Polar Vortex

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Polar Vortex
Level	9
School1	Ice
Source(s)	Book of Ice
Casting noise	5
Spell noise	15
Power Cap	200
Range	5
Flags	Area

Turns the air around the caster into a freezing vortex, doing tremendous damage to everyone caught in it that can only partially be mitigated by resistance to cold. Those affected will also be swept up into the air and tossed around. Only the eye of the storm is a safe place, and it follows the caster. The vortex is unable to follow the caster through long-distance translocations. The spell's effectiveness is greatly diminished in closed areas. After the vortex fades, it cannot be called forth again for a short time.

Polar Vortex is a level 9 Ice Magic spell which creates a frenzy of raging wind around you (maximum radius is 6 squares), dealing catastrophic cold damage (only 40% of which is affected by cold resistance) to every monster in it. On top of this damage, the caster begins to fly in the eye of the storm, while everything else caught in it (monsters, clouds, orbs of destruction, etc.) is randomly scattered about the area. Creatures take more damage the closer they are to the eye of the storm on any given turn. As you move, the storm goes with you. Blinking (whether through spell or scroll) or teleporting ends the spell immediately.

As the description says, the spell is most powerful when cast in open spaces, but in a pinch it can be used in corridors for a less deadly, but still formidable, attack.

The only monster immune to the effects of this spell is the twister. Also, casting Polar Vortex confers immunity to any other creature's Vortex.

Tips & Tricks

• While Polar Vortex is less impressive than other level 9 spells, it is quite MP-efficient, as it only consumes MP on the turn it is cast.
• When the radius is 6, the amount of noise is 15. This number is multiplied by the delay of your last action (in auts) and divided by 10.
• Any trees within Polar Vortex's range have a chance of being destroyed by the spell.
• Be careful not to use Blink while the spell is up unless you specifically want to end its effects.

History

• Polar Vortex was added in 0.27, as a rethemed version of Tornado. Comparative to Tornado, Vortex deals 33% more damage and is 40% resistable by cold.