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Ice Block

Ice Block
15 Mana

Instant	5 min cooldown

Requires Mage
Requires level 15

You become encased in a block of ice, protecting you from all attacks and damage for 10 sec, but during that time you cannot attack, move or cast spells.

Causes Hypothermia, preventing you from recasting Ice Block for 30 sec.

Buff

Ice Block	Magic

Immune to all attacks and damage. Cannot attack, move or use spells.
10 seconds remaining

Spell Details

Duration

10 seconds

School

Frost

Mechanic

Invulnerable

Dispel type

Magic

GCD category

Normal

Cost

15 Mana

Range

0 yards (Self)

Cast time

Instant

Cooldown

n/a

GCD

1.5 seconds

Effect #1

Apply Aura: Stun

Effect #2

Apply Aura: Immunity (Physical)

Effect #3

Apply Aura: Immunity (All)

Effect #4

Apply Aura: Mod Total Health Regen %
Interval: 1 second

Flags

Guides

Elementals in
Draenor: A Guide
to Elemental Shaman

Mage DPS Guide

Method's Mythic Butcher Guide

Raid and Class
cooldown list.

Ranged DPS
Overview -
Tips and Specs

Warlords of Draenor
Druid Changes

Warlords of Draenor
Mage Changes

[Outdated] Arcane Mage
PvE Guide 5.4

Comments

Comment by wirksux

If you have 21 pts to spend in the frost tree, this is that 21st point. Get it, use it, love it. It will instantly removed any debuffs you have (there are a few exceptions). In groups/raids where you accidentally pull aggro, use this to temporarily give that aggro back to the tank.

NOTE: Ice Blocking does NOT clear your threat. It temporarily stops it and while you are frozen, you do not generate any additional threat. Staying frozen the entire duration allows your tank to regain aggro (or at least you hope).

Call this spell your "Get out of jail free" card. Add Cold Snap and you've just bought yourself an extra card.

Comment by the0mega

I have found a few nice uses for Ice Block in PvP and PvE.

(PvP Uses)

1. Use Ice Block to clear DoTs. This include poisons, bleed effects, curses, and magic effects (corruption & SW:P). This may not sound aweomse, but when you have 6 DoTs Ice Block can save you from a quick death.

2. Use Ice Block to hold out for reinforcements. Occasionally you may be caught off guard, be outnumbered, or just out-skilled. In these cases you can use Ice Block if reinforcements are nearby. Usually this will cause the attacker to divert his attention away from you and fight your allies, giving you time to run off and bandage up or keep casting.

3. Use Ice Block to wait for cooldowns. When I use it for this reason it's usually for Blink or FN. I'm only this desperate for cooldowns if I have multiple people attacking me.

(PvE Uses)

1. Use Ice Block to clear certain boss/mob debuffs. Not much of an explanation here.

2. Use Ice Block when falling from a high area. I haven't tested this recently, but if you fall from a great height, use Ice Block near the ground to stop your descent and fall a short distance for no damage.

3. Use Ice Block to completely halt your aggro generation. It won't clear it, but it will give the tank to build their aggro a little more.

Those are the best times I can think of to use this ability.

Comment by arcticfox

This skill can also be combined with 30 points in the Fire tree for a deadly elemental PvP build. For instance, get talents like Shatter, Frostbite, Cold Snap and Ice Block from the Frost tree, and up to 5/5 Firepower from the Fire tree.

And yes, Ice Blocking out of a fall does cancel fall damage, unless you were high enough in the air when coming out of the block.

Another use for this in PvE is pulling Battleguard Sartura in AQ40. Wait for Sartura to patrol to the center of the room, then run in mounted, and when she spots you, hit the block. If all goes right, hunters right on your tail will be ready to pull the boss and guards to their respective tanks. Works great for any fight with patrolling bosses and tricky pulls with multiple mobs, especially when you don't have Paladins for bubble pulls.

Comment by skitzosmeagol

Ice block is also amazing during Huhuran when she enrages at 30% and begins shooting 2k poison bolts at the nearest 15 people, if one dies a mage can hurry run up and ice block and count as one of those 15 w/o taking damage, and with coldsnap you just gave 20 secs to the life span of one of your raid members. This can save a raid from a whipe, and our mages have done it countless times.

Comment by reallyshortname

As of 2.0 global cooldown prevents you from hitting Ice Block then quickly deactivating it by pressing its hotkey twice. However you can remove Ice Block during the global cooldown by right-clicking the buff icon.

