Mirror Image

Mirror Image is a Wizard Tier 2 skill unlocked at level 3, creating an illusionary duplicate of the character.

Background

Diablo III Skill [e]
Mirror Image Active, 5 ranks
Used by:	Wizard
Skill Description:
Create an illusionary duplicate of yourself.
Skill Details:
Type:	Decoy
Quantity:	Illusion with 20-100% caster health
Effect:	Small AoE
School:	Conjuration
Arcane Power cost:	15
Cast time:	Instant
Duration:	8 sec
Cooldown:	Unknown
Synergies:	None
Requires:	N/A
Prereq of:	N/A

In order to avoid close combat as much as possible, the Wizard can create duplicates of herself, who will also aggressively attack opponents.

Skill Design

This skill creates a duplicate of the Wizard that uses Wizard spells to ferociously attack monsters the instant it appears. The Image's spells don't do any damage, so it's more like an animated Decoy than a Shadow Master. But it works like a tank, with monsters attacking the Image if it is closer to them than the Wizard, and as anyone who has played artillery characters knows, a tanking minion (or another player) is beyond value.

Mirror Image animation sequence in the BlizzCon 2008 Demo.

Skill Rank Table

• Rank 1: One illusion for 8 with 20% of caster's health. (A)
• Rank 2: One illusion for 8 with 40% of caster's health.
• Rank 3: One illusion for 8 with 60% of caster's health.
• Rank 4: One illusion for 8 with 80% of caster's health. (A)
• Rank 5: One illusion for 8 with 100% of caster's health. (A)

(A) = Assumed

Synergies

• None known.

Skill Rune Effects

• None known.

Development

Mirror Image was first shown at BlizzCon 2008 when the Wizard was unveiled, where it was at Tier II on the Conjuring Skill Tree. It then spawned five illusion images and there were also two other skills to synergize with Mirror Image: Duplicate Conjuring for more images and Conjured Health for more health.

The BlizzCon 2009 version increased illusion health; it seemed likely the number of images probably could be increased through the use of skill runes. Flux found it useful in the right circumstances:[1]

I didn’t use this one very often during play, since the Wizard was powerful enough to slaughter most attackers without needing the assistance, but the few times I did Mirror Image, against big mobs, it worked marvelously. The mirror doesn’t last for very long, usually dying to the monster onslaught, but it didn’t have to. The Wizard has a number of nice AoE spells, even at low levels, and all the MI had to do was provide a focal point for the Fallen or Dark Cultists to swarm around to turn them into fish in a barrel for Arcane Orbs.

Mirror Image was still listed at BlizzCon 2010, but it wasn't one of the Wizard's starting skills.

Previous Versions

See the Wizard skill archive for more details on previous versions of Mirror Image and other Wizard skills.
Or see Mirror Image (BlizzCon 2008) for the original version of this skill.

Media

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

• Diablo III screenshots and pictures
• Mirror Image specific gallery contents

• 

  Mirror Image shot.

• 

  The Mirror Image animation.

• 

  Mirror Images casting Spectral Blade.

• 

  The Mirror Image skill icon.

References

• BlizzCon 2008 Wizard Gameplay Report
• BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees