[3.19] Frost Blades Berserker (League Starter/Versatile Budget Build)

Prices listed may not be current prices! Prices will naturally likely be much more expensive the earlier it is in the league and prices are always subject to change. I can’t predict the future. I’ve outlined a lot of ways to go about progressively upgrading your items with harvest and other cheap/efficient crafting methods. This is not some extensive high end crafting we are doing for this build but if you come here expecting to piece together everything by opening poe trade and not making any effort to budget or expecting to get everything online day 1-2 of the league at these prices then you won’t be happy. I’ve tried to be transparent with price expectations so no one is let down, hope this helps.

‣ 8/11: Added the meta Determination + Molten Shell tech as an option to the 1ex, 5ex, and 10ex builds. Make sure to check notes for adjustments needed to enable it. Can do the same for any of the leveling/mapping content, just adjust for mana and you'll need freeze mods on flasks or upgraded Brine King. Updated relevant pobs.
‣ 8/13: Fully revised 1ex and 5ex (items, skills, passives) for a more defensive minded overall build. Determination is now our defensive aura of choice. Removed 10ex pob and added the options to invest more to the budget section. Revised 1ex item choices to be even easier to gear (no cluster setup at all). Streamlined crafting suggestions. All pobs and guide content updated.
‣ 8/18: Updated all pobs for 3.19. Final revision of leveling and end game pobs. Added earlier adoption of Dagger (or Claw) + Nightblade Spectral Helix to smooth out early mapping. This is my last update, time to practice leveling while I can. Good luck!
‣ 9/28: All pobs have been updated. Revised low investment material to be more approachable at league start and the early days of a new league. Revised all crafting and trade links, devised better approaches to more efficiently target mods we want on items. We now have a 100c starter build to get you farming red maps and 10 divine final product that can handle all non uber content with some absolutely ridiculous clear potential for mapping with the new version of Death Rush ring (Adrenaline on a Berserker is busted). Highlighted better options to swap to with minimal investment and minimal micro managing for those that want to drop bossing content a little quicker. Added optional further investment for those that want to juice the build a bit more (these are all 100% unnecessary but there anyway) to the crafting section.

All videos from 3.19 on around 5 divine budget (2-3 week market)
‣ T16 Minotaur
‣ T14 Baran + Delirium
‣ T16 Mesa + Delirium
‣ Deathless Sirus

I just wanted to preface this by pointing out that I’m still fairly new to many aspects of this game and I learned a lot from other guides and content creators. Credit to Kobeblackmamba for his work on LS Berserker builds and Spectral Helix leveling, Jungroan for his work with Spectral Helix Deadeye, and Fyregrass for his work on low effort farming strategies as that content served as a huge reference for some of what's being done here.

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Frost Blades is a cold melee attack skill that strikes with increased range, then has the secondary effect of releasing projectiles behind the struck enemies.

Frost Blades will obviously be the focus of this build. Its biggest value to me is how well it can balance being a monster clear build on a budget while still having respectable single target which normally separates most builds into two fairly clear groups. This build can serve as a great option for a league starter that can transition to an insane budget clear option for farming currency from high density content like Delirium and alters. We're using White Wind in conjunction with 2x Fight for Survival to enable some ridiculous offensive fire power and make capping suppression trivial on a budget. To compare to Lightning Strike (this will be asked) we get a built in defensive layer in freeze (we're realiably freezing up to Conquerors) and better budget throughput. Lightning Strike has a natural advantage for single target with projectile portion hitting with proper positioning + "tribal fury" effect, access to a relevant Point Blank and access to a Vaal version of the ability that further stimulates single target. It also just scales better the more you invest.

Pros:
‣ Budget:
great throughput for your investment, no need to shop/craft claws and shields progressively.
‣ Clear
This build has some INSANE clear potential for the amount of investment. Single target is respectable enough to clear all non uber content on a budget but the build really shines for fast mapping.
‣ Zoom
around 300% MS with Quicksilver active. Berserk speaks for itself.
‣ League start:
great option with Spectral Helix 2H Axes, early access to a fully functional red mapper with minimal investment and low cost uniques on day 1.
‣ Defensive Asssets:
We get fairly easy access to spell suppression cap and full elemental ailment immunity. We convert all evasion to armour so we have a heatlhy amount of physical mitigation coupled with 30% inc. effect Berserk, Fortify, leech and Elusive. 100% stun immunity and cheap jewel corruptions give us hinder and corrupted blood immunity for QoL. Standard Defiance Banner + Vaal Molten Shell tech to capitalize on armour and provide an on demand boost to survival. Chill and Freeze mobs offscreen thanks to 100% cold conversion and Frost Blade’s great coverage.


Cons:
‣ Socket Pressure and Shield
Due to the nature of White Wind requiring you to not have anything equipped in offhand we're sacrificing 3 sockets and the ability to effectively block, along with everything else that can come from the shield slot.
‣ Melee:
you need to stop to deal damage (many things we can outright face tank but some of the higher end boss mechanics like Uber Pinnacle fights and the more difficult invitations are going to be naturally much harder for this than a dedicated bosser with high mobility while doing damage)
‣ Berserk:
it's a cool down (with proper usage and building we can get very high uptime, north of 70% on bosses, but you feel the offensive power drop/leave yourself vulnerable to big damage instances if you miss-time a warcry etc)
‣ APM:
very heavy key bind usage (not for the feint of wrist, automated left click warcry is far less efficient (can use for leveling if you prefer but Withering Step is priority once its online) and we want to automate Withering Step anyway)
‣ HC:
as it is currently constructed I wouldn't recommend this build for HC. While it can be molded to better approach that kind of content I think there are better builds for it.

Prices listed may not be current prices! Prices will naturally likely be much more expensive the earlier it is in the league and prices are always subject to change. I can’t predict the future.
DPS listed is with proper pob config. Flasks and guard skills are disabled by default.
All gems and alternatives are covered within the PoBs!
You will NEED the PoB Community Fork.
To import these, go to "import/export build" in PoB then at the bottom use "import from pastebin", copy/paste one of the following links, and click import.
PLEASE READ NOTES!


These pobs are updated for 3.19.

~100 Chaos 1.5-2m DPS, 93
Ultra budget, no clusters. Red map viable to accumulate funds for further investment:
https://pastebin.com/nDxa92wU

~10 Divine 6-7.5m DPS, 97
All content non uber viable, price breakdown included. Mapping setup is default with options for bossing included.:
https://pastebin.com/zpdywYcx


Leveling Pobs listed below need updates. I left them so you can use them as a reference for now.

Always upgrade pantheons that are applicable, they’re very worth it.
Your pantheon should always be swapped ahead of time to compliment the content you're running, particularly when swapping from general mapping to specific bossing content.


Major:
‣ Brine King upgraded for Freeze immunity is mandatory until you can get it from another source. I wouldn't recommend depending on flask mods for end game content. If you do get it from another source, the other options become available.
‣ Lunaris for general mapping
‣ Solaris for general bossing.
‣ Arakaali for chaos/poison related content.

Minor:
‣ Ryslatha and Abberath feel like the best two options. I do Ryslatha for bosses when I know Ignite won't be an issue and Abberath otherwise.
‣ Shakari for chaos/poison related content.

Bandits:
If you really want to start Alira you can but I've just killed all for my league start test runs and it went fine. Ultimately we will want the +2 passives eventually.

Would HIGHLY recommend a leveling filter that highlights all 2 hand axes while leveling. You should have something to highlight the higher level daggers and claws also, at least starting around act 9.
Progressive Two Handed Axe List
Dagger
Rune Dagger
Claw

Recipes:
‣ weapon + whetstone + magic or rare rustic sash (always look for new 2H axes to craft with this recipe, get links elsewhere if you have to)
‣ Vaal orb + Ancestral Warchief
‣ 10-14% MS craft in Caverns (Act 2)
‣ 15-19% MS craft in Chamber of Innocence (Act 5)
‣ 20-24% MS craft from Epilogue
‣ 60-79% physical damage in The Ossuary (Act 5)
‣ 80-99% physical damage The Quarry (Act 9)
‣ 8-10% attack speed Dried Lake (Act 4)
‣ 11-15% attack speed Vastiri Desert (Act 9)
‣ Adds 9-12 to 8-21 physical Sewers (Act 3)
‣ Adds 11-15 to 23-27 physical The Ossuary (Act 5)
‣ Adds 18-24 to 36-42 physical The Quarry (Act 9)

Vendor:
Always check for 2H axes and 4 links
ctrl + F, then ctrl + V

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g-g-r|g-r-g|r-g-g|runner’s|serrated

Act 1


Act 2


Act 3


Act 4


Act 5


Act 6


Act 7


Act 8:



Act 9:


Act 10

Prices listed may not be current prices! Prices will naturally likely be much more expensive the earlier it is in the league and prices are always subject to change. I can’t predict the future.

