2.1 Cold Weapon Based duelist

I am looking for help formulating a template for patch 2.1. I take such long breaks from this game it is hard to keep up sometimes. This build will be for standard. I am big on theme builds as it helps put some nice constraints on character building.

Right now I am looking at a cold damage based duelist who uses scepters. Scepters seem to be the best duel wield choice as it has base damages equal to mace, increases elemental damage, has good unique progression for weapons, and the requirements are far easier to hit for all the Int I need.

What I have so far:

Weapons: Scepters
Armor: Evasion/Armor
Rings: resist rings into physical rings
Necklace: Int necklace
Belt: Health belt into physical belt
Flask: 2 Health, 2 Mana, 1 Hybrid

Skills:

Glacial Hammer - Single Target - Fortify - Elemental Damage - Hypothermia
Ice crash - AOE - Fortify - Elemental Damage - Hypothermia
Ice Golem - Buff - Blind - Minion life - Minion Speed
Frost Bite - Curse - Increase AOE - Duration
Blade Vortex - Blind Application AOE( for defensive utility) - Spell Echo - Duration - Blind
Hatred - Aura - None
Arctic Armor - Aura - None

Passive Tree:

First Pass through Normal 45 points -

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAwQAuR0V7Irw6UbEgsqQhNnEuNX4bmm-p2VNvTZHfmBBY3ALwVeXQzG_1VO7RJ7awXTtBS167xm0LYMVIN0NcsOrC8wGW6-QChR1yMzvj99vOrMNjYd2459KfWeg

Second Pass through Cruel 80 points -

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAwQAuR0V7Irw6UbEgsqQhNnEuEd-1fi9Nm5pZU2-p2BBY3ALwVeXQzHawUz_v9WE73TtTirWWFO7YSEFLVuvj2Dgn0SeGlV675AK3Q0UdQ2NOrMFZm8nNuhywxUgyMyHdvzFmmqGYAHnRmmrC--PZ6Djn-4OYVIUTRv6zAbfb0p9VvqBrMVT_Esl391GM5LcMryftixjp0MTSHgYkaQZEYEFPA==

Last Pass through Merciless 100 points -

https://www.pathofexile.com/passive-skill-tree/AAAAAwQAuR0V7Irw6UbEgsqQhNnEuEd-1fi9Nm5pZU2-p2BBY3ALwVeXQzHawUz_v9WE73TtTirWWFO7YSEFLVuvI9OPYOCfRJ4aVXrvkArdDRR1DY06s28nBWY26HLDyMyHdvzFmmqGYAHnRmmrC--PZ6Djn-4OYVIUTRv6zAbfb0p9VvqBrKOKxVP8SyXf3UYzkiP2sbPcMryftixjp0MTTZKNfQxzG61IeBiRpBkRgZVmBTwDh9N-AF59dRmO_rrtgwgum43krWdYYJE=

Offensive priorities:

Physical damage
Cold Damage
Elemental Damage
Accuracy

Defensive Priorities:

Health
Resistances
Armor/Evasion
Evasion
Armor
Block

Utility:

Leech
Enhanced Fortify
************************************************************************************

That's about it for the template. I've been fiddling with a lot of things in the builder and have been staying away from building around uniques.

I'm not sure if I will need the leech cluster at all honestly. Ever since the mana flows cluster got put into the duelist tree I've never had a problem with my mana sustain. Life leech also always seems to find it's way in whether I need it or not. Since most of the damage is avoided and even if it does get through it has to go through armor and flat reduction I usually don't have an urgent need for leech. I picked it because it's shiny and new, but maybe I could put the 7 points elsewhere?

I have a lot of 2-3 point options for jewels but I don't know if I should bother.

Lastly Blade vortex may be a flop and blade fall may be a better skill to inflict blind with. I'd rather it be something hands off, and not flame totem or cyclone. I'll have to keep trying skills. Blind is a big help in getting over when gear is poor.

Yeah I made something like the one you mentioned.

Glacial Hammer version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI1g7DR40Tg

Ice Crash Version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkZX-kugdPY

75% cold damage, 25% lightning damage. Using the Doryani's Catalyst Sceptre. I don't recommend going crit though, it's too much of an investment. Jewels are very important in the current metagame, so I recommend you get as many as possible. They are quite broken.

Build guide is here:

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1484211

So fast forward about a month and my duelist is level 69 soon to be 70. It has been pretty fun leveling so far and I am about to start act 4 merciless. I've definitely hit a wall damage wise. I've been trying all kinds of thing but damage has gotten so high I'm not really sure where I should let up.

The template found in the OP has faced some serious changes. With the influx of damage that can't be evaded and the absolute pain some bosses can be while working around spike damage and blind I decided to finally go IR after all these years. I'm completely new to an armor character but it seems to have more support for life than the evasion route I was taking initially. It also synergizes with the other flat reductions I've been piling on.

My gear as of now is:



My passive tree is:





By level 80 I should be around here:



The end of act 3 bosses have just been a nightmare to kill, and any rare with elemental resist or regen has been a slug fest lately. Act 4 is sure to get worst. Maybe it's just a gear thing. I haven't done any trading yet so my gear isn't spectacular. I think my first two stretch goals should be a better weapon to replace the opal scepter and a 5 link chest.

I was using cast when damaged blood rage + phase run for a damage boost. I may go back to that. Punishment curse was also almost doubling my DPS but there are to many ranged enemies to count on it. Not sure what else.