[3.5] Occultist Vortex/Cold Snap ES/CI - Deathless and Safe Uber Elder and T16's

Can't figure out if fingers of frost is better vs going for more jewel slots for stuff like this - --

"

Slithid wrote:

"

zaklanoceljade wrote:

First of all thank you very much for this detailed guide! This is my first non melee and CI build and following your guide I've comfortably reached level 60 and had no issues whatsoever. Almost getting to maps and I'm sure they will pose no more threat than acts 1-10.

I checked out your character and now I wonder should I build my tree like in POB or the same as you did? You are running 2 curses alongside Aspect of the Spider and you respected out of several cold damage nodes.
Also you seem to have stopped using Phase Run. I'm guessing this is because it's not really necessary anymore after a certain level but would like to hear your opinion.

Oh and I wish you a happy 2019 and hope your better half is recovering well!

OP or someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe OP is optimizing their build around their shield, Atziri's Reflection, the fated version of Atziri's Mirror. This is a really expensive item (the cheapest right now is 27ex), so I'd personally recommend following the PoB listed under skill trees.

Hi and thank you for answering! You are probably right so I will continue following POB. But who knows, I might get the shield one day :D

Hey Idarroc!

First of all, I like your guide and I'm going with a pretty similar one, and sorry if it was asked before, but I'd like to ask you a (beginner-) question about the Main setup (Vortex):

Vortex - Controlled Destruction - Elemental Focus - Efficacy - Hypothermia - Swift Affliction

I've seen it someone using this (or similar) setup as well, and i'd like to know: what's the reason behind Elemental Focus and Swift Affliction ?

From what I've read on the Wiki about Vortex, is that after the initial hit, the ground effect applies the Elemental Ailment Chill.

"

An icy blast explodes around the caster, dealing cold damage to enemies, and leaving behind a whirling vortex which deals cold damage over time and chills enemies caught in it.

But doesn't Elemental Focus prevent this?

"

Supported Skills cannot inflict Elemental Ailments

Is this just because you're ignoring the chill effect by going for full damage?

Or does Hypothermia (or another Support Gem) even this out somehow?

My current setup on Vortex is

Vortex - Controlled Destruction - Bonechill - Efficacy - Concentrated Effect and Hypothermia when I get my armor to 6link.

Does Concentrated Effect not work with Vortex? ("Supported Skills deal #% more Area Damage")
Or is it just increasing the impact damage of Vortex, but you're going for maximum DoT damage?

//Edit: Also,

"

Vaal Discipline is perfect for extra energy shield

wouldn't "normal" Discipline be better here to provide more Energy Shield, since Vaal Discipline doesn't add any?

Also, i like your Crafting guides/advices! What do you say about Rime Gaze for helmet?

Thanks in advance :)

"

Silenkiller wrote:

Can't figure out if fingers of frost is better vs going for more jewel slots for stuff like this - --

You don't want gems or gear that add flat cold damage to your spells. It stops elemental equilibrium from buffing your damage after storm brand / Orb of storm hits

Done my first uber elder in this build. Fight is so easy and smooth. Thx for everything Idarroc :)

Thanks for updating your pastebin with more info. I think since I've never really play a CI/ES build that on my other mappers I've vendored some beast items thinking they were useless.

Is there any room for the second curse node or are the minion nodes too valuable? Just seems to get anything like the 1h suggested you will be selling your organs.

How does Aspect of the Spider interact/stack with Temporal Chains? Should I use both at the same time, mana allowing? Is there an obvious advantage for one in favour of the other if I have to choose either?

"

Nergal_ wrote:

Hey Idarroc!

//Edit: Also,

"

Vaal Discipline is perfect for extra energy shield

wouldn't "normal" Discipline be better here to provide more Energy Shield, since Vaal Discipline doesn't add any?

Also, i like your Crafting guides/advices! What do you say about Rime Gaze for helmet?

Thanks in advance :)

With vaal gems you get two skills for one gem. You get the normal skill which the vaal skill is based on and the vaal skill. So in this case you just activate Discipline and use the vaal skill as an panic skill. Small note the skills are separated so need to have different hotkeys. ( I'm aware for reserve skills you can activate and assign a different skill on said hotbar place.)

For the first question i'm also curious because i see this kind of set ups in different builds also. You see support gems cancel each other out.

"

Nergal_ wrote:

Hey Idarroc!

First of all, I like your guide and I'm going with a pretty similar one, and sorry if it was asked before, but I'd like to ask you a (beginner-) question about the Main setup (Vortex):

Vortex - Controlled Destruction - Elemental Focus - Efficacy - Hypothermia - Swift Affliction

I've seen it someone using this (or similar) setup as well, and i'd like to know: what's the reason behind Elemental Focus and Swift Affliction ?

From what I've read on the Wiki about Vortex, is that after the initial hit, the ground effect applies the Elemental Ailment Chill.

"

An icy blast explodes around the caster, dealing cold damage to enemies, and leaving behind a whirling vortex which deals cold damage over time and chills enemies caught in it.

But doesn't Elemental Focus prevent this?

"

Supported Skills cannot inflict Elemental Ailments

Is this just because you're ignoring the chill effect by going for full damage?

Or does Hypothermia (or another Support Gem) even this out somehow?

My current setup on Vortex is

Vortex - Controlled Destruction - Bonechill - Efficacy - Concentrated Effect and Hypothermia when I get my armor to 6link.

I'm not Idarroc, but I believe I can answer a few of these questions. We use Bonechill with Cold Snap to apply chill, and then hit the enemy with Vortex. With this, we can maximize Vortex's DoT damage, but use another relatively high DoT to also apply chill and use bonechill, to further Vortex's damage. Bonechill makes the enemy take more cold damage over time globally.
From the wiki:

"

Similar to Combustion Support and Maim Support, Bonechill does not need to be linked to the player's main skill to apply its effect. This means that Bonechill can be applied by a secondary utility skill that activates on Cast When Damage Taken Support (such as Vortex or Cold Snap), while the player's main skill uses a more powerful gem such as Elemental Focus Support.

"

Nergal_ wrote:

Does Concentrated Effect not work with Vortex? ("Supported Skills deal #% more Area Damage")
Or is it just increasing the impact damage of Vortex, but you're going for maximum DoT damage?

According to PoB, conc effect does work on the DoT DPS, but I believe we don't take it as Vortex is already a rather small skill, for map clear. You'd probably be able to take it for boss fights, but I'm not 100% if the other gems work better in a way PoB doesn't calc.

"

Nergal_ wrote:

//Edit: Also,

"

Vaal Discipline is perfect for extra energy shield

wouldn't "normal" Discipline be better here to provide more Energy Shield, since Vaal Discipline doesn't add any?

As of 3.3, Vaal skill gems grant both the normal and Vaal version. You'll want to run Vaal Discipline in your blasphemy - enfeeble - enlighten set up, so that you can use Discipline with enlighten, and then keep Vaal Discipline on your bar, as this immediately starts our ES recharge and is effectively our health potion.

"

Nergal_ wrote:

Also, i like your Crafting guides/advices! What do you say about Rime Gaze for helmet?

Thanks in advance :)

Rime Gaze is a good starter option, but a helmet with higher ES and -9% to nearby enemy cold resists is better. Cold Snap does enough damage on a 4L for map clear, and is primarily used in bossing to buff Vortex.

Hello,

I have crafted a helmet using your crafting guide. Could you please rate it? I think it is a decent helmet considering I got it on my third try...

Don't mind the gems, this is still a work in progress char. :)

Thank you for the guide!