Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Occultist, Juggernaut, and Path of the Marauder. The Chaos Inoculation node is highly recommended to make this a pure energy shield build once you can afford it. You should stack intelligence with this build because it increases the damage of Icestorm with the Whispering Ice staff and as an added bonus it increases your energy shield. The Utmost Intellect node at the top of the tree is important because it gives a large increase to your intelligence. A Fertile Mind jewel should also be used in the blue circle above for a large intelligence increase. The Charge Mastery with Overcharged should also be taken for a chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy charge on kill. Also take the increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery and Mana Mastery so that you can use the recommended reservation skills. You should try and get Corrupted Blood immunity on a jewel so that you won't need to take the nearby Resistance Mastery for Corrupted Blood immunity. You should also use a Watcher's Eye jewel for up to 6% life, 6% energy shield, 30 energy shield per enemy hit while affected by Discipline, faster start of energy shield recharge while affected by Discipline, and increased cold damage while affected by Hatred. Make sure and take as many of the nearby energy shield nodes as you can and don't forget the importance of energy shield recharge rate and faster start of energy shield recharge.

 

Defensive Layers

The Juggernaut ascendancy gives you 1000 accuracy, immunity to stun and chill, 5% increased damage per Endurance charge, and generates Endurance charges when you are hit. Increasing your intelligence to high levels on this intelligence stacking build increases your damage and increases your energy shield which is very helpful for survival.  

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Gems

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Weapon (6-link)

Cyclone

Awakened Cast While Channeling Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Inspiration Support

Awakened Elemental Focus Support (doesn't need to be linked to Cyclone)

Awakened Controlled Destruction (doesn't need to be linked to Cyclone)

 

Armour (6-link)

Frost Bomb

Cast When Damage Taken Support

Awakened Added Cold Damage Support

Awakened Controlled Destruction Support

Awakened Increased Area Of Effect Support

Increased Duration Support

 

Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Discipline

Hatred

Enlighten Support

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Gloves (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Enduring Cry

Call To Arms

 

Boots (4-link)

Summon Flame Golem

Minion Life Support

Dread Banner

Flame Dash

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Reservation Skills

Grace and Discipline are the best defensive auras for this build and give very high evasion and energy shield. You should use Hatred as your offensive aura to increase your cold damage. Dread Banner lowers the accuracy of nearby enemies and gives a chance to Impale and increased Impale effect. You can use Hatred once you have the 12% increased mana reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery, the 24% increased mana reservation efficiency from the Reservation Mastery, and a level 4 Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation costs 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 armor to be effective.

2. Frost Bomb is used to keep the Elemental Weakness curse up on bosses and tough enemies, gives -15% cold exposure to enemies, and lowers enemies life regeneration and energy shield regeneration.

3. Enduring Cry is used to provide a large 2200 life heal over one second, generates Endurance charges, and gives an extra 2% increased physical damage reduction and 2% increased elemental resistances per Endurance charge. Enduring Cry should also be linked to Call To Arms to instantly cast Enduring Cry on cooldown.

4. Summon Flame Golem gives up to a 20% damage increase and provides an extra target for enemies to attack.

5. If you think you would prefer a ranged Scion build that performs well at the endgames on a low budget you can also check out the Elemental Hit Ascendant Guide which can be found here Elemental Hit Ascendant.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

The Whispering Ice

A staff that allows you to cast Icestorm which is the main attack for this build. When you link Cyclone with Cast While Channeling Support inside of The Whispering Ice staff it will make you cast Icestorm while channeling Cyclone. 

 

Armour

Rare Energy Shield Chest

Look for high percent intelligence, intelligence, attributes %, and add 1 intelligence per 2% quality at the Horticrafting station.

 

Helmet

Rare Energy Shield Helmet

The expensive option is a very high energy shield helmet with up to 60 to intelligence and up to 10% increased intelligence.

Black Sun Crest

The budget option has up to 15% increased intelligence, 15% increased dexterity, and 15% increased strength along with +1 to level of socketed gems. You should socket your aura gems in this item to increase the level of your auras.

