Sorceress Cold Spells

Sorceress Skills
All Skills Cold Spells Fire Spells Lightning Spells

The Cold spells have less raw damage than fire or lightning, but add the bonus effect of chilling or freezing the target, and thanks to Cold Mastery's ability to lower resistances, these spells can be the strongest in the game, despite their lower total damage numbers.

Cold vs. Frozen

• Chilled monsters are slowed, often for quite a time. They have a % chance to shatter into pieces when they die.
• Frozen monsters are stunned into motionless until they thaw. The Freezing effect usually lasts just a second or two. Boss monsters can not be frozen (just chilled). All frozen monsters will shatter into ice cubes when they die, leaving no corpse.

Ice Bolt

Required Level: 1
Prerequisites: None
Synergies: The damage of Ice Bolt is boosted by points in the following skills:

• Frost Nova: +15% Cold Damage Per Level
• Ice Blast: +15% Cold Damage Per Level
• Glacial Spike: +15% Cold Damage Per Level
• Blizzard: +15% Cold Damage Per Level
• Frozen Orb: +15% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: This spell shoots a small snowball that damages and slows the target. There is no splash, the spell slows rather than freezes, and the damage isn't high enough to use it long term, even with the huge cluster of synergies added in recent patches.

Mana	3

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Damage	Duration
1	3-5	6.0	6	8-12	13.0	11	16-23	20.0	16	26-36	27.0
2	4-6	7.4	7	9-14	14.4	12	18-25	21.0	17	29-39	28.4
3	5-8	8.8	8	10-15	15.8	13	20-28	22.8	18	32-42	29.8
4	6-9	10.2	9	12-18	17.2	14	22-30	24.2	19	35-46	31.2
5	7-11	11.6	10	14-20	18.6	15	24-33	25.6	20	38-49	32.6

Frozen Armor

Required Level: 1
Prerequisites: None
Synergies: Frozen Armor is boosted by points in the following skills:

• Shiver Armor: +10 Seconds Per Level
• Shiver Armor: +5% Freeze Length Per Level
• Chilling Armor: +10 Seconds Per Level
• Chilling Armor: +5% Freeze Length Per Level

Details: Provides a defense bonus and freezes any melee attackers that strike the Sorceress. Only one of the Frozen Armor, Shiver Armor, Chilling Armor defensive spells may be active at once.

• PVP: Chills, rather than freezes.
• Since few Sorceresses choose their equipment with an eye to raising their defense, this spell isn't especially useful to most builds.

Mana:	11

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Defense	Duration	Freeze	Slvl	Defense	Duration	Freeze	Slvl	Defense	Duration	Freeze	Slvl	Defense	Duration	Freeze
1	+30%	120	1.2 sec	6	+55%	180	1.8 sec	11	+80%	240	2.4 sec	16	+105%	300	3.0 sec
2	+35%	132	1.3 sec	7	+60%	192	1.9 sec	12	+85%	252	2.5 sec	17	+110%	312	3.1 sec
3	+40%	144	1.4 sec	8	+65%	204	2.0 sec	13	+90%	264	2.6 sec	18	+115%	324	3.2 sec
4	+45%	156	1.5 sec	9	+70%	216	2.1 sec	14	+95%	276	2.7 sec	19	+120%	336	3.3 sec
5	+50%	168	1.6 sec	10	+75%	228	2.2 sec	15	+100%	288	2.8 sec	20	+125%	348	3.4 sec

Frost Nova

Required Level: 6
Prerequisites None
Synergies: Frost Nova's damage is boosted by points in the following skills:

• Blizzard: +10% Cold Damage Per Level
• Frozen Orb: +10% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: Creates and expanding ring of ice that damages enemies with cold damage and slows enemies. The radius is the same as that of Nova, about 2/3 of the visible screen.

• This spell doesn't do enough damage to kill effectively with, but it's a great defensive aid, instantly chilling every monster within a dozen yards of the Sorceress.

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Mana	Damage	Chill	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Chill	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Chill	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Chill
1	9	2-4	8 sec	6	14	12-16	13 sec	11	19	25-32	18 sec	16	24	40-49	23 sec
2	10	4-6	9 sec	7	15	14-19	14 sec	12	20	28-35	19 sec	17	25	44-54	24 sec
3	11	6-9	10 sec	8	16	16-21	15 sec	13	21	31-39	20 sec	18	26	48-58	25 sec
4	12	8-11	11 sec	9	17	19-25	16 sec	14	22	34-42	21 sec	19	27	52-63	26 sec
5	13	10-14	12 sec	10	18	22-28	17 sec	15	23	37-46	22 sec	20	28	56-67	27 sec

Ice Blast

Required Level: 6
Prerequisites: Ice Bolt
Synergies: Points in the following skills boost the damage of Ice Blast.

