Cold Chronomancer Megathread. All content cleared. Leveling guide added.

"

Kabanaken#0870 wrote:

Monik hi,i have 3600 mana with old setup, if i pick Morior Invictus and Maligaro Gloves i lost ~300mana pool (i calculated with 4 soul cores to mana) what u think its normaly? Or rare setup better?

p.s. I had 0,55sec cast time on skills now (with rare setup).

Have 55,000 explode damage on frost bolt (19 lvl archmage +1). I think it's good for bosses without Maligaro/MoriorInvictus what u think?

No need to move to 4s Morior for you for sure. 3.3k mana is very low overall.

For me, Morior 5s gave more mana than 900 ES chest, but I'm still missing 170 mana to hit 4k back.

I switched bc I felt like I needed more damage, and I was barely able to do it with 20d I had at that moment.

If you are fine atm - there is no need for you to switch.

"

Casia#1093 wrote:

I wonder what the breakpoint is for EoW to work like that.

I'm still just finding frostbomb working well. max aoe on it, and the CD doesn't mean much. esp with wall and tempchains doing their things. There might be a gear level where, I could swap spell echo to coc+comet. but that extra aoe on echo is still nice for bomb itself..

Finishing up t14 maps, and starting t15. random poke deaths is my issue. need survival gear. more es, and mostly more Mana. don't have enough mana to go archmage. even coc can drain me sometimes too much. def not mom. occasionally hp regen enemies are a giant pita. I need to set up weapon swap for that for sure.

Funny fact that EoW is really bad at breaking the walls. Also, I just rewatched my old Xesht video, and it wasn't able to trigger CoC.
However, there is a difference - in the recent video, I put walls 1st, EoW second. Probably has to do smth with a fork from Snakepit. Sounds questionable tho, but I don't wanna run breachstones atm to test it w/o walls. Probably will do later tho, if I don't forget.

Also, I found Frost Bomb AoE in my setup really desirable to use. The problem is the content I'm doing. Unfortunately, CD skills have issues there.
Definitely not gonna grind for Temporalis tho.

"

Casia#1093 wrote:

I couldn't replicate anything.

I thought at first something might have changed. it DID feel like it was popping more.

My first hypothesis was, a change in how frostwalls pushed enemies back, and spawned. it used to be, it would push small enemies out of the way. and if the enemy can't be pushed out of the way, the wall itself would spawn on the side. I thought perhaps, its now exploding if the wall can't properly spawn due to even small enemies occupying the location.

could not replicate it.
purposely cascade pushing enemies into walls was not causing them to pop.

general enemy type. I did not observe any enemies that previously it didn't pop on, popping on them.


unexplained pops... that is still a thing. I usually assume thats enemies attacking the walls. or perhaps its the "explode when pushed hard enough" mechanic. which I still have no idea what that is or how it works.

I can give one definite example: Viper Napuatzi. In the leveling compilation video on the first page, you can see at 21:40 the first cast she gets pushed back with no damage. Post-patch she's shattering consistently - I just tested it to check.

There's actually a few of the regular mobs in that zone that I'm pretty sure weren't popping before and are now - that was where I was playing through when the patch hit, which is why it stuck in my head. Just pointing to the Viper fight as a definite because there's a pre-patch video in the thread.

I think there might have been a pass of all the internal size values and it's based off of that. The patch notes did mention a change to the push-on-roll mechanic and which mobs it would affect.

"

Dirichlet2904#1647 wrote:

I can give one definite example: Viper Napuatzi. In the leveling compilation video on the first page, you can see at 21:40 the first cast she gets pushed back with no damage. Post-patch she's shattering consistently - I just tested it to check.

There's actually a few of the regular mobs in that zone that I'm pretty sure weren't popping before and are now - that was where I was playing through when the patch hit, which is why it stuck in my head. Just pointing to the Viper fight as a definite because there's a pre-patch video in the thread.

I think there might have been a pass of all the internal size values and it's based off of that. The patch notes did mention a change to the push-on-roll mechanic and which mobs it would affect.

oh, interesting. viper absolutely didn't. yeah.

what map is balbaba boss on? I forget.. should check her.

How are these builds Running CI with Eldritch Battery which removes your energy shield and maintaining a small amount of ES? Thought the only way to do that was with GhostWrithe which seems like a bug. ...NVM I see now, the amulet.

