Ice Storm is a lot like Rain of Fire... it does good damage over a fairly large area but it takes a while to do it. Whether it's good or not really depends on your play style. Solo it's great since Ice has little other AoE and your Frost Breath will help slow enemies and keep them in the storm. On teams you'll find things often get killed a few seconds after you drop the storm, but against tougher mobs that last a while it is still handy. It's particularly good for Ice/Ice Blasters since Shiver + Ice Storm will bring an entire spawn to the slow cap. The main drawback is the 15 second duration... having enough mobs remain both alive and in the storm's area for that long pretty much requires additional slows (like Shiver or Snow Storm) or an AoE immobilize (plus not being on a team with heavy AoE damage).
If you solo a lot I'd definitely take it. If you mainly group it's more skippable though it is still your best AoE source.
Cascade, level 50 Blaster (NRG/NRG since before it was cool)
Mechmeister, level 50 Bots / Traps MM
FAR too many non-50 alts to name
[u]Arcs[u]
The Scavenger Hunt: 187076
The Instant Lair Delivery Service: 206636
I use Ice Storm every time it's up. Slotted correctly, and used after Frost Breath, it's a beast.
- Does decent DoT.
- Extra Slows on mobs
- Causes mobs to scatter.
- Everyone need slots for Targeted AoE IO sets anyways.
The other thing it does for me is 'lights up' targets so I can see what I'm dealing with.
I leveled an ice/ice/cold blaster to 50. Ice Storm was among the bread and butter of my AoE destruction. Mind you, I skipped or didn't use some powers because of my preference for mobility and hovering.
My usual mix was to drop an Ice Storm and then Blizzard. What wasn't thoroughly ruined by the raining snow and death from Blizzard was slowed and whittled down from the Ice Storm.
Even in groups I highly recommend it. There are occasions where a little extra rain helps.
Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.
Isaac Asimov
My Ice/Ice/Cold Blaster uses Ice Storm frequently. On many of the high level TFs, there are enough bosses and Lts that Ice Storm provides a nice contribution of AoE Damage. As previously said, Shiver + Ice Storm puts foes at the slow cap -- which is especially great in the ITF.
I generally play with a great tank . . . he runs in to grab the aggro, and Ice Storm is perfect for the large groups that we deal with on large teams. (It is also good at revealing foes who are hiding . . . )
LOCAL MAN! The most famous hero of all. There are more newspaper stories about me than anyone else. "Local Man wins Medal of Honor." "Local Man opens Animal Shelter." "Local Man Charged with..." (Um, forget about that one.)
Guide Links: Earth/Rad Guide, Illusion/Rad Guide, Electric Control
I couldn't imagine using Ice Blast without it. The AoE is just incredibly useful. Sure, it takes a bit more time than some other powers, but those other powers aren't in Ice Blast.
Blue
American Steele: 50 BS/Inv
Nightfall: 50 DDD
Sable Slayer: 50 DM/Rgn
Fortune's Shadow: 50 Dark/Psi
WinterStrike: 47 Ice/Dev
Quantum Well: 43 Inv/EM
Twilit Destiny: 43 MA/DA
Red
Shadowslip: 50 DDC
Final Rest: 50 MA/Rgn
Abyssal Frost: 50 Ice/Dark
Golden Ember: 50 SM/FA
I duo'd with an ice tank, so I don't worry too much about scatter. Love Ice Storm.
Quote:
It's good, but for optimal effect you need to hit the targets with something that slows their movement to the absolute minimum. Otherwise they run out of the effect before maximum damage is inflicted.|
Originally Posted by Sailboat
Several of the guides seem fairly negative about Ice Storm. My baby Ice/Ice Blaster has been trying it out, and I am undecided. Anyone have any opinions on this power?
|
That something can be Frost Breath, Shiver, Snowstorm, an Ice tanker, or whatever. But all by its lonesome, Ice Storm tends to make mobs scatter.
Ice Storm is great, and as an Ice/Ice you have to tools to use it to great effect. Sure, it takes a while to do its full damage, but if you look at the detailed info you'll see that its full damage is ridiculously high. Even a portion of that is useful.
Issue 16 made me feel like this.
Warning: This poster likes to play Devil's Advocate.
I've been playing an Ice/Ice blaster since Issue 3 and have gone through many respecs since; I have never respecced out Ice Storm.
Like others have mentioned, Shiver + Ice Storm is great for slowing mobs and killing them. And, because it is up more than 10 seconds, if you slot a Damage Proc in it, it will get two chances to proc the extra damage.
All in all, it's a great power. 
I find your lack of signature disturbing.
I agree with all the previous comments, and really like it for several reasons, but regardless of anything else .... ANY regular attack (ie, stuff that isn't terribly time consuming/end draining/obnoxious secondary effects) that keeps doing damage while you're busy doing OTHER damage has gotta be a great thing!
Quote:
... I now want a power that lets me launch an ice tanker at mobs.
|
Originally Posted by Rodion
It's good, but for optimal effect you need to hit the targets with something that slows their movement to the absolute minimum. Otherwise they run out of the effect before maximum damage is inflicted.
That something can be Frost Breath, Shiver, Snowstorm, an Ice tanker, or whatever. But all by its lonesome, Ice Storm tends to make mobs scatter. |
Wanted: Origin centric story arcs.
If you've only played an AT once (one set combo) and "hate" it - don't give up. Roll a different combo. It may just be those sets not clicking for you.
My Ice/Fire blaster loves Ice storm
Ice Storm + Blizzard + pop blue + consume = Dead spawn + full end bar (if you are quick enough on the consume, YMMV)
Things are usually dead before they run out of the raining shards of death. The few that remain are easy pickings.
Also I find that the Ragnarok +chance for Knockdown hits quite enough to make it well worth a slot in Ice Storm
I have an Ice/Fire blaster too... LOVE him! But Ice Storm is something that I've never found much use for. The damage output is iffy since half of it is lethal damage (other being cold) and most mobs resist lethal. The slow debuff, the casting time, and the somewhat middle-of-the-road damage is not that useful for me and my playstyle with this particular blaster. I'd rather cast a BU + Aim + Blizzard + blue insp + Consume and go on to the next mob.
However, I do keep the power in my build (single slotted with rech) for fun and for the times I'm teamed with a kin--then it becomes a mini-nuke without the end crash and it's up more often.
On my Storm/Ice defender, however, I have 6-slotted the power and placed the Rag KD proc, Posi proc, and Impeded Swiftness proc in it and I use the power as often as I can along with Freezing Rain and Blizzard.
...So it's really up to you, your playstyle, concept, or whatever you feel like in whether it's a good power for you or not.
Several of the guides seem fairly negative about Ice Storm. My baby Ice/Ice Blaster has been trying it out, and I am undecided. Anyone have any opinions on this power?
If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
----------------------------------------------------------
The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog