| Ice Bolt | ||
|---|---|---|
 | ||
| Realm |
 Nature | |
| Spell Rarity | Uncommon | |
| Spell Type | Combat Instant | |
| Casting Cost |
 10-50 | |
| Research Cost |
 400 | |
| ||
Strikes the target unit with a  5-45 Cold Damage attack. | ||
Ice Bolt is an Uncommon Combat Instant belonging to the Nature Magic realm. It may only be cast during combat, at an enemy unit. For 10 the spell will strike the target with a Magical Bolt delivering 5 points of Cold Damage. Up to 40 additional Mana points may be spent increasing the strength of this bolt, with each 1 adding +1.
Effects[]
Ice Bolt fires a powerful bolt that delivers Cold Damage to its target. The spell may be cast with additional Mana input to increase damage proportionally.
The Bolt[]
When Ice Bolt is cast at an enemy unit during combat, a magical blue bolt will swiftly descend from the sky and strike that unit. The bolt delivers Cold Damage to the target based on the amount of Mana the casting Wizard invests in the spell.
The minimum strength of the bolt is 5. This value is used when the spell is cast at its base Casting Cost of 10. Each additional 1 spent on the spell increases the strength of the bolt by +1, for a maximum possible potency of 45.
The Ice Bolt is considered to be a Ranged Attack originating from off-map (i.e. not from any of the units on the battlefield). It does not suffer any 
To Hit penalties for range, so each 1 strength point has a 30% chance of inflicting 
1 damage point to the enemy unit. Therefore, a minimal Ice Bolt delivers about 1.5 on average, while a fully-powered Ice Bolt delivers about 13.5 on average.
The enemy unit may block this attack using its 
Defense score, as per the normal Ranged Combat rules.
This attack delivers Cold Damage. Therefore, targets possessing the Cold Immunity ability do not suffer any damage from the Ice Bolt.
Usage[]
Ice Bolt may only be cast during combat, for a basic Casting Cost of 10. It must be targeted at an enemy unit. While you may target any enemy unit, units possessing the Cold Immunity ability are not affected by the spell - wasting valuable Mana.
The casting Wizard may add up to +40 to the spell's Casting Cost in order to increase its potency. Each 1 beyond the spell's base cost of 10 will add a +1 bonus to the strength of the attack. The casting Wizard may not spend more Mana than he has in his Mana pool, nor spend more Mana than his current remaining Spell Skill allows.
Ice Bolt is shown on screen as a tiny blue spark with a shimmering blue trail, flying down from the sky and impacting with the targeted unit. Damage is dealt immediately on impact.
Acquisition[]
As an Uncommon Nature spell, Ice Bolt may become available to any Wizard who possesses at least one Nature Spellbook. However, its availability during the game is almost never guaranteed.
Customized Wizards possessing 11 Spellbooks at creation time may choose this spell as one of their default spells before starting the game, in which case the spell will already be researched and available for casting immediately on the first turn.
Wizards who possess at least 8 Spellbooks, or Wizards with 11 Spellbooks who did not select Ice Bolt as a guaranteed spell, will be able to Research this spell at some point during their campaign. Wizards with fewer than 8 Spellbooks have a random chance of being able to Research it. The chance for this spell to appear increases with the number of Nature Spellbooks the Wizard possesses or obtains during gameplay.
Ice Bolt has a base Research Cost of 400.
With at least 1 Spellbook, the Ice Bolt spell may be acquired as a reward for winning encounters in creature Lairs, Towers, et cetera, or when conquering the Fortress of a rival wizard who has already researched this spell.
Strategy[]
Ice Bolt is the most basic direct-attack spell in the Nature Magic repertoire. It is very useful for hurting most units, and is obviously better when more Mana is invested into it.
A particularly lucky application of a full-strength Ice Bolt can dispatch a mid-level Fantastic Creature on the spot, or eradicate an entire Normal Unit.