[3.26] CheapBunny's Frigid Bond Cold Dot Golementalist | Forbidden Shako
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Updated to 3.26 - Mercenaries of Trarthus League
- This is a build I made back in 3.22 Ancestral League, Elementalist & Golems change and Cold Dot Skill buffed in 3.26 has directly buffed this build by a lot, so I decided to remake this build and update the build guide again - Added 3.26 POB - Added Mercenary section 
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 Introduction This is actually my second build using link skill on minions, the first one being Destructive Link Stone Golem that I didn't make a build guide for because it ended up not very great against ubers. After seeing Frigid Bond support skill introduced on Exilecon livestream, I knew this is the league to attempt another link skill build. This Frigid Bond Golementalist build has exceeded my expectation, able to tackle most end game content rather easily, it also became my first ever successful Link skill build that I am really excited to share. Although this build can be played in duo/group by linking to other players, I made this build entirely based on solo play (linking to golems). This build definitely has relatively more problem to solve than the others, but the fresh and smooth gameplay at the end once you get there is definitely worth it. So, enjoy the build guide if you still somehow think solo link skill build is what you looking for :). Build Thought
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I wanted to try out newly introduced Frigid Bond Support gem back in Ancentral League, so this build is built around it.
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https://www.poewiki.net/wiki/Frigid_Bond_Support Frigid Bond Support is a support gem which causes the link created by link skills to apply a debuff that deals cold damage over time and chills enemies. This debuff lingers for a duration. What is difference between Frigid Bond and other Cold Dot skills? Why Forbidden Shako?
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The biggest difference is that Frigid Bond is a support skill. Which means we can get maximum level up to 35 Frigid Bond on a Forbidden Shako that the other cold dot skills not able to do so. There is no reason to not use a Forbidden Shako imo if you want to play a Frigid Bond build, because the damage boost by having a 30lvl+ Frigid Bond is just too good. Frigid Bond on a Forbidden Shako is not a skill gem, it would not gain any +level bonus from the affixes that increases gem level. Therefore this build does not need any +level gem affixes on gears/tree like the other Cold DoT builds do, this makes gearing much cheaper. Why Golems? Why Elementalist?
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Frigid Bond only can support link skill, and to use a link skill you will need to have a player or a minion as a target to link to. Obviously a real POE player wouldn't have a friend, so I need a minion. However, if the target dies while linked, you will also die, so we need a minion that can survive well in end game content, and I think golems are good at this while combined with Elementalist ascendancy that makes golems immune to elemental damage. Other than golem nodes, Elementalist also have good damage scaling nodes for Cold DoTs skill. How to invest enough into Minion survivability at the same time having enough investment into offense/defense?
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Spiritual Aid
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Spiritual Aid is a notable passive skill that grants the character is also affected by Increases and Reductions to Minion Damage.
 Most of the minion survivability nodes are near or combined with minion damage bonus. Hence Spiritual nodes would allow us to invest into minion survivability and character damage (Cold DoT damage in this build) at the same time, by pathing to nodes like "Lord of the Dead" and minion damage cluster jewel's nodes. Elegant Hubris unique jewel
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Because of Spiritual Aids notable, this build can benefit from both spell damage/minion damage bonus, which allows the build to gain big bonuses from Elegant Hubris that grant both spell damage and minion damage.  Golem Nodes and Golem Buff Effect
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I am using Stone/Flame/Chaos/Lightning golems in this build, by investing into Golem Buff Effect, essentially means investing into Life Regen/Damage/Physical Reduction at the same time. The best part is Golem Buff Effect also generally comes with golem survivability bonus, best example is Primordial Bond notable from cluster jewel as well as Golem Life and Buff effect cluster on passive skill tree.
 This build has 240% increased effect of Golems' buff in total, all the golems will grant the following Stone Golem - 105 life regen x 3.4 = 355 life regen Stone Golem - 20% Defense x 3.4 = 68% Defense Flame Golem - 20% increased damage x 3.4 = 68% increased damage Flame Golem - 20% Aoe x 3.4 = 68% Aoe Chaos Golem - 17% Chaos Resis x 3.4 = 58% Chaos Resis Chaos Golem - 17% Dot Mult x 3.4 = 58% Dot Mult Lightning Golem - 10% Attk/Cast Speed x 3.4 = 34% Attk/Cast Speed Lightning Golem - 19.4 Mana Regen x 3.4 = 66 Mana Regen Why Low Life/Hyrbid?
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One of the problems that this build need to solve is mana issue, as link skill is mana consuming especially in 5L(or more) setup that this build is using. Hence clarity aura is very much needed in this build, but I find that it is hard to fit in all the aura I want together with clarity without more investment into reservation efficiency. So I chose to go low life with Petrified Blood and use life to reserve the cost for Clarity aura instead. (I personally think this way is superior to EB) By going low life and This build can also gain big 30% more spell damage bonus from Pain Attunement. Petrified Blood and Corrupted Blood combo is something I find very effective/efficient in one of my previous build, so I decided to go Hybrid. Build Mechanic
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Link skill, Frigid Bond and link to minions
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Link skill by default cannot deal damage. However, while supported by Frigid Bond, supported link skill would apply cold damage over time debuff to any mobs that touches the link . Link skill by default also cannot link minions, you will need to take following minion defense mastery to be able to do so.  BoneChill and Shock
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Chill is one of the most underrated/underused mechanic in POE, it is not even used by most Cold DoT build. This build ultilize BoneChill Support on Vortex/Creeping Frost to increase cold damage taken for chilled enemy (up to 30%), which would increase the damage of all three skills (Frigid Bond/Vortex/Creeping Frost) Combining with Shaper of Storms ascendancy node, and some increase lightning ailment effect on the passive tree, this build can shock all mobs (even ubers) by 50%, essentially increase the enemy's damage taken by up to 80% in total together with BoneChill which is super huge.  Cloak of Flame and Prospero's Protection Combo
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Prospero's Protection is a new ring introduced in 3.26 Mercenaries League, and has great synergy with Cloak of Flame. The main defense stat we get from Cloak of Flame is 40% phys taken as fire, its base ES is so low that the down side of Prospero's Protection is essentially non-existent, we get to double the shield defense for free. In this build, I am using Magna Eclipses which has great base Armour/ES value to gain benefit from this combo. Defenses used in this build
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1. Decent Ehp - 6.2k+ 2. 75% chaos res 3. 40% physical taken as ele damage (Cloak of Flame) 4. 100% Spell Suppression 5. 700+ Hp Regen (Stone Golem buff + Vitality) 6. 9000+ Armour before flask 7. Chill effect 8. 100% reduced Shock effect (Tattoos) 9. 31% attack block 10. 1000 Elemental Aegis (Magna Eclipses shield) Build Problems and How I solve them
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Frigid Bond Mechanic
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To deal damage with Frigid Bond, you need to position such that the mobs touch the link between your character and golems, it wouldn't feel good if the build is not mobile enough or hard to position itself. 1. High Movement Speed Boots/QuickSilver Flask 2. No Cooldown Movement Skill 3. Phasing Phasing can help to avoid blocking by mobs, makes positioning easier. Mana Problem
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Link skill is mana consuming especially in 5L(or more) setup that this build is using. 1. Keep link skill at level 1 Higher level link skill cost much more mana and does not provide enough benefit to the build 2. Clarity 3. Lightning Golem Buff 4. Skill costs 15% life instead Life Mastery 5. Try to keep number of links at 2 (You could have more if you are able to get more mana regen) Golems Survivability
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If the Golem dies while linked, you will also die, followings are what I used to improve Golems' survivability 1. Golem Immune to elemental damage (from Elemancer ascendancy node) 2. Invest into Golem/Minion Life on passive skill tree 3. Protective link grant linked target block chance and gain life on block 4. Life Flask to Minions 5. Convocation (I dont use this in latest build anymore, but still a good option if you are having hard time keeping golems alive.) 6. Wellspring of Creation  Strongly suggest to play with this Keystone all the time once you have enough damage. It not only helps keeping your Golems alive, it is also a nice defensive layers to your character. 7. Vortex/Cold Snap Try not to use link skill on your golems while surrounded by a lot of monster, and use Vortex/Cold Snap to clear Videos
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Mercenaries of Trarthus League
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Trial of the Ancestors
