[3.0] Freezer Burn - AB AoF MoM EO, Cheap, Fun, Screw the Meta

I am currently lvl 47 ele using this build and overall its awesome so far. Izaro was the biggest problem, even when I attempted at lvl 44 I was very close to dying during the 3rd fight (could be a gear issue, damage was not a problem). Malachai was easy by comparison at lvl 46, was easier than Kole XD.

Only thing I changed up with the build was the golems, using Rock/Flame instead of Lightning/Flame because the life regen just feels safer.

Hopefully things go smooth in cruel :)

"

Tome_of_exp wrote:

I am currently lvl 47 ele using this build and overall its awesome so far. Izaro was the biggest problem, even when I attempted at lvl 44 I was very close to dying during the 3rd fight (could be a gear issue, damage was not a problem). Malachai was easy by comparison at lvl 46, was easier than Kole XD.

Only thing I changed up with the build was the golems, using Rock/Flame instead of Lightning/Flame because the life regen just feels safer.

Hopefully things go smooth in cruel :)

Awesome, glad to hear it!

I'm thinking of recommending that people level golems in off-set gear so they have more end-game options. I'm leveling a chaos golem for merc lab atm for testing, trying to decide if it's good enough alone or if I should recommend Arctic Armour.

Currently lvl 54, still no 5L but feeling very strong in Cruel. Im actually still using freezing pulse as my main damage and switching over after the 5L. Im looking at a couple things on the tree that are a bit different, mainly spellblock w/shield near witch start, % chance to avoid interuption for casting and going for sactuary for merciless (its a lot of nodes to get but significant resistance).

"

Tome_of_exp wrote:

Currently lvl 54, still no 5L but feeling very strong in Cruel. Im actually still using freezing pulse as my main damage and switching over after the 5L. Im looking at a couple things on the tree that are a bit different, mainly spellblock w/shield near witch start, % chance to avoid interuption for casting and going for sactuary for merciless (its a lot of nodes to get but significant resistance).

Let me say that I love shield builds. Absolutely love them. I really like the block mechanic, and it sounds like a great addition to the build. That said, I believed our primary role of survival was met by our large HP pool, equipping an armour based shield, finding armour rares and our chilling ground / MoM setup.

Sanctuary is at best 6 points away from the tree as I outlined it. I continually suggest that people take this and make it their own, however that sounds like a large difference...what I mean to ask is, what else are you sacrificing?

As for the Spellblock at Witch start, it's 3 points for 7% spellblock. Or 2.3% spellblock per point (and energy shield which is negligible to us). I didn't think these points were worth picking up without seriously wanting to reach block cap. If you pick up a perfect rathpith with 60% spell block chance, of 25%, with Sanctuary's +5, that's still only 18 + 7 = 25% spell block.

I'm not saying 25% spell block and 30% physical block is worthless. Hardly. I just don't believe these are worth 9 points. If you are cutting other areas to make this happen for the same budget, what did you cut? That is where my curiosity lies.

I did consider making shields better for this build, but ultimately choose against it for these reasons.

As for stun, remember that stun mechanics function based on defender max life, where 'stun_chance = 200 * damage / defender_effective_max_life'. As a caster, stun is often a serious concern due to the fact that most casters prefer either hybrid defenses or energy shield. However, since we are strength and HP based, We will hardly if ever get stunned.

We should be easily over 5k hp with badly rolled rares. In order for us to be stunned, we would have to take damage in excess of 5000 hp after reductions.

I can honestly say, at level 86 with the build, I have not once been stunned and it has been noticeable. I don't believe I have ever been stunned, in any capacity, that was also not a lethal blow.

-
These are all my observations based on my playing the build, and my original design to overcome the shortcomings of the caster platform. Again, feel free to modify the build as you see fit. You may not be satisfied with the result though, as the points you are cutting elsewhere may be vital to having acceptable damage levels or health pool.

p.s. I used a 4link up until cruel also, but alternated between arctic breath and flameblast. AB only starts to perform well once we get GMP on it, and in order for us to do that we should also have Cold to Fire and Spell Echo on it. Give it a shot, or msg me in-game and I bet I could hook you up with a 5L. :)

Ya was just thinking along the lines that if you are not able to be stunned then if you block you also will not receive the block animation and get free blocks. As far as the spell block you are right, I only really mentioned it because it looked interesting.

Was wondering when you are running maps what do you avoid? I'm assuming the build cannot run spell reflect or maps without health regen.

Do you use any Heralds in this build?

"

Tome_of_exp wrote:

Ya was just thinking along the lines that if you are not able to be stunned then if you block you also will not receive the block animation and get free blocks. As far as the spell block you are right, I only really mentioned it because it looked interesting.

Was wondering when you are running maps what do you avoid? I'm assuming the build cannot run spell reflect or maps without health regen.

I'm running elemental reflect maps with ease. I'm using Rise of the Phoenix for those, I've already completed Merciless Lab and picked up Paragon of Calamity, I don't even run a Ruby flask anymore in reflect maps. However, I will turn on my leveled Purity of Fire, disabling my Clear Mind buff, for them if it's 18%. Also, Arctic Armour at that point.

I'm recording reflect mapping atm, I'll let you know when a vid is uploaded.

'Block Animation' only occurs when you would otherwise have been stunned, but blocked the damage from it. All blocking that occurs that is not a stun has no animation. From the Wiki:

"

When an attack is blocked, the game also calculates if the attack would have caused a stun were it not blocked. If it would have caused a stun, the blocking animation is played, stunning you briefly. If it would not have caused a stun, then you get a "free" block with no animation.

--

"

fraed wrote:

Do you use any Heralds in this build?

I considered it at first, but the drawbacks are high and it is awkward at best. Remember that we are using Clear Mind, the jewel that gives us up to 60% increased spell power for not having and mana reserved. Also, we want our mana available for Mind over Matter damage soaking. A herald on Blood magic also seems like a no-no.

For leveling early, you can. However it won't play nice with Avatar of Fire and overall felt clunky to me. Herald of Ice / Fire I played with and eventually choose not to include for leveling. But again, tailor the build to your playstyle!

Have you thought the new Realm Ender staff? http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Realm_Ender

"

TheCreatek wrote:

Have you thought the new Realm Ender staff? http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Realm_Ender

Yes I have! I've also been asked about it in the Chieftan version of this build... here, let me just link the pic.


I'm against using it initially, I think we give up too much to try using it.

Consider my current gear:


We get Pierce in our chest, so moving our main ability to the staff would lose that (could add it back in, but why). We lose the stats of a shield, block chance, and a decently sized chunk of elemental damage contribution from main hand.

We also are forced to only gain 14% of our cold damage as extra fire damage, again unless we add it in again.

The argument for gem levels is not lost on me. It seems like an amazing item, and yes, if I had a level 3 empower I would equip one and take screenshots of me using it to show off what level 25 Arctic Breath 451–677 vs 730–1096 would do for the build (it would be... bonkers...)

However, seeing as how this build plans to start as a budget build for new players / leagues, and open up into more pricey stuff later, I can only recommend it for the luxury section and possibly only for the standard leagues.

We need those stats/defenses from shield too much.

The staff works as a nice ghetto +3 skills staff for things like SRS, godly for lvling any elemental casty build I think.