Hello,

I am wondering how strong the freezing of water by cantrip Shape Water is.

It says that "You freeze the water, provided that there are no creatures in it. The water unfreezes in 1 hour." and "If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action."

This tells me, that since I can dismiss the effect of the frozen status as an action, this means that the spell somehow keeps the water frozen for 1 hour.

But how strong it is? For example, what would happen, if I would throw this frozen water into a pool of lava? Would it stay frozen for this 1 hour even in pool of lava?

My question was mainly about how environmental ambient temperature affects the frozen status of the water.

Is it that it affects it normally or it does not affect it at all?

Here are some examples:

1) I am in nice temperate forest. It is about 20 degrees Celsius. I use Shape Water and freeze some water. The spell says that it unfreezes in 1 hour. But since it is 20 degrees above zero, would it be slowly melting already while the spell is still in effect? Or would the spell keep it absolutely frozen for up to this 1 hour?

2) Similarly like in the example above, but I am in more extreme environment. Lets say in a desert and it is really hot. Would my frozen water stay frozen for this 1 hour?

If yes, where is the limit? What would be the temperature, at which it starts melting, while the spell is still in effect? That is behind my previous post with example of a pool of lava.

3) I am in arctic environment. It is below freezeing temperature outside. I use Shape Water and freeze some water. No question, if it stays frozen for 1 hour, that is clear. But what will happen after that? Would the water suddenly unfreezes after this 1 hour, because spell says so? Or would the environment keep it frozen even after the spell ends?

The spell shape water  say you freeze an area of water, which unfreezes in 1 hour with no other contraindication so it should stay magically frozen until it suddenly isn't.

I don't see why an ice triangle or cube would not float in water if it can sustain the weight of the creature on it. Whatever float your boat! :)

I know ice float but don't knowhow much weight a 5 foot cube can take before sinking. For simplicity's sake i would probably rule that a creature of medium size or smaller is okay.

I agree that it would remain frozen until the duration ended, or you ended it with an action, no matter the ambient temperature. But it can take damage, like from lava (not just from the heat it produces by being next to it, but actually in the lava), so could be destroyed. Just would have to determine how many HP it would have.

This spell could be used to cross a river (or more probably a pond or lake with little to no current) by making two frozen blocks, one you are standing on and one you are moving to. Then move to the second one, dismiss the first, then create the next block in the line. Rinse and Repeat. Or hop on a block and start paddling.

Hm, this is interesting solution. So, until the temperature is doing damage, the ice would remain frozen for the duration of the spell. But if the temperature would rise, so it starts doing damage (like in case of lava or maybe a flame or a fire spell), then it could destroy the ice.

But I am still a bit unclear if ending the Shape water freezing effect would cause the ice to melt instantly even in frigid environment.