1) Pull out water from a river and make an ice wall in front of a creature to block its path or make a floor of ice spikes to cause difficult terrain and deal damage to it; all in one action?
You expend an action to cast the spell and can apply one of the possible effects.
For the effect you describe, you need to expend 1 action per 5 feet distance you need to move the water to (at least 1, if the water just has to move from the river to an adjoining space).
Plus 1 action to shape it into spikes, or a block.
Plus 1 action to freeze it.
And it won't be able to directly damage anyone, as that is not an effect granted to the spell.
You're basically describing Wall of Ice, which is a 6th level spell. Although it does sound a bit like Control Water, which is only 6th level. There's really no way to move water to a different location, reshape it, and also freeze it. Although two casters working together could probably form an ice wall, but it would take a while.
Well, you'll also need a way to keep the water you moved in one place. Because you can't freeze it as part of the same action given the specifics of SWAter, you can't expect the water to just stay where you put it unless a container already present.
In 5e with shape water, can I:
1) Pull out water from a river and make an ice wall in front of a creature to block its path or make a floor of ice spikes to cause difficult terrain and deal damage to it; all in one action?
Shape Water tells you exactly what you can do.
You expend an action to cast the spell and can apply one of the possible effects.
For the effect you describe, you need to expend 1 action per 5 feet distance you need to move the water to (at least 1, if the water just has to move from the river to an adjoining space).
Plus 1 action to shape it into spikes, or a block.
Plus 1 action to freeze it.
And it won't be able to directly damage anyone, as that is not an effect granted to the spell.
More Interesting Lock Picking Rules
You're basically describing Wall of Ice, which is a 6th level spell. Although it does sound a bit like Control Water, which is only 6th level. There's really no way to move water to a different location, reshape it, and also freeze it. Although two casters working together could probably form an ice wall, but it would take a while.
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You can just cast it again, one casting to move the water into position and a second to freeze it.
That is what I was doing but didn't know it took 2 actions.
So
1 action = move 5ft cube of water within 30ft to a 5ft path to block it with swimming/difficult terrain.
1 action = Freeze it to block a 5ft path with 5ft thick ice for 1 hour.
Well, you'll also need a way to keep the water you moved in one place. Because you can't freeze it as part of the same action given the specifics of SWAter, you can't expect the water to just stay where you put it unless a container already present.
1 action to animate the water and to give it the desired shape. This lasts one hour.
1 action per 5 ft the animated water is to be moved. This is instantaneous.
1 action to freeze the animated water once it is at the desired location. This too lasts one hour.