[1.2.x] Pseudo's Ice Nova Herald (Tri-Curse, Life/ES, Crit)

This is a crit-based, ES/health hybrid, tri-curse Ice Nova build with Glacial Cascade for single target. Play style is fast paced and involves nuking entire screens at once. Curse on Hit with a separate Ice Nova applies amped-up Temporal Chains, Warlord's and Assassin's Marks to the whole screen.

Tooltip Ice Nova DPS is currently 17k with power charges (13k without). Single target Glacial Cascade tooltip is 16k/13k (huge underestimate due to GC's multiple hits, definitely outdoes Ice Nova). Life/ES currently sitting at ~2600/4100.

Ice nova is end-game viable.
This is made possible by the 1.2 Ice Nova buff, the addition of Spell Echo and the Heralds, and major tree changes - the most important being the new single-element clusters and spell-crit nodes. While any one of these changes on its own would not have been enough, together they've made Ice Nova quite a force.

I've recently seen some Pledge of Hands ice nova builds popping up, which definitely outdo my DPS. That staff can be applied in the same way to pretty much any spell with great effect, but it's pretty expensive. I provide a (somewhat) cheaper alternative that uses some clever tactics to get more clear speed and survivability for less currency.

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Current Tree
Witch lvl 91 (Hybrid Life/ES Passive Tree)
I love the fact that 1.2.0 made life/ES viable, so I went for it. Ghost Reaver is 100% necessary to keep you alive, especially during long fights. Life/MoM/AA should work as well, but will require fewer damage/crit nodes to travel to life clusters.

Leveling Trees
~30 points
~50 points
~70 points
~90 points

Most of the leveling process is going to rely on Glacial Cascade for substantial damage, but Ice Nova should start catching up around the start of Merc.

Keep in mind your crit chance will probably be pretty low until 60-70. During this time you might want to invest 4 points to Breath of Rime and use Ele. Prolif. on your main Ice Nova. These can be respecced later, and getting started with freezes is more than enough fun to justify the Regret Orbs.

Bandits
Normal – Kill all (or Oak, though I think +40 is too small for hybrid build)
Cruel – Kill all
Merciless – Help Alira

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Play Style
You see a big pack of mobs and run straight at them. Just before they reach you, LW to a clear space just past the pack. This typically puts you in range of 1-2 more packs, plus the one you just jumped past. Immediately fire the curse-on-hit nova, then spam the main Ice Nova. This should promptly slow, then freeze, then shatter the entire screen. Maniacal laughter is appropriate.

For bosses, I do a lot of kiting/warping with a mixture of novas and GC. If my ES ever drops to zero, I withdraw and leech off minions or let it recharge.

This build is also very party friendly. All three curses are broadly applicable, and screen-freezes greatly increase everyone's survivability.

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Theory
Why Hybrid?

Spoiler

I did this for two reasons. First, I really wanted it to work. With the increased life per level, hybrid nodes on the tree, and the witch's poor access to life % nodes, it felt like GGG really wants hybrid to be viable - and I wanted to try my best to make them right. Secondly, the ES nodes I need are all right along paths I'm already choosing to optimize crit, cold, and AoE - whereas the Scion life wheel (my only hope for a pure life build) is very much out of my way.

I suspect a pure life build with EB/AA would be viable as well - but the investment needed to get to the Scion life wheel, and the extra points in mana/aura nodes (for Clarity) would likely decrease DPS.

Why Crit?

Spoiler

One of Ice Nova's best aspects is its potential for whole-screen freezes. I originally tried to accomplish this with % freeze from the tree, and even tried Ele. Prolif. Ultimately, the damage was too low to consistently freeze in maps.

Crit solves this problem, increases damage overall, and makes % freeze nodes unnecessary. I also find that builds with screen-shakes are more fun than those without, as a rule.

What about reflect?

Spoiler

Hitting an entire screen brings up legitimate reflect concerns. I combat this primarily with leech from Warlord's Mark, with extra help from 1% LL on equipment, Purity of Ice, and a Sapphire Flask. Using GC can also help since the physical part will contribute to LL through Warlord's Mark, but will not be Ele. reflected.

I should note that the reason LL works here is because Ice Nova doesn't hit the entire AoE simultaneously (like Flameblast or Shock Nova) - it moves radially outward from the caster. The slight delay between hitting nearby mobs and hitting far mobs is enough to keep your ES stable.

Since adding Herald of Thunder to the build, I've found myself occasionally dying to reflect in higher maps when I'm not careful. I'm considering swapping my shield to Safel's frame, or respeccing some of my damage nodes out for additional ES. This is far from necessary, but if you're bad at spotting reflect mobs, you might consider this change.

Where's the third curse?

Spoiler

I use corrupted gloves to apply a high-level temporal chains as a third curse. If you can spare the resistances, Asenath's Gentle Touch will do as well and are much cheaper. I waited to add the third curse until fairly high level, which is why the curse node cluster comes so late in my plan.

No Aura nodes?!?

Spoiler

The current meta is that more auras is better, and I pass right by two very good aura clusters. My build uses only Clarity and Purity of Ice, so the benefits of enhanced auras are minimal. I could probably squeeze in Haste with heavy investment, but I doubt this is worthwhile.

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Gem Setup
Ice Nova : Spell Echo : Faster Casting : Cold Pen. : Crit. Damage

Spoiler

With a 6L, I'd use Added Cold, I find it much better than other added damage options since this build scales cold damage heavily in tree and gear. Cold damage also increases the duration of our freezes, which are crucial for survivability. Still, a good case could be made for Conc. Effect or Inc. AoE, depending on playstyle.

Ice Nova : Curse on Hit : Assassin's Mark : Warlord's Mark

Spoiler

The life leech from WM is crucial against reflect mobs, and boosts survivability in other situations dramatically (mana leech is also helpful on low/no regen maps). These source all my power/endurance charges easily, though get harder to maintain on bosses.

Glacial Cascade : Spell Echo : Conc. Effect : Cold Pen.

Spoiler

This is my single target skill. I keep considering replacing Cold Pen. with Crit Damage, but it's hard to justify with boss resistances being as high as they are.

Reduced Mana : Herald of Ice : Purity of Ice : Herald of Thunder

Spoiler

Herald of Ice adds a lot of DPS through flat boost and shatters, where Purity of ice is very helpful against reflect. Herald of Thunder increased dramatically due to shocks - beware of reflect mobs while running this.

Lightning Warp : Faster Casting : Reduced Duration

Spoiler

This seems obvious and possibly optional, but is actually what enables a lot of the tactical positioning and rapid movement necessary to survive and clear effectively. Remember, this build has no mitigation, and uses a spell which is centered on yourself.

CwDT 1 : Immortal Call 3 : Increased Duration

Spoiler

This setup helps a lot with spike damage from things like Devourers, Chimerals or Booby-Machine-Gun. With endurance charges from Warlord's Mark, Increased Duration helps more than Enduring Cry. Since it's a support gem, you can level it beyond the CwDT requirement.

Another option instead of Inc. Duration is Frost Wall. I use this when I can't be bothered to RRR my ES shield.

Clarity 5 (on 6th armor slot, or unset ring)

Spoiler

Most mana regen comes from Warlord's Mark, but I keep a Clarity around to pay for Lightning Warps when I'm trying to get around maps quickly. This doesn't require a high level, and I usually like to keep ~300 mana unreserved for this build.

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Current Gear

The 10% AoE on Divinarius is nice, since most of our skills are AoE, but you could also go with a nice crafted dagger with 1% cold leech. The rest of my rares contribute mostly ES and resistances - with a focus on Chaos (44% on merc, currently). This is helpful for surviving chaos clouds or hits, given that it bypasses ES.

Flasks

I spent some time thinking about which flasks to use. The Granite of Iron Skin is mandatory, due to my total lack of mitigation, as is the Sapphire for reflect. Beyond that, I highly recommend packing at least one anti-bleed, one anti-freeze, and one anti-curse (for no-spells curses), though it doesn't matter which flasks have which mods.

Looks good. I'll read in more detail later. Good luck with the build.

currently building a ice nova shadow :D
life/es aswell :D works rly fine... so far so easy ice nova is rly nice :)

I like the idea and I am currently giving it a shot. never had a caster before, but this one sounds promising.

how did you level this build as in which nodes did you take first and so on?

more detailed: when do you take ghost reaver? are you going to get all nodes in the witch area first or are you going for "the road" first?
do you go first towards the shadow area of first towards the templar area?

links with the builds at around lvl 30/40/50/60/70 would be nice in addition to the final build.

thanks in advance!

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DeadManWalkin wrote:

more detailed: when do you take ghost reaver? are you going to get all nodes in the witch area first or are you going for "the road" first?

Good question. I definitely hit the road first, grabbing the ES and life in Witch but only coming back for the damage stuff much later. My first goals were the cold damage at the top, then Ghost Reaver. Since you get leech very early on, Ghost Reaver massively increases your effective health pool. After that, I went into Templar for AoE nodes, then filled out shadow and witch areas.

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DeadManWalkin wrote:

links with the builds at around lvl 30/40/50/60/70 would be nice in addition to the final build.

Okay, posted leveling trees, should get you the general idea. I also added a note you on using GC for most of leveling, and that you might want to spec to Breath of Rime and use Ele. Prolif. on your main nova until crit chance gets up around lvl 60 or so.

