Difference between revisions of "Diamond Skin"

Revision as of 03:52, 13 March 2012

Diamond Skin as seen in the Beta.

Diamond Skin is a Defensive Wizard skill unlocked at Level 8, protecting the caster from incoming damage.

Background

Calling upon Arcane forces, the Wizard can make her skin hard as diamond for short period of time.

Skillrune Effects

The following is a very quick summary. See the Diamond Skin rune effects page for a more thorough description of rune effects, or any of the individual rune pages for numbers, screenshots, blue quotes, and much more.

<skill class="Wizard">Diamond Skin</skill>

Skill Design

Diamond skin absorbs all types incoming damage. The skill expires after the duration runs out, or it absorbs the maximum possible damage. There is a substantial cool down before it can be recast, and the short duration makes it wise to cast just before damage is to be taken.

Synergies

Diamond Skin benefits from the following Wizard passives: None added yet.

Development

Diamond Skin was first shown at BlizzCon 2008 when the Wizard debuted. It was originally named Stone Skin and was at Tier II on the Conjuring Skill Tree. It absorbed 30 damage at rank 1, and appeared as a rough textured sort of graininess.

For BlizzCon 2009, Stone Skin was at Tier III and sported much improved damage reduction, as well as improved visuals. Flux discussed the new look:[1]

[Stone Skin] didn’t show up well on the slender Wizard. The new version is quite different and impossible to miss. The wizard is now sheathed in glowing blue crystals, almost like some superhero made from sapphires. In fact, the skill is so different in look that the team is probably going to rename it, though they’ve not settled on a change from Stone Skin, yet.

Soon afterwords, the development team did indeed change the name to Diamond Skin to better fit the new visuals.

Diamond Skin was one of the Wizard's skills in the BlizzCon 2010 PvP demo, where it was occasionally a life saver, but only if used properly, as Flux explained:[2]

At level 5 with a rune it absorbed 150 damage of any type, but the duration was quite short, so you had to cast it just before you needed it. Also, 150 sounded like a lot, but a Meteor or grinding Barb could do double that in a second, and Wizards with Diamond Skin on tended to feel invulnerable, and stuck around in dangerous, melee situations longer than they should have.

Beta

Skill tiers were removed shortly before the beta started in September 2011, and Diamond Skin became a level 9 skill. As a defensive skill, it didn't garner a lot of interest in the beta, but Flux suggested a possible use for it:[3]

Perhaps the most likely use for Diamond Skin would be in PvP, where a few seconds of damage mitigation could make or break a battle. You play defensively with a Wizard in the Arena, always dodging and firing from a distance and staying out of reach. But every now and then a Barbarian or a Monk will catch you; how delightful it would be to pop your Diamond Shield just as they unloaded, completely erasing their opportunity to do pain unto you.

When the skill system was once again overhauled for the Beta Patch 13 in February 2012, Diamond Skin was classified as a Defensive skill and moved to level 8. For March's Beta Patch 14, Diamond Skin's damage reduction was reduce by almost 50%.

Previous Versions

See the Wizard skill archive for more details on previous versions of Diamond Skin (or Stone Skin) and other Wizard skills.
Or see Stone Skin for the original version of this skill.

Media

Diamond Skin can be seen in action on video here:

Gameplay: Blizzcon 2008 (original Stone Skin appearance)
Gameplay: Blizzcon 2010 (in the Arena)

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

Diamond skin in use in the Battle Arena.
Diamond Skin active, and then later "breaking" as the duration ends.

References

BlizzCon 2008 Wizard Gameplay Report
BlizzCon 2009 Character Panel, Skill Improvements
BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees
BlizzCon 2010 PvP 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 Two -- IncGamers 5th 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

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Synergies==
-Diamond Skin benefits from the following [[Wizard passives]]:
+Diamond Skin benefits from the following [[Wizard passives]]: None added yet.
-{{Passive skills header}}
-{{Wizard Passive Critical Mass}}
-{{Wizard Passive Evocation}}
@@ Line 38: / Line 35: @@
 <blockquote>''At level 5 with a rune it absorbed 150 damage of any type, but the duration was quite short, so you had to cast it just before you needed it. Also, 150 sounded like a lot, but a Meteor or grinding Barb could do double that in a second, and Wizards with Diamond Skin on tended to feel invulnerable, and stuck around in dangerous, melee situations longer than they should have.''</blockquote>
-Skill tiers were removed for the [[July 2011 Press Event]], and Diamond Skin became a level 9 skill. When the skill system was once again overhauled for the [[Beta Patch 13]] in February 2012, Diamond Skin was classified as a Defensive skill and dropped to level 8.
+===Beta===
+Skill tiers were removed shortly before the [[beta]] started in September 2011, and Diamond Skin became a level 9 skill. As a defensive skill, it didn't garner a lot of interest in the beta, but [[Flux]] suggested a possible use for it:[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/wizard-beta-skills-mega-report-part-two]
+<blockquote>''Perhaps the most likely use for Diamond Skin would be in PvP, where a few seconds of damage mitigation could make or break a battle. You play defensively with a Wizard in the Arena, always dodging and firing from a distance and staying out of reach. But every now and then a Barbarian or a Monk will catch you; how delightful it would be to pop your Diamond Shield just as they unloaded, completely erasing their opportunity to do pain unto you.</blockquote>
+When the skill system was once again overhauled for the [[Beta Patch 13]] in February 2012, Diamond Skin was classified as a Defensive skill and moved to level 8. For March's [[Beta Patch 14]], Diamond Skin's damage reduction was reduce by almost 50%.
 ===Previous Versions===
@@ Line 66: / Line 67: @@
-<!--
-==Related Articles==
--->
 ==References==
 * [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/wizard-gameplay-report/P2/ BlizzCon 2008 Wizard Gameplay Report]
@@ Line 76: / Line 74: @@
 * [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://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-two Wizard Beta Skills Mega-report: Part Two] -- IncGamers 5th Oct 2011
+* [http://us.battle.net/d3/en/class/wizard/active/ Wizard Active Skills] -- Blizzard's Official Diablo III Site

Fan-made Classes			Fan-made Skills [e]
• Alchemist • Arcane Warrior • Artisan • Aurian Mage • Bard • Channeller • Dragon Warrior	• Flagellant • Giant (U) • Hollow Man • Nomad • Onaga Manji • Phase Knight	• Ranger • Slayer (U) • Techpriest (U) • Telepath • Untainted (U) • Zealot	Dragon Warrior Skills • Bow and Throwing Skill Tree • Dragon Disciplines Skill Tree • Martial Arts Skill Tree	Untainted Skills • Divine Skill Tree	Aurian Mage Skill • Holy Power Skill Tree • Shadow Spells Skill Tree • Nature Forces Skill Tree
(U) = Unfinished				Untainted Skills • Divine Skill Tree