Spoiler Updates to Build

Updated on 01/14/2018 - Respecced Skill Tree for more Life with minimal damage loss.

Updated on 12/27/2018 - New Gem Setup (Updated Current Item Setup), Added Arctic Armour and updated PoB link





Cleared Content:

Forge of Phoenix Fight - https://youtu.be/1L212ZkfYJc



This is the build guide to my Occultist Crit Ice Spears build.



This is possibly Hardcore viable - I don't know for sure till I hear more feedback. Although it does feel very safe.



I shared this build on Reddit and some people shared their thoughts and questions, you may view them / ask me anything here or on this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/a77o53/wanted_to_share_my_occultist_crit_ice_spears_build/



Why Occultist?

My first instinct was Assassin and Elementalist however, through some trial and error I learned the following:



That Assassin's ascendancy nodes offer nothing to this skill as the crit chance does scale very well with the second form and the damage was inferior to that of Occultist's (with the one of the Ascendancy nodes (+1 curse) allowing me to run Warlord's Mark - a sustain option not available when running Proj Weakness in Assassin)



Elementalist was inferior in all aspects, the heralds don't do much for ice spears.



Required Items

The only required items are Void Batteries (obvious) & Voidwalker Murder Boots. These unique boots are required because they enable quicker and much safer clear speed by being able to pierce 5 additional projectiles we are able to give the first stage pierce (the part of the skill which has no pierce and the least damage) & and allow the second stage (the best stage) of Ice Spears to proc alot more when self-casting. All other items can be changed without a huge impact to the build.



How the Build Works?

The build is really simple, you build 9 power charges through the power charge on crit gem in the 6L Ice Spears setup and sustain them naturally just by using skills (Every 200 mana spent refreshes the timer on the power charges - Occultist ascendancy). You blast them with the ice spears, they are knocked back with projectile weakness, frozen because of cold damage, & either die or die to the malediction from occultist. Each of these spears then leech you mana and life because of the warlord's elder ring.



What to look for in items/jewels?



PoB has the gear I currently have it gives a general idea of what your looking for. Note the jewel that I have has been slotted in 5 times to show what the stats would look like with just an average jewel. But you may take them out and build gives nearly the same amount of damage. Below I list priorities in terms of stats your looking for on items/jewels:



PRIORITY 1: Maximum Life & Resistances

You already have enough damage with just 9 power charges, the skill tree & ascendancy nodes, & projectile weakness.



PRIORITY 2: Damage

Flat & percent cold damage added to spells

Spell Damage

Crit Multiplier



What else?

Enjoy the build & post any constructive criticism/ play experiences/ questions below in the comments. I will try my best to answer any questions. You may also PM me in game.



Spoiler Pros & Cons

Pros

Fast Clear

Great Single Target Damage

Survivable



Cons

Expensive





Spoiler Path of Building Import

https://pastebin.com/pWCwqhSt





Spoiler My Current Gear



Item Setup













Flask Setup



Cleared Content:Forge of Phoenix Fight - https://youtu.be/1L212ZkfYJcThis is the build guide to my Occultist Crit Ice Spears build.This is possibly Hardcore viable - I don't know for sure till I hear more feedback. Although it does feel very safe.I shared this build on Reddit and some people shared their thoughts and questions, you may view them / ask me anything here or on this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/a77o53/wanted_to_share_my_occultist_crit_ice_spears_build/My first instinct was Assassin and Elementalist however, through some trial and error I learned the following:That Assassin's ascendancy nodes offer nothing to this skill as the crit chance does scale very well with the second form and the damage was inferior to that of Occultist's (with the one of the Ascendancy nodes (+1 curse) allowing me to run Warlord's Mark - a sustain option not available when running Proj Weakness in Assassin)Elementalist was inferior in all aspects, the heralds don't do much for ice spears.The only required items are Void Batteries (obvious) & Voidwalker Murder Boots. These unique boots are required because they enable quicker and much safer clear speed by being able to pierce 5 additional projectiles we are able to give the first stage pierce (the part of the skill which has no pierce and the least damage) & and allow the second stage (the best stage) of Ice Spears to proc alot more when self-casting. All other items can be changed without a huge impact to the build.The build is really simple, you build 9 power charges through the power charge on crit gem in the 6L Ice Spears setup and sustain them naturally just by using skills (Every 200 mana spent refreshes the timer on the power charges - Occultist ascendancy). You blast them with the ice spears, they are knocked back with projectile weakness, frozen because of cold damage, & either die or die to the malediction from occultist. Each of these spears then leech you mana and life because of the warlord's elder ring.PoB has the gear I currently have it gives a general idea of what your looking for. Note the jewel that I have has been slotted in 5 times to show what the stats would look like with just an average jewel. But you may take them out and build gives nearly the same amount of damage. Below I list priorities in terms of stats your looking for on items/jewels:PRIORITY 1: Maximum Life & ResistancesYou already have enough damage with just 9 power charges, the skill tree & ascendancy nodes, & projectile weakness.PRIORITY 2: DamageFlat & percent cold damage added to spellsSpell DamageCrit MultiplierEnjoy the build & post any constructive criticism/ play experiences/ questions below in the comments. I will try my best to answer any questions. You may also PM me in game. Last edited by patelvrajn on Jan 14, 2019, 8:04:26 PM Last bumped on Jan 18, 2019, 2:51:23 PM