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T16 Phoenix https://youtu.be/IYwLU01Fn0o T16 Silo + Baran https://youtu.be/_QXzGLbM1ck Invitations https://youtu.be/lsi7eDRoRuY Sanctum & Lycia https://youtu.be/T_wv3lFrsxU Uber Shaper https://youtu.be/GTg_1PBCmS8 Uber Maven https://youtu.be/n4qFqrjSMR4 Uber Sirus https://youtu.be/Z6Ppt7a-fdI Skill Tree (POB)
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Kill all bandits. 24 Jun 2025 - [POE 3.26] 98 lvl skill tree (Latest) https://pobb.in/U2GAG6tTxhTT 16 Sept 2023 - [POE 3.22] 97 lvl skill tree https://pastebin.com/dW4gRf2J Leveling
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Leveling as normal Cold DoT build. You might start using Frigid Bond after you got your second ascendancy or continue to use Vortex/Creeping Frost until you acquire a Forbidden Shako. This is my level 70 setup https://pobb.in/Io_dmEXKKS2v
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Ascendancy
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 Liege of Primordial -> Shape of Storms -> Mastermind of Discord -> heart of Destruction Gears
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Weapon
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Early/Mid Game Spell damage/Cold Damage/Damage over Time Rare One-handed weapon End Game Cold Damage over Time Mult/Damage over Time Mult/Spell damage/Cold Damage/Damage over Time Rare One-handed weapon Shield
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Early/Mid Game Life/Resis/Spell Damage Rare Shield End Game Helmet
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Early/Mid Game Life/Resis Rare Helmet End Game (Look for lvl 32+ Frigid Bond Forbidden Shako) (Take note of the other support, make sure it wont brick Frigid Bond damage, for example Void Manipulation will prevent Frigid Bond from doing damage) Body Armour
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Early/Mid Game Life/Resis Rare Body Armour End Game (Corrupted implicit : +2 Duration Gem) Gloves
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Early/Mid Game Life/Resis Rare Gloves End game Life/Spell Suppression/Resis Rare Gloves (Eldritch implicit : Cold Exposure on hit / Cold Damage over Time Mult) Boots
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Early/Mid Game Movement Speed/Life/Resis Rare Boots End Game Movement Speed/Life/Resis/Spell Suppression Rare Boots (Look for 30%+ movement speed) (Eldritch Implicit : Drop Scorched Ground while moving Belt
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Early/mid Game Life/Resis Rare Belts End Game Amulet
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Early/Mid Game Life/Resis Rare Amulet End Game Cold DoT Mult/DoT Mult/Life Rare Amulet (Anointment : Spiritual Aid) Rings
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Early/Mid Game Life/Resis Rare Rings End Game Jewels
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Cluster Jewels Unique Jewels (Slot in specific jewel socket, refer to POB) (Cadiro Variant, Slot in specific jewel socket, refer to POB) (Look for Spell Damage/Minion Damage) (Supreme Ego variant) (Damage over Time Multiplier while affected by Malevolence) (Cold Damage variant, slot in specific jewel socket, refer to POB) (Slot in specific jewel socket, refer to POB) Flasks
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Gem Link
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Protective Link/Frigid Bond (Helmet)
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+ 5L Vortex + Vaal Cold Snap (Body Armour)
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Golems
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Arcanist Brand Curse
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Auras Reserved in Life
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Other Skill/Aura
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Mercenary
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Dex/Int Mercenary with Aspect of Spider  My other build guides
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Last edited by cheapbunny#0890 on Jun 25, 2025, 8:57:14 AM Last bumped on Jun 23, 2025, 11:06:05 PM
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Updated
24 June 2025 - Build remake and entire build guide update - Added 3.26 POB - Added Mercenary section 17 Sept 2023 - Added Rotgut unique flask into the build Last edited by cheapbunny#0890 on Jun 23, 2025, 11:04:45 PM
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Shhh!! Dont get it too popular before I get my shako 😂 best regards poor frigid enjoyer
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" lol, I don't think it will get too popular, we all know that link skill enjoyer is like unicorn in POE :) |
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Updated to 3.26
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