Difference between revisions of "Magic Missile"

Latest revision as of 19:46, 15 July 2017

Magic Missile in action.

Magic Missile is a Primary Wizard skill unlocked at Level 1, invoking a bolt of arcane magic thrown against an opponent.

This is a Signature spell. Signature spells are free to cast.

Magic Missile is a basic projectile attack that costs nothing to use and deals decent damage. Higher level spells do more interesting and powerful effects, but MM can be a useful component of any Wizard build.

Background[edit | edit source]

The Magic Missile is a bolt-type spell much like the classical Firebolt but using Arcane energies instead of Elemental (like Fire).

Skill Rune Effects[edit | edit source]

Refer to the Magic Missile rune effects article for thorough descriptions of all five rune effects in this skill, including screenshots, videos, strategy tips, and other related information.

Name	Level	Description

<skill subcat="Signature spell" class="Wizard">Magic Missile</skill> <skill class="Wizard" rune="Charged Blast">Magic Missile</skill> <skill class="Wizard" rune="Split">Magic Missile</skill> <skill class="Wizard" rune="Conflagrate">Magic Missile</skill> <skill class="Wizard" rune="Glacial Spike">Magic Missile</skill> <skill class="Wizard" rune="Seeker">Magic Missile</skill>

Skill Design[edit | edit source]

Magic Missile impact on Zombie.

Magic Missile is basically a Firebolt that deals Arcane Damage. In early levels, Magic Missile might be the Wizard's bread and butter. Using this skill fires a small purple projectile that moves across the screen in a straight line and at a fairly fast pace, and it can be cast repeatedly without any cooldown or resource cost.

When an enemy dies at the hands of an Arcane spell, a purple glow is left on the corpses.

This was the default ranged spell at BlizzCon 2008, but with Arcane Orb and Electrocute available right from the start in 2009, Magic Missile was hardly touched. It didn't seem to have changed in function since 2008.

Video[edit | edit source]

A video of Magic Missile can be seen below, courtesy of the DiabloInc You Tube channel.

Synergies[edit | edit source]

The following Wizard passives provide a benefit to Magic Missile, runed or not:

Name	Level	Description

<skill class="Wizard">Glass Cannon</skill> <skill class="Wizard">Prodigy</skill> <skill class="Wizard">Temporal Flux</skill> <skill class="Wizard">Arcane Dynamo</skill>

Development[edit | edit source]

Double missiles.

Quadruple missiles.

Magic Missile first appeared at BlizzCon 2008 when the Wizard debuted, where it did 7-13 arcane damage at level 1. By BlizzCon 2009, it had been nerfed slightly, doing less damage and costing a little less mana (later changed to Arcane Power). This skill was on the Arcane Skill Tree until skill trees were disbanded.

At BlizzCon 2010, Magic Missile was one of the Wizard's starting skills, and a very useful one, according to Flux:[1]

The level five MMs were quite powerful, capable of killing almost any normal monster with a single shot. The casting rate wasn’t that fast though, which was good and bad. Good because you could cast MMs forever, since they weren’t fast or expensive enough to deplete your Arcane Power. Bad because I wanted to kill faster. Faster!

Skill tiers were removed for the July 2011 Press Event, allowing skills to unlock steadily from levels 1 to 30. Consequently, all skill levels were adjusted and Magic Missile became a level 1 skill.

Beta[edit | edit source]

The Diablo III Beta started in September 2011, and while it ran, all of the skills continued to undergo extensive iteration. Skill changes varied from changing the levels the skills are unlocked, to changes in resource cost, damage, and even function. A few skills were removed altogether, and a few new ones were added. Also, the entire skill system received an overhaul with the Beta Patch 13 update in February 2012, with physical runes replaced by rune effects that automatically unlock at various levels for the different skills.

Magic Missile remained at level 1 when the beta started. Flux tried it out again, and reported on it:[2]

Naturally, the base version of Magic Missile isn’t all that powerful. It’s great for single targets, and has nice range and quite respectable damage, but with just a single projectile per cast the Wizard can not keep up with fast spawning enemies, and MM isn’t much good for bosses either. I’m not just estimating about that either, since I actually put it to the test. MM was fine for 95% of the beta areas, including the lower levels of the Cathedral, but when I got boss packs, or set event areas of summoners, there were too many fish for my skillets, and I got overrun and had to retreat or use other skills.

