Olepi's Ice.ice Blaster Guide
Copyright 2005 by Bill Peterson (Olepi)
All uses allowed, if you credit me.
v0.1 -- Feb 5, 2005
Introduction
------------
So, you want to be an Ice blaster? It is a lot of fun! There are several
ways to go: like a pure blaster, a blaster-controller, or even a blapper. Some
of the powers are good for all types of play, and others are used mainly for a
specific play style. Personally, I like the controller aspects of Ice blasting,
so that is what this guide is geared to.
Olepi is a mutant, that somehow can do ice
So for role playing purposes,
I had to go with Ice.ice, and also Cold Mastery. This guide only covers powers
in those sets.
First, let me define some terms that are used in this guide:
Blast -- ice blasters get three main blasts, Ice Bolt, Ice Blast, and Bitter Ice Blast
In this guide, I will sometimes use terms like b1 + b2 .. , this means
one blast, followed by another. Each blast hits one target only.
AOE -- area of effect, meaning that the power affects more than one mob at a time.
DoT -- damage over time, a power that causes damage for some time after it hits
Freeze -- a freeze locks the mob in a solid block of ice, and they cannot move or
shoot, even when they are taking damage.
Root -- a root locks the mob in place, but they can still shoot back
Sleep -- a sleep puts the mobs asleep, but they will wake up if they take damage
Slow -- the mobs slow down, and some slows also add a -recharge effect. This means
that not only do they move and shoot slower, but they also recharge their
powers more slowly.
Knockdown -- some powers cause the mobs to slip and fall down. The mob may get a
shot off between being knocked down.
Rain -- a power that causes an AOE effect of rain, usually slowing the mobs down
and doing damage over time
Stacking -- casting two powers, on the same mob, that have some component other than
damage; like two slows, two freezes, etc. The overlap of these effects
is called stacking, and is very effective.
Ice blasters get to choose from these types of powers. Some Ice blasters (like
me) tend to use all the roots, slows, freezes, etc, to affect the mobs. Other blasters
may like to just concentrate on pure damage, and may skip some or all of the
"controller" type powers. Other blasters may elect to focus on melee damage, and
go for the "blapper" style of play.
Features of the Ice Blaster
--------------------------
Probably the two most distinguishing features of the Ice Blaster is the rate
of fire, and the controller powers. Ice blasters typically can fire off a blast
in one second. That's right! Most of the main powers for Ice blasters can fire
in one second. The other main feature is the controller powers. These type of
powers don't do damage really, but they arrange the battle so that you can
get the maximum advantage. Like a controller.
Some Ice blasters go for the damage, and don't appreciate or use the controller
powers much. I've seen posts from blasters saying that a slow, or sleep, or other
type power is useless, since they don't damage the mob. They contend it is better
to just kill something, not slow it or freeze it. This guide is aimed at the
controller style of play instead; and I tend to stay away from melee range.
Gum up the Works and Carry a Big Gun
------------------------------------
Ice blasters may do the most single-target damage of any blaster. And once
you factor in the rate of fire, the damage really adds up. I like to "gum up
the works" too
Here are a couple of examples:
a) single target headed your way -- blast them to oblivion
b) two targets headed your way -- blast one, take damage from the other, then blast
the other one ( the blaster way)
c) or, freeze one target, and then blast the other one. Then blast the first
one at your leisure. (blastoller way)
d) or, cast an AOE slow (like SHiver) and then both mobs are definitely "gummed
up". (blastoller)
-- Imagine: you cast a power and all the mobs in range move at a snail's pace, fire
more slowly, and can't recharge very fast. ---
Those slowed mobs have not been damaged, but they are definitely less dangerous.
Almost all Ice powers have some slow component, and stacking them really helps. So
casting two AOE slows (like a Shiver and then an Ice Storm) will slow the mobs down
to almost nothing. It is funny to see them frantically running around, in slow
motion!
