While mundane fire can’t burn underwater, the sudden appearance of magically produced fire underwater would cause instant vaporisation, filling the affected area with bubbles of scalding hot steam. The sudden increase in water pressure from the vaporisation would have an impact like a small bomb, increasing the amount of disorientation and potential damage. In engineering, this is called cavitation and is significantly damaging to machinery. It’s the reason a mantis shrimp can kill its prey with a punch that doesn’t hit.
TL;DR: you can absolutely kill someone with an underwater fireball. Though you might want to convert half the dice to thunder damage.
I have to say, since finally playing a wizard, once you get fireball it’s hard to imagine life any other way.
My wizard just got fireball. First encounter: underwater. Still rad as hell.
how does that work? A fireball underwater?
Magic. It works by magic.
yeah, okay, but let’s say I’m DMing. Should I allow it? caz it feels like BS for a submerged enemy to take fire dmg
Resistance to fire damage for everyone maybe?
That’s already RAW.
While mundane fire can’t burn underwater, the sudden appearance of magically produced fire underwater would cause instant vaporisation, filling the affected area with bubbles of scalding hot steam. The sudden increase in water pressure from the vaporisation would have an impact like a small bomb, increasing the amount of disorientation and potential damage. In engineering, this is called cavitation and is significantly damaging to machinery. It’s the reason a mantis shrimp can kill its prey with a punch that doesn’t hit.
TL;DR: you can absolutely kill someone with an underwater fireball. Though you might want to convert half the dice to thunder damage.
Wow, now this is good DMing. For sure noted xd. Thanks, it makes sense.
As someone said below, it did half damage. I could breathe underwater which is also required for verbal components.