Control Water
- Level: 4
- School: Transmutation
- Class: Cleric, Druid, Wizard
- Casting Time: Action
- Range: 300 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a mixture of water and dust)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Until the spell ends, you control any water inside an area you choose that is a Cube up to 100 feet on a side, using one of the following effects. As a Magic action on your later turns, you can repeat the same effect or choose a different one.
Flood. You cause the water level of all standing water in the area to rise by as much as 20 feet. If you choose an area in a large body of water, you instead create a 20-foot tall wave that travels from one side of the area to the other and then crashes. Any Huge or smaller vehicles in the wave's path are carried with it to the other side. Any Huge or smaller vehicles struck by the wave have a 25 percent chance of capsizing.
The water level remains elevated until the spell ends or you choose a different effect. If this effect produced a wave, the wave repeats on the start of your next turn while the flood effect lasts.
Part Water. You part water in the area and create a trench. The trench extends across the spell's area, and the separated water forms a wall to either side. The trench remains until the spell ends or you choose a different effect. The water then slowly fills in the trench over the course of the next round until the normal water level is restored.
Redirect Flow. You cause flowing water in the area to move in a direction you choose, even if the water has to flow over obstacles, up walls, or in other unlikely directions. The water in the area moves as you direct it, but once it moves beyond the spell's area, it resumes its flow based on the terrain. The water continues to move in the direction you chose until the spell ends or you choose a different effect.
Whirlpool. You cause a whirlpool to form in the center of the area, which must be at least 50 feet square and 25 feet deep. The whirlpool lasts until you choose a different effect or the spell ends. The whirlpool is 5 feet wide at the base, up to 50 feet wide at the top, and 25 feet tall. Any creature in the water and within 25 feet of the whirlpool is pulled 10 feet toward it. When a creature enters the whirlpool for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there, it makes a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d8 Bludgeoning damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. A creature can swim away from the whirlpool only if it first takes an action to pull away and succeeds on a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC.
Tactical Usage
Environmental Battlefield Control: Control Water provides versatile water manipulation with multiple tactical applications. This 4th-level transmutation spell excels at area control, creating obstacles, and exploiting aquatic environments.
Optimal Timing: Most effective near bodies of water or when you can force enemies into water through positioning or other spells.
Resource Management: Uses a 4th-level spell slot - available from character level 7+. Concentration requirement allows switching between effects as tactical needs change.
Target Selection: Choose effects based on enemy positioning and environmental opportunities - flood for area denial, whirlpool for damage, part water for movement.
Spell Combinations
Synergistic Spells:
- Water Creation: Create or destroy water to establish water sources for manipulation
- Forced Movement: Push enemies into controlled water areas
- Environmental Magic: Combine with other terrain manipulation spells
Class Feature Interactions:
- Wild Shape: Druids can maintain concentration while in aquatic forms
- Divine Domain: Tempest clerics gain thematic synergy with water control
- Elemental Magic: Synergizes with other elemental control spells
Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple water control effects can create comprehensive aquatic battlefield control.
Material Component Details
Component Acquisition: Mixture of water and dust - easily obtained materials available in most environments.
Component Handling: Simple material component that doesn't consume resources or require special preparation.
Roleplay Opportunities: Different casters might use sacred water, elemental essences, or specific regional materials.
Economic Considerations: No costs make this spell economically viable for regular tactical use.
Creator Notes
Encounter Balancing: Dramatically alters battlefield dynamics near water sources. Consider how water manipulation affects encounter difficulty and positioning.
NPC Usage: Enemy druids or clerics can reshape aquatic encounters, forcing parties to adapt to changing water conditions.
Environmental Considerations: Requires existing water sources. Effects vary significantly based on available water volume and terrain.
Campaign Integration: Excellent for coastal adventures, underwater exploration, or encounters involving water-based challenges.
Environmental Interactions
Terrain Effects: Requires water sources within the 100-foot cube area. Effects vary dramatically based on water depth and volume.
Weather Influence: Rain or storms might enhance water availability. Drought conditions limit spell effectiveness.
Structural Interactions: Water manipulation can affect buildings, bridges, or structures near controlled water.
Elemental Interactions: Particularly effective against fire-based enemies. Ice effects might complicate water manipulation.
Common Rulings & Clarifications
Timing Questions: Magic action to change effects on later turns. Each effect persists until changed or spell ends.
Target Limitations: Must target water within 100-foot cube at 300-foot range. Effects limited by available water volume.
Duration Interactions: Concentration up to 10 minutes. Can switch between effects as magic actions.
Mechanical Interactions: Whirlpool requires specific dimensional minimums. Flood effects persist until changed.
Alternative Applications
Non-Combat Uses: Infrastructure support, ship navigation, flood control, or water transportation assistance.
Social Encounters: Demonstrate elemental mastery, provide community services, or create impressive displays.
Exploration Applications: Create passages through water obstacles, assist river crossings, or manipulate water for survival.
Utility Functions: Irrigation assistance, harbor management, aquaculture support, or emergency flood response.
Related Spells
Same School: Other transmutation spells like shape water (cantrip minor manipulation), control weather (8th level weather control), move earth (6th level earth manipulation).
Similar Effects: tidal wave (3rd level water damage), tsunami (8th level massive wave), shape water (cantrip basic water manipulation).
Progression Options: shape water (cantrip basic control), tidal wave (3rd level damage wave), control water (4th level major manipulation).
Complementary Magic: create or destroy water (water sources), water breathing (aquatic operation), freedom of movement (swimming enhancement).
Scaling Analysis
Level Progression: Remains valuable throughout campaigns for environmental manipulation and tactical battlefield control.
Upcast Benefits: No improvement from higher spell slots, making this a pure 4th-level tactical investment.
Campaign Phases: Peak effectiveness in mid-level play (7-12) where environmental control becomes tactically significant.
Comparative Value: Excellent utility and battlefield control option that provides unique environmental manipulation.
Narrative Flavor
Casting Description: Elemental forces respond to your will as water throughout the area bends to your command, reshaping the aquatic environment.
Effect Manifestation: Water surges, parts, swirls, or flows according to your direction, creating dramatic environmental changes that affect the entire battlefield.
Personal Style: Druids might channel natural water cycles, clerics invoke divine authority over waters, while wizards demonstrate precise elemental manipulation.
World Integration: Represents intermediate elemental magic that controls large water volumes, often associated with coastal magic, naval traditions, or elemental mastery.