-- Imagine: a boss heads your way. One swipe from him and you are dead. You cannot
blast him down with a few shots. What do you do? Freeze him!! ---
Stack two freezes (I use Bitter Freeze Ray followed by Freeze Ray) and the boss
cannot move. You can walk up and pick your teeth while he sits there. Chop him down
at your leisure, take your time to rebuild stamina, etc. Like the Spider and the Fly
Freezing a mob sometimes seems really evil hehe.
-- Imagine: in a warehouse you come upon a room of mobs. If you go in, they all turn
and you are toast. If you fire into the room, they all come streaming out. What do
you do? Put down an Ice Patch! ----
An Ice Patch is a small circle of ice on the ground that will cause the mobs to slip
and fall. If they move at all, it will be very very slowly. Cast the patch in the doorway,
and fire into the room. The mobs will just fall down in the doorway, and jam them all
in. Very funny to watch.
-- Imagine: while you are slowing, freezing, and slipping the mobs, you are also
carrying a very BIG GUN. Your blasts are extrememly powerful, and you fire very
rapidly. ---
To me, this is the defining Ice Blaster role: you can "gum up" the mobs, like a
controller, and also you can blast with as much damage as anybody.
Ice Blasting Requirements
-------------------------
To keep blasting with maximum rate of fire with maximum damage, some power choices
and slotting seems mandatory. As with a lot of blasters, endurance is a real problem.
Firing once a second does no good if you are out of endurance. If you do have plenty
of endurance, you still can't fire once a second, since you will be waiting on the
powers to recharge. This means that two powers are mandatory:
- Stamina -- you need stamina, and as soon as you can get it. Six slot it with
endurance regens
- Hasten -- hasten will increase your rate of fire, which really works once you
get stamina.
Ice blasters also get the option to get two more powers that are not controller or
damage powers, but are mandatory:
- Build Up -- this power adds 100% to your base damage, and also adds 62.5% accuracy
boost. It really makes a difference.
- Aim -- this power is the inverse of build-up: 100% acc boost, and 62.5% boost to
base damage.
Slot these at least with three recharges. I alternate them, and use one of them every
time I really want to hit and hurt.
You could skip getting these powers, and still be successful (maybe) as an Ice Blaster.
All that you would have given up is:
- more shots
- faster shots
- more accurate and damaging shots.
Why would you want to give up that?? Get Stamina, Hasten, Build-Up, and Aim. Mandatory.
The Ice Blasts
--------------
There are three main Ice Blasts; getting all three is mandatory. Six slot them, mostly
for damage. Some people skip getting Ice Bolt, claiming it does too little damage. It is
a great power though, since you can pick off a damaged mob with the least endurance cost.
These blasts are "single target", meaning they will hit only one target. They never will
damage another mob, except the one you aimed at.
- Ice Bolt -- a nice power with good range, low damage, and low cost. Takes one
second to activate. I would get it really early in the game, and
slot it for damage as you go.
- Ice Blast -- good damage, good range, some endurance cost. This is your main blast,
available as the starting power. Take it, and slot it for damage. Once
you get Blast and BOlt, you can hit one mob twice, or hit two different
mobs, in two seconds.
- Bitter Ice Blast -- great damage, low range, high cost. This is the most damaging
attack you will get. It may be the most damaging attack in the game. Get
it as soon as you can, and slot for damage. Remember that it's range is
less than the other two blasts. This can get you in trouble sometimes.
Before you get Aim and Build-up, you may want to add some ACC slots to the blasts. In fact,
I still have one ACC and 5 DMG in my blasts.
"Cycling Powers" means firing a power and waiting for it to recharge. With more powers,
you can fire one, and while it is recharging, fire another power. In fact, with the three
blasts above, you can pick a sequence that gives the fastest "cycling". BIB will take
the longest to recharge, so fire it first. Then fire the other two, and then fire them
again. BIB will be ready again. A good Ice blaster can throw out damage and freezes in all
directions, once a second.
