Ice Knife

Level & School
1st-level conjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
S, M (a drop of water or a piece of ice)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard

You create a shard of ice and fling it at one creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 Piercing damage. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 Cold damage.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The Cold damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1.

Level & School
1st-level conjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
60 feet
Components
S, M (a drop of water or a piece of ice)
Duration
Instantaneous
Classes
Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard

You create a shard of ice and fling it at one creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 piercing damage. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes. The target and each creature within 5 feet of the point where the ice exploded must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 cold damage.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the cold damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Ice Knife 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

The 2024 version clarifies that the explosion affects "the target and each creature within 5 feet of it" (instead of "point where the ice exploded"). The damage increase wording changes from "when you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher" to "the Cold damage increases by 1d6 for each spell slot level above 1," but mechanically they are equivalent.

Spells similar to Ice Knife

  • Ray of Frost

    Both use a ranged spell attack and deal cold damage, with control effects.

  • Ice Storm

    Both deal cold damage in an area and involve saving throws for affected creatures.

  • Chromatic Orb

    Both utilize ranged spell attacks and allow for elemental damage types, including cold.

  • Cloud of Daggers

    Both create an area effect dealing damage to creatures within a specified area.

  • Acid Splash

    Both deal damage in a small area and require saving throws for affected creatures.