Control Weather

Utility Action EconomyBattlefield Shaping

Level & School
8th-level transmutation
Casting Time
10 minutes
Range
Self
Components
V, S, M (burning incense)
Duration
Concentration, up to 8 hours
Classes
Cleric, Druid, Wizard

You take control of the weather within 5 miles of you for the duration. You must be outdoors to cast this spell, and it ends early if you go indoors. When you cast the spell, you change the current weather conditions, which are determined by the DM. You can change precipitation, temperature, and wind. It takes 1d4 × 10 minutes for the new conditions to take effect. Once they do so, you can change the conditions again. When the spell ends, the weather gradually returns to normal. When you change the weather conditions, find a current condition on the following tables and change its stage by one, up or down. When changing the wind, you can change its direction.

Precipitation

Stage Condition

1 Clear

2 Light clouds

3 Overcast or ground fog

4 Rain, hail, or snow

5 Torrential rain, driving hail, or blizzard

Temperature

Stage Condition

1 Heat wave

2 Hot

3 Warm

4 Cool

5 Cold

6 Freezing

Wind

Stage Condition

1 Calm

2 Moderate wind

3 Strong wind

4 Gale

5 Storm.

Level & School
8th-level transmutation
Casting Time
10 minutes
Range
Self (5-mile radius)
Components
V, S, M (burning incense and bits of earth and wood mixed in water)
Duration
Concentration, 8 hours
Classes
Cleric, Druid, Wizard

You take control of the weather within 5 miles of you for the duration. You must be outdoors to cast this spell. Moving to a place where you don't have a clear path to the sky ends the spell early.

When you cast the spell, you change the current weather conditions, which are determined by the GM based on the climate and season. You can change precipitation, temperature, and wind. It takes 1d4 × 10 minutes for the new conditions to take effect. Once they do so, you can change the conditions again. When the spell ends, the weather gradually returns to normal.

When you change the weather conditions, find a current condition on the following tables and change its stage by one, up or down. When changing the wind, you can change its direction.

Stage Condition
1 Clear
2 Light clouds
3 Overcast or ground fog
4 Rain, hail, or snow
5 Torrential rain, driving hail, or blizzard
Stage Condition
------- -----------------
1 Unbearable heat
2 Hot
3 Warm
4 Cool
5 Cold
6 Arctic cold
Stage Condition
------- ---------------
1 Calm
2 Moderate wind
3 Strong wind
4 Gale
5 Storm

Control Weather 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The 2024 version specifies "up to 8 hours" duration, while the 2014 version states "8 hours" (no change). The 2024 version adds "and it ends early if you go indoors," whereas the 2014 version ends if the caster moves indoors. The temperature table in 2024 introduces a "Heat wave" at stage 1 and "Freezing" at stage 6, expanding options; the 2014 version's temperature table has fewer stages and different conditions.

Spells similar to Control Weather

  • Control Water, 4th-level transmutation

    It’s the obvious lower-level analogue that manipulates natural elements over an area and is cast by the same classes for tactical terrain and environment control.

  • Earthquake, 8th-level transmutation

    Like this spell, it’s a high-level transmutation that reshapes a large outdoor area to alter the battlefield for an extended, concentration-based effect.

  • Tsunami, 8th-level conjuration

    This druid spell creates a massive weather/sea event over a huge area and is used to change the environment and disrupt foes in a similar dramatic way.

  • Storm of Vengeance, 9th-level conjuration

    Although more damaging, it conjures prolonged, large-scale storm conditions and functions as a powerful environmental control that affects an entire region.

  • Mirage Arcane, 7th-level illusion

    It transforms terrain across a very large area for a long duration, offering a comparable strategic use of reshaping the environment, albeit by illusion.