Let's assume that we have water breathing and a swim speed arranged for the party already. Spells under consideration would be 5th Level or lower.
Our intrepid Wizard can't cast spells with a Verbal component. So how do we fix that? I think Necklace of Adaptation might:
How do we satisfy verbal component for spells under water? Even if the Necklace of Adaptation does, at 9,000 gold it's pricey.
Also, what are particularly good spells under water? For example, Fireball would be awful, but Magic Missile is pretty good. Summoning is cool, but that uses Verbal components.
Actually the concentration check to cast spells underwater covers the verbal component problem I think. With water breathing you should be fine.
Spellcasting Underwater: Casting spells while submerged can be difficult for those who cannot breathe underwater. A creature that cannot breathe water must make a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell underwater (this is in addition to the caster level check to successfully cast a fire spell underwater). Creatures that can breathe water are unaffected and can cast spells normally. Some spells might function differently underwater, subject to GM discretion.
Thanks. That sounds like an airtight, so to speak, argument for water breathing.
As for particularly useful spells, Haste looks great. Keep those suggestions coming, please.
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I think Phantasmal Web would be good. A lot of battlefield control won't work unless you're close to the ground/seabed and walls would be easy to swim around.
If you're far below the surface you'll want darkvision, via the Darkvision spell or otherwise, or magical light. Darkvision doesn't tell everyone for a mile around where you are.
Slow make a good followup to Haste.
It can get pretty cold in the deep sea so remember to get Endure Elements.
If you run into others using spells to breathe and move underwater then Dispel Magic could be quite lethal. In view of this make sure you have backups if you're doing the same.