Ice Ice Baby! - Cold Snap (HC Viable)

No, it's simply there to level :D

I switch to Increased AoE + Proliferation in parties with sufficient DPS.

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CantripN wrote:

No, it's simply there to level :D

I switch to Increased AoE + Proliferation in parties with sufficient DPS.

Ahahaha,.. makes sense.

By the way you mention going for Whispers of Doom if you have Berek's, but how would you get there? Would you take the top route, for example:



if you're taking Purity of Flesh as well, or via EB if you're not?

Also, which types of nodes would you drop to do so, as it looks like quite a heavy point investment in any case?

I'll assume you insist on Scion, so here:


After that, either the Shadow Aura nodes, or more Cast Speed / Spell Damage (Witch Start).

I'd drop Life nodes on this build (Vaal Pact lets you do that), and to an extent, mana regen (since you have plenty from gear, hopefully). I'd WANT to skip the Scion start ;)

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CantripN wrote:

I'll assume you insist on Scion,..

Yeah, like I said, aesthetical reasons only. You should blame it on yourself really:

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CantripN wrote:

Hello, and welcome to my new guide! (...)

Leveling Order:

Spoiler

Part 6

Gameplay wise, I agree with you 100% that Witch is better and more flexible.

The double top route over both Purity of Flesh and EB makes sense. Is Breath of Rime not worth it though, or do you keep enemies permafrozen making it redundant?

Finally: you don't seem to be using either Berek's or WoD yourself. Why's that?

Breath of Rime is trash. Either they are perma-frozen, or they don't freeze at all - the small number of enemies that are in the middle are usually perma-chilled anyway.

As for why not I don't have a Bereke's? They don't EXIST in Ambush :D
I get my double curses with the boots.

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CantripN wrote:

As for why not I don't have a Bereke's? They don't EXIST in Ambush :D
I get my double curses with the boots.

Lol, that kinda makes my initial question pointless. As the Windscreams are rather inexpensive, it makes more sense to get that extra curse from gear, like you have, unless you want to get 3 or even 4 curses (with Doedre's). Probably still not worth the passives' investment though.

Consequently, just considering the route the Frost Walk variant gives more damage at the same amount of points (7 vs 7), compared to the tree you just posted. It just doesn't allow you to pick up the +30% freeze duration, but especially with GC that freeze should be easy enough to keep up, shouldn't it?

I'm currently steaming through Normal, lvl'ing with Limbsplitter, my favourite requirementless dumb axe. My brother, with whom I party, had actually decided to make a flame totem/flame blast Templar, and the combination seems to be very promising. A flame blaster can after all take maximum advantage of a cold snapped group of enemies.




P.S. changing your build wallpaper to include a non-fairheaded vixen is considered cheating =P

I gotta agree on the Flameblast. My favourite mapping partner is a Flameblast burning-proliferation MFer. I freeze, he charges to full and one-shot burns. EZ PZ.

Anyhow, if you're using a Berek's, you'll need Resist on your boots, more than likely, making using the boots complicated. Doable, but it's just easier getting the nodes at that point. It's not like you're lacking DPS with double-curses, to be honest.

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Brazilski wrote:

P.S. changing your build wallpaper to include a non-fairheaded vixen is considered cheating =P

That would be your fault ;)

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CantripN wrote:

Anyhow, if you're using a Berek's, you'll need Resist on your boots, more than likely, making using the boots complicated. Doable, but it's just easier getting the nodes at that point. It's not like you're lacking DPS with double-curses, to be honest.

No, no, I won't be using Berek's at any point, since I'm also in Ambush. It was just hypothetical and I hadn't realised Bereks' weren't available in Ambush.

You do agree on the Frost Walk vs. +30% freeze duration then, don't you?

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CantripN wrote:

That would be your fault ;)

Touché

As for DPS nodes vs. Freeze Duration? Depends what you prefer, control or damage.

If you play solo more, or in a small party, you might actually prefer the DPS, but in a large party, or when your DPS doesn't matter, Freeze Duration is MUCH better. If you can be assured a party-play all the time, max freeze duration is a good thing.

I play solo roughly half the time, so I wanted some damage capacity for myself.

---

I really would like a Glacial Cascade level 20 to try out. Wouldn't object to having a better DPS option for when I need it.

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CantripN wrote:

I really would like a Glacial Cascade level 20 to try out. Wouldn't object to having a better DPS option for when I need it.

You mean just lvl 20 or +20% quality as well? Because so soon after GC's introduction, the latter is going to set you back quite a few orbs I'd say.

It's still a rather odd skill, doing both cold and comparatively low phys. damage. On an elemental build it's e.g. still not worth siding with Oak on Cruel. Maybe the phys. damage is just there for the Mind and Blood Drinker passives. I wonder whether it'll stay the way it it or see some (significant) tweaking in upcoming patches.

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CantripN wrote:

As for DPS nodes vs. Freeze Duration? Depends what you prefer, control or damage.

If you play solo more, or in a small party, you might actually prefer the DPS, but in a large party, or when your DPS doesn't matter, Freeze Duration is MUCH better. If you can be assured a party-play all the time, max freeze duration is a good thing.

Hmmm,.. in that case I might actually go for the freeze, especially with that FB templar on my side. It also leaves the whole curse option open, and even without WD, Hex Master might still be an interesting pick-up at one passive point. In big parties you can take point, kite everything and pre-curse enemies for your team.