Ray of Frost Class: Wizard (Diablo III) Required Level: 2 Skill Category: Secondary Active Cost: 16 Arcane Power per tick Project a beam of frozen ice that blasts enemies within 5 yards of the first enemy hit for 430% damage as Cold and Slows their movement by 60% for 3 seconds. Ray of Frost damage is increased by 405% damage every second, up to a maximum total of 1240% damage as Cold. Damage Type: Cold Other Stats: Channeled |
Ray of Frost is a Cold spell used by Wizards in Diablo III, seemingly inspired by Arctic Blast.
In-game[]
Ray of Frost forms an instant beam that hits the first enemy in its path, as well as other enemies within 5 yards of the target, for Cold damage per tick, chilling them down for as long as the beam is channeled. While the Wizard continues channeling the beam, its damage grows by 405% damage as Cold per tick, reaching maximum output over 2 ticks, normally 2 seconds (1240% as Cold per tick). Stopping the channeling will reset this bonus.
The beam has limited range, roughly 50 yards, and while channeling, the Wizard cannot move.
It is the only Wizard direct damaging skill that cannot change its damage type.
Runes:[]
- Cold Blood: Arcane Power cost is reduced to 11 per tick.
- Numb: slowdown increased to 80%, adds 10% chance on hit to Freeze affected enemies for 1 second.
- Black Ice: killed enemies leave 5 yard radius pools of black ice, dealing 1625% damage as Cold to everything within it over 3 seconds.
- Sleet Storm: beam turns into a radial storm. It affects all enemies within 15 yards of the Wizard, growing to 22 yards in 1 second, but damage is reduced to 300%, and damage buff from channeling decreases to 220% per second, to a maximum of 740% damage as Cold per tick.
- Snow Blast: enemies hit by Ray of Frost suffer 15% more damage from Cold for 4 seconds, effect does not stack.
Non-rune enhancements:[]
- Taeguk (Legendary Gem): increases damage done by 2% per tick (+0.04% per rank) and armor by 2% per tick (rank 25 bonus), stacking up to 10 times.
- Light of Grace (Legendary Source): Ray of Frost pierces through enemies, hitting all targets standing in line, each of them forming a separate blast.
- Mantle of Channeling (Legendary Pauldrons): while channeling Ray of Frost, increases damage done by 20-25% and reduces damage taken by 25%.
- Deathwish (Legendary Sword): while channeling Ray of Frost, increases damage done by 250-325%.
- Etched Sigil (Legendary Source): for every second of channeling, will also cast Energy Twister at the same target, and increases damage of Energy Twister by 200-250% while channeled.
- Hergbrash's Binding (Legendary Belt): reduces Arcane Power cost by 50-65%.
Development[]
This page contains obsolete content This article contains information that is no longer relevant to gameplay. |
Before patch 2.0, Ray of Frost was a single-target spell. Snow Blast used to grow in power over time instead of increasing damage taken by the target.
Prior to Patch 2.1, it did not have a channeling-based buff.
Trivia[]
- Seemingly inspired by this skill, Ray of Frost reappeared in World of WarCraft as a Mage talent.
Primary Skills
Magic Missile • Shock Pulse • Spectral Blade • Electrocute
Secondary Skills
Ray of Frost • Arcane Orb • Arcane Torrent • Disintegrate
Defensive Skills
Frost Nova • Diamond Skin • Slow Time • Teleport
Force
Wave of Force • Energy Twister • Hydra • Meteor • Blizzard
Conjuration
Ice Armor • Storm Armor • Magic Weapon • Familiar • Energy Armor
Mastery
Explosive Blast • Mirror Image • Archon • Black Hole
Passive Skills
Power Hungry • Blur • Evocation • Glass Cannon • Prodigy • Astral Presence
Illusionist • Cold Blooded • Conflagration • Paralysis • Galvanizing Ward • Temporal Flux
Dominance • Arcane Dynamo • Unstable Anomaly • Unwavering Will • Audacity • Elemental Exposure
Removed
Critical Mass