Ice Armor

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

Background

Diablo III Active Skill [e]
Ice Armor
Used by:	Wizard
Enabled at:	Clvl 3
Skill Description
A field of ice slows movement and attack speed of enemies that attack you at close range, and causes X cold damage.
Type:	Debuff/AoE Damage
Resource Use:	Costs Arcane Power
Skill Rune Effects
Alabaster rune:	Unknown
Crimson rune:	Unknown
Golden rune:	Unknown
Indigo rune:	Unknown
Obsidian rune:	Unknown

Lacking physical armor, 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 straightforward skill. 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.

Skill Rank Table

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

(A) = Assumed

Trait Synergies

Ice Armor benefits directly from the following Wizard 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.

Note: The current trait list is very out-of-date and will no doubt be overhauled before game release.

Skill Rune Effects

• Unknown rune: Adds a Holy Freeze-like Aura.*

* This rune effect was first seen in the New Skill Rune Effects video. (See Media below)

Development

Ice Armor was first shown in August 2009 at GamesCom, seen in the gameplay demo. It was then not known if the spell was a Wizard skill or a shrine effect. The spell was seen more clearly at BlizzCon 2009, where it was a Tier I skill on the Storm Skill Tree. Unfortunately, this skill was unnecessary in the PvP demo, as Flux explained:[1]

As with the other defensive skills, this was just not needed at Blizzcon. I cast it a few times between battles, but never took any hits when I had it active.

It was still in the game as of BlizzCon 2010, but moved to Tier 2 in the new tree-less skill system.

Media

Ice Armor can be seen in action on video here:

• Gamescom Wizard Gameplay Footage -- Incgamers 20th Aug 2009 (second video)
• Gorgeous New Skill Rune Effects -- Incgamers 31st Mar 2011 (rune'd, at 0:36)

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

• Diablo III screenshots and pictures
• Ice Armor specific gallery contents

• 

  Ice Armor active.

• 

  Skill icon.

References

• BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees