Ray of Frost

Ray of Frost is a Wizard skill enabled at level 21, shooting a constant beam of cold from the hands of the Wizard.

Background

Diablo III Active Skill [e]
Ray of Frost
Used by:	Wizard
Enabled at:	Clvl 21
Skill Description
Project a beam of cold energy that deals X cold damage per second.
Type:	Direct Damage
Resource Use:	Costs Arcane Power/time
Skill Rune Effects
Alabaster rune:	Enemies slain by Ray of Frost have a chance to leave an area of ice on the ground where they die, damaging other enemies if they move through it.
Crimson rune:	Beam increases in damage the longer it remains in use.
Golden rune:	Arcane Power cost reduced.
Indigo rune:	Wizard is surrounded by a swirling vortex of sleet, damaging any foes that come into contact.
Obsidian rune:	Decreases beam damage, but increases reduction in target movement and attack speed.

The Wizard uses her powers of the elements to gush forth a beam of pure cold, damaging anyone that comes in its way.

Skill Design

This skill sounds like a cold based Disintegrate, minus the piercing ability, but it's never been seen in use since the very first Wizard gameplay movie, from BlizzCon 2008. It was too high level to try out at BlizzCon 2009.

Skill Rank Table

• Rank 1: 8 damage per second.

Synergies

• No synergies with any of the passive skills are yet known.

Skill Rune Effects

All rune effects for Ray of Frost.

• Crimson Rune - Beam increases in damage the longer it remains in use, to a cap.
• Indigo Rune - Wizard is surrounded by a swirling vortex of sleet, damaging any foes that come into contact.
• Obsidian Rune - Decreases beam damage, but increases reduction in target movement and attack speed.
• Golden Rune - Arcane Power cost reduced.
• Alabaster Rune - Enemies slain by Ray of Frost have a chance to leave an area of ice on the ground where they die, damaging other enemies if they move through it.

The video below demonstrates these runes' effects.

Development

Ray of Frost was first seen at BlizzCon 2008, but only in the gameplay movie; the Wizard used it against the trap laid out by the Skeleton King. It was available in the gameplay demo at BlizzCon 2009, but was unfortunately too high level to try out by the fans. The skill is assumed to still be available in Blizzard's internal game build today.

Skill tiers were removed for the July 2011 Press Event, and Ray of Frost became a level 21 skill.

Previous Versions

See the Wizard skill archive for more details on previous versions of Ray of Frost and other Wizard skills.

Trivia

This is one of the spells that seem to be coming from the dungeons & Dragons inspiration we've seen in Diablo III. The new D3 Team obviously spent a lot of time in mom's basement....

Media

Ray of Frost can be seen in action on video here:

• Cinematic: Wizard
• Gameplay: Blizzcon 2008

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

• Diablo III screenshots and pictures
• Ray of Frost specific gallery contents

• 

  Ray of Frost used in the middle of the Skeleton King trap.

• 

  Casting the spell before the hordes of skeletons arrive.

• 

  Ray of Frost with all five rune effects.

References

• BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees
• Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report -- IncGamers 1st Aug 2011

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer primary

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer secondary

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer corpses

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Template:Skill navbox Necromancer reanimation

Template:Skill navbox Necromancer curses