There is no rule that states that electrical damage underwater gets spread out amongst everyone. The rules are silent regarding electricity and water.
However, it is long standing tradition that when electricity meets water it turns into an area effect. How that is adjucated depends on the type of effect it was to begin with.
A non-area effect the damage should be split equally.
An area effect (such as a lightning bolt) should turn into something like an electric version of fireball under water.
However, both are GM fiat.
- Gauss
joriandrake: The rules on water state how fire spells work underwater (caster level check DC20+spell level, CRB p432).
- Gauss
The best rule on spells is to assume they do /exactly/ as they say they do. Burning hands lights things on fir ebecause it says it does not because its a fire spell. IF it didnt have a line mentioning this you could cast it on dry paper all day and nothing will happen as far as the rules are concerned.
So shocking grasp has no extra effects inw ater because it doesnt say it does.
So shocking grasp has no extra effects inw ater because it doesnt say it does.
However…
Some spells might function differently underwater, subject to GM discretion.
Due to modern circuits designed SPECIFICALLY to prevent that. Without them, it does happen, and it's been proven scientifically.hm, there is this urban legend that if a radio falls into a bathtub you die, is also used a lot for series and movies, but is in fact wrong 95% of the time
Is it your contention that magic works according to the rules of modern science?
MyTThor: I believe it was Deuxhero's contention that radios in the water no longer kill people because of modern technology that prevents this. I did not see him comment about magic relating to modern science. Joriandrake brought up modern science.
Matt2VK: I agree with your interpretation above water although if trying to touch the target above the water I would apply a cover bonus. Electricity follows the path of least reistance so a touch above water (while standing in it) should not ever go through the water.
Below water I like p432 of the CRB as Thanis pointed out and would rule that it becomes an area affect.
- Gauss
Due to modern circuits designed SPECIFICALLY to prevent that. Without them, it does happen, and it's been proven scientifically.hm, there is this urban legend that if a radio falls into a bathtub you die, is also used a lot for series and movies, but is in fact wrong 95% of the time
This reminds me of an Alkaline Trio song.....
Anyways, spells do what the spell descriptions say they do. They don't care if you are touching water, a copper net, or fancy clockwork armor. Unless the spell says differently. Or the base rules for magic, like fire spells cast underwater.
It's neat to come up with a cool trick, but they should really be one-offs. Otherwise, it can lead to abuse. The game was designed for certain parameters, and altering those parameters can have unintended consequences.
SmiloDan: I agree with what you say...all the way until it gives GMs carte blanche to adjucate spells underwater on p432.
In the hands of a GM that is working with the players for the greater good of the game I see this as a good thing. Example: If I hadn't allowed a lightning bolt to turn into a 'lightning ball' underwater my players would not have been able to zap a BBEG in one battle and it would've gotten away.
But, in the hands of a GM that is unforgiving about this sort of thing I can see it being used against the players as seems to be the case with the OP.
- Gauss
the core issue here is: if a GM can do something with a spell to have secondary or different effects, then the players should later be able to use the same methods too
So shocking grasp has no extra effects inw ater because it doesnt say it does.However…
Some spells might function differently underwater, subject to GM discretion.
Yes that's an underwater rule, not a water rule. For example if I cast fireball under water it makes a steam ball. But if I cast it above water the water blocks it completely.
I dint think the rule is there to do more than apply fantasy affects to your magic. Pretty sure it has nothing to do with an attempt at science.
Turning a shocking grasp into an aoe effect with water is a dangerous house rule that is easy to abuse.
IF I wanted to make a house rule for electric spells and water I'd rule that they do half damage because most water found in nature or dungeons and the like is highly polluted with salts and stuff and thus conductive, leading the electricity away from the body all the while. At the same time the water cools the target lessening the fact that electricity deals a good part of its damage by heating what it flows through.
The silliest electricity rule was in earlier D&D versions (could have been AD&D) where you got double damage for wearing metal armor.
So by wearing something that has a higher conductivity than your body, which in other words prevents the electricity from flowing though you, you get more damage? Yea right.
So what your GM ruled is ok as a HR, it is not RAW and it is not reasonable from a scientific point of view but RPGs don't have to follow the laws of nature.
especially so as humans themselves don't understand the laws of nature yet properly, and common folks have a dozen+ rumors and misinformation of them