Ice Storm
Level 4 · Evocation
- Damage
- Save
- AOE
Ice Storm (druid, sorcerer, and wizard) casts from a 4th-level slot in the evocation school. Cast time: Action. Range 300 feet, components V/S/M, duration instantaneous. Material: a mitten. Effect: Hail falls in a 20-foot-radius, 40-foot-high Cylinder centered on a point within range. At higher levels: The Bludgeoning damage increases by 1d10 for each spell slot level above 4.
Stat Block
- Level
- 4
- School
- Evocation
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 300 feet
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- Instantaneous
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- No
- Classes
- Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
- Material
- a mitten
Description
Hail falls in a 20-foot-radius, 40-foot-high Cylinder centered on a point within range. Each creature in the Cylinder makes a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 2d10 Bludgeoning damage and 4d6 Cold damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Hailstones turn ground in the Cylinder into Difficult Terrain until the end of your next turn.
5e (2014) vs 2024 changes
This spell has both a 5e (2014) and 2024 Player's Handbook version. Doungim shows the current 2024 stat block above. Differences between editions typically affect components, range, or scaling — check both source books for the table.
Doungim Lore
School Fit
The Evocation tradition is direct. A spell is cast, an energy is released, a creature loses hit points. The school is the simplest to read and the hardest to play well, because positioning is the difference between a good Fireball and a TPK. Ice Storm sits in Evocation because the spell focuses magical energy into a visible, immediate effect. At level 4, the slot economy tightens — Ice Storm competes with the strongest spells in the band.
Class Fit
- Druid: At tier 2, Druids juggle Pass Without Trace, Conjure Animals, and Spike Growth for concentration; Ice Storm fits in if it doesn't compete. The higher-level scaling on Ice Storm is described in the spell text; check it before upcasting.
- Sorcerer: Sorcerers know very few spells. Ice Storm is a permanent decision — the spell stays on the sheet unless the Sorcerer pays a level-up swap. Ice Storm scales when upcast — see the higher-level note on the spell page.
- Wizard: At tier 1 Wizards have small prepared lists. Ice Storm earns its place by either being always-relevant (Shield, Mage Armor) or by being the right answer to a known problem. Ice Storm has an at-higher-levels rule; the spell's per-slot scaling makes upcasting worthwhile in the right context.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Ice Storm
- What level spell is Ice Storm?
- Ice Storm sits at level 4 in the Evocation school of magic, prepared by Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard.
- How much damage does Ice Storm deal?
- At base level, Ice Storm's damage is 2d10 (bludgeoning). Higher slots increase the damage as listed.
- What save does Ice Storm require?
- Ice Storm forces a Dexterity save. The DC is the caster's spell save DC (8 + proficiency + casting modifier).
- What is the range of Ice Storm?
- Ice Storm has a range of 300 feet from the caster.
- What components and casting time does Ice Storm need?
- Ice storm is cast with v, s, m. The other notable details — Material component: a mitten.
- Can Ice Storm be upcast?
- Upcasting Ice Storm works as follows: The Bludgeoning damage increases by 1d10 for each spell slot level above 4.