Crafting:
We convert all evasion to armour for more physical mitgation and 100% stun immunity. This means we can use dexterity bases for cheaper cost and easier time targeting spell suppression.

Total cost of everything minus non awakened gems and flasks: ~9.5 divine
Cost Breakdown and craft notes with clickable links: (Current/1.5 month prices)

‣ Helmet:
1. Base, high armour and/or evasion with 30% berserk enchant - 20-25c
2. Quality to 20% + Alchemy
3. Deafening Essence of Loathing 8c per
We want life, resists and open prefix.
4. Bench craft projectiles pierce an additional target.
5. 7% mana reservation from eater implicit, 1/44 @ 1c per (lesser eldritch ichor)
6. physical damage recoup from exarch implicit, 1/29 @ 1c per (lesser eldritch ember)
Total: ~100c + 8c per Loathing

‣ Amulet:
Pandemonius - 30c
Annoint - 20c
Total: ~50c

‣ Weapon:
White Wind with best stats you can find (prioritize damage, attack speed, enough suppression to cap), quality to 20%
Total: ~25c

‣ Body Armour:
1. Base, ilvl 86 Hunter Zodiac Leather 15-20c
2. Quality to 20% + Alchemy
3. Harvest reforge crit 3c per
We want T1 suppression for cap, Life, attacks have X to critical strike chance and open suffix. It's surprisingly easy to roll a decent one with a pure dexterity base.
4. Bench craft chance to avoid elemental ailments
5. 1500 fusings for 6 link from crafting bench 250c
6. Chromatic orb to 3G, 2R, 1
Total: ~300c

‣ Gloves:
1. Base, ilvl 86 Slink Gloves 5c
2. Quality to 20%, Alchemy
3. Deafening Essence of Greed 2c per
We want T2 suppression for cap, resists and open prefix.
4. Bench craft inc. damage while leeching (alternatively you can get pierce here too)
5. projectiles pierce 1 additional target from eater implicit, 1/37 @ 1c per (lesser eldritch ichor)
6. strike skill target 1 additional nearby enemy from exarch implicit , 1/47 @ 1c per (less eldritch ember)
Total: ~125c

‣ Belt:
I'm just using a Leather belt with as much life and resists as possible.
If you have an open prefix you can craft inc. ele damage with attacks.
If you have an open suffix you can craft inc. chaos resists against dot or elemental/chaos resists combo.
~20c

‣ Boots:
1. Base, ilvl 86 Slink Boots 5c
2. Quality to 20%, Alchemy
3. Screaming Essence of Zeal 1c per
We're looking for T2 suppression for cap, life and open suffix.
4. Bench craft chance to avoid elemental ailments
5. 15% chance to avoid elemental ailments from eater implicit, 1/29 @ 1c per (lesser eldritch ichor)
6. drops brittle ground while moving from eldritch implicit, 1/44 @ 2.5c per (grand eldritch ember)
Total: ~150c

‣ Rings:
1. Base, ilvl 84 Shaper Unset Ring - 5c
2. Screaming Essence of Spite 1c per
We want life and resists with open prefix.
3. Bench craft non channeling skills have -X mana cost
I swap between Mark of the Elder (bossing) and Death Rush (mapping), both are 20c or under.
Total Cost: ~80c

‣ Watcher's Eye:
~40c

‣ Large Thread of Hope
~80c

‣ 2x Fight for Survival:
Corrupted Blood immunity - 20c
Hinder Immunity - 10c

‣ Large Cluster:
~100c

‣ Medium Cluster:
~15c

‣ Small Clusters:
Enduring Composure - 40c
Spiteful Presence - 50c base + harvest reforge cold ~3c per (very easy to target)

‣ Awakened/Alternate Quality Gems:
Elemental Damage with Attacks - 2 divine (level it yourself, 5/20 is fine)
Added Cold Damage - 5/20 is about 100c
Phantasmal Ancestral Protector - 1 divine



Optional Further Investment:

I’d like to preface this section’s content with the idea that atlas passives are very customizable and personal. I’d highly recommend you do what I did and look at a few approaches and alter them to fit how you want to play the game. I’d say overall, emphasis on mostly “clearing” content where pack size is important and you can maximize your skill set with this build is really the only thing necessary. There’s a lot of different content that falls into this category, just research ahead of time what that content looks like for currency generation at different levels of investment. I’ve provided an example low investment approach for the content stated below. Please read the notes section!

Example Low Investment Atlas Tree— Eldritch Altars, Expedition, Harvest, Essence, Strongboxes with Shrines and Delve nodes to boost character power