Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Righteous Providence, Inevitable Judgement, Augury of Penitence, and Instruments of Virtue. A Watcher's Eye jewel should be used for increased life, increased mana, increased energy shield, added cold damage while affected by Hatred, and increased cold damage while affected by Hatred. The Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery are also 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 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

This build uses the Enduring Cry warcry with the Call to Arms gem for an instant 2200 life heal over one second and Endurance charge generation which serves to increase your elemental resistances and decrease your physical damage taken. The Augury of Penitence ascendancy also gives 16% increased elemental damage and 8% reduced elemental damage taken. This build uses a one handed wand and has the strong defensive advantage of being able to use 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

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Hatred

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. Hatred is the best offensive aura for the build and serves to significantly increase your cold damage. Clarity is also needed for the high mana cost of this build. Herald of Ice increases your cold damage and causes cold damage explosions. Hatred can 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 is a huge damage increase.

3. Aim for 100% critical strike chance without a Diamond Flask with 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.

5. The CoC Ice Spear Cyclone Inquisitor was significantly buffed in 3.23. If you think you would prefer to try out the CoC Ice Spear Cyclone Inquisitor you can check out a guide for the build here CoC Ice Spear Cyclone Inquisitor Guide.

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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 can 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.

 

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 the 10% increased enemy cold resistance 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/increased projectile damage and socketed gems are supported by level 20 Faster Casting/increased cast speed. The Slower Projectile Support will ensure that your Ice Nova of Frostbolts hits more often on single target when cast off of 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 high life, increased global critical strike chance, and increased global critical strike multiplier.

 

Boots

Rare Two-Toned Boots

Look for life, resistances, Onslaught on kill, Tailwind, Elusive, and 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 penetrates 20% cold resistance against chilled enemies. You should also use Turbulent Catalysts to increase its cold damage and cold resistance penetration.

 

Rings

Rare Diamond Rings

You won't need a Frostbite on Hit curse 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 non-channeled skill mana cost. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on your rings to increase their life bonuses.

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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 (if you haven't reached crit cap without a Diamond Flask)

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 (you can use this flask once you reach crit cap without a Diamond Flask)

Use this flask when you no longer need a Diamond Flask to greatly improve your survivability. This flask gives 1500 armour, increased block chance, and increased 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 whenever it has full charges.

Jade Flask

Gives 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 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 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 are excellent for their level and give 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 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 that 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 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 and can have increased attack speed or movement speed as a second modifier. You should also 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 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 should be used at level 12 to cast Ice Novas with your Frostbolts. 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. 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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And that's all for the Ice Nova of Frostbolts Guide! For more about PoE you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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