[3.22] CheapBunny's Bone-Chilling Frigid Bond Golementalist | Forbidden Shako



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, 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 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 340% increased effect of Golems' buff in total, level 23 Stone/Flame/Chaos golems will grant the following

Stone Golem - 121 life regen x 4.4 = 532 life regen
Flame Golem - 21% increased damage x 4.4 = 92% increased damage
Chaos Golem - 5% physical damage reduction x 4.4 = 22% physical damage reduction



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.




Chill and Bone Chilling
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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, which would increase the damage of all three skills (Frigid Bond/Vortex/Creeping Frost)


Combining with Shaper of Winter ascendancy node, and some increase chill effect, this build can chill all mobs (even ubers) by 40%, essentially increase damage by 40% and reduce monster dps by 40% at the same time, which is super huge.



Defenses used in this build
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(Yes, another build without Determination/Grace)

1. Decent Ehp - 5.5k+

2. 80 all ele res/79% chaos res

3. 47% physical taken as ele damage
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40% from Cloak of Flame
7% from shield corrupted implicit


4. 100% Spell Suppression

5. 800+ Hp Regen (Stone Golem buff + Vitality)

6. 22% physical damage reduction (Chaos Golem buff)

7. 40% chill

8. 100% reduced Shock effect (Tattos + Jewels corrupted implicit)

9. Ultimate layer of defense
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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/Cooldown Recovery for Travel Skill


2. Rotgut Unique Flask

Rotgut flask grants movement speed as well as onslaught flask which is a very good mobility boost for this build.

Cold Snap also synergies well with RotGut, it can generate the Frenzy charge needed for the Onslaught buff.


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. Tattoo


4. Mana Regen on rings


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

(Although you cannot block attack damage using Saffel's Frame, but the 24% chance to block will still be transferred to the linked target and they are able to block attack damage)

4. Life Flask to Minions


5. Convocation


6. Primordial Harmony


7. 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.




Videos


Skill Tree (POB)
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Kill all bandits.

16 Sept 2023 - [POE 3.22] 97 lvl skill tree (Latest)
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://pastebin.com/0eHEp9CA


Ascendancy
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Liege of Primordial -> Elemancer -> Shape of Winter -> Mastermind of Discord


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


Craft Sceptre like this if you plan to use Oriath's End unique flask, because Minion Damage/Elemental Damage will increase the explosion damage but spell damage will not.


Crafting Guide
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Step 1 - Get a ilvl 82 Sceptre with Elemental Damage implicit + fractured T1 Cold Damage Over Time Mult

Step 2 - Use Essence of Fear until you hit T1/T2 Damage Over Time Multiplier

Step 3 - Bench craft increased damage over time if there is open prefix





Shield
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Early/Mid Game
Life/Resis/Spell Damage Rare Shield

End Game

(Corrupted implicit : Physical damage taken as ele damage)


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 / Cooldown Recovery of Travel Skills)


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
DoT Mult/Life/Res Rare Rings

(Get at least 60% mana regen on one ring)
(Buy fractured base and apply Essence of Delirium until good mods)


Jewels
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Cluster Jewels

(Look for Primordial Bond + one useful notable on Megalomaniac)


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)


(Elemental Equilibrium variant)


(Damage over Time Multiplier while affected by Malevolence)
(If you think Malevolence watcher's eye is too costly, may replace Malevolence
aura with Hatred, and use Cold Damage while affected by Hatred watcher's eye instead)

Rare Jewel



Flasks
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Optional End Game Flask




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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1L Skill/Aura
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My other build guides

Last edited by cheapbunny on Oct 1, 2023, 4:35:49 AM
Last bumped on Nov 28, 2023, 6:33:32 PM
Updated
17 Sept 2023
- Added Rotgut unique flask into the build
Last edited by cheapbunny on Sep 17, 2023, 2:12:20 AM
Shhh!! Dont get it too popular before I get my shako 😂 best regards poor frigid enjoyer
"
Shhh!! Dont get it too popular before I get my shako 😂 best regards poor frigid enjoyer


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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