1
\$\begingroup\$

Based on this question

Can you target Create Water into a tall, narrow space, such as the top of a drain pipe (with an unsuspecting victim at the bottom, presumably), and would the results be similar to the downpour-in-an-elevator-shaft, or more severe? Assume a 4" cast iron DWV stack, 25' tall if you really need to know the specifics of the pipe.

\$\endgroup\$

1 Answer 1

3
\$\begingroup\$

Yes

There is no limitation imposed by the spell itself as to what shape you can create the water in. So long as it is a volume that could contain the water so created (preventing creating compressed water), it validly satisfies the clause

Water can be created in an area as small as will actually contain the liquid

However, note that the range of the spell is "close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)", and any part of a spell effect beyond that distance from yourself is null and void per the usual rules for spell range. Therefore your 25' tall drain pipe is marginal for a 1st-level caster, depending on how far away from the bottom of the pipe they're standing and how high up the top of the water column is intended to be. The saving grace though is that (if I haven't erred in my calculations) a 4" diametre pipe of 25 feet length has a volume of about 65 gallons, which mightily exceeds anything a 1st-level caster could conjure anyway, making it easy enough to conjure its whole volume inside the spherical limitation imposed by the range.

So mind your ps and qs regarding range and your conversion of volume to linear feet of filled pipe, and you can pull off this use of the spell just fine.

\$\endgroup\$
3
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Why did the RAW not use the world 'volume'? I wonder if it'd be worth having someone poke Paizo with this as a change suggestion... \$\endgroup\$
    – Shalvenay
    Feb 11, 2015 at 0:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Shalvenay The spell effect rules in general and in specific use the term "area of effect", where "area" is the more general word meaning "region" (which can be of any dimension ordinal) rather than the geometry-specific word meaning "the extent of a two-dimensional shape". So the word "area" is, ironically, correct. See the variety of meanings for "area" in the dictionary. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 11, 2015 at 0:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ Interesting point...will have to keep that in mind for future AoE spells ;) \$\endgroup\$
    – Shalvenay
    Feb 11, 2015 at 0:38

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .