Ice Armour

Ability Type: Spell, Difficulty 17
Provided By: Common Aquakinetics

Spell Type: Elemental, Water
Form: Aura
Function: Defensive, Offensive
Power Cost: 1 to 4
Duration: Maintainable

Effective at both offence and defence, Ice Armour is perhaps the most iconic form of Aquakinetic battle-magic. When cast it condenses a thin layer of supernaturally hard ice on top of its caster's clothing or armour (or directly on his body, where skin is exposed) which protects him from damage and cold and inflicts Cold Damage on his enemies in melee. Rather than being constant in its density, Ice Armour adapts to mimic the surface that it condenses on – becoming stronger and thicker when layered on top of hard armour, for example.

Although the caster himself is immune to his armour's intense cold, anything he touches, or that touches him (with the exception of anything he is wearing or carrying), receives Cold Damage from it. This damage is applied as secondary damage to any melee attacks that he makes, and is likewise applied to anyone who strikes him in melee – with frost instantly condensing along the length of their weapon. The caster may choose to disable this frost effect briefly if he wishes, allowing him to pick up items, shake hands, open doors and the like without causing damage.

As well as its combat effects, Ice Armour also attunes its caster somewhat to snow and ice, allowing him to balance and move more easily on frozen terrain and so negating any Athletics penalties he might normally suffer in those conditions. Ice Armour also makes its caster more resistant to freezing temperatures, boosting his Physique when resisting the effects of cold (including Cold Damage).

Ice Attunement Effect: Negates any Athletics penalties due to icy footing
Bonus Armour (on skin): +0.5 x Power (round down)
Bonus Armour (on Armour 1-5): +1 x Power
Bonus Armour (on Armour 6-9): +1.5 x Power (round down)
Bonus Armour (on Armour 10+): +2 x Power
Physique Bonus vs Cold (including Cold Damage): +100% (round up)
Melee Frost Damage: Power x 4 Delayed Effect Cold