Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Righteous Providence, Inevitable Judgement, Augury of Penitence, and Instruments of Virtue. A Watcher's Eye jewel is important for increased life, increased mana, increased energy shield, critical strikes penetrate 10% elemental resistances while affected by Zealotry, and 15% increased cast speed while affected by Zealotry. The Light of Meaning jewel should be used in the upper right blue circle in the image above for high increased cold damage for each passive in its radius. The Red Nightmare jewel is also recommended in the lower left blue circle because it makes nearby resistance nodes give a chance to generate an Endurance charge on kill and increases your block chance. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are important for increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. This is a critical strike build so make sure and take all of the nearby critical strike related nodes and plenty of the nearby life percent nodes on the tree for survival. Note: The build ratings and skill tree have been updated for the new season (3.28).

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Defensive Layers

The Augury of Penitence ascendancy gives 16% increased elemental damage and 8% reduced elemental damage taken. The Witch tree is strong defensively for energy shield due to the abundance of life and energy shield related nodes which also improve your survival. This build also has the strong defensive advantage of using a one handed weapon with a shield.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Herald of Ice

Enlighten Support

Sigil Of Power

 

Shield (3-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Flame Dash

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Armour (6 Link)

Ice Nova of Frostbolts

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Awakened Spell Echo Support

Inspiration Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Note: Awakened gems can be replaced with the normal support gems for seasonal play.

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Zealotry

Clarity

Enlighten Support

 

Gloves (4-link)

Frostbolt

Awakened Greater Multiple Projectile Support

Returning Projectile Support

Power Charge On Critical Support

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Boots (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support

Vaal Haste

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and give very high evasion. Zealotry is recommended as the best offensive aura for the build because it increases your spell critical strike chance and spell damage. Clarity is needed for the high mana cost of this build. Herald of Ice is selected for added cold damage and causes cold damage explosions. Zealotry should be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, and two leveled Enlighten Supports 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. Ice Nova of Frostbolts causes Ice Novas to be cast from up to four of your Frostbolts which deals very high damage.

3. Aim for 100% critical strike chance without a Diamond Flask which gives increased critical strike chance when using the Inevitable Judgement ascendancy which makes your critical strikes ignore the elemental resistances of enemies.

4. Summon Ice Golem can be used if you need a higher critical strike chance but you should switch to Summon Flame Golem once you have a high enough critical strike chance for increased damage and an extra target for enemies to attack.​

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Wand

Look for +1 to level of all cold spell skill gems, increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, increased critical strike multiplier, and add increased cold damage at the crafting bench. You should also add 1% increased elemental damage per 2% quality at the Horticrafting Station which should be added to your hideout.

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Shield

Rare Shield

Look for high life, high increased spell damage, high increased critical strike chance for spells, high energy shield, and optionally +1 to level of all cold spell skill gems if you can afford it.

 

Armour

Rare Body Armour

Look for high life, spell critical strike chance, strength, optionally percent physical damage taken as an elemental damage, and add 8% increased life/8% increased mana at the crafting bench.

 

Helmet

Rare Blizzard Crown

Blizzard Crowns have a high added cold damage implicit and 10% increased enemy cold resistance which is negated by the Inevitable Judgement ascendancy which treats the resistances of enemies as zero on critical strikes. Look for high life, energy shield, resistances, and you can optionally use a Warlord's Exalted Orb for a chance at rolling increased elemental damage with an open prefix or increased global critical strike multiplier with an open suffix.

 

Gloves

Rare Six-Link Gloves

You should look for gloves with socketed gems are supported by level 20 Slower Projectile which comes with increased projectile damage and socketed gems are supported by level 20 Faster Casting which comes with increased cast speed. The Slower Projectile Support makes your Ice Nova of Frostbolts hit more on single targets when cast from your Frostbolts.

 

Belt

Rare Stygian Vise

Look for high life, high resistances, strength, increased damage with hits against Chilled enemies, and increased damage which can be added at the crafting bench. Increased damage with hits against Chilled enemies has a chance to be added with a Redeemer's Exalted Orb with an open prefix. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on the belt to increase its life bonus.

Abyss Jewel

Look for life, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier and corrupted increased critical strike chance.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

Look for high life, resistances, Tailwind, Elusive, chance to gain Onslaught on kill, and increased movement speed.

 

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 penetrate 20% of Chilled enemies' cold resistances. You should use Turbulent Catalysts on the amulet to increase its cold damage and cold resistance penetration.

 

Rings

Rare Diamond Rings

You won't need a Frostbite on Hit ring once you have a 100% critical strike chance because your ascendancy makes you ignore the elemental resistances of enemies on critical strikes. Look for life, energy shield, increased cold damage, resistances, and reduced mana cost. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on your rings to increase their life bonuses and reduced mana costs.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Provides 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, consecrated ground has triple radius, up to 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when you hit a rare or unique enemy.

Diamond Flask (use this flask if you don't have a 100% critical strike chance)

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance and increased critical strike chance as a second modifier. The legacy version can have a higher critical strike chance. You should use Instilling Orbs until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Rumi's Concoction (use this flask once you reach 100% critical strike chance without a Diamond Flask)

Use this flask when you no longer need a Diamond Flask to improve your survivability. This flask gives 1500 armour, increases your block chance, and increases your spell block. The legacy version is better and gives much higher block chances. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when it has full charges.

Jade Flask or Diamond Flask

Gives 1500 evasion or 100% increased critical strike chance. Try and roll immunity to Bleeding and Corrupted Blood during effect and use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Heart of Ice for 30% increased cold damage and damage penetrates 6% cold resistance at Cassia using a Crimson Oil, Opalescent Oil, and Golden 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: Enemies Blinded By You Have 30% Reduced 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 also kill all three bandits 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 great level one offensive chest armour that has six linked white sockets. Any combination of gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also purchase 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 that gives 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 are excellent for 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% increased 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 elemental resistances. The Purity of Elements aura increases your elemental resistances for a 50% mana reservation cost.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

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

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Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four and gives 40% increased movement speed and it can have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when 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 and can have increased attack speed or increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask when 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 up to 10% on consecrated ground, and up to 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 when you hit a rare or unique enemy.

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Leveling Gems

Frostbolt which is one of your endgame skills can be used for damage at level one. Ice Nova of Frostbolts can be added in at level 12 to cast Ice Novas from your Frostbolts. Vitality is the best defensive aura for leveling by far and it can be used as early as level 10 for high life regeneration. 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. Carnage Heart is a great budget amulet that can be equipped at level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can also upgrade to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of all skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. The items in the section above can be used all the way until the midgame where better items will become available.

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That's all for this PoE guide! You can view more Path of Exile guides in the menu at the top of this page. Best of luck!​