[3.26] ❄️⚡CantripN's Hadoken! - Lightning Spell Permafreeze⚡❄️

Level 100 achieved :)

https://pobb.in/pIwKohhoolL1 - Need to go farm for a Golem of Safeguarding now...

EIDT: There, done :) = https://pobb.in/K0BgeFJvEJdl

Gear:

Hi CantripN,

Thanks again for this build, you recommended it on Reddit, and it's been such a blast, it really revitalized what felt like something I was about to give up on. This is where I currently am with the build (https://pobb.in/ULCRHZwDQoQd), what direction do you think I should be taking things?

I also was looking through your POB for this season vs the base POB, Do you think it's worth switching out of Mastermind of Discord for Bastion of Elements like you did with my current state and damage?

"

Lumina#7422 escribió:

Hi CantripN,

Thanks again for this build, you recommended it on Reddit, and it's been such a blast, it really revitalized what felt like something I was about to give up on. This is where I currently am with the build (https://pobb.in/ULCRHZwDQoQd), what direction do you think I should be taking things?

I also was looking through your POB for this season vs the base POB, Do you think it's worth switching out of Mastermind of Discord for Bastion of Elements like you did with my current state and damage?

I'll start at the end :D

Mastermind of Discord doesn't do anything for your DPS once you have a Doryani Merc, so Shaper of Winter / Bastion of Elements is just free at that point. Until you get a Doryani, you do want it plus exposure gloves.

After you get a Doryani Merc, you still want Exposure on the merc's gloves, just for the 60% Crit vs Exposed targets you have from a Lightning Mastery.

The POB I'm using right now is more appropriate for this league, since there's no need for double curse (mercs can get multiple curses, or you just go for Doryani), so it changes how you build. Animate Guardian also isn't needed this league.

I'm assuming from your current gear and setup that you don't have a Doryani Merc, I'd start with setting one up, and then changing your gear/tree accordingly. It'll make your Conductivity on Hit ring pointless, no need for Mastermind of Discord, no need for Lightning Exposure, etc.

Ideally, replace Light Pen with Hypothermia then (with Shaper of Winter), and replace Crit Strikes with Awakened Added Lightning.

I'd also just not bother with Inpulsa if you wanna level and not just ZOOM, because a rare chest is absolutely huge for defensive layers, it more than doubles my tankiness between the ES / Endurance Charges / 15% Life Mastery, etc. If you *only* want to zoom at max speed, keep Inpulsa, just don't imagine you'll level past maybe 95-96 unless you're REALLY careful.

As far as Suppression, I'd recommend getting more on the tree so you don't need at much on gear and aren't forced into a Shield/Atziri's Step.

Also, you seem to have a lot more Shock Effect than you need - you need +160% for Orb of Storms, you're way above that.

---

Most of all, glad you're having fun now!

"

CantripN#4278 escribió:

"

Lumina#7422 escribió:

Hi CantripN,

Thanks again for this build, you recommended it on Reddit, and it's been such a blast, it really revitalized what felt like something I was about to give up on. This is where I currently am with the build (https://pobb.in/ULCRHZwDQoQd), what direction do you think I should be taking things?

I also was looking through your POB for this season vs the base POB, Do you think it's worth switching out of Mastermind of Discord for Bastion of Elements like you did with my current state and damage?

I'll start at the end :D

Mastermind of Discord doesn't do anything for your DPS once you have a Doryani Merc, so Shaper of Winter / Bastion of Elements is just free at that point. Until you get a Doryani, you do want it plus exposure gloves.

After you get a Doryani Merc, you still want Exposure on the merc's gloves, just for the 60% Crit vs Exposed targets you have from a Lightning Mastery.

The POB I'm using right now is more appropriate for this league, since there's no need for double curse (mercs can get multiple curses, or you just go for Doryani), so it changes how you build. Animate Guardian also isn't needed this league.

I'm assuming from your current gear and setup that you don't have a Doryani Merc, I'd start with setting one up, and then changing your gear/tree accordingly. It'll make your Conductivity on Hit ring pointless, no need for Mastermind of Discord, no need for Lightning Exposure, etc.

Ideally, replace Light Pen with Hypothermia then (with Shaper of Winter), and replace Crit Strikes with Awakened Added Lightning.

I'd also just not bother with Inpulsa if you wanna level and not just ZOOM, because a rare chest is absolutely huge for defensive layers, it more than doubles my tankiness between the ES / Endurance Charges / 15% Life Mastery, etc. If you *only* want to zoom at max speed, keep Inpulsa, just don't imagine you'll level past maybe 95-96 unless you're REALLY careful.

