Frostburn

Frostburn gauntlets occupy a unique niche in Diablo 2 Resurrected as the premier mana-boosting gloves for casters. While lacking the cast speed of Magefist or Trang-Oul's Claws, their massive 40% Increase Maximum Mana makes them essential for specific builds that prioritize raw mana pool over other stats.

Energy Shield Specialists

Frostburn truly shines with Energy Shield Sorceresses—builds that convert incoming damage to mana loss rather than life loss. The 40% mana boost significantly increases the effective health pool of these "mana tank" builds, particularly when combined with Stone of Jordan rings and other percentage-based mana items. Nova and Frozen Orb Sorceresses running Energy Shield commonly use Frostburn to maximize survivability, as the larger mana pool translates directly to more damage absorption and longer sustainability in combat.

Early Game & Budget Builds

For standard casters progressing through Normal and Nightmare difficulties, Frostburn provides welcome relief from mana problems before securing Insight mercenaries or Spirit runewords. The Adds 1-6 Cold Damage even helps with shattering corpses. However, most fire-based casters eventually replace Frostburn with Magefist once they acquire sufficient mana regeneration from other sources, as the +20% FCR and +1 Fire Skills become more valuable.

Availability & Value

Frostburn drops from late Normal difficulty onwards, becoming common in Nightmare. The gloves can be upgraded to War Gauntlets (exceptional) or Ogre Gauntlets (elite) via Horadric Cube recipes, significantly boosting defense while maintaining the crucial mana bonus. Trading value remains low except early ladder, as they're relatively common drops. Perfect 20% Enhanced Defense rolls hold minimal premium given the item's niche application.

While Frostburn lacks the universal appeal of Magefist, Energy Shield enthusiasts consider them irreplaceable for maximizing their unconventional but highly effective defensive strategy.