Hardcore Frost Witch Guide (Last Updated May 8th)
" You can have Increase AoE and Elemental Proliferation on it so that it freezes a large area of enemies. Ice Spear is either strong single hit, or weak Greater Multiple Projectile. Cold Snap damage per hit is much stronger than Freezing Pulse and Ice Spear also. It's not meant to kill (though its damage can), Ice Spear (for far away) and Freezing Pulse (for melee range) is how you kill (because of sheer dps). Of course, don't come in melee range of too-powerful enemies. With a much faster projectile, Freezing Pulse can still be good from mid-range (the range most enemy archers/casters/green-slime throwers take - only constructs and Piety want to hit you from the Moon). If you upgrade Freezing Pulse and Ice Spear quality, each +1% is +3% faster projectile. That makes a big difference, even if you stack it above Faster Projectiles support gem. As a side note, I've come to think that melee is dangerous. At least melee Shadow. It's probably good in SC, but you're gonna die. It's untenable to have a build based on life-on-hit and life-leech alone that can't tank, in tank-range. It can do 'okay' on most enemies, and will clear stuff fast...and then you hit a wall, and die to a single strong enemy (not that my Shadow died, but I think Vaal will be more than annoying). So until I figure a way out that isn't EK (I'm not a fan), I'll probably make bow or caster chars. I could try to make a templar caster, and a shadow caster. A duelist bow-user, a shadow bow-user, (and obviously) a ranger bow user. Marauder is the only one I see seriously going melee. Even 2h. | |
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Ok, I had forgotten to look at your build
I'll have a lot less critical in my build, making cold snap less effective, I am still leveling it up to see if I can make a good use of it though later on (still too low level for now ... and lacking Elemental Proliferation) I'll be switching between Proliferated Spear and Proliferated Cold Snap to do some tests once I reach higher levels On that note : 1 - Does Concentrated Effect increases the Freeze chances? 2 - Have you though of replacing Cold Penetration for Increased Critical Strikes on Cold Snap? In case 1, that explains your high rate of freezing (that and your crit tree combined) In case 2, you could get your freeze rate to around 95% and maybe more | |
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Well, looks like I already screwed up at level 35, took 6 passives I shouldn't have.
What say you, witch gods? http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMAAuMHYwelEVAabB8CLJw2xTvhSbJNQVZKVytaa2aebRlxTYIQi3qOPI5klQSdrp6hpwinK6-btvq71rx5wfPYJN-w4vfkIuaB8Xb3pg== | |
" Yes. However, you aren't completely screwed. If you are on HC, you will need to make sure your gear is in top shape since you will be low on ES for awhile. I would recommend finishing out the Body and Soul nodes you are on and then dive directly south to pick up one of the (if not both) 40% total ES nodes in the center below the Witch starting location. In my current build below, I didn't take your route but I may later on, depending on how I want to fill out my cold offense. I am playing on HC and my first priority has always been defense. | |
" Actually, I don't think your build is screwed Considering, you needed 3 points to get to the left side anyway Just make use of those crit chances nodes and freeze more often (even a little can help) And if you reconnect those 2 branches, you'll be able to respec your 6 points (since you get 2 per act, you should have enough not to buy orbs of regret) Or you can try boosting your crit more, and survive with freeze rather than ES, but that's risky for HC | |
" Dont think so, it just says +X% more damage. It should freeze for longer I think. X starts at around 60% @ level 1 as I recall so it's a major increase. Did you know level 91 is the halfway point to level 100? This means that a softcore character dying ONCE at level 85+ can lose many days of progress.
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" Wait to be higher level then respec with your free quest respec points. IGN: TimeForSpectralThrow / iLikeShockNova
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Can you pls show the finish passive Skill Tree? I am Level 70 on HC ;) 4600 Shield and its perfect a the moment:)
Nice Build. Question? is Zealoths Oath a good Skill for us? Too regenerate the Shield? sorry for this bad englisch. | |
" Normal shield regeneration is 30% per second after the recovery cooldown (normally 6 seconds, but can reduce to about ~3 seconds). Zealot's Oath would barely show really. | |
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Actually Zealot's Oath can be good, you just need to boost your Life Regen with your gear
This will allow your energy shield to regen permanently, with a boost after a 3-6s wait So, for example, if you have 5% per second life regen : Permanent = 5% ES regen per sec If no dmg for 3s = 35% ES regen per sec So, if you can get that regen (of life leech if you go for Life Reaver), it could save your life Only con is : You need to get that regen somewhere, so if your gear doesn't give you life regen/leech, those 2 passives are useless |