As far as Suppression, I'd recommend getting more on the tree so you don't need at much on gear and aren't forced into a Shield/Atziri's Step.

Also, you seem to have a lot more Shock Effect than you need - you need +160% for Orb of Storms, you're way above that.

---

Most of all, glad you're having fun now!

Thanks a lot! I do have a Doryani Merc but didn't realize that dropping enemy resist down to -200 basically means there's no point in having exposure or conductivity. I am going to fix that now and grab Bastion of Elements as well.

I have corrected my tree and both my merc and characters now look closer to a slightly less good version of yours haha. Thanks again for the advice! Things feel great and I think I'll keep pushing the build till 100 and maybe I'll swap out to something else at that point. This is the most fun I've had with a build in a bit, so thank you for that!

"

Lumina#7422 escribió:

Thanks a lot! I do have a Doryani Merc but didn't realize that dropping enemy resist down to -200 basically means there's no point in having exposure or conductivity. I am going to fix that now and grab Bastion of Elements as well.

I have corrected my tree and both my merc and characters now look closer to a slightly less good version of yours haha. Thanks again for the advice! Things feel great and I think I'll keep pushing the build till 100 and maybe I'll swap out to something else at that point. This is the most fun I've had with a build in a bit, so thank you for that!

So here's some more after your changes :)

1 - Cute 3 Dragons. If you manage to get one with 90% Reservation like mine with Leech (or get Leech on the ring and then another mod like Shock Effect or whatever) you can squeeze in Flesh and Stone.

2 - Unless you have that 90% Reservation mod, Sovereignty isn't needed, 3 points for Deep Thoughts + 12% Reservation Mastery is enough, and saves you a point.

3 - I recommend a level 1 Arcane Surge on Frostblink, it takes a while to activate if it's only on your main skill.

4 - Breath of Lightning is probably a good use of points for you, I only took that off after I made my current boots. It's not worth losing an Anoint, say.

5 - Pathing through Trickery isn't amazing value per-point, I just had to do it because I was starved for stats for the Runegraft that lowers them by 10%. It's basically 2 "wasted" points, avoid it if you can gear around the stats better on trade.

6 - I'm assuming that's an oversight, but you currently don't have any source of any non-lightning flat damage to spells, so you're not Shocking. Usually solved through a ring/amulet craft, a jewel on the belt, or a weapon mod with % of non-chaos added as chaos.

7 - In case you didn't know, you can change sockets/links/colors on a corrupted item with the bench, no need for expensive Tainted Jew/Fuse/Chrome.

"

CantripN#4278 escribió:

"

Lumina#7422 escribió:

Thanks a lot! I do have a Doryani Merc but didn't realize that dropping enemy resist down to -200 basically means there's no point in having exposure or conductivity. I am going to fix that now and grab Bastion of Elements as well.

I have corrected my tree and both my merc and characters now look closer to a slightly less good version of yours haha. Thanks again for the advice! Things feel great and I think I'll keep pushing the build till 100 and maybe I'll swap out to something else at that point. This is the most fun I've had with a build in a bit, so thank you for that!

So here's some more after your changes :)

1 - Cute 3 Dragons. If you manage to get one with 90% Reservation like mine with Leech (or get Leech on the ring and then another mod like Shock Effect or whatever) you can squeeze in Flesh and Stone.

2 - Unless you have that 90% Reservation mod, Sovereignty isn't needed, 3 points for Deep Thoughts + 12% Reservation Mastery is enough, and saves you a point.

3 - I recommend a level 1 Arcane Surge on Frostblink, it takes a while to activate if it's only on your main skill.

4 - Breath of Lightning is probably a good use of points for you, I only took that off after I made my current boots. It's not worth losing an Anoint, say.

5 - Pathing through Trickery isn't amazing value per-point, I just had to do it because I was starved for stats for the Runegraft that lowers them by 10%. It's basically 2 "wasted" points, avoid it if you can gear around the stats better on trade.

6 - I'm assuming that's an oversight, but you currently don't have any source of any non-lightning flat damage to spells, so you're not Shocking. Usually solved through a ring/amulet craft, a jewel on the belt, or a weapon mod with % of non-chaos added as chaos.

7 - In case you didn't know, you can change sockets/links/colors on a corrupted item with the bench, no need for expensive Tainted Jew/Fuse/Chrome.

Again, thank you for taking the time to go through all of this, I really do appreciate it and it's helping me learn a lot in the process.

