Blast
Blast: Ice Storm and 3 more
Unleashes an ice storm that damages everyone in it; some also knock them down.
4 spells the game runs with the same code.
DamagesKnocks down or back· 1 of 4How 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
1,125
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
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: 1,125 ÷ 40 = 28.1. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Around the middle: it beats 63 % 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 3 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 3,375 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 30.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 3 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 3,375 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 55 px · Lasts 0 s
Water · Level II
Total damage
1,198
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
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: 1,198 ÷ 60 = 20. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Around the middle: it beats 49 % 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 2,396 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 46.
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 2,396 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 130 px · Radius 65 px · Lasts 0 s
Water · Level III
Total damage
1,381
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
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: 1,381 ÷ 75 = 18.4. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Around the middle: it beats 45 % 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 1,381 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 57.
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 1,381 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 160 px · Radius 80 px · Lasts 1 s
Water · Level IV
Total damage
1,740
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
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: 1,740 ÷ 100 = 17.4. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Around the middle: it beats 41 % 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 1,740 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 78.
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 1,740 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 180 px · Radius 85 px · Lasts 0.1 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 Storm
Water · Level I
Total damage
1,125
MP
40
28.1 per MP
Cost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 40
- Runes
- III
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 5.6
Range and area
- Cast range
- 100 px
- Radius
- 55 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 0 s (0 ticks)
- Hits after
- 0.35 s (21 ticks)
- Power
- 720
Other
- Traits
- —
Ice Torrent
Water · Level II
Total damage
1,198
MP
60
20 per MP
Cost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 60
- Runes
- IIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 5.7
Range and area
- Cast range
- 130 px
- Radius
- 65 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 0 s (0 ticks)
- Hits after
- 0.35 s (21 ticks)
- Power
- 769
Other
- Traits
- —
Absolute 0
Water · Level III
Total damage
1,381
MP
75
18.4 per MP
Cost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 75
- Runes
- IIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 7.0
Range and area
- Cast range
- 160 px
- Radius
- 80 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 1 s (60 ticks)
- Hits after
- 1.33 s (80 ticks)
- Power
- 891
Other
- Traits
- —
Final Ice
Water · Level IV
Total damage
1,740
MP
100
17.4 per MP
Cost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 100
- Runes
- IIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 7.8
Range and area
- Cast range
- 180 px
- Radius
- 85 px
Time and damage
- Duration
- 0.1 s (6 ticks)
- Hits after
- 2.17 s (130 ticks)
- Power
- 1,130
Other
- Traits
- Knocks down
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.