Ice Storm in 5E: What It Does, How to Use It & Special Rules

A warrior walking towards an ice castle

Can you dodge Ice Storm 5e?

Ice storm vs. other AOE spells in 5e

Ice Storm is a fantastic Area of Effect (AOE) spell in Dungeons & Dragons 5E; it often gets overlooked in favor of its flashier counterparts like Fireball and Lightning Bolt. Sure, they punch harder and are easier to use creatively, but Ice Storm has unique advantages. The combination of cold and bludgeoning damage gives it a different flavor than other AOE spells. The ability to cause difficult terrain also has an advantage over spells like Fireball that bloom into existence and then fade just as quickly. For its level, it is quite a powerful spell, especially against hordes of enemies. As with all AOE spells, the more enemies, the better.

This 5e spell can prove to be quite an asset in spicing up your next D&D session as its utility is wide-reaching–from creating a difficult terrain that can prevent enemies from reaching you or damaging structures whose protection you seek. You can even add special custom homebrew rules making the spell much more narratively juicy. No matter how you use it, the Ice Storm spell has some magical qualities that will quickly become apparent in your journeys if you choose wisely!

Add Your Heading Text Special Rules for Ice Storm in 5E Here

Are you ready to bring severe wintertime elemental magic onto your D&D 5E battlefield? If so, it’s time to learn about the powerful and awe-inspiring Ice Storm spell. With its unique restrictions and rules and a wide range of practical applications for dungeon masters (and players, too!). Ice Storm is a fantastic tool in your D&D arsenal.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into precisely what Ice Storm can do, which situations it’s best suited for, and critical special rules you must follow when using it in combat or gameplay. So don your warmest robe of protection against cold weather spells and get ready to become an expert on the fascinating spell – Ice Storm!

 

 

Warriors walking through an ice storm towards a dragon's lair

 

What Is Ice Storm.

Ice Storm 5e is a powerful spell that creates a huge hailstorm that rains down upon a large area. It deals cold damage and bludgeoning damage, and it turns the ground into difficult terrain for one turn. Those brave Dungeon Masters who choose to cast this potent spell will find that it can be used to devastating effect against their enemies. Ice Storm is an excellent way to deal massive damage to groups of foes while potentially disrupting their movement and plans, giving you an edge in combat.

How to Use Ice Storm

When conjuring Ice Storm, D&D 5e Dungeon Masters must remember how devastatingly powerful this magical spell can be. Every creature inside the 20-foot-radius and 40-foot high cylinder of the Ice Storm spell receives 4d6 cold and 2d8 bludgeoning damage on a failed Dexterity Save, or half as much on a successful one. In addition, when you cast Ice Storm, the enormous hailstones that rain down on your enemies also cause the area to become difficult terrain until the end of your next turn.

Unique Qualities of the Ice Storm Spell

The Ice Storm spell, 5e style, grants arcane wizards immense power worthy of the most epic dungeons and dragons battles. With a powerful burst of hail and freezing rain from the caster’s fingertips, this spell can cripple groups of enemies if used correctly. 

Casting the powerful Ice Storm spell in D&D 5E can be intriguing. Still, the dungeon master needs to understand all the special rules accompanying it. Because this spell is an area-of-effect spell, any creature inside takes the damage, even friendlies. The spell’s area is also centered within a 40-foot-tall cylinder. If you want to get that high, place the center of the cylinder about 20 feet in the air. Lastly, this spell does require verbal, somatic, and material components. You can’t cast the spell if you can’t use any of those. As with all spells in 5E, understanding the nuances and special rules surrounding Ice Storm can mean the difference between success and failure.

 

A warrior walking into an ice storm

Creative Ways to Use Ice Storm

When an icy chill starts to fill the air, it’s time to prepare for a hefty dose of Ice Storm 5e. This potent spell from the pages of D&D 5E packs plenty of ways for dungeon masters to get creative with using this icy magic in their campaigns. For example, this spell could be devastating against a ship sailing through the ocean. While it might damage the players, the hailstones will punch holes through sales and rigging, causing the vessel to stand at a standstill. You could also theoretically use Ice Storm to put out a burning building. I don’t know if the hailstones would cause more damage than the fire, but you could try. There are all sorts of ways to use this spell that go beyond just causing damage during combat. Your only limits are your limits.

A yeti in an ice storm

Ice Storm for control and area denial

An ice dragon flying

The Ice Storm 5e spell is a powerful tool in the Dungeon Master’s arsenal for dominating the battlefield. Unlike most area-of-effect attacks, it can be used for great control over your enemies. 

With a barrage of icy hailstones, this spell creates an obstacle that will challenge your enemies by slowing and damaging them for a complete turn. 

As an added bonus, this spell also offers some area denial as its effects linger around even after being cast. So wield your D&D 5e Ice Storm with confidence and prepare to dominate the battlefield in ways few other spells can match.

Combining Ice Storm with other spells and abilities

Making the most of Ice Storm in D&D 5E takes careful and strategic planning. However, the research required to fully understand the opportunities available is well worth the effort! Combining Ice Storm with other spells and abilities can be tricky but highly effective when used correctly. For instance, when you match it up with something like a Web spell or incendiary cloud, you create powerful synergies that can easily surprise your adversaries. Even more exciting combinations include using Ice Storm and effects like Thunderwave to cause greater havoc on your enemies! Consider exploring these options – with some experimentation, you might discover new and exciting possibilities to unleash upon your foes!

FAQs

Naturally, we know some questions don’t need an entire paragraph, so here, we’ve answered them in as few words as possible.

What are the benefits of using Ice Storm?

Ice Storm has substantial Area of Effect damage. It turns the area within its radius into difficult terrain until the end of your next turn. It is a potent area denial spell.

What is Ice Storm?

Ice Storm is a 4th-level evocation spell where the caster summons a hailstorm in a 40-foot tall cylinder with a 20-foot radius. Creatures within the cylinder must make a Dexterity saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC. A failure takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage and 4d6 cold damage. A successful save takes half of that damage. For each spell level of 5th or higher that the spell is cast at, the bludgeoning damage increases by 1d8.

Technically speaking, you can dodge Ice Storm by doing a Dexterity saving throw. If you are successful, you escape the brunt of the damage and only take half. If you have uncanny dodge, then you will take no damage. If a player asks if they can dodge the spell, explain that that’s what the dexterity save is for.

Ice Storm is a powerful, flexible spell in D&D 5E. With its narrative flavor and the AOE damage it does, one can be sure to shake up any encounter, whether for creative combos and strategies or for area denial or control. You can make every session unforgettable with this potent icy reminder of why magic reigns supreme in dungeons and dragons.

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