Ice Form

Version 0.12: This article may not be up to date for the latest stable release of Crawl.

Ice Form
Level	4
School¹	Ice
School²	Transmutation
Source(s)	Book of Changes Book of Transfigurations Book of Beasts
Casting noise	3
Spell noise	0

This spell temporarily transforms the caster's body into a frozen ice-creature, light enough to float on water.

Ice Form is a level 4 Ice Magic/Transmutations spell which transforms you, giving you a body made of ice. You gain the following:

PROS

Cold resistance: 3 ranks
Poison resistance
+5-12 AC (amount dependent on Ice Magic)
+20% max HP
Increases the AC bonus from Ozocubu's Armour
Gain freezing-branded Unarmed Combat attacks
- Unarmed Combat attacks are slightly more powerful
Corpses can be butchered by hand
Can swim through deep water

CONS

Fire and silver vulnerability
All equipment except for rings, amulets, and cloaks meld into you, losing all effect
You cannot use wands, weapons, or throw projectiles.

RESTRICTIONS

Mummies and ghouls cannot use this spell, while vampires must be at Full hunger or higher.

Strategy

With bonuses to HP, AC, and multiple resistances, Ice Form can make a flimsy caster significantly more durable (so long as he watches out for fire attacks). The loss of weapons and armour is not too terrible for transmuters, since they often focus on Unarmed Combat and Dodge anyway, and an ice elementalist's spellcasting will not be impeded.
The resistances provided make the caster capable of using Mephitic Cloud, Freezing Cloud, and Poisonous Cloud without fear of injuring himself.
Ice Form is useful in the Swamp and other waterlogged areas for travelling through deep water and ignoring poison and confusion effects. Just be careful not to accidentally drown when the spell wears off. It is less useful in the Shoals; although the rC+++ is useful against merfolk aquamancers and Ilsuiw, a merfolk javelineer armed with silver javelins will be a serious threat.
Since Ice Form provides rPois, you can use it to eat poisonous meat from kobolds and the like. Just make sure you do so before you hit Starving and become incapable of casting.

Prior to 0.9, Ice Form also provided conservation for the player's currently held potions.

Prior to 0.6, Ice Form did not allow you to butcher while unarmed.

Ice Form