by 1.5."

4 x 7 x 2000 x 1.5 = 70k.

You could probably get a houseruled model, half as tall (7ft), one 14th as wide, one 14th as long (5x5).

The area would be 2x14x14 a little less than 400 times smaller, equal to 175gp if you were charging by cubic foot alone (you definitely aren't, or everyone would like to pay for fireballs by cubic foot also).

It should be a conversation with the DM about how much such mobility is worth - I would place it as exactly equal to the cost of magic that lets land based creatures function underwater.

For a single character, levitation or flight is expensive, but then they have not just the ability to walk, but also to fly... For simpler ground travel, have you considered mounts?

A special saddle (obviously sidesaddle rather than straddle) a mount that doesn't mind getting wet and plenty of pouring water is the non-magical solution.

Alternately, perhaps Artificers could be of service with mechanical legs or a magical cart under an armored kiddie pool.

FINAL NOTE:
If you are just looking for an NPC encounter, just use the standard 4th level spell, having merfolk casters raise water from the edge of a river or lake 60 feet inland per casting, a 70 foot swath of flooding.

3 casts and the raiding party can reach the museum 180 feet from the river, while the water itself holds land foes at bay and hinders resistance. Over an hour is plenty of time to do almost anything.

Look out for dispel magic though - might need recastings.

Vinyadan
2010-07-06, 09:19 AM
You could make a big floating disc and stay on it while it carries you where you wish.

AvatarZero
2010-07-06, 09:32 AM
swimming inside the bubble that is centered on you? I don't think that would let you bypass land speed. You could try an alter self instead.

Swimming in a bubble is the idea. Not sure why land speed would be relevant since you wouldn't be touching the ground.


Would the Planar Bubble spell work? It's level 7, but it creates an area around the target that emulates their native plane, which for the Elemental Plane of Water might include the water. If you're not a native of the Elemental Plane of Water, playing a Sorcerer who uses the animal companion ACF from Unearthed Arcana and then exchanges the animal companion for an elemental companion using the ACF from Complete Mage would get you permanent access to a Water Elemental to target with the spell.

Or you could be boring and use the level 2 spell, Fins to Feet, from Stormwrack.

I like the Double ACF method, but it only results in a small elemental, medium at level 8, large at level 20.

I mainly like the image of hovering around in a floating pool of water, more than trying to find a way for a merfolk mage to function normally. Normalcy is overrated. :smallsmile:

I guess there probably isn't a spell that already does that specific thing, so how does this sound?

---

Water Sheathe
Conjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target or Area: You
Duration: 10 min/level (D)

This spell surrounds you with a bubble of ordinary water on all sides, which may be fresh water or salt water (chosen at time of casting). The water moves with you, and you are treated as being fully submerged in water; you are subject to movement bonuses and penalties as if you were underwater, and if you cannot breathe in water, you may drown.

Water that is separated from the bubble disappears. This water reacts normally to heat, so fire based attacks affect you normally, but you cannot be set on fire.

---

What do you think? There could be higher level versions that add other effects, such as a watery or icy shield, or a holy version to protect you from undead, or maybe something with Freedom of Movement built in for really high levels.

Snake-Aes
2010-07-06, 09:35 AM
Swimming in a bubble is the idea. Not sure why land speed would be relevant since you wouldn't be touching the ground.
How will the bubble move? The bubble "braces" itself either around you or around the ground. If it's around you, then you swimming in it doesn't move anything. If it's around the ground, swimming removes you from the bubble.

Yeah, "it's magic", but I don't remember seeing any spell whose intent is to let yourself bypass the rest of the environment like that.

subject42
2010-07-06, 09:38 AM
Certain shenanigans with the Wall of Water spell could work.

Prime32
2010-07-06, 09:47 AM
If you're not a native of the Elemental Plane of Water, playing a Sorcerer who uses the animal companion ACF from Unearthed Arcana and then exchanges the animal companion for an elemental companion using the ACF from Complete Mage would get you permanent access to a Water Elemental to target with the spell.That reminds me of Perdido Street Station, where the protagonist has to hire some D&D-esque adventurers at one point, and one of them is a member of an aquatic race using a water elemental companion in their robes to stay moist.

paddyfool
2010-07-06, 10:26 AM
I like the Double ACF method, but it only results in a small elemental, medium at level 8, large at level 20.

While the elemental is small, you could carry it inside a 4ft bowl or dome around your head (if you can carry 34lb of water elemental) enabling you to breathe through it and it to lash out at anything that attacks you. Once medium, it walks just in front of you and you breathe through its "head". Once large, it can carry you, which you can fluff as "swimming around inside it". Problem solved! :smalltongue:

AvatarZero
2010-07-06, 10:30 AM
How will the bubble move? The bubble "braces" itself either around you or around the ground. If it's around you, then you swimming in it doesn't move anything. If it's around the ground, swimming removes you from the bubble.

Yeah, "it's magic", but I don't remember seeing any spell whose intent is to let yourself bypass the rest of the environment like that.

It's a continuous conjuration spell, not an abjuration, ie. it's creating stationary water around you, not holding pre-existing water in a bubble with you inside. The water disappears when it leaves the field of conjuration, which looks like a bubble from the outside.

