Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Chain Reaction, Pyromaniac, Bomb Specialist, and Born in the Shadows. You will generate Power charges and Frenzy charges once you take the two main Trap Masteries on the tree. A Watcher's Eye jewel is also highly 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 Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery nodes are also very important for increased mana reservation efficiency so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. This is a life build so make sure and take a healthy amount of the nearby life percent nodes for survival. Note: The skill tree above has been updated for the new season (3.25).

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Defensive Layers

The Born in the Shadows ascendancy blinds nearby enemies and reduces your damage taken from blinded enemies by 15%. You will also have a 20% chance to take 50% less area damage and have a 20% chance to deal 50% more area damage with the Bomb Specialist ascendancy. This build also has the defensive advantage of attacking from a distance while using a shield. 

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Gems

 

Weapon (3-link)

Cold Snap (keep at a low level)

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep at level one to trigger more often)

Power Charge On Critical Support

 

Shield (3-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

More Duration Support

 

Armour (6-link)

Ice Trap

Inspiration Support

Trap and Mine Damage Support

Cluster Trap Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Culling Strike Support

Flame Dash

 

Gloves (4-link)

Seismic Trap

Trap and Mine Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

 

Boots (4-link)

Grace

Hatred

Clarity

Enlighten Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Hatred is the best offensive for this build and gives 20% more cold damage. Clarity is also needed for mana regeneration for the high mana cost of Ice Trap. Hatred can be used once you have the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, and a leveled Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills. 

 

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. Seismic Trap is used as a secondary attack for tough enemies and will greatly increase your burst single target damage.

3. Cold Snap is used to give a 25% chance to generate a Frenzy charge when an enemy dies in its skill area and is linked to Power Charge On Critical Support to generate Power charges on critical strikes.

4. Summon Flame Golem gives a 20% damage increase, 2% life recovery on Culling Strike, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

5. If you would prefer to play a physical trap build instead of an elemental one that performs better at higher gear levels you can also check out the Seismic Trap & Exsanguinate Guide here Seismic Trap & Exsanguinate Saboteur Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Spell Dagger or Wand

Rare spell daggers have a much lower intelligence requirement when compared to wands and have an increased global critical strike chance implicit. This weapon should have modifiers like +1 to level of cold spell skill gems, increased spell damage, increased critical strike multiplier, increased critical strike chance for spells, and increased cold damage. You should also add elemental damage per 2% quality at the Horticrafting Station which can be added to your hideout with the edit option.

 

Shield

Rare Shield

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

Lioneye's Remorse

The budget option that has up to 210 life and very high armour especially if you get the legacy version in Standard.

 

Armour

Belly of the Beast

This armour gives up to 40% increased life, 15% increased elemental resistances, 50% increased life flask recovery, and allows you to allocate more damage nodes on the tree. A +2 to level of socketed trap and mine gems corruption is also an option. The Tinkerskin armour is not recommended because it requires more life nodes from the tree with little offensive benefits.

 

Helmet

Heatshiver

Has up to 60% mana regeneration, 30% cold resistance, 30% fire resistance, 1% of cold damage as extra fire damage per 1% Chill effect on the enemy, and 30% of physical damage as extra fire damage against Frozen enemies. Legacy Heatshiver is better if you're playing standard. You should also eventually go for a +2 to level of socketed AoE or aura gems corruption.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, life percent, strength, resistances, and an abyssal socket. You have a chance to add increased damage against Chilled enemies or increased cold damage using a Redeemers Orb on the belt if you have an open prefix. 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, increased critical strike chance, and added cold damage to spells.

 

Gloves

Rare Increased Damage Against Chilled Enemies Gloves

Look for gloves with increased damage against Chilled enemies, high life, resistances, and use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to add cold exposure on hit and increased trap throwing speed. Gloves with socketed gems are supported by level 20 Trap and Mine shouldn't be used because they can't benefit from Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors for cold exposure on hit and increased trap throwing speed which makes damage against chilled enemies gloves a much better option.

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Boots

Rare Boots

Look for high life, strength, resistances, movement speed, and spell suppression. Tailwind and Onslaught don't trigger with traps. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll a chance to avoid elemental ailments and a chance to avoid being Frozen which is selected because you will already have Shock and Ignite immunity from your ascendancy.

 

Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for an amulet with very high attributes, high life, +1 to level of all cold skill gems, increased global critical strike chance, and increased critical strike multiplier. You should also use Unstable Catalysts to increase its critical strike modifiers.

Carnage Heart

This amulet is the budget option for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can use Prismatic Catalysts on the amulet to increase its resistances or Intrinsic Catalysts to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Frostbite Ring

Look for Frostbite on hit, high life, strength, increased cold damage, and resistances. You should also use Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses.

Rare Ring

A Diamond Ring is an option for increased critical strike chance. Look for life, strength, increased cold damage, and resistances.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Hunter

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

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Has 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 attack block, and 6% increased spell block. The legacy version 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.

Diamond Flask

Gain 100% increased critical strike chance. Try and 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 Heart of Ice for 30% increased cold damage and 6% cold resistance penetration at Cassia using a Crimson Oil, Opalescent Oil, and Golden Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Ice Trap Damage Penetrates 10% Cold Resistance

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: Damage Penetrates 10% Elemental Resistances if You Haven't 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 Abberath is the best minor power to help maintain energy shield and gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, makes you unaffected by burning ground, and gives 10% increased movement speed on burning ground.

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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

A great level one offensive chest armour that has six white linked sockets. Any color skill gems and support gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to deal much higher damage at an earlier 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 require 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 can be equipped at level 9 and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Kurai 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 and 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% 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

Explosive Trap of Shrapnel is the best starter trap and can be used at level one. You can start of by using the standard Explosive Trap gem if you can't afford Explosive Trap of Shrapnel. You can switch to Ice Trap which is your endgame skill once you reach level 28. 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 before level four once you have at least 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. The Carnage Heart amulet is the budget amulet for the build and can be used as early as level 20 for up to 56 to all attributes and 20% increased elemental resistances. You can also greatly benefit from upgrading to two Praxis ring 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. Many of the items listed in the leveling section above last all the way until the midgame where better items will become available.

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And that's all for the Ice Trap Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can also view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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