Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Righteous Providence, Inevitable Judgement, Augury of Penitence, and Instruments of Virtue. This build is best played as an Inquisitor because the Inevitable Judgement ascendancy makes critical strikes ignore the elemental resistances of enemies. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. A Watcher's Eye jewel is also recommended for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 60% increased cold damage while affected by Hatred, added cold damage while affected by Hatred, and optionally 15% spell suppression while affected by Grace. The Replica Conquerors Efficiency jewel can also be used in standard to significantly lower your mana costs for the high mana cost of the build. In league you may also need the reduced mana cost nodes. Take all of the nearby critical strike nodes, the Accuracy Mastery with increased critical strike chance on the southern part of the tree, and as many of the nearby life percent nodes as you can for survival. Note: The skill tree above is updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

Enduring Cry gives 10% life regeneration over one second and generates Endurance charges which reduces your physical damage taken and elemental damage taken. The Augury of Penitence ascendancy gives 16% increased elemental damage and 8% reduced elemental damage taken. You can easily get over 7000 life from the Templar tree with equipment which is possibly the strongest defensive of the build. Ice Spear of Splitting can also Chill and Freeze enemies which is helpful defensively.

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Gems

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Weapon (7-link)

Barrage of Volley Fire

Ice Spear of Splitting

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Awakened Cold Penetration Support

Cast On Critical Strike Support (from the recommended Cast On Critical bow)

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Armour (6 Link)

Hatred

Grace

Precision

Dread Banner

Enlighten Support

Flame Dash

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Helmet (4-link)

Cold Snap (keep at level one for lower mana cost and to trigger more frequently)

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep at level one to trigger Cold Snap more frequently)

Power Charge On Critical Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Summon Flame Golem (or Summon Ice Golem if you need more critical strike chance and accuracy)

Minion Life Support

Elemental Army Support

Culling Strike Support

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Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower

Enduring Cry

More Duration Support​

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive auras for this build and give very high evasion. Hatred and Precision are the best offensive auras for this build and give increased cold damage, increased critical strike chance, and increased accuracy. If you get non-channeled skills have reduced mana cost on both of your rings and amulet you won't need to use the Clarity aura for mana regeneration. Hatred can be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery and a level 4 Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills.

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Gem Notes​​​​

1. Steelskin is the recommended guard skill for this build because Immortal Call requires you to use potions more often and Molten Shell requires very high armour to be effective.

2. CoC Barrage Ice Spear received a major buff with the addition of Barrage of Volley Fire and Ice Spear of Splitting the first of which makes your attacks much easier to aim. Ice Spear of Splitting was a major buff because they removed the 600% critical strike chance, balancing it by greatly increasing the damage, and it now splits to seven enemies on hit.

3. The Enduring Cry warcry is used for Endurance charge generation and up to 10% life regeneration per second. Endurance charges reduce your physical damage taken and elemental damage taken.

4. Cold Snap automatically casts when you take damage with Cast When Damage Taken Support and is used to generate Power charges with Power Charge On Critical Support and Frenzy charges when enemies die in its skill effect area. Cold Snap and Cast When Damage Taken Support should be kept at level one to trigger more often and to conserve mana.

5. Summon Flame Golem gives increased damage, 2% life recovery on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack. 

6. If you think you would prefer a CoC Ice Spear of Splitting Cyclone melee build you can also check out the CoC Ice Spear of Splitting Cyclone guide here CoC Ice Spear of Splitting Cyclone Inquisitor Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Cast On Critical Strike Bow

Look for a critical strike bow with socketed gems are supported by level 20 Cast On Critical Strike, high spell damage, increased critical strike chance, and increased global critical strike multiplier. You can also make this bow by rolling Deafening Essences of Woe which gives increased spell damage on a Harbinger Bow or Decimation Bow with Shaper influence until you get socketed gems are supported by level 20 Cast On Critical Strike with other great modifiers. You should also add 1% increased elemental damage per 2% quality or 1% increased critical strike chance per 4% quality at the Horticrafting station.

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Quiver

Rare Spike-Point Arrow Quiver

Look for a Spike-Point Arrow Quiver for its critical strike chance implicit (the modifier above the line on an item), with high life, increased critical strike chance, increased global critical strike multiplier, and increased attack speed.

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Armour

Rare Armour

Look for attacks have increased critical strike chance, high life, strength, life percent, optionally chance to gain a Frenzy charge on hit, and optionally increased critical strike chance for spells which is the better option.

Belly of the Beast

The budget option gives up to 40% increased life, 15% increased elemental resistances, and 50% increased flask life recovery rate. For a little more currency you can also look for a Belly of the Beast with an increased damage corruption.

 

Helmet

Rare Blizzard Crown

Blizzard Crowns have an added cold damage implicit and 10% added enemy cold resistance that is negated by the Inquisitor ascendancy which makes the elemental resistances of enemies zero. Look for high life, energy shield, resistances, and you can use a Warlord's Exalted Orb for a chance to roll increased elemental damage or increased global critical strike multiplier.

