Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Pursuit of Faith, Conviction of Power, Arcane Blessing, and Ritual of Awakening. The Ancestral Bond node should be taken for an extra totem at the cost of dealing no damage without traps, totems, or mines. Two First Snow jewels should be used in standard for four extra Freezing Pulse projectiles but in league play you should use a Rain of Splinters jewel instead for two extra projectiles. Using these jewels allows you to use an increased damage support gem in the place of a Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support. A Watcher's Eye unique jewel is also important for increased life, increased energy shield, increased mana, 15% increased cast speed while affected by Zealotry, critical strikes penetrate 10% enemy elemental resistances while affected by Zealotry, and optionally 15% spell suppression while affected by Grace. The Resistance Mastery is needed because it makes curses no longer lower your resistances and this build is a self curse build. The Mana Mastery should also be taken for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skill. Make sure and take all of the nearby increased totem damage nodes 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

You will have a minimum of four Endurance and Power charges at all times with the Conviction of Power ascendancy which is helpful both offensively and defensively. You will also regenerate 1% life per second for each summoned totem on this build with the Ritual of Awakening ascendancy and have totems to take the damage for you. This build also has the defensive advantage of using a shield.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support

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Shield (3-link)

Cold Snap (only level this to level 4 so Arcane Surge triggers from one cast)

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep at level 1 to make Cold Snap cast more frequently)

Arcane Surge Support (keep at level 1 to make Arcane Surge trigger after every Cold Snap)

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Armour (7-link)

Freezing Pulse

Multiple Totems Support

Awakened Cold Penetration Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Spell Totem Support (granted by Soul Mantle)

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Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Zealotry

Enlighten Support

Flame Dash

 

Gloves (4-link)

Icicle Mine of Fanning

Charged Mine Support

High-Impact Mine Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

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Boots (4-link)

Summon Ice Golem

Minion Life Support

Elemental Army Support

Culling Strike Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and provides very high evasion. Zealotry is the best offensive aura for this build and gives increased spell critical strike chance, increased spell damage, and creates consecrated grounds when you hit enemies. Zealotry should be used once you have the 12% increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery and a leveled 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. Using Icicle Mines of Fanning is recommended because the Ancestral Bond node gives an extra totem at the cost of dealing no damage without totems, traps, or mines. Icicle Mines of Fanning are used as a secondary attack for an increased critical strike chance, a 30% chance to generate a Frenzy charge with Charged Mine Support, and a chance to deal double damage with High-Impact Mine Support.

3. Cold Snap with Cast When Damage Taken Support will passively generate Frenzy charges for increased damage and trigger Arcane Surge Support for increased cast speed and increased mana regeneration.

4. Summon Ice Golem increases your critical strike chance, applies cold exposure with Elemental Army Support, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

5. If you would prefer a self cast playstyle the Vaal Spark Hierophant is a more defensive version of the Spark Inquisitor. If you would like to try the Vaal Spark Hierophant you can find a guide for the build here Vaal Spark Hierophant Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Wand

Look for a wand with +1 to all cold spell skill gems, increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, increased cast speed, added cold damage to spells, and increased cold damage. You should also add 1% elemental damage per 2% quality at the Horticrafting Station which can be added to your hideout with the edit option.

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Shield

Rare Shield

Look for high life, +1 to level of cold spell skill gems, increased spell damage, and increased critical strike chance for spells. You can also look for a +1 to Maximum Number of Summoned Totems shield but it's rare to find one with strong modifiers.

Lioneye's Remorse

A budget option that has 210 life and very high armor especially if you can purchase the legacy version in Standard. You can also find one with a corruption like 5% increased block or 4% increased life for cheap.

 

Armour

Soul Mantle (legacy is better)

Gives socketed gems are supported by level 20 Spell Totem, up to 25% increased spell damage, high energy shield, 30% increased totem life, and inflicts a random curse on you when your totems expire. Legacy Soul Mantle is much better and has an extra totem and increased totem life. The Self-Flagellation jewel should be used with this armour for 20% increased damage per curse on you. The Resistance Mastery should also be taken to keep curses from lowering your resistances.

Belly of the Beast

Belly of the Beast is the budget defensive body armour option that gives up to 40% increased life, 15% increased elemental resistances, and 50% increased life flask recovery rate.

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Helmet

Rare Helmet

Look for high life, resistances, attributes, optionally +2 to level of socketed AoE gems, and use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to add increased cast speed and increased spell damage.

The Broken Crown

The budget option that has up to 15 to all attributes, 20% increased damage when on low life, and 61% chaos resistance.

 

Gloves

Rare Increased Damage Against Chilled Enemies Gloves

Look for high life, strength or dexterity, resistances, increased damage against chilled enemies, optionally spell suppression, and add increased damage during any flask effect at the crafting bench. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to add cold exposure on hit and chance to Unnerve enemies on hit. 

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, strength, dexterity, resistances, an abyssal socket, and increased damage against chilled enemies. You can use a Redeemer's Exalted Orb on an uninfluenced Stygian Vise with an open prefix for a chance at rolling increased cold damage or increased damage against chilled enemies. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with high life, energy shield, added cold damage to spells, and added lightning damage to spells.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for high life, dexterity, resistances, movement speed, and optionally spell suppression. Tailwind and Onslaught on your boots don't affect your Freezing Pulse totems. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll a chance to avoid elemental ailments and 5% increased damage per Endurance charge.

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Amulet

The Pandemonius

This amulet has up to 30 dexterity, 30% increased cold damage, 40% cold resistance, blinds chilled enemies on hit, reduces enemies action speed by 30% when hit for one second, and makes damage penetrates 20% cold resistance against chilled enemies. You should also use Turbulent Catalysts to increase the cold damage and cold resistance penetration.

 

Rings

Frostbite Ring

Look for Frostbite curse on hit, life, resistances, increased cast speed, and increased cold damage. You should use 20 Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses.

Rare Increased Cast Speed Ring

Look for high life, strength or dexterity, increased cast speed, increased cold damage, and resistances.

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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, 150% increased critical strike chance, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Rumi's Concoction (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 armour, 12% increased block chance, and 6% increased spell block. The legacy version is much better and gives higher block chances. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance. Look to roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity 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 Surveillance for 30% increased totem damage and each totem applies 1% increased damage taken to enemies near it at Cassia using a Sepia Oil, Indigo Oil, and Opalescent Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: 40% Increased Freezing Pulse Damage

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: Damage Penetrates 10% of Enemy Elemental Resistances if You Haven't Killed Recently

Belt: Hits Against Enemies Unnerve By You Have 50% Increased Spell Critical Strike Chance

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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 kill all three bandits instead for 1 passive skill point.

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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 level one offensive chest armour that has 6 linked white sockets. Any combination of skill and support gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to do much higher damage at an early level. You can also get 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

A great level one resistance helmet with up to 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These gloves can be used as early as level one and give 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

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

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Amulet

Karui Ward

A level five amulet that gives up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 100 accuracy, and 30% increased projectile damage.

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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 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, 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground, and increases enemies damage taken by 10% when they are on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

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Leveling Gems

Freezing Pulse can be used at level one. You should switch to Freezing Pulse totems with Spell Totem Support once you reach level 8. 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 chance to summon Level 10 Raging Spirits. This build can also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flask. Many of the items in the section above last until the midgame where better items will become available.

 

That's all for the Freezing Pulse Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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