[3.16] LL ❄️ CoC Ice Nova Assassin ❄️ - 🛑 Extremely Defensive 🛑

⚠️ Note / Warning ⚠️
____________________________________________________________________________________________

This is not a guide for new players, and this isn't a league starter build. There are plenty of guides that already exist like Qosmoz's @ https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2971773 and Juju's https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3056215 that explain starting gear and explain breakpoints. I highly recommend checking those out to get started.

I do not plan to update this for 3.17. This was something I wanted to share because I haven't seen many people play LL CoC Ice Nova like this, and a lot of the existing guides still have items from Harvest or Ritual -- things that are just unobtainable in the current league.

I'm leaving all the previous league stuff behind and focusing only on this league, Scourge.


Background
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I played PoE when it was in Beta many years, and I stopped playing until Ritual league when I found out the macOS client existed. Yes, believe it or not, I game on a Mac.

I played CoC Ice Nova since then and have followed Juju's guide for CI and Kami's guide for LL. Max Block CI felt the best until this league. 3.16 changed many things, and I believe LL is now the best CoC Ice Nova variant.

This defensive-oriented version has the most ES (by 1k), and I have the most armor and evasion than most of the people in the list. I would say I also have OK DPS, and it's been fine killing bosses like Maven, Shaper, and Elder. MrPrincipleSC appears to be extremely tanky with huge DPS, but I'm honestly not sure how he sustains mana. Feels very theoretical.
https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds?class=Assassin&item=Cospris-Malice,Prism-Guardian&sort=energy-shield

I did EoW miner until 68 and promptly switched to this build. At lvl 68, I had a few thousand ES, which was enough to actually level with (with leech or Discipline Watcher's Eye, but those are expensive)

Gameplay / Videos
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Monsters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0x2sZGM4D4

Maven:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7knWwhsvfw

Wave 30 Simulacrum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzgK7_EXsTo

Putting on 8 auras in 3 seconds:


I'm not sure why the people I've watched on stream click one at a time. That's too slow for me, so I use my swap to put on 5 auras, then swap and use ctrl + Q W E for Prism Guardian auras.

Other Gameplay (Simulacrum, Cortex, Chayula)
Spoiler

Simulacrum Wave 25-30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzgK7_EXsTo

Simulacrum (Up to Wave 30, died in last wave)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHBP780BIV0

Nemesis + Beyond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOHOx2N8ZM8

Cortex (this is an easy boss)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkFlL4cPUwk

Chayula's Breachstone (this isn't hard. I was doing it for Feared):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcw5jVJynpQ


Links
-----
Current character: https://poe.ninja/challenge/builds/char/iisanoob/TimeLostIncubator
Last league's character (CI): https://poe.ninja/expedition/builds/char/iisanoob/TimeLostIncubator
Current PoB (3.16) https://pastebin.com/WksvD1Vn - Updated 2021-11-26

PoB Changelog

Spoiler

2021-11-26: https://pastebin.com/WksvD1Vn
Changes:
Got Snowforged and the mastery for leech there.
Removed Insightfulness wheel (5 points) and got the Aura wheel in the middle. Jumped DPS by another 200k.

2021-11-20: https://pastebin.com/n7PBSAy3
Changes:
Tree: Dropped 2 masteries and switched to Alira (20 regrets + marble amulet)
Items: Bottled Faith (14.5 ex), +1 Power Charge Crown (11 ex)

2021-11-19 (initial): https://pastebin.com/RmqjVfxW


3.16
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In 3.16, GGG reworked the passive tree, included masteries, and severely buffed defensive auras like Grace, Determination, and Purity of Elements. Grace gives a bunch of evasion, Determination a bunch of armor, and Purity of Elements gives elemental ailment immunity. I haven't tested Purity of Elements, but if I wanted to use it, I would replace Determination or Zealotry for it. Dropping Zealotry is a huge DPS loss, but you get so many extra layers of defense.

With my flasks:
Lvl 99 (Final update)


Lvl 97
Spoiler



Pantheon
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Lunaris + Gurthkul for extra PDR.


Items
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Final items @ lvl 99 (2021-11-26). I'm not going to push this guy to 100 or upgrade anything else.:



Jewelry


Flasks


Jewels

These items at lvl 99 killed Wave 30 in Simulacrum
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Older items (before 2021-11-26):



Jewelry


Flasks


Jewels

and a Thread of Hope

Detailed Explanation About Corruptions and Stats

Spoiler


Reduced attribute requirement used to be specific to Tempering Orbs, which are extremely expensive and risky. In Scourge, Reduced Attribute Requirement is a Scourge mod and gives it to us for a small downside. I bought this for 3 ex.


Honestly, I think Crown of the Inward eye is one of, if not the, best helmet for LL CoC Ice Nova. Getting a Hubris Circlet with + Power Charge, - enemy resistances, and a few hundred ES is very expensive. Life and ES bumps both increase ES, and Mana is always helpful nowadays. Transfigurations are boosts in DPS. I bought this as-is for 1 ex.


I like to max my ES on things, so I tried to find a high ES Prism Guardian with 30 Dex, and I found this. The Scourge modifiers/ES really don't matter here in the grand scheme of things.. I bought this for 80c.


Essence Sap anoint carries your mana problems. Defense (Tempering) Catalysts to boost ES conversion.


Just tried to max ES, so did a search and sorted by ES. Found one with not too bad of a downside. I bought this for 3 ex already 6-linked. Used Tainted Chromatic Orbs to get the colors.


Sin Treks with the new Evasion and Energy Shield Mastery for 1 ES for every 8 Evasion on boots makes this such a great option. Again, tried to max ES and Evasion when searching. Found one with a downside I was OK with. I think I bought this for 80c.


Looked for ES + Max ES + Resistance. Used the open suffix to fix Strength/Dex issues until I found solid rings. I bought this for 3 ex.


High ES + high accuracy + resistance. Could probably be better, but it's keeping me at 100% hit rate. I don't remember how much I paid for this, but I think less than 1 ex.



These are probably going to be hard to find. I focused on ES + resistances and Strength / Dex stats with a craftable prefix for -7 mana cost. You can probably drop the ES in the search if you're okay with less ES. I paid at most 1 ex each, but I don't remember exactly.


Mana regen is cheap. Increase Aura buffs is nice too. The mana regen can probably be better replace by Area Damage.


This is a few ex, but adds lots of dex and attack speed.


Frozen Trail makes this feel good mapping, for me. There's a lot of builds on poe.ninja that don't use it, but I like it. Corrupted blood implicit is also nice. I paid 1 ex for this.


This is where I get my Arcane Surge. Penetration also helps DPS.


Attack speed and crit multi. Paid a few dozen chaos for this.



2021-11-21 Item Upgrades

Spoiler


Bought for 5 ex. All 3 useful mods. (You gain Arcane Surge when you use Bottled Faith)


Bought for 1.5 ex. Less of a downside with 7 less ES than the original


Bought this for 1.3 ex. (It screwed my +1 power charge node, so I had to throw in some divines)



2021-11-20 Item Upgrades

Spoiler


Bought for 11 ex. Boosts damage by about 200k or so.


Changed craft to damage while leeching.


Bought for 14.5 ex.


Gems
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Grouped by links:

Cospris
Frost Bomb
Frostbolt Optional: Phantasmal
Ice Nova Optional: Anomalous

Body
Cyclone
Awakened Added Cold Damage Support
Awakened Cast On Critical Strike Support
Increased Critical Strikes Support
(Divergent) Inspiration Support
Ice Nova Optional: Anomalous

(Awakened CoC was the first 10ex+ purchase I made. I was able to comfortably do T16 + conquerors with normal Cast on Crit and Added Cold Damage Support)

Prism Guardian
Vaal Grace
Determination
Zealotry

Any
Frostbite
Hextouch Support
Bonechill Support
Vortex

Any
Immortal Call (lvl 3)
Cast when Damage Taken Support

Any
Vaal Molten Shell

Any
Defiance Banner

Any
Precision

Any
Hatred

Any
Herald of Ice

Any
Vaal Discipline

Any
Flame Dash


Masteries
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Explanations:

+1 to Energy Shield per 8 Evasion on Boots
- Sin Treks add so much ES with this mastery.

+25% to Critical Strike Multiplier against Unique Enemies
- DPS boost against bosses

30% increased Life Reservation Efficiency of Skills
- Allows us to reserve 3x 50% in Prism Guardian

8% increased Damage for each of your Aura or Herald Skills affecting you
- Huge DPS boost. We're stacking auras!

Cannot be Shocked while at maximum Power Charges
- Shock Immunity. If you don't want this, you can do 3% per charge for 21% increased damage.

Auras from your Skills have 15% increased Effect on you
- Boosts all 8 of your auras. That's damage, defenses, and ES.

50% increased Effect of non-Damaging Ailments you inflict with Critical Strikes
- I don't know how useful this is, but higher chill and freeze perhaps means more defense?

1% of Elemental Damage Leeched as Energy Shield
- Dropped the ES leech wheel for this. Should be enough.

No longer enabled:

Gain 3% of Maximum Mana as Extra Maximum Energy Shield
- Not needed. I have an extra point until I switch around the large cluster to move things around, perhaps for another medium cluster

Discipline has 25% increased Mana Reservation Efficiency
- Required to fit Defiance Banner in your mana reservation

30% increased Damage while Leeching
- We're always leeching mana, so 30% increase for 1 point

2021-11-20 Update: Dropped the last 2 masteries and swapped to Alira. The PoB is updated for it.
2021-11-26 Update: Dropped ES leech wheel and got "1% of Elemental Damage Leeched as Energy Shield" from Snowforged wheel. Also dropped Discipline efficiency for the Leadership wheel.

Better Trading Search Queries
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Import this code with Better Trading.

Spoiler
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


Here, there are links for the following items:

Spoiler
Cospri's Malice - 13 IAS

Shavronne's Wrappings - 6L

Crown of the Inward Eye - Ice Nova

Prism Guardian - 55 ES+

Presence of Chayula

Gloves - T2 Accuracy + ES + 90+ Res

Militant Faith Timeless Jewel

Thread of Hope - Large Ring

Energy From Within Cobalt Jewel - 6%

Medium Cluster Jewel - Magnifier + Vast Power (4)

Large Cluster Jewel - Blanketed Snow + Blast-Freeze

Crystal Belt - Crusader (Base Only. Reforge Defense in Harvest)

Sin Trek - Not Corrupt + 25 Dex/Int + 140+ ES

$$ Crown of the Inward Eye - Ice Nova + 1 Power Charge

$$ Cospri's Malice - Reduced Attributes

$$ Shavronne's Wrappings - 450 ES+

$$ Thread of Hope - min -11 res

$$ Crystal Belt - ES + %ES + Res

$$ Sin Trek Stealth Boots - 630 Evasion+

$$ Unset Ring - Strength, ES, 80+ Res, Open Prefix

$$ Ring - ES + Res + Strength + Dex + Open Prefix


Anything prefixed with $$ is the more min/maxed version and costs more. To use this, you need the Better Trading extension for Chrome here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/better-pathofexile-tradin/fhlinfpmdlijegjlpgedcmglkakaghnk?hl=en-US.

To be more budget friendly, skip the $$, or use them modify the query to something that's acceptable.


Things I Want To Try
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I want to see how it's like to run Purity of Elements instead of Determination, but I'm really liking the PDR right now. I'm not sure I'm going to do this.

I'd also like to see how I can incorporate Divine Shield. Since I have a ton of Armor, it might make me even more tanky.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Which map mods to avoid?

Reflect Elemental / Cannot Leech / Cannot Regen

Some curses are annoying, but they're all doable. This is my query to filter maps:
"of ele|less recovery|nnot reg|normal|leech"

Less recovery can be really unsafe.

Can this do Uber Content?

Maybe. I got to wave 30 simulacrum and died to Kosis when he was at half life. It was my first time running a Simulacrum and I didn't know the boss mechanics. I think I could get through Wave 30 if I tried again.
Last edited by iisanoob on Nov 27, 2021, 8:11:47 PM
Last bumped on Jan 4, 2022, 7:34:46 PM
Reserved, maybe?
What can this build farm?
"
ComplexWay wrote:
What can this build farm?


It's a melee build, so it's inherently going to be slower at quickly farming maps than most ranged builds. But I have a lot of fun clearing maps, and heist is generally slow anyways, so it should work for those.

You should really only play CoC Ice Nova if you like the playstyle (right click and move around). It's not the fastest in anything in particular.
Last edited by iisanoob on Nov 19, 2021, 3:53:44 PM
Why immortal call and molten shell, thought you can only use one guard skill

Dont you need some cooldown reduction?
"
Coldmoonn wrote:
Why immortal call and molten shell, thought you can only use one guard skill

Dont you need some cooldown reduction?


I use VMS when I'm entering a boss phase. Immortal Call is mostly getting hit in mobs. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how well this works, or if it does, but I enjoy the extra 8k life before a fight
Last edited by iisanoob on Nov 20, 2021, 11:35:51 AM
Thanks for this. Been checking a lot of coc ice novas on poe.ninja but still cant choose how to build smoothest LL version, there is no ''meta versions'' like before 3.15 :D All seem to have soemthing different when i check builds ^^

For 3.16 LL version for sure is best way to build around... my block version got absolutely raped by 3.16 changes :(

Hope someone makes extremely detailed version of the mana fixes since i see so many different ones and all have negative/positive things. Also damn it feels bad to use flamedash after playing years with dash+second wind combo hah :D
Hi
what can this build do? (The feared) uber endgame new content this league?

what mods to avoid on map

Last edited by JuhlDk on Nov 21, 2021, 7:23:35 AM
"
JuhlDk wrote:
Hi
what can this build do? (The feared) uber endgame new content this league?

what mods to avoid on map



I have not done the feared. I honestly don't think I can do it, but I don't have a lot of practice with it.

Thanks for the reminder for uber endgame. I was going to try to do wave 30 simulacrum after I leveled. Now I'm 98 with 1%, I'm going to try it and record.

Maps mods to avoid:

Reflect Elemental / Cannot Leech

Some curses are annoying, but this is my query to filter maps:
"of ele|less recovery|nnot reg|normal|leech"

Less recovery feels dangerous, but it's doable.

Edit: Got to wave 30 in simulacrum, but used up all my portals. 1 portal used from a crash. 2 deaths from being frozen. Is getting to wave 30 good?
Last edited by iisanoob on Nov 21, 2021, 10:21:17 AM
that's very good
wave 30 is very hard also depends what mods you get
i will try this build out seems funny
thanks for answear and your time :)

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