Resistances

Your resistance to various types of magical effects are located below your character’s combat statistics when pressing the (C) key.

There are five types of resistances in Diablo III, represented by symbols of different colors in your character's combat statistics window.

• Blue Snowflake = Frost
• Red Flame = Fire
• Purple Thunder = Lightning
• Green Skull = Poison
• Yellow Icon = Arcane

Magic is a fickle and unpredictable force, and every character and creature is able to resist the effects of spells. The chance of successfully avoiding the effects of a dangerous spell is primarily affected by Level, but outside factors may give the character a bonus.

The Resistance ratings displayed in the Character Information screen display only bonuses granted from outside sources.

Arcane resistance protects the character from spells that expel raw magical energy, or spells that attempt to change or transform the character’s physical form.

Fire resistance provides defense against fire spells of all types. It can also help to resist the attacks of creatures and weapons that use fire or heat to cause damage.

Lightning resistance defends against electrical attacks of all types, from lightning bolts to the powerful charges exuded by certain creatures.

Frost resistance decreases the amount of damage received from frost spells, but won't make you immune to slow or freeze effects.

Damage Types

A cold crit freezes the target. (The red slash is part of the Cleave skill graphic, not fire.

Each different types of damage deal special bonus effects in Diablo III, and have different bonuses when they occur with critical hit. These effects are known to work on monsters: how much this will translate to damage dealt to players, from PvM or PvP, is unknown.

See the combat page for more details.

• Physical Damage:
  • Critical hit: Deals double damage. Might also knockback, but not confirmed.
• Arcane Damage: Purple in coloration.
  • Critical hit: Arcane crits "silence" targets. (Silenced targets can not cast some spells, such as a Skeletal Summoner or Goatman Shaman resurrecting fallen minions.)
• Cold Damage: Blue in coloration.
  • Critical hit: Cold crits freeze targets for 2 seconds.
• Fire Damage: Red in coloration.
  • Critical hit: Fire crits set targets ablaze, adding DoT to the initial fire damage.
• Lightning Damage: White in coloration.
  • Critical hit: Lightning crits stun targets for 2 seconds.
• Toxic Damage: Green in coloration.
  • Critical hit: Toxic (poison) crits deal an unknown bonus.