[1.2][Beyond] Crit Ice Nova Build w/ Glacial Cascade (Work in Progress)
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***Note***: This project is on hold until the end of the league. I died at level 88 a few weeks back and didn't really want to level it back up again. I've been trying out different builds and am now saving up currency for my next cold witch. Once I get about 20ex I will be remaking and going for a build that uses ice nova for fast AoE clear in maps and that can also do atziri by swapping in glacial cascade as the main skill.
For those interested here's the gear and skill tree I had at time of death:
Gear I died with
Note: I kind of died at a weird point, so the gear is a little weird. I was planning to switch to rathpith and get a different amulet. The idea was to use Rumi's to achieve close to max block and spell block. I'll probably do things different next time around. Also, keep in mind that I was trying out hybrid life/es, so there isn't as much life on gear as there could be. I've decided to run an ice nova build as my first character in the Beyond league. This is still very much a work in progress, but it was viable in 76+ maps in 1.1.5. My main focus is improving the damage and clear speed of the build without sacrificing much in the way of survivability. The basic idea behind this build is to use Ice Nova as an AoE screen-clearing ability and Glacial Cascade for single target. Cold snap is used for a guaranteed freeze when necessary, freeze-locking bosses, and initiating. I plan to use lightning warp with elemental proliferation to shock.
1.1.5 Proof of Concept
Shipyard video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTLSaqci7h0
Current Passive Tree
http://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAgMAAuMC_gdjB6UI9Ax9DkgQfxGWFVAWvxcvGYUabBzcHpQkPCSqJpUnqSj6KU8snC0fL28xiDbpPI49X0LDRKtFnUlRSbJMs1AwUlNVS1WuVcZV1lcrV8labV3yXypirGNDZOdmT2e9bRlwUnC7cNVzU3kDeqp-WX_GgKSBSYIQgh6FfYhCjDaOZI9Gj6aTJ5rgm6Gdo52qna6nCKdcrD-yOLQMtvq4k8BRwFTBxcHzxp7PZdDQ1p3ZE9rd2wvbXtxX34TfsONq44TkIuq66-Tr7vId893z6vem-tL8qw==
Not really optimized for ice nova as it is a small adaptation of my gc tree.
Current Gear
- Getting new amulet with life, mana regen, and max mana from the 1 month - Plan to dual wield Divinarius and pick up a Doryani's Invitation. Will replace Alpha's Howl with a life+res helmet to make up for lost life and resists.
Flasks
Tentative 1.2 Passive Trees
No Crit Templar Start: https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgUABVuLjO98PAWf3xRNgziiAASz8B_hc-0gRtddxrUEuJPYvf4Ktz5Bh_nogsco-uvuNZJN4_6PplfyRTrhj0anCJuhrJj31yKBnqFWSo48F1RMLREPU9SNgtHknwGD21XGOlhfKnRVTLMEBz1fUlOXlZf0akPAVAj0bRm86tsLgh4UsOwYwcWIQuNW5Os3gVKySVHw1QcelS4OSBGWXfIC_t-EQsOMNmHiVUsWvyaVU1JFnZrgf8Yvb9kTcLvkIhpsna4kqhZv42o26Rcv-tJk54CkVdbGnhB_DH1q-g5cRX4= Crit Witch Start: https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgMA37CCEAelLJxJsgLjBULQ9UGWrrNMs5f0UlOXlT1fbRlqQ8BUCPS86lAwEQ_bXqyYVcY6WF8qdFWD249Gm6H316cIGmydrhZv42o26SSqFy_60mTngKRV1tsLgh4UsEwtj_rBxYhC8h1knev1SVHw1QcelS4OSBGWXfJwUonTcNXfhELDjDYC_mHiVUsWvyaVIoGeoVZKjjwXVOQitvr3po5khX0pT2ND6-64k1NSRZ2a4Pnogsco-saeEH8Mfbc-QYfYvf4KTeP-jzWSOuGmV_JFL2_ZE3C77Bhq-g5cRX6Cmw== Cold to Fire Hybrid life/es: https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgMAghDfsEmyAuMHpSyc0PVBlgVCTLOusz1fUlOXlW0Zl_RqQ8BUCPS86lAw214igZ6hVkqOPBdUTC0RD1XGOlismF8qdFWD2-xVKo1JGzbY8WyP-sHFiEKCHhSw8h1knev1SVHw1QcelS5jQw5IEZZwUonTcNVd8t-EQsOMNgL-JpVh4lVLFr_LveaBf8aTJxzcSbHXz_k374iDCUZxtAxvnsDjS1fxs3cHhxOcpIXFQksrDd--tMXb50cG8uFfag186rpsjGKsnapq-g5cRX7fip8BHarhiOwYL2_ZE3C7 I have decided to go crit. The playstyle is largely dependent on cold snap and high damage freezes and that simply won't work without crit. Leveling Plan Going to keep track of my leveling progress here. I found it very difficult to go back after the fact and remember all the little things I did leveling with my last build. This way, I can write stuff down as it's fresh in my mind.