 

Gloves

Rare Damage Against Chilled Enemies Gloves

Look for high life, increased damage against chilled enemies, resistances, and add increased critical strike chance/elemental damage if you've dealt a critical strike recently at the crafting bench. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors on your gloves to roll increased damage per 100 strength and increased critical strike chance for attacks.

 

Belt

Rare Stygian Vise

Look for life, dexterity, resistances, increased damage, increased damage against Chilled enemies (or increased cold damage), and an abyssal socket. You should use Turbulent Catalysts on the belt to increase its damage.

Abyss Jewel

Look for high life, increased global critical strike chance, increased global critical strike multiplier, and/or increased accuracy.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for life, optionally tier one dexterity (for the high dexterity requirements of bows), high resistances, chance to gain Onslaught on kill, and movement speed. Tailwind and Elusive help but are not necessary. You can also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors on your boots to roll increased damage per Endurance charge and a chance to avoid elemental ailments.

 

Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for high attributes, life, resistances, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and add reduced mana cost of non-channeled skills at the crafting bench. You should also use Unstable Catalysts on the amulet to increase its critical strike modifiers.

 

Rings

Rare Diamond Rings

Look for increased critical strike chance, high life, attributes, resistances, optionally increased global critical strike multiplier, and add reduced mana cost of non-channeled skills at the crafting bench. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on both rings to increase their life bonuses and reduced mana costs.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Wise

This tattoo can replace a 30 intelligence node on the tree to give +1 to Level of All Intelligence Skill Gems.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gives 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you hit a rare or unique enemy.

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance and can have increased critical strike chance or increased attack speed along with chance to gain a flask charge when you deal a critical strike. The legacy version can have a higher critical strike chance. You should also use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Jade Flask

Gain 1500 evasion. Try and roll immunity to Bleeding and Corrupted Blood during effect and use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Arcane Potency for 30% increased spell critical strike chance and 30% increased critical strike multiplier for spells at Cassia using an Azure Oil, Black Oil, and Silver Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Steelskin Buff Can Take 45% Increased Amount Of Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: 16% Increased Attack And Cast Speed If You've Killed Recently

Belt: 30% Increased Accuracy While You Have Onslaught

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Bandits

The best bandit to help in Act 2 is Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances which allows you to focus more on damage from your equipment. If you don't need the resistances you can switch to Oak for 40 life which helps with survival.

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Pantheon

Soul of Solaris is the best major Pantheon power and gives 6% reduced physical damage taken when only one enemy is present, a 20% chance to take 50% less area damage, 8% reduced elemental damage taken if you haven't been hit recently, take no extra damage from critical strikes if you've been hit with a critical strike recently, and a 50% chance to avoid elemental ailments from critical strikes. Soul of Ryslatha is the best minor power and gives 60% increased life recovery from flasks at low life, life flask charges every 3 seconds if you haven't used a life flask recently, and enemies you hit have 50% reduced life regeneration.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

Lifesprigs

You can use two level one Lifesprigs that each give 40% increased spell damage, +1 to level of socketed spell gems, increased cast speed, life, mana, and life regeneration.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a great level one offensive chest armour that has six linked white sockets. Any color gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also look for a Tabula Rasa with a high increased damage corruption which also requires level one for fairly cheap from the trade site.

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Helmet

Goldrim

An excellent level one resistance helmet that has up to 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These level one gloves give up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate a Frenzy, Power, or Endurance charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

Wondertrap boots require level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Tear of Purity

This amulet requires level 5 and gives level 10 Purity of Elements, up to 20 to all attributes, 30 intelligence, 40 to life, and 10 to all resistances. The Purity of Elements aura increases all elemental resistances for a 50% mana reservation cost.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two Perandus Signets at level one that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience.

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Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four for 40% increased movement speed and can have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught which increases your attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27. It can also have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Bottled Faith (use a Sulphur Flask for 40% increased damage if you can't afford Bottled Faith)

This endgame flask requires level 27 and gives 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

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Leveling Gems

Frostbolt can be used for damage at level one. Ice Nova of Frostbolts can be added in at level 12 to cast Ice Novas off your Frostbolts if you can afford it. Precision is the best offensive low level aura and can be used once you reach level 10 for increased critical strike chance and accuracy. However you won't have enough increased critical strike chance to make a CoC Ice Spear build work until much later in the game. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and can be used as early as level 10. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

You can upgrade your wands to two Ashcallers at level 12 for increased spell damage, high added fire damage to spells, a 10% chance to cover enemies in Ash on hit, and a 25% chance to trigger Level 10 Summon Raging Spirits on kill. The Carnage Heart amulet can also be equipped as early as level 20 and has up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can upgrade to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of all skills which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. The leveling items can be used all the way until the midgame where better items will become available.

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And that's all for the CoC Barrage Ice Spear Guide! For more about PoE you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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