Comment by Tehsteve

Just a little something to add. Mob's aren't quite as stupid as we think they are. If they notice that their attacks aren't affecting you because you're invulnerable they'll look for something nearby to attack. This can be anything from a teammate to an escort NPC. You've been warned...

Comment by andyf

Some new information for the forthcoming 2.1.0 patch - Ice Block will no longer make mages immune to Weakened Soul from a Priest shield, and also - and this is a big one - when cast, Ice Block will give a 'Hypothermia' debuff for 30 seconds, making Ice Block uncastable again during this time.

Comment by Cobra

But "Hypothermia" can be removed by a paladin and you can recast it....Ice Block is a good spell cause when you AoE a group of mobs it is a good idea to use it for the tank to have time to take the aggro.
!!!AND!!!:In arena (2x2) it is good when your partner dies...you summon Water Elemental (if u are full frost) and Ice Block for the Elemental to make a good dmg to the oponent team!

Comment by Rogerkle

Thanks alot for that comment Mystil!!!! Seriously, now I can run flags in WSG perfect again, man i love u! :D <3 The option you need to turn off to remove the timer to unbuff Ice block is called "Secure ability toggle" btw.

Comment by Entrails

According to Eyonix, in patch 2.3.2, Ice Block will now be a trainable ability for all mages.

"There are a few nice improvements we're making to the mage class in patch 2.3.2 (a small patch that will be on the public test realms soon) and we wanted to share them with you. First, we'll start out with two changes affecting all mages. Ice block will become a core ability, trainable by all mages at level 30. Additionally, conjure mana (rank 6) will restore 1800-3000 mana and will now have three charges, meaning you can use it three times before having to create a new one.

To be sure we're clear here, yes, the same cooldown will still apply between usages. :P

Cold snap will be moved to Ice block's position in the talent tree and its cooldown will be reduced. As a side note, it will no longer reset the cooldown on fire ward. Moving in to Cold snap's spot will be a brand new ability called Icy Veins. This new ability will decrease casting time for all spells by 20% and increases the chance that chilling effects freeze the target by 25%. It's an active ability, lasting 20 seconds and has a 3 minute cooldown."

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=2968115908&sid=1&pageNo=1

Comment by b0n3Z

Now, Ice Block is spell, learnable from trainer at 30 lvl.Gratz mages =)

Comment by eveline

Can the mage , when silenced , do ice-block ????

Comment by WoWluver

i saw a vid on youtube where they were killing saphiron and the mages used iceblock and other people stood behind the mage and it blocked the AoE spell where it jumps up and hits every1 and the casters took no dmg...is that real or they made it up in the vid?

Comment by xxxtyer2012xxx

can u get healed while in ice block?

Comment by Jeremypwnz

This spell is defective. I use when im about to die in mana tombs, like 2 seconds through its canceled and only melee dudes are nearby.

Comment by coyote72

Remember that anytime you use a Spell or Ability requiring Mana, Energy, or Rage, it will cost at it's full cost when attacking an Immune Target. Ice Block for this example.

Comment by coyote72

After using it, Hypothermia is applied as a buff that is not canceled by anything besides death. This will apply directly after using it, meaning when you exit the Ice Block, 10 of the 30 seconds will have already passed by. Leaving you 20 seconds to apply another Ice Block by using Cold Snap and only that spell.

Using this spell will temporarily set your Threat to 0. If there is still something attacking you, then that means that you are its only threat, and another party member hasn't touched it yet. If you see another person attacking this target which is still attacking you while Ice Blocked, they're either a PvP player, or if it's an NPC... their attacks are either being resisted, or they're just missing!

Comment by St3FuN

Well i have an question??? Can it be dispelled with Arcane Shot ???
I think it can like Power Word:Shield.
An intersting thing is that arcane shot first dispel then do damage.

Comment by laurenlily

Ahh i was falling from a huge length so i was going to use slow fall but i had no feathers!

So i just hit ice block before i hit the land, saves you some feathers :)

Good luck fellow mages!

Comment by coyote72

Something you really want to keep in mind, for you hunters, priests, warlocks, anyone that can drain mana, or anyone that's dealing with a mage that uses the Mana Shield... Despite of this spell's great benefits...

It still costs mana ^_^

Comment by ALEXWBYRD

Can you bandage up while ice blocked?

Comment by NeoFenix

can I use this while i'm holding the flag on a bg?

Comment by Grindalwald

Was fighting Vile Priest Hex in the hinterlands and noticed while i was hoping around as a frog that this can be cast while hexxed. Havn't tried in pvp yet, but i would assume that this can be used while feared? Didn't see that entioned above.