With the Beta Patch 8 of December 2011, all signature spells became free to cast at any level. With the Patch 13 changes, Magic Missile was classified as a Primary skill (but remained at level 1).

Previous Versions[edit | edit source]

See the Wizard skill archive for more details on previous versions of Magic Missile and other Wizard skills.
Or see Magic Missile (BlizzCon 2008) for the original version of this skill.

In Other Games[edit | edit source]

Magic Missile is much like Diablo II's Sorceress skill Fire Bolt, only doing Arcane damage instead of Fire damage.

Trivia[edit | edit source]

In Diablo III, Blizzard seems to have gone back to games like Dungeons & Dragons for inspiration. A spell called Magic Missile is a staple low-to-mid level magic bolt in the traditional pen & paper RPG. The Magic Missile also increases number of missiles, as does the original. Wikipedia describes D&D Magic Missile like this.^[1]

A bolt of pure energy from the caster's fingertips, which in most editions of the game never misses its target unless prevented by magical means. The number of bolts one can cast increases with practice.

Media[edit | edit source]

Magic Missile can be seen in action on video here:

You can find pictures in the Diablo III screenshot and picture gallery:

Magic Missile cast by female Wizard.
Killed Zombie glowing.
Female Wizard "missiling".
Magic Missile multi-shot.

References[edit | edit source]

↑ D&D Arcane Spells — Wikipedia

BlizzCon 2008 Wizard gameplay report
BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees
BlizzCon 2010 Wizard Hands-on Report
Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
Silva's Wizard Runestone Effects — IncGamers 5th Sep 2011
Wizard Beta Skills Mega-report: Part One — IncGamers 4th Oct 2011
Wizard Active Skills — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer primary

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer secondary

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer corpses

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer bloodandbone

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer reanimation

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer curses

[1] D&D Arcane Spells — Wikipedia

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-<noinclude>
 [[File:IconMagicMissile.png|left]]
-'''Magic Missile''' is a Signature [[Wizard skill]] unlocked at [[clvl|Level]] 1, invoking a bolt of arcane magic thrown against an opponent.
+[[File:Wiz-magic-missile1.jpg|thumb|350px|Magic Missile in action.]]
+'''Magic Missile''' is a Primary [[Wizard skill]] unlocked at [[clvl|Level]] 1, invoking a bolt of arcane magic thrown against an opponent.
+* This is a [[Signature spell]]. Signature spells are free to cast.
+Magic Missile is a basic projectile attack that costs nothing to use and deals decent damage. Higher level spells do more interesting and powerful effects, but MM can be a useful component of any Wizard build.
-This is an [[Signature spell]]. Signature spells cost 1 less Arcane Power every time you gain a level.
-<br><br>__TOC__
 ==Background==
-[[File:Wiz-magic-missile1.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Magic Missile in action]]
+The Magic Missile is a bolt-type spell much like the classical {{iw|Sorceress_Fire_Spells#Fire_Bolt Firebolt}} but using [[Arcane]] energies instead of [[Elemental]] (like [[Fire]]).
-The Magic Missile is a bolt-type spell much like the classical {{iw|Sorceress_Fire_Spells#Fire_Bolt Firebolt}} but using [[Arcane]] energies instead of [[Element]]al (like [[Fire]]).
-==Skill Effects==
+==Skill Rune Effects==
-The following is a very quick list. See the [[Magic Missile rune effects]] page for a more thorough summary of rune effects, or any of the individual rune pages for numbers, screenshots, blue quotes, and much more.
+Refer to the [[Magic Missile rune effects]] article for thorough descriptions of all five rune effects in this skill, including screenshots, videos, strategy tips, and other related information.
-{{Active skills header}}
-</noinclude>{{Wizard Skill Magic Missile}}
-{{Blank header}}
-| width="55px" | [[image:IconCrimson.jpg|40px|center|link=Crimson]]
-| width="140px" | [[Charged Blast]]
-| Damage increased to {{c_lime|88 - 135}} Arcane damage.
-|-
-| [[image:IconIndigo.jpg|40px|center|link=Indigo]]
-| [[Fork]]
-| Fires {{c_lime|8}} missiles that do {{c_lime|20 - 31}} damage each.
-|-
-| [[image:IconObsidian.jpg|40px|center|link=Obsidian]]
-| [[Penetrating Blast]]
-| Missiles have a {{c_lime|100%}} chance to pierce through their target and hit additional targets.
-|-
-| [[image:IconGolden.jpg|40px|center|link=Golden]]
-| [[Attunement]]
-| Whenever Magic Missile hits a target you gain {{c_lime|14}} Arcane Power.
-|-
-| [[image:IconAlabaster.jpg|40px|center|link=Alabaster]]
-| [[Seeker]]
-| Missiles track the nearest target and damage is increased to {{c_lime|72 - 110}} Arcane damage.
-|-
-<noinclude>
-|}
-{{center|Note: Information is based on a level 60 character and rank 7 runestones.}}
-===Magic Missile Video===
-A video of Magic Missile can be seen below, courtesy of [http://www.youtube.com/Diablo3Inc the DiabloInc You Tube channel].
-<youtube>HhdkXcQNPvQ</youtube>
+{{skill description header}}
+<skill subcat="Signature spell" class="Wizard">Magic Missile</skill>
+<skill class="Wizard" rune="Charged Blast">Magic Missile</skill>
+<skill class="Wizard" rune="Split">Magic Missile</skill>
+<skill class="Wizard" rune="Conflagrate">Magic Missile</skill>
+<skill class="Wizard" rune="Glacial Spike">Magic Missile</skill>
+<skill class="Wizard" rune="Seeker">Magic Missile</skill>
 ==Skill Design==
 [[Image:Magic_Missile_impact.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Magic Missile impact on [[Zombie]].]]
-Magic Missile is basically a {{iw|Sorceress_Fire_Spells#Fire_Bolt Firebolt}} that deals Arcane Damage. In early levels, Magic Missile might be the Wizard's bread and butter. Using this [[skill]] fires a small purple projectile that moves across the screen in a straight line and at a fairly fast pace, and it can be cast repeatedly without any [[cooldown]].
+Magic Missile is basically a {{iw|Sorceress_Fire_Spells#Fire_Bolt Firebolt}} that deals Arcane Damage. In early levels, Magic Missile might be the Wizard's bread and butter. Using this [[skill]] fires a small purple projectile that moves across the screen in a straight line and at a fairly fast pace, and it can be cast repeatedly without any [[cooldown]] or resource cost.
-In later levels, it might prove invaluable as a cheap and direct means of [[silence|silencing]] a monster for 4 seconds -- plenty of time to dispatch of them before they can cast a nasty spell on you, or raise the fallen to fight again. This property hasn't been explained yet, but the consensus is that a silenced [[monster]] will be unable to use some of its skills or abilities, such as [[Skeletal Summoner|Skeletal Mages]] losing the ability to [[resurrect]] their slain minions. The difficulty will be in hitting the shaman behind the minions, since Magic Missile will strike another monster if it's between the Wizard and the targeted boss.
 When an enemy dies at the hands of an Arcane spell, a purple glow is left on the corpses.