I am just going to throw in an updated POB here because I have implemented most of the changes but if you still have the time for feedback, I'll gladly take it haha. https://pobb.in/DIycUg41rl4P

To your first point, I got a 3 dragons with reserved efficiency and leech for 40C so I have now replaced it and am now running flesh and stone

To the second, I kept Sovereignty as I was able to immediately get the mod and definitely needed it

3- I now have a level 1 arcane surge on frostblink and I delevelled Frostblink as well, since it significantly reduces the potential mana strain while porting around.

4- I want to get breath of lightning but I am not even sure what would be the biggest hit DPS wise to get rid of in terms of points at this point. I was playing around in POB to see what I'd be fine with losing but I'm not sure.

5- I realized this, I managed to get a 35 int pair of gloves on trade but even with that, it feels like the int pressure is pretty damn high which feels so strange for a build that really paths through the int side of the tree quite significantly but I guess we aren't take much in terms of int on gear. I'll see if I can get a better amulet with more int before giving up on that.

6 - I do have a source of non-lightning flat damage, it's on my hypnotic eye jewel, I managed to craft a really bad stygian but I am not sure it's what using over what I currently have. My resists get really strained especially chaos res without my current belt.

7- Thanks for this, I got my sockets on the new helm and am using them to hold my gems now.

Right now, I am just trying to get enough currency to attempt crafting because I am so curious how you made your gloves, chest, and boots.

Thanks again!

Sure, so let's see what we can do...

1 - You don't have 9% inc damage taken to enemies, that's the mod from my Zealotry Watcher's Eye that's in there in the config.

2 - In general, get a Wrath/Zealotry Watcher's Eye of some sort.

3 - Prioritize getting implicits on gear. Endurance Charges, Action Speed, goes a long way.

4 - Reforge Chaos with Harvest to make a decent Stygian, it doesn't take that long if you farm Harvest a bit.

5 - I can see how you'd struggle with res/stats a bit, you're missing a lot on the chest, and gloves. Assuming you don't wanna just buy a body armour, generally the play is finishing the prefixes and using Eldritch Chaos to reroll Suffixes to be good and/or locking prefixes with bench into Veiled Chaos (what I did).

6 - Utmost Intellect is viable if it lets you improve your gear, and the mastery there is a good chunk of INT/STR/DEX as needed. It's decent enough for ES even. Hell, don't even feel bad if you need temporary +30 DEX/STR points, or Trickery, just do whatever it takes. End of the day, Stats/Res are DPS stats just like anything else, the gear pressure is shared across all mods :)
You don't have to use as many Mana Regen Tattoos as I did, either, I just could, and needed those.
There was a LONG time I was using the bench craft for +25 to 2 of DEX/STR/INT on gear, it's 50 in one craft.
Remember Catalysts exist, getting +20% to Attributes from that can be amazing.

7 - How I made my gear...

BTW, the Crit Multi vs Uniques is the last point I took at 100, there's lots of better things that always work like the mastery for +60% damage. Same goes for the Mark Mastery. It's great for POB, but you'll generally kill things before it matters.

Not needing Lucky Suppression also saves you a point, eventually.

Also, using Alira for +15% All Res isn't bad at all for 1 point. If it helps with gear it's often worth it until you don't need it.

Secret!

"

CantripN#4278 escribió:

Sure, so let's see what we can do...

1 - You don't have 9% inc damage taken to enemies, that's the mod from my Zealotry Watcher's Eye that's in there in the config.

2 - In general, get a Wrath/Zealotry Watcher's Eye of some sort.

3 - Prioritize getting implicits on gear. Endurance Charges, Action Speed, goes a long way.

4 - Reforge Chaos with Harvest to make a decent Stygian, it doesn't take that long if you farm Harvest a bit.

5 - I can see how you'd struggle with res/stats a bit, you're missing a lot on the chest, and gloves. Assuming you don't wanna just buy a body armour, generally the play is finishing the prefixes and using Eldritch Chaos to reroll Suffixes to be good and/or locking prefixes with bench into Veiled Chaos (what I did).

6 - Utmost Intellect is viable if it lets you improve your gear, and the mastery there is a good chunk of INT/STR/DEX as needed. It's decent enough for ES even. Hell, don't even feel bad if you need temporary +30 DEX/STR points, or Trickery, just do whatever it takes. End of the day, Stats/Res are DPS stats just like anything else, the gear pressure is shared across all mods :)
You don't have to use as many Mana Regen Tattoos as I did, either, I just could, and needed those.
There was a LONG time I was using the bench craft for +25 to 2 of DEX/STR/INT on gear, it's 50 in one craft.
Remember Catalysts exist, getting +20% to Attributes from that can be amazing.

