The Mold Earth cantrip from 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons. Alongside its other elemental cousin cantrips, Mold Earth is a thing of an oddball. This comes right down to many factors:
- You can excavate a small amount of earth, moving it to another location within range (30 feet). This could be used to dig a hole, create a small trench, or move a pile of dirt from one place to another.
- You can shape the earth within the cube, creating simple shapes such as a wall, a mound, or a trench. This could be used to create cover, fortifications, or obstacles to hinder enemy movement.
The spell has a range of 30 feet, and the effects of the spell last for 1 hour. The spell can be cast multiple times to create more complex structures or to shape larger areas of the earth.
Mold Earth is a versatile cantrip that can be used for a variety of purposes, from digging a quick escape tunnel to creating a makeshift fortification in a pinch. Its limitations are only constrained by the caster’s imagination and creativity.
- Cantrips are often cast repeatedly without spell slots. The important limitation of cantrips is time and opportunity.
- Some effects of Mold Earth are permanent.
- Move Earth’s targets are common in most game settings; lose earth and stone (for some effects).
If you target a section of loose earth (5′ cube per 1 action / 6 seconds), you’ll instantaneously excavate it, move it along the bottom, and deposit it up to five feet away. This movement doesn’t involve enough force to cause damage.
Mold Earth 5e
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30
- Components: S
- Duration: Instantaneous or 1 hour (see text)
- Scales: No
- Casters: Arcane Trickster, Eldritch Knight, Sorcerer, Wizard
Mold Earth is pretty darn sneaky. The only component is Somatic, making its casting silent. However, the results of lifting and dumping 125 cubic feet and dumping it 5′ feet away are probably not. Still sneakier than a crew of laborers, though. Transmute Rock to Mud, shape with Mold Earth and after 1 hour your creations become permanent stone.
Check also: Paladin Spells
You choose some dirt or stone that you just can see within a range that fits within a 5-foot cube. You manipulate it in one of the subsequent ways:
- If you target a section of loose earth, you’ll instantaneously excavate it, move it along the bottom, and deposit it up to five feet away. This movement doesn’t have enough force to cause damage.
- You cause shapes, colors, or both to seem on the dirt or stone, spelling out words, creating images, or shaping patterns. The changes last for 1 hour.
- If the dirt or stone you target is on the ground, you cause it to become difficult terrain. Alternatively, you’ll cause the ground to become normal terrain if it’s already difficult terrain. This modification lasts for 1 hour.
- If you cast this spell multiple times, you’ll have any over two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you’ll dismiss such an impact as an action.
Mold Earth‘s excavation effect can only move a 5′ cube of earth, 5′ in any distance. As long as your dirt cube remains, at least somewhat, in touch with the bottom, this limits you to laterally and diagonally squares (including adjacent up/down), and straight-up just once. This implies that when digging a shaft downwards, after the first 5′, the cube is simply lifted up 5’ (into the empty, previously excavated space) before falling back off. So as to dig further straight down you’d got to do some ramping/terracing (think Minecraft). You’ll back-fill that area afterward but that brings up another issue…
Often get tagged as a “power gamer” and even a “mix mixer” but in my defense, my goal is often to form a significant effect or character concept in games. We believe there’s a very important and sometimes underappreciated distinction that applies to many like-minded players. If the goal is just to “break” or dominate a game to exclusion of the fun of the Gamemaster and other players, then you’re just being a jerk. No further labels or distinctions are necessary. But conversely, slapping broad, derisive labels on players that play differently is style shaming.
FAQs
Q: What level is the Mold Earth cantrip in D&D 5e?
A: Mold Earth is a cantrip in D&D 5e, meaning it can be cast an unlimited number of times without expending a spell slot.
Q: What is the range of the Mold Earth cantrip?
A: The range of the Mold Earth cantrip is 30 feet.
Q: What kind of terrain can be affected by the Mold Earth cantrip?
A: The Mold Earth cantrip can affect dirt or stone within a 5-foot cube.
Q: How long do the effects of the Mold Earth cantrip last?
A: The effects of the Mold Earth cantrip last for 1 hour.
Q: Can the Mold Earth cantrip be used in combat?
A: Yes, the Mold Earth cantrip can be used in combat to create cover or obstacles.
Q: Can the Mold Earth cantrip be used to create complex structures?
A: The Mold Earth cantrip can be cast multiple times to create more complex structures or to shape larger areas of the earth.
Q: Does the Mold Earth cantrip require any components to cast?
A: No, the Mold Earth cantrip does not require any components to cast.
Q: Can the Mold Earth cantrip be used to create tunnels or underground passages?
A: Yes, the Mold Earth cantrip can be used to excavate a small amount of earth and move it to another location within range, making it useful for digging tunnels or creating underground passages.