How great is Wall of Ice?

[Breashios]

There are a lot of great spells at 6th level, so I’m not sure it would ever be a regular selection, but for AoE damage that can be shaped somewhat to avoid friendly combatants it seems pretty useful if you are not an evoker. It is only one d6 behind fireball using the same slot and improves faster. In addition it has a persisting effect of either a frigid air space or a wall to add to battlefield control and area denial. Does anyone have practical experience they can share? As caster or victim?

[Maxilian]

I have used a lot some of the "Wall" spells (Mostly Wall of Stone), and i have found out, even if you don't hit anyone with it, it will help a friking lot if you know where to put it.

Note: I have been in the end of the Player casting, the DM casting it, the PC having it casted against me and as the DM casting it to the players, and have always made its mark in the encounter.

Note2: Wall of Stone do no damage but its still quite usefull, sadly Wall of Ice have less HP and less AC, so easier to destroy (still those are attacks that are not going to you or your party)

[MrStabby]

Spells like this are pretty awesome for a few reasons.

1) Sculptable shape damage
2) Battlefield control
3) Both of the above being at the same time - i.e. you cover off a damage spell (probably of a type you didn't have) AND a control spell from the same prepared/known slot thereby freeing up another slot
4) You don't always need a great caster stat to use these.

[NecroDancer]

I'd rather my wall be a bit more solid. If I was going for shapable damage I'd use wall of fire. Although wall of ice does have the benefit of being damaging (less resisted than fire damage) and delaying an enemy.

But that's just my opinion.

[tkuremento]

I just realized all the Wall spells are Evocation except Prismatic Wall. I also just realized this means that an Evocation Wizard can prevent allies from taking any initial damage if they use the walls on that person's space, except for Prismatic (since it can't be cast in a their squares anyway). Has anyone made a Wall Master Wizard 3000 yet? :o

[RickAllison]

My IRL DM will tell you that Wall of Ice is amazing when combined with Silence against a Demilich. He sadly watched our fight as we kept the things pinned underneath a constant barrier of ice and silence as we removed all of his defenses. By the time he was able to break out of the second one (and promptly absorbed the soul of the druid who cast them out of his staff), he was helpless to a barrage of attacks. The DM couldn't even save his phylactery from my sky-high Perception, Arcana, and Investigation PC. I actually managed to reverse-engineer the process of becoming a lich from that battle...

[Breashios]

I'd rather my wall be a bit more solid. If I was going for shapable damage I'd use wall of fire. Although wall of ice does have the benefit of being damaging (less resisted than fire damage) and delaying an enemy.

But that's just my opinion.

Ah, but 5d8 vs 10d6 and our DM reads the Wall of Fire as having 4 edges as in it must fall within some type of rectangle (or the ringed wall, of course) and does not allow it to be articulated about in 10' panels as is the stated case for Wall of Ice. He does allow the walls to be at any angle from the floor or other surface, so they can both "fill" an area like a fireball would on a grid, as long as there is a surface to rest at least one edge on (in the case of Wall of Ice, one panel). I agree Wall of Fire is a good spell, but I think after you have fireball a different damage type is more desirable. The downside to me is it competes with so many other great spells at 6th level.

[Maxilian]

I'd rather my wall be a bit more solid. If I was going for shapable damage I'd use wall of fire. Although wall of ice does have the benefit of being damaging (less resisted than fire damage) and delaying an enemy.

But that's just my opinion.

I feel that the Wall of Fire is one of the weakest one (in the end, its not like it give that much control, its one of the walls that you can literally just pass by -Will take damage but it doesn't really give the control part in most cases-)

[RickAllison]

I feel that the Wall of Fire is one of the weakest one (in the end, its not like it give that much control, its one of the walls that you can literally just pass by -Will take damage but it doesn't really give the control part in most cases-)

The exception for WoF's strength is when you are dealing with a slew of weaker enemies. They must make the choice of risking likely death or flee, while the fire is blocking vision. WoI can be broken and then fired through without risking damage, so it is less effective at holding back goblins and such.

[Maxilian]

The exception for WoF's strength is when you are dealing with a slew of weaker enemies. They must make the choice of risking likely death or flee, while the fire is blocking vision. WoI can be broken and then fired through without risking damage, so it is less effective at holding back goblins and such.

That is true, but in most cases, Fireball will do the trick (Though it have the advantage that its a lvl 4 spell, unlike the other walls *Excluding Wall of Sand that is lvl 3, but its in general, the weakest one*)