• Ice Bolt: +8% Cold Damage Per Level
• Glacial Spike: +10% Freeze Length Per Level
• Blizzard: +8% Cold Damage Per Level
• Frozen Orb: +8% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: Shoots a large snowball that hits with cold damage, freezing the target. Damage scales up extremely quickly as you place points in this skill.

• PVP: Players are chilled, not frozen.
• Bosses, Champions, and SuperUniques can not be frozen.

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze
1	6.0	8-12	3.0 sec	6	8.5	46-53	4.0 sec	11	11.0	106-116	5.0 sec	16	13.0	182-194	6.0 sec
2	6.5	16-21	3.2 sec	7	9.0	54-61	4.2 sec	12	11.5	122-132	5.2 sec	17	14.0	205-218	6.2 sec
3	7.0	23-29	3.4 sec	8	9.5	61-69	4.4 sec	13	12.0	137-147	5.4 sec	18	14.0	227-241	6.4 sec
4	7.5	31-37	3.6 sec	9	10.0	76-85	4.6 sec	14	12.0	152-163	5.6 sec	19	15.0	250-264	6.6 sec
5	8.0	38-45	3.8 sec	10	10.5	91-100	4.8 sec	15	13.0	167-179	5.8 sec	20	15.0	273-287	6.8 sec

Shiver Armor

Required Level: 12
Prerequisites: Frozen Armor, Ice Bolt, Ice Blast
Synergies: Shiver Armor receives bonuses from points placed in the following skills:

• Frozen Armor: +10 Seconds Per Level
• Frozen Armor: +9% Cold Damage Per Level
• Chilling Armor: +10 Seconds Per Level
• Chilling Armor: +9% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: Provides a larger defensive bonus than Frozen Armor, and damages melee attackers. It chills, rather than freezes, as Frozen Armor does.

Mana:	11
Cold Length:	4 Seconds

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration
1	+45%	+6-8	130	6	+75%	+17-22	190	11	+105%	+31-39	250	16	+135%	+47-58	310
2	+51%	+8-11	142	7	+81%	+19-25	202	12	+111%	+34-43	262	17	+141%	+52-63	322
3	+57%	+10-14	154	8	+87%	+21-27	214	13	+117%	+38-46	274	18	+147%	+56-68	334
4	+63%	+13-16	166	9	+93%	+25-31	226	14	+123%	+41-50	286	19	+153%	+61-73	346
5	+69%	+15-19	178	10	+99%	+28-35	238	15	+129%	+44-54	298	20	+159%	+65-77	358

Glacial Spike

Required Level: 18
Prerequisites" Ice Bolt, Ice Blast
Synergies: Points in the following skills provide a bonus to Glacial Spike.

• Ice Bolt: +5% Cold Damage Per Level
• Ice Blast: +5% Cold Damage Per Level
• Blizzard: +3% Freeze Length Per Level
• Frozen Orb: +5% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: Shoots a large snowball that hits with substantial damage and a large splash effect, freezing the targeted monster and anything within 2.6 yards.

• A very popular support skill; many Sorceresses map this to their left click button for emergency use (clicking on open space with targeted spells on the left click will simply run to that spot, just as having Attack or other melee skills on the left click does).

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze	Slvl	Mana	Damage	Freeze
1	10.0	17-26	2.0 sec	6	12.5	56-67	2.6 sec	11	15.0	114-128	3.2 sec	16	17.5	185-202	3.8 sec
2	10.5	25-34	2.1 sec	7	13.0	63-75	2.7 sec	12	15.5	128-143	3.3 sec	17	18.0	201-218	3.9 sec
3	11.0	33-42	2.2 sec	8	13.5	71-84	2.8 sec	13	16.0	143-158	3.4 sec	18	18.5	216-234	4.0 sec
4	11.5	40-51	2.3 sec	9	14.0	85-99	2.9 sec	14	16.5	157-173	3.5 sec	19	19.0	232-250	4.1 sec
5	12.0	48-59	2.4 sec	10	14.5	100-113	3.0 sec	15	17.0	171-188	3.6 sec	20	19.5	247-266	4.2 sec

Blizzard

Casting Delay: 1.8 Seconds
Required Level: 24
Prerequisites: Ice Bolt, Ice Blast, Frost Nova, Glacial Spike
Synergies: Points in the following skills boost the damage of Blizzard:

• Ice Bolt: +5% Cold Damage Per Level
• Ice Blast: +5% Cold Damage Per Level
• Glacial Spike: +5% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: Blizzard is an area effect spell, calling down an icy storm that chills and cold damages everything over a wide area. Targets are chilled, not frozen, and the damage is dealt over time instead of all in one blast, but the total damage dealt is the highest of any spell in this tree.

• Blizzard requires a certain play style, since its damage is dealt over several seconds to an area, instead of in a more targeted shot like most Sorceress spells. Monsters will need to be herded together, or a tank used to get them to hold still while Blizzard rains down its damage.

Duration:	4 Seconds

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Mana	DPS	Slvl	Mana	DPS	Slvl	Mana	DPS	Slvl	Mana	DPS
1	23	51-86	6	28	138-178	11	33	276-322	16	38	448-500
2	24	69-104	7	29	155-196	12	34	310-357	17	39	500-553
3	25	86-123	8	30	172-215	13	35	345-393	18	40	552-606
4	26	103-141	9	31	207-250	14	36	379-428	19	41	603-658
5	27	120-159	10	32	241-286	15	37	414-464	20	42	655-711

Chilling Armor

Required Level: 24
Prerequisites: Frozen Armor, Ice Bolt, Ice Blast, Shiver Armor
Synergies: Points in the following skills boost the effects of Chilling Armor.

• Frozen Armor: +10 Seconds Per Level
• Frozen Armor: +7% Cold Damage Per Level
• Shiver Armor: +10 Seconds Per Level
• Shiver Armor: +7% Cold Damage Per Level

Details: Chilling Armor provides a slightly smaller defensive bonus than Shiver Armor (but larger than Frozen Armor). While the other two boost special effects against melee attackers, this one reacts to incoming projectiles by firing an Ice Bolt back in the direction of the missile.

• Since most Cold Sorcs have a constant stream of ice covering most of the screen, the damage returned from this defensive spell is largely irrelevant at higher levels.
• Contrary to popular belief, Chilling Armor does NOT negate or block ranged attack damage; it only provides automatic retaliation.

Mana:	17

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration	Slvl	Defense	Damage	Duration
1	+45%	+5-8	170	6	+70%	+11-17	200	11	+95%	+21-30	230	16	+125%	+34-45	260
2	+50%	+6-10	176	7	+75%	+12-18	206	12	+100%	+22-33	236	17	+130%	+37-49	266
3	+55%	+7-11	182	8	+80%	+14-21	212	13	+105%	+26-35	242	18	+135%	+41-53	272
4	+60%	+9-13	188	9	+85%	+17-24	218	14	+110%	+28-38	248	19	+140%	+44-57	278
5	+65%	+10-15	194	10	+90%	+19-27	224	15	+120%	+30-41	254	20	+4-6	164	—

Frozen Orb in action.

Frozen Orb

Casting Delay: 1 Second
Required Level: 30
Prerequisites: Ice Bolt, Ice Blast, Frost Nova, Glacial Spike, Blizzard
Synergies: Each skill point in Ice Bolt adds: +2% Cold Damage Per Level
Details: One of the more awesome spells in the game, Frozen Orb fires out a glowing orb of ice that spins across most of the visible screen, emitting dozens of tiny Ice Bolts in all directions.

• Frozen Orb requires some skill to use, since the damage is highest right where the orb is targeted, and especially at the point it expires with one final swirl of ice. Enemies must therefore be within effective range, and not blocked by walls or other obstacles.
• As with all casting delay Sorceress skills, Frozen Orb can and should be teamed with another spell that can be cast during the second delay.
• In earlier versions of D2, this spell was bugged so that monsters the Orb passed over took minimal damage. It was therefore necessary to aim just to the side of targets. This bug was fixed in v1.09.

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Mana	Cold	Cold Dur.	Slvl	Mana	Cold	Cold Dur.	Slvl	Mana	Cold	Cold Dur.	Slvl	Mana	Cold	Cold Dur.
1	25	+40-45	8	6	27	+90-95	13	11	30	+146-151	18	16	32	+206-211	23
2	25	+50-55	9	7	28	+100-105	14	12	30	+158-163	19	17	33	+220-225	24
3	26	+60-65	10	8	28	+110-115	15	13	31	+170-175	20	18	33	+234-239	25
4	26	+70-75	11	9	29	+122-127	16	14	31	+182-187	21	19	34	+248-253	26
5	27	+80-85	12	10	29	+134-139	17	15	32	+194-199	22	20	34	+262-267	27

Cold Mastery

Required Level: 30
Prerequisites: None
Synergies: None
Details: Cold Mastery provides a constant passive bonus by lowering the resistance of all the targets of her spells.

• Resistance is only lowered to her spells; not for others in her party, including cold-using minions.
• Cold Mastery does not break immunities, but can reduce resistances into negative values, greatly increasing the damage of her spells.

Skill Level Progression [e]

Slvl	Enemy Resistance	Slvl	Enemy Resistance	Slvl	Enemy Resistance	Slvl	Enemy Resistance
1	-20%	6	-45%	11	-70%	16	-95%
2	-25%	7	-50%	12	-75%	17	-100%
3	-30%	8	-55%	13	-80%	18	-105%
4	-35%	9	-60%	14	-85%	19	-110%
5	-40%	10	-65%	15	-90%	20	-115%