Leveling Trees
Subject to change depending on what gear I found, but here's the basic idea. First get the stuff closest to starting area except for crit. For now, go through the +20 str/dex node since those are typically needed at the beginning of a new league. Also taking a couple damage nodes for easier leveling: https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgMAB6WCEN-wLJxJsgLjr5sQWB_HK3htGS2LakPAVAj0vOo9X1JTl_SXld-K Go up through power charge node and take more damage, life, and mana before heading over to the shadow area. Take a +30 dex/str node as needed: https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgMAB6WCEN-wLJxJsgLjr5sQWB_HK3htGS2LakPAVAj0vOo9X1JTl_SXlREP215QMEyzrJhVxjpYg9tfKnRVTC0igZ6hVkqOPBdUj_pJUfDVBx6VLt-KIvRsCw2NHNx_xhGW Start taking crit, respec the +20 str/dex node in witch start and take the crit cluster. Take the +30 str and dex nodes since they'll almost certainly be needed. Start getting crit and head into the shadow area: https://poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgMAB6WCEN-wLJxJsgLjEFhtGWpDwFQI9LzqPV9SU5f0l5URD9teUDBMs6yYVcY6WIPbXyp0VUwtIoGeoVZKjjwXVI_6SVHw1QcelS7fin_GJ6l-Wa6zQZbQ9QVCr5vyHWSd6_Vd8g5IEZbfhELDjDYC_mHiVUsmlRa_cFKJ03DVY0Mi9GwLDY0c3A== The next step is to iron out the details of the build and how it's going to work in maps, so I don't have anything for beyond this point. That last tree will probably be at the end of act 1 merciless around level 58/59. Newer players should understand that these are just suggested routes to take and that things inevitably change when you're leveling a character in a new league. You might end up finding an amazing weapon, but struggle to find good life gear, so you're forced to go out of your way for more life and need to drop damage nodes. You might find the attributes you need on jewelry, but you also might need to take more on the tree. You might have zero mana regen on items and be forced to take EB in the middle of cruel for that extra mana and regen boost. This is one of the great things about PoE in my opinion. You can follow a guide, but at the same time the build will always be yours and no two players will have the same experience leveling a character.
Leveling Tips for Skills and Gear
Normal
Weapon I find +1 to cold gems 3L wands are great all the way through normal. Try to find one in the vendor that's 3-linked and has colors you can use. Then use the +1 to cold gems recipe on it (magic wand + sapphire ring + alteration), the links will stay the same. I generally try to do this in act 2, since I usually have bought a sapphire ring for Merveil and no longer need it. Constantly check vendors for a wand you can use. At some point, you'll do better with a high spell damage wand unless you can find a +2 cold gems wand in which case you can probably use that through most of cruel. Armor Honestly, either armor or evasion works fine through normal. My plan is always to prioritize life and resists and armor/evasion usually takes care of itself. You may find yourself in need of some armor towards then end of act 3. Best places to get it are shield and/or chest piece. Check vendors regularly for 4-links and keep all white 4-links you find. You never know when you might need to use them while leveling and you want to avoid using too many fusings if you can help it. Jewelry -Buy coral rings in act 1 normal if you don't find any right off the bat. -Buy a sapphire ring for Merveil if needed. -Buy a topaz ring for chamber of sins if needed. -Buy stats amulets if needed. -Periodically check for good life rings from vendors. You can sometimes find a resist implicit ring with high life and another resist. Skills -Mule a fire trap (start a shadow, run it to lioneye's, get fire trap, throw in stash) to level at least through normal with. Throw down fire trap and spam ice nova. This strategy will carry you through all of normal. -Start leveling glacial cascade as soon as you can get one. You might have to buy one since you get it from brutus and there's also clarity from brutus. Choose clarity since clarity is going to cost more than glacial cascade at the start of a league. Use GC for bosses and high hp targets. -As I leveled through normal I noticed the new AoE on glacial cascade makes it work very much like a ranged ability. I'm using it for all beyond monsters just to keep some distance.
