D&D: Five Spells Perfect For Surviving The Harsh Winter Rules
In D&D, the winter can be cold and unforgiving. If your DM uses those rules, that is. Don’t worry, though, we’re here to see you through it.
It is winter soon (or now), depending on how cold it is outside your window. And that means it’s time to break out the gloves and the ice scraper, the soup recipes and the sweaters, and settle in for a cozy time. In D&D, that usually means the DM remembers that the “extreme cold” rules exist and then tries to find a way to wrangle them in.
But don’t worry. These five spells will keep you nice and cozy while the storm rages outside.
Goodberry
One of the hardest things to do in a region of extreme cold is to find adequate food and water. But hey, that’s what magic is for. A single Goodberry gets you enough nourishment to last the day, and a single casting of Goodberry gives you more than enough, most of the time, especially for a 1st-level spell. This is one of the most efficient ways to protect your party. You get to keep everyone from automatically gaining exhaustion – so all you’ll have to do is find shelter. Speaking of which…
Leomund’s Tiny Hut
This spell creates instant shelter to give you time to sleep off at least some of the accumulated exhaustion you might have from being out in the cold. Leomund’s Tiny Hut is a weather-controlled little space where it’s always “comfortable and dry, regardless of the weather around it. Moreover, the spell lasts eight hours, which is exactly enough time to finish a Long Rest and be refreshed and ready to face the cold again.
Protection From Energy
Of course, if you can’t handle the cold, then you might want a Protection from Energy spell. This is because you can handwave the need for the usual DC 10 Constitution saving throw as long as you are either immune to or resistant to cold damage. So with this spell, you can save someone who’s really in trouble (or on the verge of death by exhaustion) from having to make the save in the first place. Sure, it only lasts an hour, but that’s where features that extend your spell come in handy.
Guidance
Even if you manage to obviate the need for saves vs. extreme cold, you’ll still have to survive in the wintry wilderness. And that usually means skill checks. Which is where Guidance comes in handy. Nothing like being able to buff whatever skill the DM calls for. And a d4 can add up.
Enhance Ability (Constitution)
If all else fails, you can just Enhance someone’s Constitution and make it easier for them to make the saving throw in the first place. Sure, they’ll still feel the effects of the cold. But if they can make their save, then the cold will never bother them anyway in the first place.
Happy adventuring!