Confirmed. Frostwall works on balbaba and viper now directly.

not even pushing them into walls or anything. just explodes on cast under them.
And I agree. frost wall also now explodes on all the vaal guards, which it did not before.
smaller stuff like spiders, still not.


its not consistent enough to go EXCLUSVELY frostwall. but its pretty close...

This means we might be able to put Ingenuity in frostwall. go back to using timesnap to reset the wall charges, and JUST cast frostwall 95% of the time. with bomb, or bolt doing cleanup. its less effective in narrow corridors.

Meanwhile, PoB finally released: https://github.com/PathOfBuildingCommunity/PathOfBuilding-PoE2/releases

A bit limited, but whatever.
Another day, another game. For tomorrow tho.

"

Casia#1093 wrote:

JUST cast frostwall 95% of the time. with bolt doing cleanup.

That's exactly my gameplay 95% of the time =)

Anyway, that's a buff.

Been following this thread for a couple of weeks now, really appreciate all the insight people have shared. I've seen some crazy numbers here though and can't figure out what I'm missing -- my build still feels pretty weak. Is it mostly gear that boosts damage? Struggling to get over 2k mana/es, Frostbolt doing <1k, Wall <1150, Bomb ~3250. Cast on Critical only triggering every minute or so.

I know it's too much to ask anyone to explain every step I need to take to improve the situation, but does anything stand out as an obvious problem/oversight? Something I could change/add that would make a big difference? I do need to replace a couple of things (like my belt), but generally feel like my gear is decent for low budget... but maybe it isn't.

edit: currently level 78, and seem to do okay with dense mobs. Many Elites and Bosses are still troublesome as I find myself mostly dodging/running around spamming Walls and Bombs as much as I can.

"

Hugh_Jaynus#9160 wrote:

obvious problem/oversight?

- Get EB instead of some ES nodes. You already have Gaze, focus on getting more mana everywhere, and ES on gear.
- Archmage.
- Mana on kill jewels. Cheapest would do with Siphon anoint.
- Blasphemy + Temporal Chains instead of CoF. Fr.
- Ring/belt doesn't have mana, yes.
- Get some levels of Skill gems. You're 78 now, can get lvl 19 gems. Uncut t19 costs like 1-2 ex.
- Your gear is mostly good for its budget, besides ring/belt/jewels. But keep in mind that Chobi0ne's build is more expensive bc it requires more spirit to get going well. You can easily get 650 ES body for 1ex w/o spirit, while with the spirit they start from 60-70ex.
- Sceptre is the cheapest source of spirit. You can find 180+ for 1-3 ex.
If you 20% quality Blasphemy and CoC, you'll need a minimum 244 total spirit for everything. If you get 184 spirit sceptre, you will be able to fit Grim Feast with Clarity too, which will help you with ES well.

Anyway, yeah. I think I have to do a low-budget build now. Endgame is done, leveling is done. But must add smth between them. My early experience is definitely irrelevant now.

It can be somewhat budget friendly, I swapped from a totally different build at level 91.
Basically had to buy brand new scepter/wand/rings/amulet/gloves and Jewels. All under 1 Div + some ex (all I had at the time). I did this overtime while still using my old build thou.

Think the most expensive apart from weapon would be the jewels.

At that time, only 4 links. Slowly went from 17k frost orb explosions to now around 29k. But

"

Hugh_Jaynus#9160 wrote:

Been following this thread for a couple of weeks now, really appreciate all the insight people have shared. I've seen some crazy numbers here though and can't figure out what I'm missing -- my build still feels pretty weak. Is it mostly gear that boosts damage? Struggling to get over 2k mana/es, Frostbolt doing <1k, Wall <1150, Bomb ~3250. Cast on Critical only triggering every minute or so.

I know it's too much to ask anyone to explain every step I need to take to improve the situation, but does anything stand out as an obvious problem/oversight? Something I could change/add that would make a big difference? I do need to replace a couple of things (like my belt), but generally feel like my gear is decent for low budget... but maybe it isn't.

edit: currently level 78, and seem to do okay with dense mobs. Many Elites and Bosses are still troublesome as I find myself mostly dodging/running around spamming Walls and Bombs as much as I can.

yeah. major holes. first is this ssf or trade? if trade league, much of it is kind of bad. if ssf, some of its solid/ok, others weak. so keep in mind any advice here might apply more to ssf, or trade. if trade league, "go buy better" is generally going to be the answer, disregard any "use currency to craft" suggestions.

first lets point out some of the obvious stuff. which may or may not just be you leaving it out of the maxroll planer.

does your helm, gloves and boots have sockets and runes/soul cores or not?

is your gear all 20% quality?
scepter, armor, flasks.