7 - How I made my gear...

Spoiler

Gloves: Farm Mercs for a good base (got all the suffixes there), lock suff, veiled chaos / reforge life, craft, done. On trade? Probably just buy it? The AoE is very minor. Eldritch Chaos for Prefixes also works, I just don't have any.

Boots: Reforge Defense (Harvest) or Bound Fossil (Niko) until you get good ES + open prefix or good movement speed. If open prefix, lock prefix, veiled chaos and pray for movement speed or effect of ailments, craft the other one. If you hit the unveil for move speed, Eldritch Chaos for suffixes, then craft Effect of Ailments.

Chest: Dense Fossils until 3 x Prefixes.
Can also use Recombinators or Memory Strands to do it, depends on budget. Memory Strands are the high-end trade-league crafting option here, you can recomb a low level, high Q, Twilight, with a high level base, to make IL 86+ Twilight with above q20, add memory strands with the orb, chance/scour with bench until 6 mods, split in 3 with Beasts, spam Dense Fossils until 3 Prefixes, then use the orb to eat Strands to upgrade to triple t1 or close. Profit?

Suffixes are always lock prefix into veiled chaos / reforge chaos, or just Eldritch Chaos.

In general, high-end crafting is usually finishing Prefixes or Suffixes first, then getting to the other side.

BTW, the Crit Multi vs Uniques is the last point I took at 100, there's lots of better things that always work like the mastery for +60% damage. Same goes for the Mark Mastery. It's great for POB, but you'll generally kill things before it matters.

Not needing Lucky Suppression also saves you a point, eventually.

Also, using Alira for +15% All Res isn't bad at all for 1 point. If it helps with gear it's often worth it until you don't need it.

Secret!

Spoiler

If you didn't know, you can look at a character's past on Ninja, it's on the top right. Can give you a good idea of how gearing/tree change organically over time.

https://poe.ninja/builds/mercenariesssf/character/CantripN-4278/Cantrip

Thank you so much! The level of support and advice is so bafflingly amazing, I truly do appreciate it.

Here is the updated POB with some changes made (https://pobb.in/vQMnqA3oHgVu), I haven't made all changes because I can't afford all of them, but once I am done being busy, I'll catch back up with my farming and hopefully start fixing some more things.

2 - I got a Zealotry Watchers eye with Arcane Surge and Crit, so I am thinking about potentially removing the arcane surge on frostblink because I find I can get arcane surge pretty consistently now. I also just snagged a pride double damage, zealotry crit watchers eye so I will update that once I get a merc who has both zealotry and wrath so I can replace my current zealotry with pride.

3 - The implicts are important, although I found Golem effect to be kind of strong in terms of damage and survivability as well which I why I kept them since they occupy the same spots as Endurance Charges and Action speed. I will put them on eventually though once I feel like I need the golem effect (especially chaos) less.

4 - Thank you! I did try this, managed to get something passable and put it on. I ran out of juice so I'll just have to farm harvest again later on to do some rolling again for a better one

5 - I do want to buy a better body armour or try to craft one, I am just still poor haha. Once I have a decent amount of currency again I will start my attempts at upgrading my body armour, gloves, and boots.

6 - Thank you for the Catalyst shout out. Stats and resists are annoying but they are definitely essential and just something to consider with respect to even getting to do damage in the first place. Catalysts are so expensive right now on SC (1 Div for 8 resist catalysts, was a little insane) but I'll eventually upgrade all of those once I am less currency starved

7 - Thank you for being so detailed. I'll save this and use it when I can start working on my own gear.

I took your advice and swapped the dual wield +60% mod for the crit multi mod but levelled up soon after and just got the crit multi back again. Will work on getting suppression capped with lucky and get that point back.

And I did know about the POE.Ninja lookback trick, I just kind of forgot about it but thank you for the reminder, that'll be helpful so I don't have to bug you any more than I have.

You're doing great :)

Just please make sure you have 65% Shock, you're currently missing some Shock Effect. You can grab Elemental Focus for 2 points to get there, or replace your anoint entirely and get Breath of Lightning, or get boots/amulet with Shock Effect (the craft at 30% is ALMOST fine, you'll need Woke Unbound 6 to hit +160% total or an abyssal jewel like mine and less.) and Awakened Unbound Ailments...

Going from your 47% to 65% is about 30% MORE damage.

--

BTW, a bit of P2W:
https://www.pathofexile.com/shop/item/FreezingTorturersGloves
This covers frozen enemies in ice crystals. It's not only really fun, you can instantly tell whether a target is frozen.