Want build help: Freeze monk struggling in mid-tier maps

I've been going through maps with my freeze invoker reasonably consistently, but I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall around tier 9 maps, particularly in survivability, though my damage is also falling off a bit. I'm using CI+EY, so chaos damage isn't a problem, and my other resists are capped. EHP is 3k (plus overflow from grim feast), evasion is 4k (up to 6k with wind dancer). Main damage comes from ice strike with a listed DPS of 14k (with max inevitable critical, or 12k without) and tempest bell as needed (dmg is 5k impact, 3k shockwave), though a lot of the clear speed comes from herald of ice (5k dmg) and shattering palm (1.6k explosion dmg), plus ephemeral bonuses like ice bite, exposure, etc. Glacial cascade is mainly there for support and having a ranged option if I need it.
I feel like I really high-rolled on gear early on (great phys quarterstaff, 3-charm belt, good resist accessories), which carried me until here, but now the issues in my build are starting to show. I do have quite a bit of currency saved up, so I can probably afford to upgrade some of my gear if I knew what to look for. However, the defensive rolls on my helmet and body armor are already really good, and the contribution from gloves and boots doesn't feel as significant on that front, so I'm not sure what to get now that won't break the bank.
Since I'm already using the relevant charms, I'm thinking of refunding the points for freeze and stun threshold, and instead allocating them towards falcon technique (attack speed), spectral ward (energy shield), and/or coming calamity (damage). I'm also considering swapping out wind dancer or hypothermia for ghost dancer. I'd appreciate any input on these plans or any other ideas on how to fix my build. Thanks in advance.
https://maxroll.gg/poe2/planner/or1qw0ww

I think you commited to crit too early. Id delay that until lvl85-90.
You simply dont have enough points that early to justify the investment.


Consequently Id do this:

1. Remove crit

2. Go for all the atk speed you can get instead aka Falcon Technique, Profiency and Enhanced Reflexes combo. Might as well grab Bestial Skin while you are at it.

3. Go for freeze build-up so you can freeze all the big baddies and avoid dmg that way. Which why Id drop either Snowpiercer and/or Harness the Elements and go for Heavy Frost, Thin Ice and One with the River - if you can reach it.

4. Grab a lvl7 uncut skillgem or buy one and create a new Hypothermia curse.
Curses are terrible right now in terms of cost/benefit. Its not worth leveling them up - ever. Just leave them at the lowest lvl possible and avoid the mana issues.

5. If you havent already use Gemcutter Prisms on Icestrike for MORE atk speed.
Thats a multiplier and synergizes very well with step 2 and is also why crit isnt worth it until much later.

6. Invest some 40ex on the currency exchange market and buy a greater jewellers orb to add another socket to your Icestrike. That should be some 20% more dmg, depending on your support of choice obviously. But the idea is simple: If you hit harder, you will either freeze or kill your enemies faster and they cant hurt you.

7. Consider buying a "Polcirkeln" ring and do your 3rd ascendancy. Go for Im the Blizzard. This combo allows Herald of Ice to go absolutely bonkers and clear entire screens, if the density allows it.

8. If you dont need as much Int anymore (assuming that mostly for the highlvl curse) drop that entire northern path and go for more atk speed and freeze build-up if you can.
Thats the bread&butter of this build.

9. Drop "High Alert" and anoint it with Distilled Emotions from Breach instead. This is a fairly cheap anoint and Id recommend to invest those points elsewhere.

10. Profit - I guess ;)


Cheers

Thank you for your input.

1. Yeah, that's fair. I was kinda coasting through the cruel campaign and crit seemed like the next thing to go for, but in hindsight it probably wasn't optimal.

2. Good idea, that combo seems pretty nasty.

3. I'll give it a shot :)

4. That's smart; the benefits from higher curses levels are just too marginal to justify.

5. I've been saving a few up since they've been pretty rare, but this feels like it's worth spending up the hoard.

6. What supports would you recommend here? I'm going to have two free slots since I'll also be removing inevitable critical. The ones that seem the most helpful are cold penetration, concentrated effect, and cold mastery, though none of them seem ideal.

7. It's about time I braved the third floor of the trial. I've been collecting some relics here and there, so hopefully it's not too bad. I've had my eye on Polcirkeln for a bit now, but I hadn't thought of this combo.

8. I also need it for cast on freeze and frost bomb. Either way, the extra energy shield from Patient Barrier is nice, and the extra int there means I can take more dex for attack speed elsewhere.

9. Oh wow that's really cheap! I don't even need to buy anything lol, thanks for the tip.

10. That's the goal :p

Thanks again!

"

MithicSpirit#5030 wrote:

What supports would you recommend here? I'm going to have two free slots since I'll also be removing inevitable critical. The ones that seem the most helpful are cold penetration, concentrated effect, and cold mastery, though none of them seem ideal.

Welcome!


Ive been using:

Icestrike - Cold Infusion - Martial Tempo - Ice Bite - Crescendo

and

Tempest Bell - Glaciation - Primal Armament - Heavy Swing - Rage


as my main setups.


You will be freezing trashmobs easily all the time. Thats not an issue and for rares or bosses just drop the Bell and Glaciation support takes care of business


Good luck with the trial and stay sane xD

I disagre about the crit comment. I transition to crit around 60.

You want to drop shattering palm and glacial in favor of double herald and charged staff.

Your ice strike dps is a bit low, mine was around 16k restimg (and 48k with combat buffs), but you should be fine.

Look at my build..

https://maxroll.gg/poe2/planner/grgr2013