Dust of Dryness 5e
Wondrous item, uncommon
This small packet contains 1d6 + 4 pinches of dust. You can use an action to sprinkle a pinch of it over water. The dust turns a cube of water 15 feet on a side into one marble-sized pellet, which floats or rests near where the dust was sprinkled. The pellet's weight is negligible.
Someone can use an action to smash the pellet against a hard surface, causing the pellet to shatter and release the water the dust absorbed. Doing so ends that pellet's magic.
An elemental composed mostly of water that is exposed to a pinch of the dust must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 10d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Commentary by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold
Sometimes you want a giant sponge effect to soak up a bunch of water and save it for later. Dust of Dryness does exactly this. While often talked about in terms of its applications to sucking the water out of people, or just destroying specifically a water elemental, Dust of Dryness has some fun mundane uses to mess around with, as spontaneously generating a fifteen-foot cube of water will drench everything in a small area instantaneously!
You determine how many pinches are in the pouch when you obtain it, and it doesn’t typically regain uses.
Smashing a pellet to create a big area of water can instantly extinguish flames in a huge area around you, potentially plunging a corridor into darkness or put out massive, raging bonfires.
A DC 13 Constitution saving throw isn’t a particularly high DC for a Water Elemental to make, but will still hit for a free 5d6 damage at a minimum. Smaller water-based elementals, like a steam or ice mephit, more or less will instantly die when exposed to a pinch of dust.
Rules as written, the Dust of Dryness doesn’t affect humanoids. Your mileage may vary based on your DMs willingness to hear out crazy poison-style plans. It won’t work everywhere but can be worth a shot.
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