Avalanche
Used by Frost
Avalanche
Summons a treacherous landslide of ice that instantly freezes and shatters all enemies in its radius.
Introduced in Update 6.0 (2013-01-29)
Ability stats
- See in-game / wiki ability card for rank values
- See in-game / wiki ability card for rank values
- See in-game / wiki ability card for rank values
- Summons a treacherous landslide of ice that instantly freezes and shatters all enemies in its radius.
Info
- Avalanche is Frost’s ability 4.
- Summons a treacherous landslide of ice that instantly freezes and shatters all enemies in its radius.
- Use it with the rest of the kit — especially Freeze, Ice Wave — instead of casting it in isolation.
- Ability Strength, Duration, Range, and Efficiency each matter differently; check Mod Scaling below before dumping all four.
Augment
Icy Avalanche
Avalanche Augment: Allies within Affinity Range are coated in ice that grants 60 Overguard per enemy hit. Overguard increases by 20% of y…
FrostAvalanche Augment: Allies within Affinity Range are coated in ice that grants 60 Overguard per enemy hit. Overguard increases by 20% of your Armor once per enemy.
Max rank drain ~9; see rank table on the augment page.
Cast Changes
- Modifies Avalanche with: Avalanche Augment: Allies within Affinity Range are coated in ice that grants 60 Overguard per enemy hit.
- Rank up the augment to unlock the full effect values.
- Costs a mod slot (and capacity) — only equip it when the change matters for your loop.
Worth the Slot?
- Worth it when the augment’s change is central to how you play Frost.
- Skip it if the base Avalanche already does what you need and you’d rather keep the slot for survivability or strength.
Tips & Tricks
- Read the battlefield first — cast Avalanche when it actually solves the room, not on cooldown habit.
- Pair Avalanche with movement and energy economy so you’re not stranded after a big spend.
- On Steel Path, confirm whether Avalanche still carries without strip, Viral, or a squad buff.
- If you never press 4, it’s the first Helminth candidate on Frost.
Ability dossier · Avalanche
Synergies
- AvalancheFreeze
Use Avalanche to set up Freeze, or follow Freeze with Avalanche while enemies are vulnerable.
- AvalancheIce Wave
Use Avalanche to set up Ice Wave, or follow Ice Wave with Avalanche while enemies are vulnerable.
- AvalancheSnow Globe
Use Avalanche to set up Snow Globe, or follow Snow Globe with Avalanche while enemies are vulnerable.
Mod Scaling
Strength
- Strength matters if Avalanche scales effect power; otherwise dump it for other stats.
Duration
- Duration is low priority on Avalanche unless an augment or lingering effect needs it.
Range
- Increases Avalanche’s reach, radius, or targeting distance.
Efficiency
- Avalanche costs energy each cast — Efficiency (or strong regen) keeps the loop comfortable on long missions.
Priority
Stack the stats that actually move this ability’s needle, then Efficiency for uptime.
Mission Use Cases
| Mission | How to Use It |
|---|---|
| Steel Path Survival / Defense / Disruption | Test whether Avalanche still clears or enables clear when enemies are dense and overlevelled. |
| Mobile Defense / Excavation | Use Avalanche to control or delete the swarm on the objective, then reposition. |
| Exterminate / Capture Speed Runs | Cast Avalanche only when it saves time — skip it on empty tiles. |
| Spy / Rescue / Quiet Routes | If Avalanche is loud or forces combat, save it for after the vault; if it’s stealth-friendly, use it to stay safe. |
Comparisons
- VS
Vs similar tools on other frames — Avalanche is tuned for Frost’s loop — don’t judge it as a standalone subsume without the rest of the kit.
Freeze
Ice Wave
Snow Globe