The Cold Cannon [HC] Projectile CoCS Wand ~ Avoidance / Flask / Coil / Resistance Tank

Your planned tree is definitely what I'd use for a dagger version. Going from there I'd recommend getting Deep Thoughts to help with your mana issue (and run a higher level Clarity) and Heartseeker (seeing as how your stacking mainly global critical strike chance your spells should be crit'ing most of the time).

I think the decision to rebuild your character was a very good one. CoCS innately has high damage so investing a lot into defenses makes for a very well-balanced character.

As for flasks, I'd recommend what you said but instead of a second resistance flask, either Atziri's Promise or Taste of Hate. Last league I actually had all my Surgeon's [...] Warding resistance flasks in my inventory and swapped them for different map/Beyond bosses and it worked quite well, so there's that to consider.

If you can somehow get your hands on a good Elreon's Diamond Ring, I'd say definitely go for it. It might even negate the need for Clarity. I don't think it's a good idea to reserve your entire mana pool, though.

Good luck with your character man!

Hey there. I'm currently trying to follow your recommended build. I'm rather new, just reached level 30 today. I was wondering What nodes you would get to first? The lv 83 tree is rather far away. I got the entire tree untill the druidic ritual. Could you maybe post a 40/50 Level tree by removing a few of the nodes on the 80? that'd greatly help so I can see where to go first.

As for the bandits. Do you kill oak, too? I see a lot of HC league players go for oak for the HP. is there any specific reason you take the skill point instead?

would this work with a random rare 5L chest? then later on if i get a lightning coil, switch to that. maybe just self cast assassin's mark or something. i'm thinking of doing this in the 1 month torment/bloodlines HC league.

It would work but you'd lose out on a spell, and thus halving potential damage. I'd say get either a cheap evasion + energy shield body armor and spam Chaos Orbs on it until you get life and resistances or get a Tebula Rasa. Then with either of those options, get a Lightning Coil and try to 6L it yourself. You probably won't be able to get it but if you do, gg!

Bandits?!

Oak, Kraityn or kill all, Alira.