 This was the default ranged spell at [[BlizzCon 2008]], but with [[Arcane Orb]] and [[Electrocute]] available right from the start in [[BlizzCon 2009|2009]], Magic Missile was hardly touched. It didn't seem to have changed in function since 2008.
+===Video===
+A video of Magic Missile can be seen below, courtesy of [http://www.youtube.com/Diablo3Inc the DiabloInc You Tube channel].
+<youtube>HhdkXcQNPvQ</youtube>
 ==Synergies==
-Magic Missile benefits from the following [[Wizard passives]]:
+The following [[Wizard passives]] provide a benefit to Magic Missile, runed or not:
+{{skill description header}}
-{{Passive skill header}}
+<skill class="Wizard">Glass Cannon</skill>
-|}
+<skill class="Wizard">Prodigy</skill>
-{{Wizard Passive Temporal Flux}}
+<skill class="Wizard">Temporal Flux</skill>
-{{Wizard Passive Prodigy}}
+<skill class="Wizard">Arcane Dynamo</skill>
-{{Wizard Passive Arcane Dynamo}}
@@ Line 78: / Line 55: @@
 <blockquote>''The level five MMs were quite powerful, capable of killing almost any normal monster with a single shot. The casting rate wasn’t that fast though, which was good and bad. Good because you could cast MMs forever, since they weren’t fast or expensive enough to deplete your Arcane Power. Bad because I wanted to kill faster.  Faster!</blockquote>
-Skill tiers were removed for the [[July 2011 Press Event]], and Magic Missile became a level 1 skill.
+Skill tiers were removed for the [[July 2011 Press Event]], allowing skills to unlock steadily from levels 1 to 30. Consequently, all skill levels were adjusted and Magic Missile became a level 1 skill.
+===Beta===
+{{Beta skill notes}}
+Magic Missile remained at level 1 when the beta started. [[Flux]] tried it out again, and reported on it:[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/wizard-beta-skills-mega-report-part-one]
+<blockquote>''Naturally, the base version of Magic Missile isn’t all that powerful. It’s great for single targets, and has nice range and quite respectable damage, but with just a single projectile per cast the Wizard can not keep up with fast spawning enemies, and MM isn’t much good for bosses either. I’m not just estimating about that either, since I actually put it to the test. MM was fine for 95% of the beta areas, including the lower levels of the Cathedral, but when I got boss packs, or set event areas of summoners, there were too many fish for my skillets, and I got overrun and had to retreat or use other skills.</blockquote>
+With the [[Beta Patch 8]] of December 2011, all [[signature spell]]s became free to cast at any level. With the Patch 13 changes, Magic Missile was classified as a Primary skill (but remained at level 1).
@@ Line 91: / Line 77: @@
 ==Trivia==
-In Diablo III, Blizzard seems to have gone back to games like Dungeons & Dragons for inspiration. A spell called Magic Missile is a staple low-to-mid level magic bolt in the traditional pen & paper RPG. The Magic Missile also increases number of missiles, as does the original. Wikipedia describes D&D Magic Missile like this.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_of_Dungeons_&_Dragons#Arcane_spells D&D Arcane Spells] -- Wikipedia</ref>
+In Diablo III, Blizzard seems to have gone back to games like Dungeons & Dragons for inspiration. A spell called Magic Missile is a staple low-to-mid level magic bolt in the traditional pen & paper RPG. The Magic Missile also increases number of missiles, as does the original. Wikipedia describes D&D Magic Missile like this.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_of_Dungeons_&_Dragons#Arcane_spells D&D Arcane Spells] — Wikipedia</ref>
 :: ''A bolt of pure energy from the caster's fingertips, which in most editions of the game never misses its target unless prevented by magical means. The number of bolts one can cast increases with practice.''
@@ Line 124: / Line 110: @@
 * [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/full-wizard-skill-trees/ BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees]
 * [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hands-on-from-blizzcon-mega-pvm-report-wizard BlizzCon 2010 Wizard Hands-on Report]
-* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7960229#post7960229 Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report] -- IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
+* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7960229#post7960229 Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report] — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
-* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8007624#post8007624 Silva's Wizard Runestone Effects] -- IncGamers 5th Sep 2011
+* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8007624#post8007624 Silva's Wizard Runestone Effects] — IncGamers 5th Sep 2011
-* [http://us.battle.net/d3/en/class/wizard/active/ Wizard Active Skills] -- Diablo III 12th Sep 2011
+* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/wizard-beta-skills-mega-report-part-one Wizard Beta Skills Mega-report: Part One] — IncGamers 4th Oct 2011
+* [http://us.battle.net/d3/en/class/wizard/active/ Wizard Active Skills] — Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site
-{{Skill navbox Diablo III|Wizard}}
+{{Skill navbox Diablo III|Wizard|primary}}
+[[category:Active skills]]
 [[category:Wizard skills]]
-[[category:Active skills]]
+[[category:Wizard active skills]]
-</noinclude>
+[[category:Signature spells]]

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