[3.12 Video Guide] Vortex Cold Snap DoT [HC/SC/Uber Elder/Shaper viable]

Played the CI version of the build, mainly because I am too stubborn to change mid league. The damage is good for map clearing, but bosses were a problem - damage to Sirus was pretty low, damage to delirium bosses on max delirium as well. I included two cluster jewels and removed some points near the saboteur area which increased damage quite a lot (removed 5 points from resourcefulness to entropy).
I was able to do all content somehow, max delirium started to be a problem, Sirus was rather easy. The gear helped a lot (got a HH drop), fossil crafted the chest (also ignore the added cold damage on the wand, exa slammed when done with the league ^^):




Jewels:


From my testing Profane Bloom with Witchfire Brew was better most of the time, for Sirus (and generally bosses) I self casted Frostbite when flask was on CD.
What was not obvious to me was that Elemental to Chaos doesn't work on damage over time, vortex doesn't really benefit from it (apart from the initial hit), so Incandescent Heart is great for elemental defense, but other than that doesn't help much.

Overall the build as presented works well as a league starter map clear is pretty good, but if I played it again, I would run the low life variant instead (or respec later in), because I felt like I hit the roof with the DPS even with 150 exa budget.

Hi there,

just got a quick question.
Currently I'm wearing the following weapon:


Would it be worth to invest the 2 ex for the 3 mod craft? And if yes, which additional suffix would be the best?
maybe
- 16-19% increased cast speed + 10% chance on arcaine surge
or
- 13-16% increased cold damage
?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Jogi

"

Jogi42 wrote:

Hi there,

just got a quick question.
Currently I'm wearing the following weapon:

Would it be worth to invest the 2 ex for the 3 mod craft? And if yes, which additional suffix would be the best?
maybe
- 16-19% increased cast speed + 10% chance on arcaine surge
or
- 13-16% increased cold damage
?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Jogi

it was my first char so i'm not too sure about my opinion, but if you are rather new like me
i say it's not worth it, with those 2 ex you can probably improve your gear way more by buying better jewels or gear, save that for when u want to min-max your build

So is the main build gutted compared to what it once was? I played this build almost every league, last league I kill awakener, but not a8 like a5 on a regular non LL build. Curious how this build is still standing with end game not saying A8, but what about lower awakener? This use to be my go to build.
Also I'm not talking cluster jewels, those will be more rare next league.
Anyone take out a awakener lower then 8 on the regular build version?

"

daimonxp wrote:

So is the main build gutted compared to what it once was? I played this build almost every league, last league I kill awakener, but not a8 like a5 on a regular non LL build. Curious how this build is still standing with end game not saying A8, but what about lower awakener? This use to be my go to build.
Also I'm not talking cluster jewels, those will be more rare next league.
Anyone take out a awakener lower then 8 on the regular build version?

I did awakener 4 with the basic build mentioned, but it was pretty rough, the damage was pretty low (used forbidden power back then, which I thought would help boss damage). I got a HH drop and upgraded the build quite a lot (also with cluster jewels) while still keeping the basic idea of CI, was able to do most content, but with how much I invested into the build (~90 ex) I would expect to do everything more easily. See the post with my gear few posts back.

It was my first time running the build so can't really compare to earlier leagues or to the LL variant of the build, but from how it felt it was suboptimal.

"

Cellmate wrote:

"

daimonxp wrote:

So is the main build gutted compared to what it once was? I played this build almost every league, last league I kill awakener, but not a8 like a5 on a regular non LL build. Curious how this build is still standing with end game not saying A8, but what about lower awakener? This use to be my go to build.
Also I'm not talking cluster jewels, those will be more rare next league.
Anyone take out a awakener lower then 8 on the regular build version?

I did awakener 4 with the basic build mentioned, but it was pretty rough, the damage was pretty low (used forbidden power back then, which I thought would help boss damage). I got a HH drop and upgraded the build quite a lot (also with cluster jewels) while still keeping the basic idea of CI, was able to do most content, but with how much I invested into the build (~90 ex) I would expect to do everything more easily. See the post with my gear few posts back.

It was my first time running the build so can't really compare to earlier leagues or to the LL variant of the build, but from how it felt it was suboptimal.

I don't know how in the world you got the build to 90ex? I mean I use to build it max it out at 10ex maybe? I guess you bought a watcher's eye, some jewels on top of that. But this build was never a over 20-30ex build ever. Maybe because of the prices of things now? I've made 6 of these past leagues. But just not this league. I just don't know how it handles with basic version now a days. Last league I did a5 on it before I moved on. It ain't made to insta kill bosses. It was never designed too. It was designed back in 3.5 to be tanky and take on all content during Shaper and UE days.
But I guess it can still handle the awakener basic version up to a5 I'm guessing?
I use to farm Uber Elder on this build for many leagues. Just not use it for long time so I did not know how it stood the test of time in todays climate since they buffed bosses mobs etc.

"

daimonxp wrote:

I don't know how in the world you got the build to 90ex? I mean I use to build it max it out at 10ex maybe? I guess you bought a watcher's eye, some jewels on top of that. But this build was never a over 20-30ex build ever. Maybe because of the prices of things now? I've made 6 of these past leagues. But just not this league. I just don't know how it handles with basic version now a days. Last league I did a5 on it before I moved on. It ain't made to insta kill bosses. It was never designed too. It was designed back in 3.5 to be tanky and take on all content during Shaper and UE days.
But I guess it can still handle the awakener basic version up to a5 I'm guessing?
I use to farm Uber Elder on this build for many leagues. Just not use it for long time so I did not know how it stood the test of time in todays climate since they buffed bosses mobs etc.

Yeah a good chunk of it was watchers eye and neck with +1 level cold and +1 int skill gems. The rest was few exa per piece. And yeah, I agree, this isn't definitely boss killing build, but I usually just play one character to do 36/40 and wait for next league, so I didn't feel like starting a new character with all the currency.

i have a question, if you have a wand or gear with stats like
"adds x-y fire/lightening damage to spell", can't you skip the 3-link trigger on spell use?

how does work frost bomb with EE ?

i know that the first part of frost bomb doesn't hit, but the explosion count as a hit i'm pretty sure...

how can you not apply frost EE on a boss ?

"

unKHEFTable wrote:

i have a question, if you have a wand or gear with stats like
"adds x-y fire/lightening damage to spell", can't you skip the 3-link trigger on spell use?

EE will look at all the damage types dealt on the same hit, so you need to hit with something that does no Cold damage. If you have "adds 1 lightning damage to spell", your Vortex/Cold Snap will deal lightning and cold damage, making EE only reduce Fire Resistance and increase their Cold and Lightning Resistance.

"

Kayrigan wrote:

how does work frost bomb with EE ?

i know that the first part of frost bomb doesn't hit, but the explosion count as a hit i'm pretty sure...

how can you not apply frost EE on a boss ?

The damage from Frost Bomb only applies once per "cast", while Storm Brand and Orb of Storms deal multiple damage ticks through their duration. The Frost Bomb will deal its damage and then a tick of brand or OoS will hit for lightning damage again. The cold exposure from Frost Bomb is worth the .5 second of EE being on the wrong element