Comment by TheMuffinMan

Ice Block does NOT clear threat, so don't just think you can jump in and out during a raid and be safe.

Ice Block simply makes you an invalid target, causing all mob AI to ignore you (assuming there is a viable target engaged to them), but it will not alter your threat. Be warned that your tank still needs to be able to taunt the mob away from you.

Despite this short-coming, there's no excuse not to use it in raid if your aggro starts to get too high. If you crit a Fireball, and Ignite starts ticking you closer and closer to 131% aggro, Ice Block will force it to ignore you becoming the greater threat, allowing the tank 10 seconds to build up aggro off of you.

Be warned, however, that if a mob comes after you and you Ice block, you may very well be giving a healer a death sentence.

Comment by jeast

Also remember to macro \\cancelaura Ice Block in order to end it when you want. In PVP, as soon as your target starts to attack or run from your Elemental you should pop back out of Ice block and start attacking (kindof like Hunter's Feign Death).

Also, Glyph of Ice Block resets your Frost Nova Cooldown so just Ice Block (clear all dots, debuffs, stuns, etc), then \\cancelaura Ice Block \\cast Frost Nova and give em the old Frostbolt Ice Lance combo before the Nova breaks.

Another good Ice Block macro for Herbalists is \\cast Life Bloom \\stopcasting \\cast Ice Block. Any other Hots will also work this way as Ice Block doesn't remove Hots

Comment by Norrinir

There were few confused posters and I haven't seen it mentioned yet.

Ice Block, alongside with other spells that grant full immunity, clears most of debuffs. Considering you are not in un-clearable CC, you can cast Ice Block as long as your frost school is not locked out and you are not under the effects of Hypothermia - effectively allowing you to cast Ice Block while under the effect of CC and clear such effects. Currently, Ice Block works against almost all player-applied CCs, with the expection of Cyclone.

Ice Block is unable to clear certain debuffs - Deserter, Resurrection Sickness, Weakened Soul and Forbearance to name the most important ones.

Ice Block has also special behavior against spells with travel time (= spells with projectile).

If you cast Ice Block while the projectile is still travelling, the spell won't have effect.
note: this used to show "Miss" line on player's unit frame and generate no record in combat log. Now, such spells will give "Resist" line and record it even into combat log.

If the enemy's spell was cast while the Ice Block was still active, but landed after the Ice Block ended, the spell won't have effect.
note: will show "immune" in combat log

edit: complete rewrite

Comment by Madican

Raid snoozing through "ez-mode" Naxx? Apply Ice Block during Sapphiron's breath and see who's paying attention! Warning, may cause unexpected consequences including but not limited to: exclusion from loot, wiping raid, being g-kicked, and insane Vent laughter.

Comment by Kethrook

I like jumping on top of things and using this to freeze them solid

Comment by Himmlisch

I don't know if this has been said or not, but in PvP situations, (PvE too I suppose), if an enemy is casting a spell at you, say, Shadow Bolt, if you Ice Block before the bolt itself leaves the casters hand, you can drop the I.B., and the spell will not hit you.

Comment by Sedirex

Could a mage explain to me the need for hypothermia? it seems silly to me when the spell is on a 5 minute cooldown.

Comment by SHSzilla

If *cough*mana potions*cough* were all free, then you could live like Walt Disney and live for all eternity inside a block of ice!

Comment by cuden247

Great to counter http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=19574 or any spell that increase target's dps for a period of time

Comment by Arkhirion

#showtooltip Ice Block
/cast Ice Block
/y I was frozen today!

Comment by Garon132

I like how here it says "Cost, none"
But in fact its 15 mana =P

Comment by Calyrn

Posted a screenshot of me casting it in midair, it's not that good but still :)

Comment by Asasyn90

That poor gnome on the screenshoot...

Comment by Luke20333

As of 4.2, ice block will give immunity to all physical and magical damage. Best used when about to die and near a healer so you can be saved! User beware, this ability (along with other immunity skills) can be dispelled by a priest using Mass Dispel. Mass Dispel

Comment by g0urra

Odd enough, this spell cost 15 Mana to cost at any level - unusual for a spell since most other spells cost a percentage of (base) mana.

Comment by dukenukemi

You can jump down and Ice Block and you don´t get falling damage.

Comment by sylancer

wtf is "15 Mana" mean? why not percentage?

Hearthstone: Ice Block

Comment by Grozgrr

I hope Blizzard one day makes this off the GCD. Having to wait 1,5 secs to cast it means death in many cases.

Ice Block

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