The Ice Freezes
---------------
The other defining power of Ice Blasters, besides the blasts, is the freeze ray. There
are two freeze rays: Freeze Ray and Bitter Freeze Ray. Freeze Ray is mandatory, take it
as soon as you can, and love it. If you don't like Freeze Ray, you should consider playing
a different kind of blaster
- Freeze Ray -- get it as soon as you can, and slot it for holds. I would recommend at
least 2-3 holds, and maybe an ACC slot. FR also activates quickly, so
you can "cycle" it in with the blasts.
- Bitter Freeze Ray -- this is Ice's "snipe" power. It has long range, and a long windup,
like a snipe. It does some damage, similar to a blast, but slot it for
holds, like FR. BFR comes later in the game, and I played to level 35 or
so before I got it. I shoulda got it sooner. You can freeze a mob, up
to a lt., from beyond their aggro range. Cool!
Stacking BFR and FR allows you to take on bosses. In fact, as an Ice Blaster, I hunt mostly
bosses. Or, BFR one mob, FR another, and blast down the third. Take on three with no danger.
Not everyone will recommend taking BFR, since stacking two FR's is just as good, and almost
as fast. I would recommend taking it, but I personally did fine without it for a long time.
Chillblain
----------
If you went with Ice secondary, then you took CHillblain. THis is like the Ice controller
Chillblain power, it "roots" the mob in place. The mob can still fire back, cast powers, etc,
they just are "rooted" in place. Chillblain also does a little bit of damage, which in the early
game, is a great thing. It also recharges quickly and is cheap to use. A good power in the
early game. Cast a Chillblain on a melee mob, and they are helpless. Or, use it on a flier! It
is fun to bring them down
Learn to use Chillblain to force the battle to go your way. Pick one
mob to stop (or freeze with FR) and then focus on the others. YOU control who you fight, and
who is waiting to get blasted
I also used Chillblain as a damage power when "cycling" on the mobs. It is a good power to
throw at a mob that has a sliver of life left, and lets your other powers have that little
extra time to recharge. I also like to Freeze Ray a mob, and then Chillblain em, just to see
the graphics LOL. Chillblain has a small DoT (damage over time) that can have a good effect.
I mostly quit using Chillblain in the middle to later game though.
Let's Take Stock
----------------
Ok, if you have read this far, and followed the guide, you will have a good, basic
foundation to build an Ice Blaster. I consider all the above mandatory. From now on,
though, it becomes a matter of choice as to how to play. Let's review what you should
have, or be working towards:
- get stamina and hasten, to fire more and faster
- get Build-up and Aim, to fire more accurately and do more damage
- take all three blasts, to DO the damage
- take Freeze Ray and love it
- learn to use Chillblain as a control and as a damage power
- learn to "cycle", or sequence, your powers to get the maximum benefit
Here is where the individual types of blasters differentiate; the "blappers" will start
taking melee powers, the "blastollers" (like me) will take the controller powers, and
pure blasters will probably have picked a different secondary. If you remove the melee
and controller powers from ice.ice, there is not a lot left besides the blasts and Frost
Breath.
Frost Breath
------------
Ice blasters have only a few ways of damaging groups of mobs at a time, AOE. We excel
at damaging a single target, or targets, but we give up some AOE power for our controller
powers. Frost Breath is our best AOE (besides Blizzard), although it is really a cone-shaped
attack. In my mind, a blaster does damage, and how can you turn down one of our only
good AOE attacks? So Frost Breath is mandatory. It is a great power, it reminds me of
bowling
You line up your cone like you would a strike on bowling pins, and fire it.
I recommend slotting for damage, and at the end game, six-slotted. I also have one
Cone Range enhancement slot.
Frost Breath will get you killed however. All of the mobs it hits will turn on you,
and boy are they mad! At level 45, I was hitting for over 200 per mob, so with a group,
Frost Breath is doing 1,000's of damage. But that means lots of aggro. FB will not
kill even con minions in one hit, but they are left with less than 1/2 health. Easy
pickings for your slows, blasts, and freezes. With packed wolves in the can, FB was
doing *insane* damage
So the recommendation here is to take Frost Breath, and take it pretty early. Slot it
some (2-3) for damage and maybe a cone range. Six slot it the later game. Learn to manage
aggro and how to safely use Frost Breath. It is a great damage power (even against single
targets); learn to "cycle" it in with the other powers.
Ice Storm and Blizzard
----------------------
Many Ice blasters don't use or like these powers, but I really do like them. They are
both "rain" type powers. They affect a large area (AOE) and last for some time. Mobs
caught in the rain suffer damage and other problems. They tend to try to run out of the
rain area, turning to fire as they run. Once outside the area, they will attack or move
as normal. Mobs also will not run INTO a rain area, so an Ice Storm can be used to block
a hallway or other area. You do not have to cast these powers on an enemy. Both of these
powers have a strong slow component, and stacking them will cause the mobs to slow to a
crawl. However, Blizzard does a lot more damage, and is typically used as a damage power.
- Ice Storm -- I recommend getting this power, and using it a lot in the early game.
There are a lot of good uses for it that may not be readily apparent:
a) "keep out" area -- mobs won't run INTO a rain, so block a hallway
b) marks the little gears, monkeys, shards, etc so you can get em
c) shows where the enemy is, even in the dark (numbers come out their heads)
d) it does slow them WAY down, slot with a slow or two
e) it does do some dmg, slot with a dmg or two
In the early game, slot it with a dmg or two, and a slow, and use it
to "gum up" the mobs. Stack it with other slows, slicks, and freezes.
Remember, cast it on a group of mobs, and they will scatter, allowing
you to pick them off one at a time. Tanks won't like that, but there
are times you do want that. Learn to control the battle.
- Blizzard -- like an Ice Storm, with teeth. It slows, but also adds a -recharge and
-acc to the mix, along with knockdown. This is Ice's top "uber"power.
Many people are disappointed in it, but I like it. It does great
damage, although it takes 15-25 seconds to get the full effect. I
recommend six-slotting Blizzard for damage, and stacking it with
a slow. Blizzard is very good when a controller can lock down the mobs.
---- Imagine: you run into 12 even con minions, so you:
- cast Build-up
- run up, hit them with Frost Breath
- cast Blizzard, and step back
those 12 mobs will die in 4 seconds. You will take a hit or two, probably. ----
So I like Blizzard. It does good knockdown too, and I've seen it
keep an AV on it's beehind. When you cast it on a group of mobs, they
are in a world of hurt, that lasts a long time. I've killed mobs
coming at us, and they died when they ran into a Blizzard I cast 10
seconds ago
All those mobs who spawn little stuff when they die,
well, all that little stuff dies too.
Next Taking Stock, the Secondary
--------------------------------
Well, if you have gotten this far, we have covered all of the Ice primaries. I recommend
taking them all. There is a good use for all of them. What remains then, is the choice of
the secondary and the pool powers. Let me list the secondary powers and my take on them:
- Chillblain -- already covered. A good power in the early game, good against melee
and fliers, loses in the later game. Same as Ice Controller Chillblain.
- Frozen Fists, Ice Sword -- melee powers. As with all Ice powers, they have a slight
slowing side effect. I liked Ice Sword a lot, especially in the early
game. I learned to stay out of melee later, and respec'd out of it.
I may take Ice Sword at the end just for the nice graphics of it LOL
It was very satisfyiing to "chop" down Totems with the Ice Sword
- Chilling Embrace -- a slow that is "anchored" on you. I never took it, since I didn't
go down the melee path.
- Build Up -- get it, nuff said
- Ice Patch -- I love this power
It is a smaller version of the controller Ice Slick.
