Planes are technically infinite in size. The problem with that is that you somehow have to then fit in things like light sources - which way is “up”? Where is the “bottom”? Some things like oceanic vents can be thought of as 2 way “leaks” between planes but ….
In 1e through 3e, it was described as endless water with no surface (although it does blend with other planes in some regions, but that is a blending of planes in pockets rather than an "edge" to the plane), with no gravity so there is no up or down and no issues of pressure. Also, there is a soft blue-green glow suffusing the entire plane in every direction. So it is still lit. This was consistent across 1e through 3e.
In 4e, the elemental planes all got combined with the Abyss for some reason, so there really wasn't any Plane of Water.
In 5e, there's just a few paragraphs, but suddenly they gave the Plane of Water a surface (and a sun??!). And it's not stated that it is where Water and Air border, but for whatever reason, Water now has a massive amount of air in it and a definite down. However, it is still mentioned as "endless" either way, so likely still infinite.
We'll see how this Fall's Planescape set describes it, but your best source of info is the Planescape book Inner Planes which has probably the most information on it from all of the editions. It best details the Plane of Water as it existed for most of the history of the game.
Giving it some terrain besides just infinite water makes it easier to have player go there during a campaign. It's also justified as the "inner" portion of a given elemental plane is partly intermingled with the others, which is why the other elements are present there too.
Simple answer: "It's as big as you need it to be."
That's it. It has no defined geographic limit. If you want there to be some deep Marianis-type trench - it's in there. If you want there to be a Great Barrier Reef - it's in there. If you want there to be a pirate ship graveyard - it's in there. If you want there to be a kingdom of Marids living in an underwater city made of massive conch shells - it's in there. It's as big as your game needs and as big as your imagination allows.
More infinite or less infinite than the prime material. As big as all the water in a drop. As big as a raindrop, yet housing all elemental water in the multiverse. Infinitely large with finite features. Finite in space but holding infinite water. Take your pick...
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Approximately how large is the elemental plane of water?
Planes are technically infinite in size. The problem with that is that you somehow have to then fit in things like light sources - which way is “up”? Where is the “bottom”? Some things like oceanic vents can be thought of as 2 way “leaks” between planes but ….
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
The Elemental Plane of Water is infinite in size.
In 1e through 3e, it was described as endless water with no surface (although it does blend with other planes in some regions, but that is a blending of planes in pockets rather than an "edge" to the plane), with no gravity so there is no up or down and no issues of pressure. Also, there is a soft blue-green glow suffusing the entire plane in every direction. So it is still lit. This was consistent across 1e through 3e.
In 4e, the elemental planes all got combined with the Abyss for some reason, so there really wasn't any Plane of Water.
In 5e, there's just a few paragraphs, but suddenly they gave the Plane of Water a surface (and a sun??!). And it's not stated that it is where Water and Air border, but for whatever reason, Water now has a massive amount of air in it and a definite down. However, it is still mentioned as "endless" either way, so likely still infinite.
We'll see how this Fall's Planescape set describes it, but your best source of info is the Planescape book Inner Planes which has probably the most information on it from all of the editions. It best details the Plane of Water as it existed for most of the history of the game.
Giving it some terrain besides just infinite water makes it easier to have player go there during a campaign. It's also justified as the "inner" portion of a given elemental plane is partly intermingled with the others, which is why the other elements are present there too.
Simple answer: "It's as big as you need it to be."
That's it. It has no defined geographic limit. If you want there to be some deep Marianis-type trench - it's in there. If you want there to be a Great Barrier Reef - it's in there. If you want there to be a pirate ship graveyard - it's in there. If you want there to be a kingdom of Marids living in an underwater city made of massive conch shells - it's in there. It's as big as your game needs and as big as your imagination allows.
It's wicked big.
Anzio Faro. Protector Aasimar light cleric. Lvl 18.
Viktor Gavriil. White dragonborn grave cleric. Lvl 20.
Ikram Sahir ibn-Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad. Brass dragonborn draconic sorcerer Lvl 9. Fire elemental devil.
Wrangler of cats.
More infinite or less infinite than the prime material. As big as all the water in a drop. As big as a raindrop, yet housing all elemental water in the multiverse. Infinitely large with finite features. Finite in space but holding infinite water. Take your pick...