Wintertide brand and Spell echo?

So I see Casting Speed increases frequency of Wintertide but what about Spell Echo? I assume it increases greatly? I find it casting it one at a time is too slow sometimes. Is it wise to slot Spell Echo or better with other supports? Am I gimping my own damage too bad with Spell echo / Fast Casting?

So I tried it with Spell Echo. It does not improve brand frequency which is strange because it does for Arcanist Brand.

Fast Casting support improves both laying down the brand and frequency. Is spell echo bugged for Wintertide brand?


Another question. Since Wintertide does not hit at all, it does not benefit from many supports/items. I am not even sure if it benefits from +cold damage from Herald of Ice. Herald of Ice has the on-hit effect and explosion. Wintertide shows +cold damage from Herald of Ice but I don't think monsters "shatter" from Wintertide. Many life leeching requires on-hit but what about Cluster jewel's Doryani's Lesson - 0.2% elemental damage leech as Life. It is not an "on-hit".

Does anyone know if Doryani Lesson works with Wintertide?

Need to hit for leech so no, doesn't work

Brand skills scale activation frequency with Increases and Reductions in cast speed. Faster Casting Support provides increased cast speed, so it scales both the rate of placing brands and their activation frequency. Spell Echo Support provides More cast speed, so it lets you lay out two brands quickly, but doesn't make them activate more often.

Weird. I thought for sure Spell Echo increases the frequency of Arcanist Brand! I swear!!! I feel spell casting/frequency is faster with Spell Echo.


it's a bummer that Wintertide just can't leech at all. ugh

Does anyone know if Wintertide benefit from
Elemental damage penetrates Cold resistance? It doesn't say "hit" or not.

Like Inquisitor's passive has one that penetrates elemental resistance.

No, it doesn't.

Penetration only works with "hits" and Wintertide Brand doesn't hit, it only applies a DoT effect.

OH my. That sucks. There are many Damage penetrates resistance like the notables from Cluster jewels. None of them work eh?

So what exactly buffs Cold DoT?

Hatred aura?

Exposure can help but I need a way to proc Exposure since DoT doesn't hit. :(


What about Brand Loyalty? Attached target takes 3% more damage per brand attached.

Hatred works, but Malevolence is probably a better option. It has a slightly higher More multiplier, and also increased skill effect duration, plus it has better Watcher's Eye options (exactly one WE Hatred mod affects DoTs).

Exposure helps, and you can apply cold Exposure easily through a CwDT Frost Bomb.

Brand Loyalty is an excellent option, especially since Wintertide Brand inherently has +1 to attached brands per enemy. Add Runebinder, and you have a total of 9% increased damage taken, very nice for a notable.

Although DoTs can't penetrate, they can benefit from damage over time multipliers, so you should look into those.

Excellent tips. I always forget there is Malevolence. lol I am relying on mind over matter for defense right now as I really dislike Energy shield build. I prefer Life based. Right now I am trying to conserve mana but will try to squeeze Malevolence in.

Another question is there are Notables that say +15% Freeze, Shock Chance. Can Wintertide freeze or not? I don't think Wintertide can freeze? Does that require a "hit" to freeze?

I have never purchased Watcher's Eye. They are very expensive but do they stack? I am Scion and have more jewel slots.