If you don't have "the adorned" jewel, there is no reason to not toss exalts at those magic jewels. or trade for better ones.

There is no reason for any spell you have to still be 3 linked. 4l lesser's drop like candy.
(5 and 6l are far more rare, and those do require careful selection)

you have your spells set to level 20, with no quality. unclear what actual level they are, and quality.
gem quality is also fairly easy to get in poe2. but, which spells get the most out of it, greatly varies. frostwalls cdr is great, archamges 2% extra damage per is great, blash's reduced reseve is good, curse extra effect is good, bombs extra pen is ok.

personally im on t14 maps level 78/79 and only level 18 gems drop atm. trade league where you can just buy higher level ones could speed things up.


everlasting gaze, but no EB. This is weird. you have gaze and aren't over 2k es?
looks like you have about 500 base es. maybe up to 600 with quality. with I think like 250% increased. so, you have what, 1900ish es? but gaze should be putting you way over that..
Also, no raw mana, or intensity.
two es nodes below pure energy, instead of the 35% mana regen there.
Pathed across the middle by ruin/drenched, instead of 1 point up top to bridge, and 1 more to get whispers of doom.
just, here is a better version of that tree. you have so many wasted points in the middle. this is closer to moniks, then mine.
https://maxroll.gg/poe2/planner/aq2e90y5
since base ES is not huge. EB won't double your mana or anything. only maybe +600-700. 2200-2500? but you already have mom, so are already dealing with the massive penalty.


gem setups-
I think most of us dropped cold snap. it was useful during leveling, but as you get shotgun frost bolt, or bomb gets increased aoe with levels, and coc-comet does its job better, cold snap becomes mute. a wasted gemslot. which is needed for archamage/grimfeast, blink, etc.

cast on freeze is ok... but that impetus could be in coc.

what exactly is your crit rate? I would expect pretty frequent coc+comet with those passives, and wall/shotgun frostbolt. or bomb.



gear- gold ring is pretty bad.
didnt check the math, but you seem overcapped on resists? even if not, its still bad. 2 usefulstats. trade for better. or, if you have a decent replacement and are ssf... chaos rng..
belt is similarly weak. charm slot/big mana.
helm/gloves are hybrid. gloves do have great stats though.. helm similarly solid. both great if ssf. but could be better if trade.
boots are weaker. advanced. good mods, but midling tiers. again, "ok" if ssf, but could get way better if in trade.
chest is also good mods, but at the cost of ES. again, decent for SSF, weak for trade league.

hybrid gear is going to make getting over 2k es at this point tough.

rune sockets. you only show 2, and both are mana regen. those are not great. while regen is always good...
20% defense runes, would boost your ES/evade. es that could be converted into mana via eb.
or, 2% max mana soul cores which are more damage via archmage/arc intensity, and more regen.


high end scaling is bonkers. see my post on how +4 to skill levels is like 80% based damage increase.
or, the other last post explaining how 300 mana, and quality on archmage accounted for like 50% more damage.
so yeah, the difference between a base level 17 frost wall and a level 20 one is huge actually.
and archmage/no archmage is massive, and then on top of that a level 17 one, versus a level 21 one, or 21 with quality one.

my damage numbers in ssf don't look like moniks either. 1800ish mana atm, iirc. no archmage.
wall is like 1k. bomb is 8k iirc. level 18base spells.
im not sure if all his screenshots are with soul offering. which is a massive temp buff as well. the soul offering weapon swap setup is also something you could do.

also, bear in mind, if you only have 2500ish mana WITH EB, you probably won't have enough mana for coc, and archmage.
I was at 1500ish mana, and even coc alone would tap me out too often, and be dangerous during bosses. I def can't do both AM and CoC. did just change gear to get that 1800ish. iirc 330m/s regen. I might be able to do AM now.. but not both.
AM becomes massively more efficient with level and quality. as its damage scales faster then its mana drain. and there is a point, bosses are dead, before they drain your mana.

with CoC


with am (no quality)