So I'm playing a druid and I was wondering if it'd be possible to combine create and control water to make a weapon or item. The spell control water says it makes the water into simple shapes plural meaning I can combine shapes into something like a sword or spear. It also says that the spell lasts an hour meaning the weapon won't break either and I believe means it'd be solid. So if I had an easy way to make weapons it'd be helpful. Would this work? It all depends on if I can can enough rain water in a 5 by 5 foot cube, if not would it work if I had a container?
So I'm playing a druid and I was wondering if it'd be possible to combine create and control water to make a weapon or item. The spell control water says it makes the water into simple shapes plural meaning I can combine shapes into something like a sword or spear. It also says that the spell lasts an hour meaning the weapon won't break either and I believe means it'd be solid. So if I had an easy way to make weapons it'd be helpful. Would this work? It all depends on if I can can enough rain water in a 5 by 5 foot cube, if not would it work if I had a container?
You could use Create Water to 'create water', then use Control Water to shape it and freeze it - however, it would have limited use as a weapon because it would be no different than pouring water into a mould, freezing it, then trying to use it as a weapon. The spell prevents it from melting for an hour, it doesn't prevent it from breaking, and a weapon made of ice would be brittle.
Spells do what spells say they do - nowhere in the spell does it say it makes unbreakable ice. It just says it can freeze water that lasts for an hour.
You might be able to do this, but it is a massive waste of a fourth level spell slot to get an ordinary weapon with concentration that lasts for 10 minutes.
You need to discuss this with your DM. People here can give you opinions on how they might adjudicate what you’re asking but it can only be achieved through the use of homebrew rules—there is nothing RAW that provides for such a use of either spell, nor for combining the spells in the manner you desire. As such, only your DM can tell you whether and how it will work.
FWIW, it’s a no from me. I’m not sure where you are seeing that control water allows you to make shapes. I see four very specific uses of it: Flood, Part Water, Redirect Flow and Whirlpool, none of which mention “making shapes” (that I noted with my terrible habit of skimming—feel free to correct me). Additionally, the volume of a 5’ cube is ~950 gallons or (~475L if you’re metric), which strikes me as beyond the scope of your ability with Create Water, though it is instantaneous and permanent. I guess you could cast it a lot of times, like 95 times or so.
The 4th level spell Control Water doesn't turn anything into ice. I think you mean Shape Water, the cantrip.
You're really in Ask the DM territory because there's multiple ways to rule this. For instance, they wouldn't be actual shields and sword they'd be improvised weapons but maybe they're close enough the DM will let you use the normal stats but some DMs may say improvised so, shield doesn't work and sword is only 1d4 - no prof bonus.
Ice is fragile and would not have the durability to withstand attacks, like the shield, or for multiple attacks, like the sword. There's no actual rules for "durability of objects when used like weapons", so DMs will differ in how to cover this. Some may not care and ignore the fragility of ice, some may say they'd instantly shatter.
A DM would have to consider how powerful allowing this may be. Water is likely abundant, wouldn't even need the create water spell, and once the shield and sword unfreeze there's nothing stopping you re-freezing them, so even the 1 hour limit is negligible especially since it's a cantrip. So on top of everything the cantrip already does you'd be permitting it to arm the user with both a sword and shield for an hour. That's a bit much, honestly, in my opinion.
According to the 2024 PHB a tiny fragile object has about 2d4 HP, average 2. For simplicity I'd go with the 2 and say this: the shield doesn't add to AC but the next time you receive damage from an attack you can reduce the damage by 2 and the shield then breaks. For the sword, I'd say it counts as a melee one-handed weapon of choice, but only does 2 damage and once that damage has been dealt it is destroyed. Once the shield/sword is broken/destroyed the water evaporates and cannot be refrozen.
This will mean the combo is mildly useful in a pinch as an extension to the cantrip's uses. If you want something better then we're in "creating homebrew spells" territory, which will be an entirely different discussion.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I know this is kind of off topic, but it’s really making me want to homebrew a magic weapon that’s made of ice, like a maul for some reason. Or maybe just flavor a frost brand that way.
I know this is kind of off topic, but it’s really making me want to homebrew a magic weapon that’s made of ice, like a maul for some reason. Or maybe just flavor a frost brand that way.
Like a cold-damage version of a flametongue weapon? Coldtongue? 🤔
Now I want an ice lolly. 😂
Ooh, wait, I do have ice-cream... 👀
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I know this is kind of off topic, but it’s really making me want to homebrew a magic weapon that’s made of ice, like a maul for some reason. Or maybe just flavor a frost brand that way.
The classic PC game Icewind Dale actually did let you get a magic weapon that was made of enchanted ice from the heart of a glacier. You could actually get one of a number of different weapons (scimitar, mace, halberd, dagger, etc), each with slightly different abilities.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I know this is kind of off topic, but it’s really making me want to homebrew a magic weapon that’s made of ice, like a maul for some reason. Or maybe just flavor a frost brand that way.
The classic PC game Icewind Dale actually did let you get a magic weapon that was made of enchanted ice from the heart of a glacier. You could actually get one of a number of different weapons (scimitar, mace, halberd, dagger, etc), each with slightly different abilities.
