Ice Armor

Ice Armor is a Tier 2 skill unlocked for the Wizard at level 3, slowing movement and attack speeds of enemies attacking the character and damaging them a little as well.

Background

Diablo III Skill [e]
Ice Armor Active, 5 ranks
Used by:	Wizard
Skill Description:
A field of ice slows movement and attack speed of enemies that attack you at close range, and causes X cold damage.
Skill Details:
Type:	Self Buff
Quantity:	None
Effect:	Self
School:	Cold
Mana cost:	10
Cast time:	Instant
Duration:	~6-8 min
Cooldown:	Unknown
Synergies:	Unknown
Requires:	N/A
Prereq of:	Empowered Armor

Lacking physical armour, a Wizard needs magical protection in dangerous places. This Ice Armor will have a chilling impact upon anyone striking her, cooling them to the point where their movements becomes slower, and limiting their ability to move around as well as delivering some pain from the cold.

Skill Design

Pretty straight forward spell. Useful especially when trying to run away from things, but also if the Wizard is occupied in melee combat, it will lower the damage she takes in a fray. It likely won't increase Armor or any other defensive stat.

The duration of the spell was shown as almost exactly 3/8 duration with 2 minutes left so it's safe to assume the duration is 6-8 minutes, but we do not know what the exact duration of the spell is.

As with the other defensive skills, this was just not needed at BlizzCon 2009. Even if cast a few times between battles, Wizards rarely took any hits when it was active.[1]

Skill Rank Table

• Rank 1: Slows enemies striking the caster. Deals 1 cold damage. (projected)
• Rank 2: Increases Freezing effect on nearby enemies and to enemies striking the caster. Deals 2 cold damage.
• Rank 3: Increases Freezing effect on nearby enemies and to enemies striking the caster. Deals 3 cold damage. (projected)
• Rank 4: Increases Freezing effect on nearby enemies and to enemies striking the caster. Deals 4 cold damage. (projected)
• Rank 5: Increases Freezing effect on nearby enemies and to enemies striking the caster. Deals 5 cold damage. (projected)

Synergies

Ice Armor benefits directly from the following traits:

• Prismatic Cloak: Increases the effect of Ice Armor and Storm Armor by 100%.
• Conjured Armor: Increases your armor by 25%. If Ice Armor or Storm Armor is active, your armor is instead increased by 50%.
• Black Ice: Frozen targets take 25% more damage from all sources.

Skill Rune Effects

• None known.

Development

Ice Armor was first shown in August 2009 at GamesCom, seen in the gameplay demo [2]. It was then not known if the spell is a Wizard skill or a shrine effect.

The spell was shown more clearly at BlizzCon 2009, and Flux described it further in his Wizard skill guide.[3]. It's assumed to still be in the game today.

Media

You can find pictures in the Diablo 3 screenshot and picture gallery:

• Diablo 3 screenshots and pictures
• Ice Armor-specific gallery contents

• 

  Ice Armor active.

• 

  Skill icon.

References

• Full Wizard Skill Trees
• Gamescom Wizard Gameplay Footage