And Fly. Fly bypasses everything. Overland Flight bypasses everything all day.


While the elemental is small, you could carry it inside a 4ft bowl or dome around your head (if you can carry 34lb of water elemental) enabling you to breathe through it and it to lash out at anything that attacks you. Once medium, it walks just in front of you and you breathe through its "head". Once large, it can carry you, which you can fluff as "swimming around inside it". Problem solved! :smalltongue:

Merfolk can breathe air. The issue is that their land speed is 5ft. Presumably they flop around like a fish or pull themselves along with their arms.

I do like this idea, but it's pretty high level for what I'm used to (never played a character above level 6).


You could make a big floating disc and stay on it while it carries you where you wish.

Like it, but it's also high level (greater floating disk, the directable sort, is a level 4 spell).

I wish there were a way to do any of these at level 3, short of saying "That spell I made up that pretty much allows you to fly is now level 2". As is, a merfolk PC, even a full caster, would be seriously inconvenienced in a low level campaign. But maybe that's OK, and they should be reserved for more special situations, like high level campaigns (where flight is a standard rather than anything special), exotic and powerful NPCs (a pretty version of Jabba the Hutt, wealthy and stationary), or unusual adventure sites.

paddyfool
2010-07-06, 10:46 AM
Merfolk can breathe air. The issue is that their land speed is 5ft. Presumably they flop around like a fish or pull themselves along with their arms.

Ah, I see. Hmm... you could always ride a horse with a specialised saddle, but that would pose a problem in confined spaces. I wonder what rules there are for wheelchairs in D&D? Alternatively, you could have a water elemental carry you when in spaces too confined for a horse. Although you'd probably be heavy enough to make it encumbered, bringing its speed down to 15ft while on land, that would still be better than 5ft.

Snake-Aes
2010-07-06, 10:49 AM
It's a continuous conjuration spell, not an abjuration, ie. it's creating stationary water around you, not holding pre-existing water in a bubble with you inside. The water disappears when it leaves the field of conjuration, which looks like a bubble from the outside.

And Fly. Fly bypasses everything. Overland Flight bypasses everything all day.


I see. Then you actually -are- bypassing environment :p makes sense then.

Prime32
2010-07-06, 10:50 AM
I'd put the merfolk in some kind of powered armour, maybe a hollowed-out golem. You only really need the lower half though. Maybe he could keep his tail in a bag of holding filled with water.

AvatarZero
2010-07-06, 10:57 AM
I'd put the merfolk in some kind of powered armour, maybe a hollowed-out golem. You only really need the lower half though. Maybe he could keep his tail in a bag of holding filled with water.

:smalleek: ...Dude.

Maybe you could play a Warforged most of the time, then switch to your Merfolk stats when you get out of your armour. What's the level adjustment on having two races?:smallwink:

Snake-Aes
2010-07-06, 10:59 AM
:smalleek: ...Dude.

Maybe you could play a Warforged most of the time, then switch to your Merfolk stats when you get out of your armour. What's the level adjustment on having two races?:smallwink:

XD Ask your dm. You'd literally be transforming a warforged's physical stats into a magic item.

Prime32
2010-07-06, 11:07 AM
I did that before with a gnome actually. Fun times. Just to make things confusing, he was accompanied by an actual warforged.

In fluff terms he was an artificer who had a mountain base filled with golems, but they couldn't leave because their power source was in the mountain. So he could summon them temporarily. (mechanically, the astral construct power) His companion was one of his constructs who had been given its own power source.


When I said "powered armour" I was thinking more like The Wrong Trousers or HAL.
http://www.speedwayplus.com/images/wrong_trousers.jpghttp://www.piradius-design.com/clients/myhybridzworld/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/r_hal.png

jokey665
2010-07-06, 11:33 AM
It's not exactly what you're looking for, but the spell "Fins to Feet" from Stormwrack does exactly what it sounds like it does and grants a land speed of 30ft. 2nd level Sor/Wiz spell and lasts 1 hr/lvl

AvatarZero
2010-07-06, 12:05 PM
It's not exactly what you're looking for, but the spell "Fins to Feet" from Stormwrack does exactly what it sounds like it does and grants a land speed of 30ft. 2nd level Sor/Wiz spell and lasts 1 hr/lvl

Seems like that's the sensible, functional solution. Alternatives include mysteriously floating water, that lesser known Discworld character The Swimming Pool, and animated trousers. Points go to Grumman for suggesting summoning the Elemental Plane of Water to your location: Planar Bubble, for when you don't have the energy for moderate solutions.

paddyfool
2010-07-06, 06:23 PM
Seems like that's the sensible, functional solution. Alternatives include mysteriously floating water, that lesser known Discworld character The Swimming Pool, and animated trousers. Points go to Grumman for suggesting summoning the Elemental Plane of Water to your location: Planar Bubble, for when you don't have the energy for moderate solutions.

From level 4 until you get fly, certainly.

Prior to level 4 you're stuck with "getting something to carry you around". Water elemental seems the most flavourful, if not the most effective, option along these lines.