Blast
Blast: Ice Maiden and 2 more
Calls an ice maiden that damages and freezes the enemies around her and changes the ground.
3 spells the game runs with the same code.
DamagesFreezesChanges the groundHow is the total effect worked out?
Total effect: what one unit receives over the whole spell. The real figure depends on who casts and who receives it, so it is worked out for a fixed reference: the caster has magic 30 (Isaac at level 1), the element at level 1–10 and a perfect stroke (quality 1); the receiver has defense and magic defense 0, a neutral element and no weakness or shield; no random factor. “up to” is a maximum that needs every hit to land, or the unit to stay where the spell reaches it; “not confirmed” marks what the code read so far does not settle.
To cast a spell you draw its runes, each in one stroke and each scored on its own: a long stroke with many turns takes longer and gives more chances to slip out of the shape. Each spell shows its runes, drawn from their strokes, with their level (I to III) and how long their strokes are added up, in widths of the rune: the game scales the drawing, so its size on screen does not count. A higher level is usually longer, but not always (Water II is shorter than Wind I).
Best spells · Which spells pay off and why, each with the number behind it. The filters leave only what Isaac already has at hand.
Water · Level I
Total damage
420 · Freeze, 3 s
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- —
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 420 ÷ 50 = 8.4. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 18 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 2 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 840 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 38.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 2 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 840 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 100 px · Radius 65 px · Lasts 0 s
Water · Level II
Total damage
570 · Freeze, 3 s
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- —
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 570 ÷ 70 = 8.1. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 18 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 570 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 54.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 570 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 110 px · Radius 65 px · Lasts 0 s
Water · Level III
Total damage
870 · Freeze, 3 s
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- —
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 870 ÷ 85 = 10.2. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the least efficient: it beats 21 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 870 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 65.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 870 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 120 px · Radius 75 px · Lasts 1 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor. How is it worked out?
Ice Maiden
Water · Level I
Total damage
420
MP
50
8.4 per MP
Freeze, 3 s
DamagesFreezesChanges the groundCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 50
- Runes
- IIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 6.5
Range and area
- Cast range
- 100 px
- Radius
- 65 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 0 s (0 ticks)
- Power
- 250
Ice Queen
Water · Level II
Total damage
570
MP
70
8.1 per MP
Freeze, 3 s
DamagesFreezesChanges the groundCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 70
- Runes
- IIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 6.6
Range and area
- Cast range
- 110 px
- Radius
- 65 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 0 s (0 ticks)
- Power
- 350
Ice Goddess
Water · Level III
Total damage
870
MP
85
10.2 per MP
Freeze, 3 s
DamagesFreezesChanges the groundCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 85
- Runes
- IIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 7.9
Range and area
- Cast range
- 120 px
- Radius
- 75 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 1 s (60 ticks)
- Power
- 550
Grouped by the effect class and subkind of each spell in the game’s data, as the research did; the notes come from reading the code, not from playing.