Cruel
Weapon -You won't need to rely on damage from a weapon while leveling up. This provides a lot of flexibility. I'm actually using Aurumvorax because I found one and have had a rough time finding the right resist gear to get capped. Damage is still fine and I imagine if I could run a spell damage wand it would be exceptional. Just another example of having to adapt to your current situation as you go along. Armor -I found I'm having fewer mana problems in 1.2 than 1.1.x. I have about 50% mana regen on gear, but I also stopped leveling clarity at level 32 and forgot to level it again, so I don't think mana regen on gear is necessary. -You'll still need dexterity and strength on at least one piece of gear (str/dex implicit amulet will probably be enough). Fortunately, these can be crafted for pretty cheap now, so it's not going to be a huge pain to achieve later on. Skills -I've switched to glacial cascade because it's safer and more effective at this point. I feel like I might be sticking with GC until I get a good feel for how my defenses are going to work in maps and until I have good crit chance (6% base crit on GC vs. 5% on ice nova, so GC will still be good enough with lower crit). -Using GC + Cold Pen + Faster Casting + Added Lightning right now to level. -Buy an ele prolif at the beginning of cruel if you can. I've seen them being sold for as cheap as 1c already. -Be on the lookout for a vaal discipline if you plan to go hybrid life/es. Passives -Dex/Str is a concern, but that's to be expected. I modified the tree a bit to take the same number of nodes, but go through 2 +10 dex nodes getting out of the witch area. Strength comes from a couple life nodes in the shadow area and I've taken both a +30 dex and str. -I've specced out of the +20 str/dex node near the witch start already, but it's there if you need a little extra dex/str to level your gems. Miscellaneous Thoughts -I'm still at about the same life I'd expect to be with the new tree. I'm sitting at around 2000 at level 51 getting ready to head towards dominus and start merciless. -Herald of Ice is awesome. You get it from Maramoa for the slums quest in normal. -I'm using assassin's mark already even though I don't have a whole lot of crit right now. The power charges mean I can use cold snap defensively sooner than I otherwise would. Also, freezing things with cold snap and then shattering them with GC works really well with Herald of Ice. -I came very close to dying during a Tora mission in Lunaris Level 3. I just happen to have 22% chaos res on gear, but if I didn't I'd be re-leveling right now. Beserk Fury Spinesnap (a nemesis mod on an invader, so scary!) is not to be taken lightly and brings back memories of Spinesnap in early invasion. For those who might not be familiar, he casts temp chains so you can't run away and does multistrike leap slam to stun-lock you in place while he spreads poison clouds. I'll post more about the playstyle and skill choices as I complete the build over the next few weeks. The playstyle is quite similar to my glacial cascade build which can be found here: http://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/957217. Criticism and feedback is welcome and very much appreciated. Last edited by PureTrancendence#5893 on Oct 13, 2014, 6:31:52 PM
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I am very interested in hearing more about how this plays out keep us up to date. Sort of hedging my Beyond bets on an ice caster.
http://www.twitch.tv/johmasho
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I'm very interested in this as well. I've been wanting a functional nova build for quite some time - and with the hole in the middle of shock nova, my bet's on ice.
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Alright lets see that magic Puppy
Threw this together real quick it sort of matches your previous build: https://www.poebuilder.com/character/AAAAAgMAAuMHpYIQ37AsnEmyGyVLrukC34ptGdlbPV9SU5f0H8creEyzl5VqQ8BUCPRT1I2C0eSfARdUTC0RD9teUDAigZ6hVkqOPNsLgh4UsND1QZauswVCtvr3po5k5CIabJ2upwjYJDbFHwIEB-NqNukkqhZvVdZk5xcv-tKApIV9KU9TUkWdmuDr7riT8h1knev1j_rsGMHFL2_ZE3C7iEKVLvDVBx4Rll3yDkjfhELDjDYC_vv1tDjlGUV8l5dwUonTcNXjVuTrN4FSsoKbY0Nh4lVLFr8mlbEFuNCBr9o6KPo= http://www.twitch.tv/johmasho Last edited by JohmaSho#7684 on Aug 14, 2014, 3:01:03 PM
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Tick tock baby 3 days! I saw your update to the glacial cascade thread, you looking at this one now Pup?