I made some changes to your build. Don't know if the mana would hold up, but the idea is you could squeeze in discipline and maybe use a lvl 10 arctic armour depending on mana regen you'd have on your items and your total mana.

I've made a similar build to that one only without Ghost Reaver. And I do feel that at 2.7k hp 700 es I do not want to take EB just to fuel my AA. So the hybrid way you went for appeals to me. I'll have to replace frostbite with warlords mark for leech and i'll have to run a Power Charge on Crit gem. Also replace Added Cold with Added Chaos to help with reflect. Well i hope that'll be enough to regen energy shield without 1% leech mods on gear or from gem.

I'm using Carcass Jack that's why i don't take Templar nodes.

Links would be:
GC - Conc - Added Chaos - PCoC
Ice N - SpEcho - PCoC - Added Chaos/Cold Pen/Conc (would have to test the last 3 to pick the best 2 of them)

This build looks interesting. Do you have a video to demonstrate the play style?

so far a little feedback from my side, since I just turned 60 and entered act 3 merc.

Build is incredible strong. If I don't go harakiri it is extremely hard to die for me, although I am not invincible. as you have mentioned yourself, chaos damage is a bit tricky for me, as well as hard physical hitters (I only have 151 armor and 280 evasion, which is ... like nothing) but if there is something, I just have to play more defensively.

I leveled with a tabula rasa, so I had access to all support gems for the "real" ice nova from the beginning, and from lvl 49 on I got hands on a cheap 5L which I was extremely lucky with alching it with good stats. and as you said yourself, I wouldn't play this build without a 5L for ice nova.

other than that I have to say that this build is not extremely expensive, but it is not a real, real cheap build either. for me it was quite tricky to get hands on gear with dex and str on it, and I ended up with armor/ES gloves which burned down my chromatics until I had it BBBR for my curse nova, but I guess I was just unlucky there. Also the good gear with maybe spelldmg and colddmg and ES and %ES PLUS resistances PLUS maybe the str or dex doesn't sell for alchs. It is no build that requires a pile of exalts, but don't expect it to only cost 1 chaos per slot.

other than that, it starts out kinda weak. especially if you play with a full 5L from early on, you will have some mana problems. And my chromatics had me that unlucky that I was only running two auras until 53 when I could finally wear my chitus, which had the right colors for running all three auras and still be able to cast ice nova.
But it worked out well in time, and now I sit at 1458 life, 1031 mana (of which 810 are reserved, leaving me with 221 mana) and 2109 energy shield. My dps without power charges are at the moment 2485 for ice nova and 2215 for cascade, but I am running added lightning instead of spell echo for cascade at the moment - simply because I was too lazy to buy another echo. it still hits like a truck.

I have no cold leech on my weapon yet, and the belt is at the moment too expensive for me. In the tree I went to the cold dmg circle in the top middle and then ghost reaver first, as suggested, then I got the dual curse node (replacing my ring which was the most expensive item so far with 15c at the time). Oh, and I learned, that the "practible application" node right at the beginning for 25% chance to avoid stun interruption is sooooo important for that build... it isn't even funny anymore if you don't have it.
Then I went over to the templar area, picked the 30 dex and str nodes on the way (they help ALOT, both), then then to the radius nodes. Now I am just filling up the crit nodes of the tree to make the freeze more reliable, and then the rest, which after all should only be damage increase nodes (or life) in some way, will be filled up.

@hankinsohl:
the play style is quite easy. Cast the curse nova, then either ice nova spam until dead or cascade spam if it is a boss. warp/move out of poison clouds or big hits from bosses or just away if you should drop. but after entering act 3 merc I have to say ... I have yet to see my health drop at all (except for chaos stuff, as mentioned), because the shield basically never goes down. Chaos damage and extreme hard physical hitters are really the only stuff that has potential to hurt you.


TL;DR. Fun build, not massively expensive, but not p*ss cheap either. Tabula Rasa helps tremendously with the leveling. I like it. I hope I will still like it when hitting maps in a few levels.... :)

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah I've found this build to be very fun to play, and its only getting stronger as I play farther into endgame. FYI I recently swapped to Divinarius, and didn't notice much difference due to the LL from Warlord's Mark, so I wouldn't stress too much about getting leech on weapon.

I'm nearly lvl 90 now and swapped things around a bit over the last 5 levels, including emphasizing Herald of Ice more after the recent buff. I'll post an update later this week when I have some time - and I'll try to put a video together as well (though I've never made one before).

Happy novaing!

IMHO, your gem setup is quite ugly, really...

the basics should be Ice Nova : Spell Echo : Crit Damage : Cold Pen. : Conc Effect


in a 6L, PCOC / Added Lightning / Added Chaos / Increase Area of Effect at last support.