[3.8] LiftingNerdBro's Tri/Quad Frostbolt Totems Hierophant - Strong League Starter!

I'm going fairly well in Abyss with a version of this (though struggling to get my atlas going)
Plan was to use Glacial cascade totems for single target but they don't really do any more damage than FB. If I optimised purely for GC then yeah, probably would but just not worth it.
If you want to go GC totems I think you need to go inquisitor and go multiple phys> ele conversion.

Single target is ok for normal map bosses though, and uber Izaro is fine. Just not sure how I'll handle elder guardians etc. Especially looking at the insane power creep for things like molten strike, which was already pretty crazy.

Anyway, Here is my gear so far



Staff wise I started with a 5l +2 staff. Then 5 linked a taryn's so used that for starting mapping.
Got some decent drops so got dark mage cards fairly early and crafted a +2 staff. Actually hit a 90% spell damage roll, but bricked it trying to annul for a cast speed craft.
Then I started chain linking Taryn's - it's a popular item right now so was probably making profit on every 5l (Somehow selling for a chunk more than the cost of a good roll and jewellers touch).
Hit a bad run where every one took > 400 jewellers to 6s though which destroyed the profits. So spammed about 400-500 fuses into an almost perfect one with no luck. Gave up at the next 5l and sold it.
2 more Taryn's later finally hit the 6l.

Amulet I actually found about act 5, and have been using since. Could upgrade but waiting for Pandemonius.
I was using more defensive gloves and boots but having to push damage for single target. Making resists a bit tricky though. Trying to get penetrate enchant on boots. I stupidly rolled over the 120% crit chance on the boots - pretty good though pen better, but definitely would have made profit on selling it. Got another pair to roll now. Regen isn't bad for mapping anyway.

Chest - Not sure yet. I find a belly but sold it. High life/mana rare does for now. I was contemplating perfect form to complete the icy theme. 30% spell dodge (Plus possibly more on gear) and free arctic armour is good. Though have you seen that you can get 1.5% global crit to spells on a shaper mod chest? Has to be ilvl 84, will be expensive but would be insanely good. Could drop inc crit strikes for another damage link.

Hopefully will get some playtime tonight, get my boot enchant and save up for when some more Halcyon's/Tul's blessings come on the market.


PS
For people still not sure why a staff, it is efficient crit with the pathing we need to do anyway, with some bonus defensive stats. In particular it's a decent chunk of crit multiplier, which is lacking on the left of the tree.

Re Rain of splinters, it's fun but you get a bit of diminishing returns with more projectiles, you cover the screen with 2 threshold jewels anyway. Might be worth if you are just speed farming low tier maps though, I have one in stash for playing with.

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LostSoul15 wrote:

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Tapsy68 wrote:

Hey Guys,
I don't really understand why we should put a "Controlled Destruction" Gem in our damage link setup. It reduces the Critical Strike chance of the supported gems by 100%.

Hope someone can help me out with that question, have a nice day

That doesnt mean you will never crit. Look at the Crit Chance for your Frostbolt Totem Setup in the Character Stats. He is balancing that out with the Orb of Storms setup by the way, which generates a Power Charge every time it crits, which subsequently raises your overall chance for a critical hit for a certain amount of time :) Plus, he is picking up the nodes for higher critical hit chance with Staffs. Thats why he uses Staffs instead of Wand/Shield probably :)

To correct slightly, you only need Orb of Storms for keeping power charges up on single target, at least once you get the last Ascendancy points done. For clearing, that ascendancy will keep you maxed on power charges (and generate endurance charges really nicely so Immortal Call can eat them too).

3. Level 28+ Get a link of 4 to your Frostbolt setting.


What would be the gems?

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Fanboy0 wrote:

3. Level 28+ Get a link of 4 to your Frostbolt setting.


What would be the gems?

Frostbolt, Spell Totem, Controlled Destruction, Faster Casting (3 Blue, 1 Red socket)

what are the best minor/major god pantheons for this build?

Tweaked the build a little, trying to squeeze out some single target damage.



The chest mod lets me drop in crit strikes and use cold pen and hypothermia. Alternatively could fully cap crit, or drop a couple of power charges.
I had a similar chest with low life, and then crafted that one, got lucky with hitting decent life + the right shaper mod, then regaled strength. Will exalt if I get the funds.
Picked up Pandemonius (Must be one of first in Abyss, very few blessings avaiable) too.
Still need to enchant boots, annoyingly now thing the 120% inc crit may be better than the penetration since I got the chest, and I've already rolled over a pair of those.
Flasks are awkward, I struggle to fit in a mana flask, and hybrid doesn't really do enough. Maybe drop wise oak for mapping.
Single target is respectable now, but build as had quite a bit of investment. And still a lot less than a frostblade/molten char I could do with 20c. I'll keep persevering though!

I have hit a wall. I can do elder guardians but it usually costs me a death or two. Granted, I know I could upgrade my rings/amulet and I probably will. But currently 'stuck'. Hoping to make this build work as it's super fun.

Does Snakepit shapphire ring work with the totem?

@Carlovski

(1) I'm a ways behind you but I was wondering if you think the Mutewind Whispersteps are better than rares?
(2) You've changed the skill setup a lot, how are you keeping mana up? Seems like you have no Clarity and no mana flask?
(3) What's your life at? No flame golem and no life boots must mean it's kind of low, right? Or do you have 2x 7% inc life jewels in your tree?

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RichardHag wrote:

@Carlovski

(1) I'm a ways behind you but I was wondering if you think the Mutewind Whispersteps are better than rares?
(2) You've changed the skill setup a lot, how are you keeping mana up? Seems like you have no Clarity and no mana flask?
(3) What's your life at? No flame golem and no life boots must mean it's kind of low, right? Or do you have 2x 7% inc life jewels in your tree?

1 - Was just pushing damage as much as possible (Got some 8% pen ones now, failed enchanting my own). They aren't that important, a rare pair, or a more defensive unique would be better.

2 - No mana flask is a problem, casting is fine but a few hits and mana is gone.Was struggling to fit one in while keeping wise oak, rumi and a quicksilver in. Probably best plan is to drop wise oak for mapping.

3 - Just under 5k life, and over 2k unreserved mana. If you want a pure map character then you can definitely drop a chunk of damage and should easily be able to get more like 6k life and 2.5k unreserved.

I'm thinking of dropping the gloves though. Reduced movement speed is annoying and could get more life and sort out my dexterity issue, which would save some points. Which could be more life and/or another jewel which would be more damage (Could grab crit multi). The proj speed is nice, but not that important. I thought my clear speed was ok until I partied a bit with my guild, and couldn't keep up.

I'm probably about done with build though, I tend to do this, once a build is about finished I get bored with it, and hardly play with the shiny new gear I just gave it!