Create Or Destroy Water
- Level: 1
- School: Transmutation
- Class: Cleric, Druid
- Casting Time: Action
- Range: 30 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a mix of water and sand)
- Duration: Instantaneous
You do one of the following:
Create Water. You create up to 10 gallons of clean water within range in an open container. Alternatively, the water falls as rain in a 30-foot cube within range, extinguishing exposed flames there.
Destroy Water. You destroy up to 10 gallons of water in an open container within range. Alternatively, you destroy fog in a 30-foot cube within range.
Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. You create or destroy 10 additional gallons of water, or the size of the cube increases by 5 feet, for each spell slot level above 1.
Tactical Usage
Versatile Water Manipulation: Create or Destroy Water provides flexible hydration and environmental control options. This 1st-level transmutation spell excels at survival support and tactical environmental modification.
Optimal Timing: Most effective for survival needs, fire suppression, fog clearing, or when you need tactical water manipulation.
Resource Management: Uses a 1st-level spell slot - available from character level 1+. Low cost makes this viable for frequent utility use.
Target Selection: Choose create for survival needs or destroy for environmental control - fire suppression or visibility improvement.
Spell Combinations
Synergistic Spells:
- Environmental Magic: Combine with other elemental spells for comprehensive area control
- Survival Spells: Layer with food creation or shelter magic for complete survival support
- Fire Magic: Use water creation to counter fire spells or environmental fire hazards
Class Feature Interactions:
- Wild Shape: Druids can maintain utility while transformed
- Divine Magic: Clerics gain thematic connection to life-sustaining water
- Cantrip Synergy: Combines well with shape water for enhanced water manipulation
Multi-Caster Coordination: Multiple casters can create substantial water volumes or clear large areas of fog.
Material Component Details
Component Acquisition: Mix of water and sand - easily obtained materials available in most environments.
Component Handling: Simple material component that doesn't consume resources during casting.
Roleplay Opportunities: Different water sources or sand types might reflect regional magical traditions.
Economic Considerations: No costs make this spell economically viable for regular utility use.
Creator Notes
Encounter Balancing: Can extinguish fire hazards or clear fog obstacles, affecting encounter visibility and environmental challenges.
NPC Usage: Communities might rely on clerics or druids for water security during droughts or emergencies.
Environmental Considerations: Particularly valuable in arid environments or during fire-based encounters.
Campaign Integration: Essential for wilderness survival, disaster relief, or encounters involving fire or fog.
Environmental Interactions
Terrain Effects: 30-foot range allows flexible targeting. Rain effect covers 30-foot cube area.
Weather Influence: Created water supplements natural precipitation. Destroyed fog affects local visibility conditions.
Structural Interactions: Can create water in containers or as rainfall. Destroy effect works on contained water or atmospheric fog.
Elemental Interactions: Water creation counters fire effects. Fog destruction improves visibility and reduces concealment.
Common Rulings & Clarifications
Timing Questions: Instantaneous effect with immediate water creation or destruction.
Target Limitations: Must target open containers for contained water. Rain/fog effects work in cube areas.
Duration Interactions: Permanent water creation. Destroyed fog stays clear until natural conditions reform it.
Mechanical Interactions: Base 10 gallons scales with higher spell slots. Cube size increases with upcast levels.
Alternative Applications
Non-Combat Uses: Emergency water supply, firefighting assistance, fog clearing for navigation, or drought relief.
Social Encounters: Demonstrate magical services, provide community assistance, or create favorable conditions.
Exploration Applications: Clear fog for visibility, extinguish fires blocking passages, or create emergency water supplies.
Utility Functions: Agricultural irrigation, fire safety, weather modification assistance, or basic survival support.
Related Spells
Same School: Other transmutation spells like control water (4th level major manipulation), shape water (cantrip minor control), control weather (8th level weather mastery).
Similar Effects: shape water (cantrip manipulation), create food and water (3rd level sustenance), control water (4th level major control).
Progression Options: create or destroy water (1st level basic manipulation), control water (4th level major control), control weather (8th level weather mastery).
Complementary Magic: purify food and drink (safety enhancement), shape water (manipulation), goodberry (survival support).
Scaling Analysis
Level Progression: Remains useful throughout campaigns for utility needs and environmental manipulation.
Upcast Benefits: Additional water volume and larger cube areas make higher-level casting more effective.
Campaign Phases: Consistently valuable across all levels for survival and utility applications.
Comparative Value: Excellent low-level utility that provides essential survival and tactical options.
Narrative Flavor
Casting Description: Elemental forces respond as you manipulate the fundamental essence of water, creating life-sustaining liquid or clearing atmospheric moisture.
Effect Manifestation: Clean water materializes or existing water vanishes, while fog dissipates or rain falls as directed by your magical will.
Personal Style: Druids might channel natural water cycles, while clerics invoke divine authority over life-sustaining elements.
World Integration: Represents basic elemental magic available to nature and divine casters, often associated with survival magic, agricultural support, or elemental control.