The Best RPGs For Ice Builds

One of the biggest draws of RPGs is the way they let players take on new identities that extend into the utterly fantastical. Whether that’s as an explorer charting a huge, impossible world, or as a mage practicing the dark arts, roleplaying games are so popular today, both on the screen and on the table, because of their capacity to immerse players in new worlds. For many games, this usually means giving players a set of mechanics they can use to interact with the world.

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Magic systems are a hallmark among RPGs, especially fantasy RPGs, but the principles of these systems—elemental damage, using attacks that take up a resource, etc.—can be found in a variety of different genres. Players wanting to freeze enemies solid or dish out high bouts of frost damage are spoiled for choice when it comes to titles that scratch that itch, but these games in particular have excellent ice builds available.

Frost Damage Is A Pillar Of Magical Combat

Released

November 11, 2011

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol

The fifth Elder Scrolls mainline title showed a good deal of streamlining compared to the previous series entries, truncating the expansive system of metrics and stats from earlier games into something a bit more palatable to casual players, with things like the specific stats and numbers behind most concepts kept ‘under the hood.’

Being a mage in Skyrim can still be a satisfying experience despite this simplification, especially if players choose to specialize in frost magic. This school of magic can be complemented with various ice-based dragon shouts, and has the capacity to wreak tremendous damage on enemies’ health and stamina, or even freeze them solid.

7

Dark Souls 3

Frost Is A New Addition To The Dark Souls Formula

Systems

Released

March 24, 2016

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood Violence

Frostbite was a new feature added to Dark Souls 3, implementing a debilitating effect that saps enemies’ stamina regeneration and deals a set amount of damage on proc.

Especially when playing the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, players have a host of possibilities at their disposal to inflict frostbite buildup, including colossal heavy weapons, swifter dexterity-based weapons, and a plethora of frozen spells.

6

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Magic Professions Have Many Ice Spells

Systems

Released

March 22, 2024

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

Similar to Skyrim, Dragon’s Dogma 2 has a select few magical paths for players to take. There are more options in this title than in Skyrim, however, and there are plenty of ice builds to make within the vocations of Dragon’s Dogma 2.

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The Magick Archer, as well as the Mage, Sorcerer, and Mystic Spearhand, all have the opportunity to double down on their ice damage output, and create some truly powerful cryomancers.

5

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Entire Skill Trees Focus On Frost

Systems

Released

October 31, 2024

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

Damage types are handled very interestingly in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Across the three archetypal classes of Mage, Warrior, and Rogue, there are a variety of skill trees that specialize in all sorts of damage types.

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In particular, the Mage and Rogue classes have access to some powerful cold-damage attacks, and many companions, especially Warrior companions like Davrin, synergize well with cold damage’s corresponding debuff, the Frozen state.

4

Divinity: Original Sin 2

The Expansive Magic System Allows For Great Ice Builds

Released

September 14, 2017

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

Larian has an impressive pedigree when it comes to CRPGs, showcasing an incredible talent for bringing a narrative-heavy, incredibly expansive style of games to a huge audience. While their biggest hit is undoubtedly Baldur’s Gate 3, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is an excellent title that helped put Larian on the map.

The magic system in Divinity is more centered around elements than the school-based system in Baldur’s Gate 3, and this allows for players to focus on ice damage to slow and debilitate enemies.

3

Warframe

Frost Is A Versatile And Lethal Warframe

Released

March 25, 2013

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence

There is an entire Warframe built around the concept of dealing cold damage. Frost is an incredibly swift, incredibly powerful DPS class, capable of splitting its attention between DPS and AOE-style attacks. Frost’s ability to freeze enemies also allows for unprecedented control of the battlefield.

Its later abilities cement this Warframe as an AOE expert, though there are many means of focusing on a more defensive frost specialist. Warframe lets players create an ice build with an incredible amount of skill diversity, and is an excellent choice for those who want to unleash a bout of cold damage upon their foes.

2

Tales Of Maj’Eyal

Wyrmics, Archmages, And Tempests Deliver Icy Destruction

Released

December 31, 2012

ESRB

nr

One of the best open-world roguelikes on the shelves today, Tales of Maj’Eyal has the quintessential roguelike charm that comes with wide build diversity and character-creation options. Ice damage comes in the form of many skill lines within a host of classes.

The Tempest is a master of storm magic who can specialize in blizzards, the Archmage can use frost magic to complement their colossal arcane prowess, and the Wyrmic can mantle the form of the ice dragon to unleash devastating freezing breath attacks.

1

Tyranny

An Excellent Magic System Great For Ice Builds

Released

November 10, 2016

ESRB

t

While Tyranny has a few moments, especially in its final act, that unfortunately highlight the crunch period needed to get this game out on time, the magic system is wonderfully realized and lets players specialize in a variety of elemental builds, including an ice build.

Ice damage can be unlocked as a magic type early on in the game, and with this damage type as a foundation, players can utilize runes to create spells that deal frost damage on touch, through great magical blasts, or by utilizing icy magic to create frozen armor.

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