Updated for Patch 3.13
The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo
Estimated budget: mediocre
Guide notes |
December 19, 2019 -Updated for Patch 3.9 January 21, 2021 -Updated for Patch 3.13 |
Betrayal League and Patch 3.5 introduced a completely new type of Damage over Time effects - Cold Damage over Time Spells. This new addition brought Vortex and Cold Snap (that were up to this point almost completely useless) to the highest Tier, making them contenders for being the best Boss killer skills in the game. Great Damage and Area of Cold DoT combined with an enormous amount of Energy Shield thanks to Occultist Ascendancy makes this build perfect for killing all the Bosses in the game, including Shaper and Uber Elder. Regeneration and a massive pool of Energy Shield make this build one of the tankiest in the game as well.
You can also check our other Path of Exile builds: Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List
Our main skill for both clearing maps and bosses is Vortex. It is an instant cast skill, which means that we can cast it while running, without interrupting movement. The second most important skill is Cold Snap/Vaal Cold Snap, which is great to use against rare monsters and Bosses for more damage and for Maps clearing because it provides us with Frenzy Charges, which increases both Cast and Movement Speed. It will also apply Bonechill, which increases all our Cold Damage over Time and Chill Effect.
0:06 Tier 14 Crimson Temple |
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PROS |
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CONS |
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For leveling, we are going to use Freezing Pulse, before we can switch Vortex at level 28. During leveling, it's recommended to use Life Gear, before you switch to full Energy Shield because it's easier to regenerate with Life Flasks. If you have enough gear with Energy Shield to make your play comfortable, you can do the switch at any time.
Suggested leveling Gem setups:
Freezing Pulse setup | |
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Freezing Pulse - one of the first available spells in PoE |
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Added Cold Damage Support - adds a lot of Cold Damage |
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Lesser Multiple Projectiles Support - boosts the number of supported skills' projectiles |
Vortex setup | |
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Vortex - this will be your main skill throughout the game. Use it from level 28 |
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Controlled Destruction Support - grants a lot of Spell Damage at the cost of Critical Strike Chance |
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Elemental Focus Support - a great boost to Elemental Damage |
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Efficacy Support - will boost your Cold Damage, Damage over Time and Vortex duration |
Utility Gems | |
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Flame Dash - your main Movement Skill |
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Enfeeble - perfect Curse for our build, reducing Cursed enemies' damage and chance to hit. Preferably linked to Blasphemy so it acts as Aura |
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Discipline - grants additional Energy Shield |
Bandits:
We recommend killing all Bandits for two additional Passive Points
Leveling Skill Trees:
32 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Arcane Focus 2) Breath of Rime 3) Unnatural Calm
66 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Arcanist's Dominion 2) Written in Blood 3) Arcane Swiftness 4) Fingers of Frost
Recommended leveling items:
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+(30-50) to Evasion Rating 10% increased Rarity of Items found +(30-40)% to all Elemental Resistances Reflects 4 Physical Damage to Melee Attackers Level Requirement reduced by 100 (Hidden) |
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(50-60)% increased Spell Damage +20 to Intelligence 15% reduced Cast Speed +32 to maximum Energy Shield |
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(10-30)% increased Damage +(10-30) to all Attributes (10-30)% increased Rarity of Items found +(10-30)% to all Elemental Resistances |
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(8-12)% increased Spell Damage +1 to Level of Socketed Spell Gems (20-28)% increased Spell Damage (5-8)% increased Cast Speed +(15-20) to maximum Life +(15-20) to maximum Mana Regenerate (6-8) Life over 1 second when you Cast a Spell |
Final Skill Tree:
115 Points Final Skill Tree
115 Points Path of Building(PoB) link
Ascendancy points:
Preferably in that order:
Pantheon:
Major God: Soul of Lunaris 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%; 1% increased Movement Speed for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%
Minor God: Soul of Gruthkul 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each Hit you've taken Recently up to a maximum of 5%
[DPS] Vortex | |
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Vortex - your primary skill for both clear speed and Boss fights |
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Controlled Destruction Support - grants a lot of Spell Damage at the cost of Critical Strike Chance |
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Elemental Focus Support - a great boost to Elemental Damage |
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Efficacy Support - will boost your Cold Damage, Damage over Time and Vortex duration |
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Swift Affliction Support - increases Damage over Time |
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Hypothermia Support - grants high bonus Damage against Chilled enemies |
[CURSE] Temporal Chains Auras | |
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Blasphemy - it will use our Curses as Auras, automatically applying them to nearby enemies |
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Temporal Chains - cursed enemies have less Attack and Movement speed |
[DPS] Vaal Cold Snap (socketed in Rime Gaze) |
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Vaal Cold Snap - insane Damage boost against Bosses |
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Efficacy Support |
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Bonechill Support - increases Effect of Chill and Cold Damage over Time |
