[1.1.2] Glacial Cascade: Cursing Cold Crit. Culler

So, ever since 1.1.2 came out, I've been strolling the fora looking for and discussing potential Glacial Cascade builds. After all, it just looks THAT great, and Disney's Elsa has made icicle volcanoes hip again! Doing so, I've discovered that there're many difficulties associated with GC. For one it doesn't actually seem to perform all that well as an AoE skill, in the sense that it can't hit large numbers of mobs, and we don't really have a way to increase the size of its effect. This limits its use to single targets, confined quarters application, or packs of mobs that have allready closed in. It also relies on two types of very different damage: physical and elemental (meaning they can't be buffed simultaneously even by general elemental buffs). I have therfore drawn the following conclusions:

1. GC should not be your only/main skill for large groups in open areas
2. Any build GC features in significantly should utilise both the skill's physical as well as elemental damage to be effective

There aren't any finished builds out there, and there can't be. The skill is simply too new. The one I posted below isn't finished or tested either. It's what I drafted up based on my observations. Hopefully though, we can use it as a stable platform to get to a finished build, and I'm very much interested what you think about it.



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LMB: Power Siphon + Greater Multiple Projectiles + Curse on Hit + Frostbite + Critical Weakness (Elemental Weakness & Warlord's Mark are also possibilities)

RMB: Glacial Cascade + Life Leech + Faster Casting + Concentrated Effect

Movement: Lightning Warp + Reduced Duration + Increased Radius + Elemental Proliferation

Panic Button: Discharge + Life Leech + Lightning Penetration + Elemental Proliferation

Vaal Skills: Power Siphon, Cold Snap, Ice Nova, and Storm Call (not really important, Vaal skills will neither make or break this build)

Passives:

Auras: Haste & Hatred

Bandits: Oak - Oak - Alira

Pros:
+ Fun to play, varied (most important)
+ Relies on multiple types of damage, so less susceptible to Reflect
+ Might work as a Magic Finder

Cons:
- Needs five-linked armor with very high Evasion
- Squishy
- For maximum effectiveness, sequence of attacks is very important

I don't think play style needs much elaboration:

1. Curse and damage with Power Siphon
2. Move in and shock with Lightning Warp (or don't)
3. Freeze, damage and leech with Glacial Cascade
4. Shock and leech with Discharge (or don't)
5. Move out with Lightning Warp (or don't)
6. Cull with Power Siphon

You should be evading a significant number of hits, leeching what you lose, and have a shield to block and further boost your Evasion. You'll try to stack as much Evasion on you gear as you can, followed by the basic stuff like resistance, and fill up the rest with item rarity. You could also consider getting gear that increases the number of curses enemies can hold, which you can then for example link to Discharge instead of Lightning Penetration or Elemental Proliferation.



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I like your idea, but I need to remind you it just won't work well. This game does NOT support multi-tasking, especially if you split attacks/spells.

Also, I've tested this skill a bit, it works reasonably ok for DPS for a Cold Snap build. Make a 4L with it (or 5-6L and put Cold Snap on 4L), and after you freeze packs, smash them to bits with GC.

4L+ - GC / Faster Casting / Conc. Effect / Added Chaos (+Cold Penetration, +Added Cold).

"

CantripN wrote:

I like your idea, but I need to remind you it just won't work well. This game does NOT support multi-tasking, especially if you split attacks/spells.

True, but the thing is, this skill itself is kinda split.

With the build I mainly went for physical damage of which both PS and GC should benefit. The only elemental nodes I took were en-route nodes that I took mainly because of their elemental status ailments (freeze and shock). The idea is that even though you use split skills, you can still gear entirely for physical damage. How that works out I don't know though, and I guess that kinda takes away the "multiple types of damage" argument, but overall your PS damage shouldn't be significantly lower than other Wander's. You'd simply have the benefit of freezing stuff and damaging mobs for "physical damage plus" when they get close.

I'm also very interested in your pure Cold build though. Would you have a link and/or passives tree?

Physical Damage with Wands does NOT affect spells, you should know. There's exactly 2 nodes in the entire tree that buff "Physical" damage (besides Spell Damage for this spell, obviously). Rustic Sashes also work, and so do generic "increased damage" items like Le Heup, but that's it.

If what you were going for worked, every EK caster would be taking that path, no? ;)
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GC feels, as you say, as great for that single-target (or small group) spell that casters have been crying for.

As for my build, it's in my signature.

"

CantripN wrote:

Physical Damage with Wands does NOT affect spells, you should know. There's exactly 2 nodes in the entire tree that buff "Physical" damage (besides Spell Damage for this spell, obviously). Rustic Sashes also work, and so do generic "increased damage" items like Le Heup, but that's it.

If what you were going for worked, every EK caster would be taking that path, no? ;)
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GC feels, as you say, as great for that single-target (or small group) spell that casters have been crying for.

As for my build, it's in my signature.

*Sigh*, guess you're right. It's a shame really how mixed builds are always discouraged in ARPG's. Even Titan Quest with it's skill system supposedly aimed and hybriding did so and PoE with its vast customisation options does even more so.

Your Cold Snap build seems almost good to go though. I've posted a reply in your thread to see how we can best maximize cascadiness.