I played the crap out of that game, but don’t remember it. Probably where I got the idea, though. Somewhere in the back of my head.
I know this is kind of off topic, but it’s really making me want to homebrew a magic weapon that’s made of ice, like a maul for some reason. Or maybe just flavor a frost brand that way.
The classic PC game Icewind Dale actually did let you get a magic weapon that was made of enchanted ice from the heart of a glacier. You could actually get one of a number of different weapons (scimitar, mace, halberd, dagger, etc), each with slightly different abilities.
I played the crap out of that game, but don’t remember it. Probably where I got the idea, though. Somewhere in the back of my head.
It was part of the Heart of Winter expansion, not the core game.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
So I'm playing a druid and I was wondering if it'd be possible to combine create and control water to make a weapon or item. The spell control water says it makes the water into simple shapes plural meaning I can combine shapes into something like a sword or spear. It also says that the spell lasts an hour meaning the weapon won't break either and I believe means it'd be solid. So if I had an easy way to make weapons it'd be helpful. Would this work? It all depends on if I can can enough rain water in a 5 by 5 foot cube, if not would it work if I had a container?
You could use Create Water to 'create water', then use Control Water to shape it and freeze it - however, it would have limited use as a weapon because it would be no different than pouring water into a mould, freezing it, then trying to use it as a weapon. The spell prevents it from melting for an hour, it doesn't prevent it from breaking, and a weapon made of ice would be brittle.
Spells do what spells say they do - nowhere in the spell does it say it makes unbreakable ice. It just says it can freeze water that lasts for an hour.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
You might be able to do this, but it is a massive waste of a fourth level spell slot to get an ordinary weapon with concentration that lasts for 10 minutes.
You need to discuss this with your DM. People here can give you opinions on how they might adjudicate what you’re asking but it can only be achieved through the use of homebrew rules—there is nothing RAW that provides for such a use of either spell, nor for combining the spells in the manner you desire. As such, only your DM can tell you whether and how it will work.
FWIW, it’s a no from me. I’m not sure where you are seeing that control water allows you to make shapes. I see four very specific uses of it: Flood, Part Water, Redirect Flow and Whirlpool, none of which mention “making shapes” (that I noted with my terrible habit of skimming—feel free to correct me). Additionally, the volume of a 5’ cube is ~950 gallons or (~475L if you’re metric), which strikes me as beyond the scope of your ability with Create Water, though it is instantaneous and permanent. I guess you could cast it a lot of times, like 95 times or so.
You could make weapons with it but I would make you do some form of skill check unless you're making something like a club or pick.
Bladed weapons would be too fragile and would only last one hit. I suppose if you had nothing better, then go ahead.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
The 4th level spell Control Water doesn't turn anything into ice. I think you mean Shape Water, the cantrip.
You're really in Ask the DM territory because there's multiple ways to rule this. For instance, they wouldn't be actual shields and sword they'd be improvised weapons but maybe they're close enough the DM will let you use the normal stats but some DMs may say improvised so, shield doesn't work and sword is only 1d4 - no prof bonus.
Ice is fragile and would not have the durability to withstand attacks, like the shield, or for multiple attacks, like the sword. There's no actual rules for "durability of objects when used like weapons", so DMs will differ in how to cover this. Some may not care and ignore the fragility of ice, some may say they'd instantly shatter.
A DM would have to consider how powerful allowing this may be. Water is likely abundant, wouldn't even need the create water spell, and once the shield and sword unfreeze there's nothing stopping you re-freezing them, so even the 1 hour limit is negligible especially since it's a cantrip. So on top of everything the cantrip already does you'd be permitting it to arm the user with both a sword and shield for an hour. That's a bit much, honestly, in my opinion.
According to the 2024 PHB a tiny fragile object has about 2d4 HP, average 2. For simplicity I'd go with the 2 and say this: the shield doesn't add to AC but the next time you receive damage from an attack you can reduce the damage by 2 and the shield then breaks. For the sword, I'd say it counts as a melee one-handed weapon of choice, but only does 2 damage and once that damage has been dealt it is destroyed. Once the shield/sword is broken/destroyed the water evaporates and cannot be refrozen.
This will mean the combo is mildly useful in a pinch as an extension to the cantrip's uses. If you want something better then we're in "creating homebrew spells" territory, which will be an entirely different discussion.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
I know this is kind of off topic, but it’s really making me want to homebrew a magic weapon that’s made of ice, like a maul for some reason. Or maybe just flavor a frost brand that way.
Like a cold-damage version of a flametongue weapon? Coldtongue? 🤔
Now I want an ice lolly. 😂
Ooh, wait, I do have ice-cream... 👀
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
The classic PC game Icewind Dale actually did let you get a magic weapon that was made of enchanted ice from the heart of a glacier. You could actually get one of a number of different weapons (scimitar, mace, halberd, dagger, etc), each with slightly different abilities.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I played the crap out of that game, but don’t remember it. Probably where I got the idea, though. Somewhere in the back of my head.
It was part of the Heart of Winter expansion, not the core game.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.