[3.16] Coldslinger | Vortex | Creeping Frost | League Start | SSF | CI/LL

Fun build. Currently L96.

Made a much tankier CI version using The Red Nightmare jewel. I dropped Glancing Blows (65% hurts too much, even though its suppose to 'even out damage'.) 5% ES recovery on shield doesn't really cut it when you're taking 65% of damage from block IMO.

With The Red Nightmare I get endurance charges on kill and additional block chance. I socketed it next to Faith and Steel on the left side of the tree. Also picked up the Holy Dominion node. I have some fire damage on my wand so I often ignite enemies as well with this setup.

With this setup, I am getting 75% attack block, 44% spell block, and 40%+ physical damage reduction using Rumi's flask. Lunaris/Gruthkul pantheon can push this over 50% PDR which makes juiced delirious maps feel much smoother.

All in all, it feels much tankier. Also dropped the trigger craft and am using Tempest Shield for some added block. Duration is long, it refreshes automatically when you block, and is an excellent arcane surge generator. Great in Ultimatums, it also shocks enemies thanks to Holy Dominion.

Instead of Trigger craft I am using 10% to gain Arcane surge on wand.

Linking Ice Bite to Frostbolt means I constantly have 3 Frenzy, 3 Endurance, and 3 Power charges up while mapping. Feels really good. Single target is still excellent even with dropping Malevolence in favour of Blasphemy/Elemental Weakness.

As a side note, with the above setup you can link faster attacks to Power Siphon which makes the whole build feel so much better. I am the type of person that prefers how a build feels XD.

Excellent build all around. Thanks for making this guide.

Edit: Here is my L96 PoB: https://pastebin.com/XPLJpH4Z

Any good cluster jewels setup?

In the pob's

Hi, first of all thanks for this amazing build. This is my second league playing POE. In less than a month since league start i managed to reach level 98 and beat Sirus A9, Maven (not deathless tho). I am playing the LL version of this build.

Last league (Ritual), i only reached level 95 with this build even after playing for 2 months++ and keep failing some endgame bosses. Here are some things that i did this league to increase my DPS and survivability.

1. Bought Rime Gaze with Discipline reduced reservation enchantment.
Im sure with Ultimatum giving so much currency, 1 exalt is not that hard to get. This enchantment allows you to drop your Conqueror's Efficiency and swap it with the second frozen trail (more clear speed). When you are able to use 2 frozen trail, try to buy frozen trail with "#% Increased Damage" implicit.

2. Get Vaal Discipline.
Buy some Discipline from the vendor and vaal it. Vaal Discipline works like a life flask for ES, its going to help you in some tricky situation.

3. Get level 21 aura.
Put your aura (Hatred, Malevolence, and Zealotry) in your alternate weapon set. Vaal your aura gem when they reach level 20. You dont need 20% quality in your aura gem.

4. Get a rare belt.
When you have some currency, try to buy Crystal Belt (high ES belt base) with "#% Increased Cold Damage" from Redeemer influence, or "#% Increased Elemental Damage" and "#% increased Energy Shield from Body Armour" from Shaper influence (Shaper influenced belt with that mod is expensive tho). Using a rare belt also help you to cap your resistance easier.

5. Cinderswallow Urn and Rumi's Concoction are going to make your mapping experience smoother.

6. Cluster Jewel
Im currently using some cluster jewel with "Brush with Death" notable. The DoT multiplier will increase your DPS and if you combine the ES recovery with your Cinderswallow, you will have a high ES recovery on kill.

7. Mark of the Shaper Ring
This item will give you a huge DPS boost when you combine it with Elder ring. I understand, capping your resistance while 1 of your ring has no resistance is kinda hard. Thats why im using rare belt instead of Bated Breath to help me cap my resistance easier.

8. Inspiration Support
When you have no problem with mana, try to drop your Inspiration Support gem and change it with Hypothermia. Hypothermia will give you a higher dps boost than Inspiration.

9. Endurance Charges
When you are mapping and you feel a group of Porcupine kills you too many times, try to get endurance charges with what diablomix did. 3 endurance charges + Rumi's Concoction will help you survive that.

I think those are the things that i did differently from last league that helping me to die less and achieve higher DPS. Last league i had 8K+ ES but died too much. This league i only have 6.3K ES but die less because i have so much higher DPS that i can kill the enemy before they kill me.

Okay I made myself super tanky but I kind of bricked my damage. I don't think it's worth spending 4ex for a wand with +1 cold spells as it's barely better than what I have. Not sure what I should do...

https://pastebin.com/fbSjjsW9

pretty unkillable with flasks up for mapping in any situation but single target damage went down so much xD

Thank you diablomix and feartomagic_, your suggestions are greatly appreciated! I was able to improve my survivability and damage with relatively little investment by quite a bit, here's some of the things I did:

I used to red nightmare and removed glancing blows. If you check ShakCentral's Vortex for everyone guide he proves mathematically that you take considerably more damage even with 5% ES on block. The only downside is that you lose some damage from the lower chance to block spell damage in combination with that one notable that I'm too lazy to look up because I'm on mobile.

Combine this with replacing Steel Skin for Tempest Shield (I have it on my trigger wand because I'm lazy) and you get very close to max block for attacks.

Using Ice Bite on Frost Bolt gives you max frenzy charges while mapping, which is a nice damage boost. I basically have max charges of everything now.

I'm using four DoT multiplier notables on cluster jewels which helps a lot with damage and that notable that makes freeze spread is great for improving survivability against packs.

I'm gonna try to get a reduced mana cost for discipline enchant so I can fit some more auras into my build and try to replace my belt with a rare belt next. Still wondering if I should replace my body armour with a Saqawal's Nest or look for a better high ES rare piece though.

would someone be so kind to check out my profile and tell me what i should do better? dmg is good, could need some more survivabilty tho.
much obliged!

"

robinyoe wrote:

would someone be so kind to check out my profile and tell me what i should do better? dmg is good, could need some more survivabilty tho.
much obliged!

Not too familiar with the low life build but get a Cinderswallow Urn. Your mind will be blown with how much survivability it provides for its value. The only important thing is 3% ES (and maybe life for low life), the rest is just the cherry on top.

"

robinyoe wrote:

would someone be so kind to check out my profile and tell me what i should do better? dmg is good, could need some more survivabilty tho.
much obliged!

This is my PoB when im doing maps. I am currently playing LL version. You probably want to check it.

https://pastebin.com/92mDD1Xw

"

desp123d wrote:

"

robinyoe wrote:

would someone be so kind to check out my profile and tell me what i should do better? dmg is good, could need some more survivabilty tho.
much obliged!

Not too familiar with the low life build but get a Cinderswallow Urn. Your mind will be blown with how much survivability it provides for its value. The only important thing is 3% ES (and maybe life for low life), the rest is just the cherry on top.

gonna buy one rn, thanks!

"

feartomagic_ wrote:

"

robinyoe wrote:

would someone be so kind to check out my profile and tell me what i should do better? dmg is good, could need some more survivabilty tho.
much obliged!

This is my PoB when im doing maps. I am currently playing LL version. You probably want to check it.

https://pastebin.com/92mDD1Xw

will do, thx!