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Hypothermia Support |
[UTILITY] Immortal Call setup | |
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Cast when Damage Taken Support - will auto-cast supported spells after a certain amount of damage is taken by the player. Do not upgrade it above level 1 |
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Immortal Call - grants brief Physical Damage immunity. Keep this Gem at level 3 |
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Increased Duration Support - will extend the duration of Immortal Call |
[MOBILITY/AURA] Flame Dash + Vaal Discipline setup | |
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Flame Dash - great Movement ability |
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Faster Casting Support - faster movement with Flame Dash |
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Arcane Surge Support - after casting Flame Dash it will grant Arcane Surge buff, which increases Spell Damage. Keep the Gem at level 6 |
[UTILITY] Frost Bomb + Storm Brand + Orb of Storms setup Use this setup in a weapon with crafted property "Trigger a Socketed Spell when You Use a Skill" or cast manually |
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Frost Bomb - apples Cold Exposure to targets, reducing their Cold Resistance |
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Storm Brand - triggers Elemental Equilibrium |
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Orb of Storms - same as above |
[UTILITY] Aura | |
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Malevolence - increases your Damage over Time and Skill Effect Duration |
[UTILITY] Golem | |
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Summon Lightning Golem - Lightning Golem increases your Cast Speed so you can also use it if you have empty Sockets |
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Cast when Damage Taken Support |
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This Vortex build is not an expensive build. Below you will find all the recommended gear. If you would like to have the end-game items also added here please let us know in the comments below.
The recommended items from our list will:
Stat priorities on items:
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Min. requirements: 300 Energy Shield 35% to Fire Resistance 35% to Lightning Resistance Optional affixes: Nearby Enemies have -9% to Cold Resistance |
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Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 20 Concentrated Effect 30% increased Cold Damage (180-200)% increased Energy Shield 50% reduced Energy Shield Recharge Rate +(40-60) to maximum Mana +(16-22)% to Cold Damage over Time Multiplier |
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Helmet enchantments: Vortex has increased Cooldown Recovery Speed |
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24% increased Elemental Damage (70-100)% increased Spell Damage (15-20)% increased Cast Speed 0.5% of Spell Damage Leeched as Life if Equipped Shield has at least 30% Chance to Block +1 to Maximum Energy Shield per 5 Armour on Equipped Shield +5 to Armour per 5 Evasion Rating on Equipped Shield +20 to Evasion Rating per 5 Maximum Energy Shield on Equipped Shield |
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Min. requirements: 2500 Armour 60% Total Elemental Resistances |
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Min. requirements: Trigger a Socketed Spell when you Use a Skill 70% Increased Spell/Cold Damage Optional affixes: Cold Damage over Time Multiplier |
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Min. requirements: 300 Energy Shield 50% Spell Damage Optional affixes: Resistances Cast Speed |
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Min. requirements: 650 Energy Shield 25% Fire Resistance 25% Cold Resistance 25% Lightning Resistance Optional affixes: Dexterity |
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Min. requirements: 15% Increased Maximum Energy Shield 15% increased Spell Damage 30 Maximum Energy Shield 45 Strength Optional affixes: Attributes |
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+(10-16) to all Attributes (20-25)% increased Damage +(50-70) to maximum Life (2-3) Mana Regenerated per second Temporal Chains has 100% reduced Mana Reservation Gain Shaper's Presence for 10 seconds when you kill a Rare or Unique Enemy |
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Min. requirements: 40 Maximum Energy Shield 12% to all Elemental Resistances 29% to Fire Resistance/Cold Resistance Optional affixes: Strength/Dexterity Cold Damage |
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Min. requirements: 150 Energy Shield 20% increased Movement Speed 29% Fire Resistance 29% Lightning Resistance 29% Cold Resistance |
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Boots enchantment: 16% increased Attack and Cast Speed if you've Killed Recently |
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Min. requirements: 100 Maximum Energy Shield 22% Fire Resistance 22% Lightning Resistance 22% Cold Resistance Optional affixes: Increased Energy Shield from Body Armour Strength |
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+(9-20) to maximum Energy Shield +(15-25) to Intelligence 10% increased Damage +(20-30) to maximum Energy Shield 20% increased maximum Energy Shield 50% increased Energy Shield Recharge Rate |
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Min. requirements: 150 Energy Shield 40 Dexterity 29% Lightning resistance 29% Cold resistance Optional affixes: Crafted Strength |
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Recommended affixes: increased Maximum Energy Shield increased Spell/Cold/DoT Damage Optional affixes: increased Cold Damage over Time Multiplier |
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Recommended affixes: Maximum Energy Shield added Elemental Damage to Spells Optional affixes: Strength and Dexterity |
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50% increased Charges used (25-40)% increased Damage Over Time during Flask Effect Grants Level 21 Despair Curse Aura during Flask Effect |
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Suggested Flasks:
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If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below.
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