 

Belt

Cyclopean Coil

Gives up to 15% increased attributes, 120 life, immunity to Shock if intelligence is higher than strength, immunity to Ignite if strength is higher than dexterity, and 1% increased damage per 5 of your lowest attribute. You should also use 20 Intrinsic Catalysts on the belt to increase its attribute bonus.

 

Gloves

Rare Elemental Weakness Gloves

Look for the best gloves you can find with an Elemental Weakness on hit corruption. Doedre's Tenure has up to 50 intelligence, 100% increased spell damage, and energy shield which makes it a great option for this slot.

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Boots

Rare Energy Shield Boots

Look for high intelligence, high energy shield, resistances, Onslaught on kill, and movement speed. You should also use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll chance to avoid elemental ailments and increased buff effect granted by your Flame Golem.

 

Amulet

Astramentis

Gives up to 115 to all attributes for the damage increase from intelligence on the Whispering Ice staff. You should also use 20 Intrinsic Catalysts to greatly increase its attribute bonus.

 

Rings

Rare Frostbite Ring

Look for a ring with Frostbite on hit, intelligence, energy shield, increased cold damage, and resistances. You can optionally use 20 Fertile Catalysts on both your rings to increase their life bonuses or 20 Intrinsic Catalysts to increase their attribute bonuses.

Rare Intelligence Ring

Look for high intelligence, energy shield, increased cold damage, resistances, and optionally reduced channeling mana cost.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gain 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 you hit a rare or unique enemy.

Rumi's Concoction (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 armour, 12% increased attack block, and 6% increased spell block. The legacy version can have much higher block chances. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Stibnite Flask (legacy is better)

Gives 20% increased evasion, a smoke cloud that blinds enemies, and up to 60% increased evasion as an additional modifier. The legacy version can have higher evasion. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Quicksilver Flask

This flask increases your movement speed by 40% and can have more increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically the flask whenever it has full charges.

Jade Flask

Gain 1500 evasion. You should 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

Your amulet should be anointed with Snowforged which gives 25% increased cold damage, 25% increased fire damage, and enemies Ignited or Chilled by you have -5% to elemental resistances at Cassia using an Amber Oil, Teal Oil, and Golden Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

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

Gloves: Commandment of Fury

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 during Act 2 is almost always Alira because she gives 15% to all elemental resistances, 20% increased critical strike multiplier, and 5 mana regeneration per second which are very beneficial.

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Pantheon

Soul of the Brine King is the best major Pantheon power for energy shield builds because it gives freeze immunity, 50% reduced effects of chill on you, stun immunity if you've received a stunning hit in the past 2 seconds, and 30% increased stun and block recovery. Soul of the Brine King is recommended on energy shield builds because you will have a maximum life of one with the Chaos Inoculation node on the tree and your freeze and chill threshold is normally based off your maximum life. Soul of Abberath is the best minor Pantheon power to help maintain energy shield and gives 60% less Ignite duration on you, 10% increased movement speed on burning ground, and makes you unaffected by 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

Tabula Rasa is a great offensive level one chest armour that has 6 white sockets. Any combination of gems can be linked together inside of it for 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 level one evasion helmet with 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 have up to 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to give an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

These boots require level nine and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed which helps you to meet your attribute requirements.

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Amulet

Tear of Purity

This amulet gives up to 20 all attributes, level 10 Purity of Elements, 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 Signets rings at level one that each give 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, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground.

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Leveling Gems

Freezing Pulse is the best starting cold spell and can be used at level one. Icestorm can be used with Cyclone once you can equip The Whispering Ice staff at level 33 if you have two reduced mana cost rings. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

Astramentis is the recommended amulet for this build due to its very high intelligence and can be equipped as early as level 20. You can also upgrade to two Praxis rings at level 22 to reduce the mana cost of skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. The Whispering Ice Staff which allows you to use Icestorm can be equipped at level 33. The leveling gear in this section can be used all the way to the midgame where better items will become available. 

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

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