http://www.twitch.tv/johmasho
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i - by accident - evolved from my crit GC build to exactly what you try to do
notes - consider using 'added cold damage' with ice nova. crit/crit multi scales greatly but it has something to scale in the first place.. reliance on curses - to deal damage (upping the crit chance only in 1.2 - crit multi is gone from crit weakness on Garena) - has short legs currently doing 70+ maps with this alone: and it works quite well (not going full crit multi banana saves me from reflect, too) for shock stacks i switched to 'vaal lightning trap' as it is guaranteed shock for these special occasions. for trash mobs shocks are not needed anyway.. |
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" Yeah, I just want it to be Wednesday already so I can get started! I tend to get a better feel for how a skill works and how the build is going to work if I level up with the skill. There's usually an awkward transition around levels 60-70 where most builds need to transition from a leveling build into something that's end-game viable. This is probably where I'll iron out most of the details for this build. I'll keep this thread updated as I progress, but it will probably be a couple weeks before I have a good idea of what I want to do for an end-game skill tree and that's if I don't have an untimely death along the way. Here's some random thoughts about the build in 1.2: - Shock no longer stacks, so I'm planning to use lightning warp with ele prolif and reduced duration instead of an arc totem. Cold snap to initiate, lightning warp into the middle or in front of a pack, and then spam ice nova. It should be a lot of fun :) - I haven't ruled out foregoing crit and stacking freeze chance instead. There's more freeze chance on the tree in 1.2 and the freeze duration nodes are more accessible than before. This is something I'll just need to wait and try out. With the change to crit weakness, I might need to rethink how I scale damage for both this and my glacial cascade build. - Summon skeleton totem is going to be a must again in Beyond. It saved my ass so many times in invasion. - I might try to go for a 3 or 4 blue socket lightning coil instead of cloak of defiance and run an extra aura. - Dual curse is more accessible on the new tree, so I'm seriously considering picking it up and running temp chains. " I think Cold Penetration is better than Added Cold Damage in most cases. Added cold might be better against enemies with lower cold resistance, but cold pen is so good for cold resistant enemies. You end up dealing 60% of your damage with a level 20 cold pen against capped cold res enemies compared to 25% without cold pen. I might end up using both however. " Yes, one of the things I liked least about my glacial cascade build was its reliance on crit weakness for damage. Do you have a link or more specific information about the crit weakness change? I heard talk of something about it giving power charges on kill. Is this true? If so that could mean dropping power charge on critical for another damage support. " I found ice nova without faster casting or spell echo to be very hard to use. In fact, I found it pretty much unusable without both of them unfortunately. Also, some way to generate power charges is needed. That 4-link isn't going to be enough damage to clear effectively in higher level maps. 4-link GC, on the other hand, is quite effective for single target. You mention not needing shock stacks for trash, but it looks like you're using added lightning on your ice nova, so aren't you getting shock against trash anyway? I really like the vaal lightning trap idea. It has a pretty low soul cost and guarantees shock regardless of enemy health. I may end up stealing that idea from you for the 50% damage increase against bosses or magic packs that I can't shock effectively with lightning warp. I didn't run ele reflect maps on my glacial cascade character (it's manageable with purity of ice, but almost always more trouble than just rerolling the map), but ele reflect rares were never a problem even with 505% crit multiplier. My strategy is to pop a sapphire, cold snap, and then focus down the rare with glacial cascade. That should work even better with this ice nova build because GC will be a small aoe and will only hit the rare. The only way it would kill me is if I wasn't paying attention and cursed a big reflect pack with crit weakness and fired into it blindly. |
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I've come up with very late end-game non-crit and crit passive trees. Note that it's a templar start instead of witch for non-crit. Let me know what you guys think.
Last edited by PureTrancendence#5893 on Aug 18, 2014, 1:43:09 AM
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Oh wow, I didn't know that Ice Nova could be viable in higher level maps! I never used it past act2/normal, but always wished it could be used as a main AoE spell. Are there videos of you using it in 1.15 in a 74+ map? (Curious about clear speed.) Is Atziri at all possible with a build like this?
Edit: found the video! Last edited by Mivo#2486 on Aug 18, 2014, 5:43:14 AM
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Ice nova still has and will have a very bad 'single/semi-single' target potential
But after playwing with it in aoe setup it starts to make sense You have to hit a mob 6 times to kill it but as you hit 20 mobs at the same time.. This frees glacial cascade for pure single target |
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