Ultimate Pack Freezing: Dual Ice Spear Totem build guide CI (HC/SC)

Do you like the crit sound of ice crit and the ice shatter effect when the mobs died? If you like to freeze the pack at all time, and this build might be right for you. People usually don't realize how important to have a freeze person in group, so here is a guide to help you build one.

I build many characters on SC and ran out of ideas.It is funny that I actually can't find any guide on ice spear totem build. So, I started this out myself and hopefully you guys will enjoy it as much as I did.

Break down before build:
Total cost of build: about 18 to 24 exalted. What really going to cost you is the 6L taryn's shiver. Hey, at least you don't need a 6L shavronne for god sake.
Please realized quality gem is important for this build, the rest of your currency will spend on q gems.
You can start as a witch or shadow too, doesn't really matter that much.



The key of the build:
Ice Spear w/ Elemental Proliferation + Taryn's shiver + 100% crit chance 2nd ice spear form.

"No white/blue/yellow mobs will able to move or take any action from your freeze."

The combo creates mass freeze to any pack you encounter, and you take asdvantage 20% of extra damage to freeze pack as taryn's provided with ice spear high crit chance in 2nd form.

Pro
-Great Survivalbility
-Great crowd control
-Great against summoning mobs
-Can do all map except blood magic
-100% chance to crit on Ice Spear 2nd form

Con
- high mana cost per totem (321 mana per 1 totem)
- Gear dependent for optimal result ( q gems, dex requirement & taryn's shiver)
- Group in no regen map is a pain in the butt. You need to out kill your partners. So you need to stay in the front for that kind of maps.

The build done in lv83


Bandit
Kill all, faster cast, power charge.
BTW, I f*up my cruel bandit as I killed them all, lol. So, if you did it what I said above, you will finish this build at lv83 instead of 82.


My ice spear damage sit around 1187 with 6 power charge atm (will have 7 pc at lv82).

Basically grab all the critical multipliers as you can on the way. I have like 461% crit multiplier on this toon (only 6 power charge atm) . Critical chance is nice to have, but you know ice spear crit 600% in its second stage anyways. Of course, the cold dmg too~ You will always freeze any pack you encounter. I perma freeze Kole easily too with haste on. Your cold resist will be maxed out easily, so work on fire and light resistance.

So generally speaking,For SC, you can go max out dmg note first and ES notes for later as you get towards the shadow area. For HC, please grab ES asap first.

So far, this build haven't encounter any problem yet in map, I tried up to lv71 maps. For half and no regen, please bring as many mana pot as you can.

Gear


My Gear is ok, but can be better as I am still working on it.I have a really kick ass rare ring that gave me 40 dex that allowed me to drop 2 passive node for 60 dex. So I can wrap up this build early in lv82. Right now, I am maxed resists and still looking to improve my ES (chest and helmet). 6L Taryn's is recommanded, but I guess a 5L will do too. You can also do wand/shield if you on the budget, or seeking for more ES (HC :)). Maligaro glove,dream fragment, atizir ammy is great for the this build. Rest of the gears, look for resists, dex, mana regen, faster cast ,and ES. On gems, I will recommand getting 20% gem on ice spear (duh), faster casting, cold penetration, elemental proliferation, lastly lesser or greater multiple projectiles.

For cold penetration, you can swap with cold dmg gem if you like it better. It is personal preference on this gem. For me, I like cold pen to against cold resistance mobs. It is really up to you.


6L: ice spear, faster casting, elemental proliferation, cold penetration, lesser multiple projectile, and spell totem.
5L: take off cold pen gem.
4L: take off faster casting.

Get more diamond flask if you can, they are kick ass.

Curses
critical weakness, frostbite, and elemental weakness (partying play)

Auras
I ran clarity( keep it lvl11ish), discipline, and grace. If I have enough mana, I will want to run haste.

The Future of this build
If I got the Sinful armor, Shavronne's Wrapping
I will respec out of CI, then with 5 free up passive points, I would go for pain attunement, and some ES nodes that were left. In able low life with righteous fire, and more aura like haste --> the build will be very scary~ I mean, hey~ I don't need any link on shavronne's,so why not, right? So, making currency will probably be my next mission, sadly~

And yes, here's another thought, " A second skill" .. I really think NO on this one. I mean, beside casting totems, and keep up power charges that I am already pretty busy..

All command are welcome, hope you guys like it :)

Just having a go at this build as I wanted to try a totem build but I'd rather go to the dentist than play spark.

Had a few questions if you don't mind.

Why take Doom Cast (60% increased crit chance for spells) - surely with power charges your crit will be well over whats required for stage 2 ice spear to crit cap at 95% (I think you can cap with only 3 charges taking only a couple of crit chance nodes assuming my maths doesn't suck). I know some of the crit chance nodes are taken to get to crit multiplier bonuses, just wondering why Doom Cast?

Instead of Doom Cast, better to take spell damage per power charge node (just above Instability - +1 power charge)? Since you are taking extra power charge nodes which I don't think you need for the crit, may as well make use of them in other ways?

In terms of ES nodes (playing on onslaught with this atm) - I'm assuming it would be sensible to approach it as most other builds do by taking health nodes until you have sufficient gear with ES to switch to CI rather than go ES from the start?

Overall having fun with this. Still only running one totem (just got a 20% ice spear so levelling that up first) but its quite enjoyable already. Was lucky enough to have a mid level 5L chest to set up the totem stuff fortunately so running wand/spirit shield atm (no way I can afford the staff).

Well reply, mate.

I guess I will give it a shot to refund out doom cast. I mean if you saying is correctly (I am not a math person haha), the doom cast will only help me when ice spear on first stage with no power charge. That occasion is rarely happening.


For hardcore/OS, yes, life nodes and spec out later. But if you have good low lvl ES gear, I guess it will work too as you approach witch area pretty quickly around lv40.

Edit: flask, new gears, and new build plan

How come you have Power charge on crit in your circlet? How do you stack power charges? o.O Sorry kinda new to the game so pls don't flame. >.>

As I spamm my ice spear(not from totems, the toon itself) I will generate power charge on crit, although it won't deal any damage. It just for generating power charges.

Edit: put picture up

anyone know how to do a video on youtube? completely noob at this lol~

"

rainku wrote:

Edit: put picture up

anyone know how to do a video on youtube? completely noob at this lol~

record video, upload to youtube.

really nice guide dude:) 1 question tho why not greater multiple? more projectiles would it cost too much mana or?:)

EDIT: had a 2nd question at what point would u start getting the totem passives and go dual totem and what do i start off with just freezing pulse for leveling?:)

Yeap GMP just cost way too much mana..400ish mana cost per totem. You will find yourself waiting for mana all the time. Gmp is great to shotgun mob, like put infront of their face, otherwise LMP is nicer in dmg scaling.

At the beginning, lvl with freeze pulse or ice nova, then switch to ice spear once you have dual totem passive.

Hi mate. Nice build, now I just found a good use for my Taryn's Shiver! I have a question though: why do you use Grace if you can't have Iron Reflexes?