It will make all mobs who cross it slip and fall, repeatedly. I recommend
this power highly .. it is a lot of fun!!! Used strategically, it can
have a huge effect, as in the doorway example above. Casting one so
the tanker/scrapper can use it is fun to watch. If a mob is on me, and
I am in danger but don't want to run, throw an Ice Patch. It can cause
bosses to flounder.
- Shiver -- the answer is "yes", get it. As the game says, "Dramatically slows the
enemies' movement and attack rate." It will draw aggro, but it can have
a huge effect. This is another Ice Controller power that blasters
can get. Slot it for 2-3 slows.
- Freezing Touch -- like a Freeze Ray, it freezes the mob. But you have to touch them,
meaning it is a melee only power. It can give us three freezes, and
allow for better stacking choices, but I am shying away from melee,
so I respec'd out of it. A viable choice though, for those who want
to play that way.
- Frozen Aura -- don't make me puke. This is the highest level Ice Power, and it sucks.
To be blunt, it is bad. What Ice always needed was an AOE freeze!
And this is the next best thing, an AOE sleep. BUt, it misses, a lot.
The book says "Causes all nearby enemies to fall asleep" .. HA! As
a level 40+, I went hunting level 10's, 10's!!! and it missed!!!!
Do. not. take. this. power. .. that. is. all. (see Flash Freeze)
Now to the Cold Mastery Powers
------------------------------
Cold Mastery allows us to get some more Ice Controller powers, Snowstorm and Flash
Freeze. In addition, we can get Ice Armor, and Hibernate. So far, I picked the first
three, so:
- Snowstorm -- I like this power a lot. It is the same as the Ice Controller
snowstorm power; basically a Shiver that is stuck, or "anchored"
to a mob. It is a toggle, so a good use is to freeze a boss, cast
Snowstorm on him, and then go after the minions. I slotted it for
2-3 slows and 2-3 endurance reducers. It will stay up for me even
after casting Blizzard, so stacking it is easy.
- Flash Freeze -- this is what Frozen Aura (curse its name) was supposed to be.
It sleeps all nearby enemies, except for bosses and maybe high
lt's. Since Ice is mainly single target, this makes the mobs
sitting ducks. It is the same as the Ice Controller's Flash
Freeze. I definitely recommend it, I have a end reducer in it
now, have not experimented enough to know what is best.
- Ice Armor -- like the Tank's Ice Armor, it provides decent defense. However,
it is another toggle, and once you get all your toggles going,
you will need to prioritize. I took it, but find that I don't
want to take damage anyway, so I would rather save the endurance
and not fight where I would need armor.
- Hibernate -- I have not tried this power yet.
Pool Powers
-----------
I leave this part to personal choice; which travel power to pick, etc. I found
that Hover was a good choice, and I liked blasting from the air. I went with
Superspeed and Stealth as main travel powers. This combination provides almost full
invisibility. Superjump is a lot of fun, and that seems a very viable way to go. It is
really up to the individual.
Taking Hasten and Stamina narrow the choices of Pool Powers, but they are
absolutely required.
Conclusion
----------
Ice Blasters do not have a "bomb", like Nova, that instantly blasts all mobs.
We are more like "gumming up" the works, with slows, freezes, sleeps, etc. And we
carry a large gun!
I go for bosses and AV's mostly; Ice blasters can do great
damage against a target. And, they also can play as a controller; and in some teams,
I have been the main controller
More freezing, slicking, storming, and slowing,
than blasting. It may be a special mentality, but the Ice Blaster/Controller with
a big gun is a fun Hero to play! I welcome any feedback to this guide, and look
forward to fun gaming.
Once epics come into play then the game changes. Being able to hit those big locked down groups with something like Fireball is pretty darn fun.
Kill 'em, use his body as a bomb, then heal from the body, then turn the body into a pet LOL
