[3.0] Cold snap build idea

True, forgot about void batteries, they are way better.
Just were too pricey for me before.
About scion... can't make the dps better in any way than the elementalist.
Also tried to fast test this character on standard and it works fine, just don't have enough points to test it for high maps.

edit:
Some changes, now 82,5% base chance to crit + diamond flask (4 uses) for starting and bosses.
Just what to drop because lvl 94 is to high.

https://pastebin.com/wgiw9jnq

True, this build in the end is just something fun to play.
Also I too think this skill should have the highest base damage from all cold skills to compensate the charge consumption.

I dont really like the vaal pact. Maybe it would be better to just go ES.

I tried going with scion and it shows better numbers: https://pastebin.com/PzcQchcv

It´s lvl 100. At 90 I would cut Deep Thoughts, Mind Drinker and Intuitive Leap.

The skill has great damage effectiveness, so maybe the way to scale would be flat damage. You have sources such as flat damage on spell weapons, added cold, ice bite, and essence of horror rings.

I was theory crafting a cold snap build last night, in path of building.
435k avg hit and 3.84 cast speed with spell echo. 30+ aoe with inc aoe, 23 with conc effect.
Keep in mind that i haven't tried the build yet, but i will soon.
I won't share all details with you yet, since i want it to be my unoque and homemade build, but i will share pastebin at some point, when i've made the build, as well as tested it.

Though i can tell you this. Voll's protector is a MUST unless you want to lose power charges upon reaching max. (Malachai's loop)
Also there is a way i think will sustain single target power charges. Voll's protector + inya's epiphany :)
Also if u got assassin ascendancy you get chance to gain crit on non crit, and if yoy go occultist u get a chance to gain pcoc.. that and with those 2 unqiues, should be sufficient vs bosses..
Your mana problem is solved with warlords mark and berek's grip ring.. easy leech.

I find triple curse nessecary, if you want high dps also.. warlords, frostbite, ele weakness.

That's all i want to share for now. But i am always open for discussion about

Oh and about the dps, i think assassin will be way higher than elementalist :)

New staff that gives power charges. Any way to make use of the chaos damage part?

Forum - Announcements - Upcoming Unique Items - Path of Exile
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/2027810

Why are you doing this to me today xD I have to learn for a test tomorrow morning...
Anyway...
I made it quickly, so may need some adjustments:

https://pastebin.com/frxBc4d5


Everything up and 86% conversion to chaos.
It got higher damage potential but only with stacked up wither (including that most monsters doesn't resist chaos as much as cold).
And you will somehow need to get your chaos res high too.
If you don't mind it go for it.
Also if you find anything to improve, as always, share with everyone :)

P.S. not sure if dusktoe is worth it, so maybe stick with mutewind.
P.S.2. if you are crazy you could incorporate https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Malachai%27s_Vision malachai's vision into the build and do a hybrid or go full es and change the tree completely, but corrupting ALL eq is just so... you know what...

Problem is, you need to spend 200 mana to gain power charge, but the skill is using only 91. No other reliable way of generating power charges might be problematic, Assassin's Mark is great and all but you won't be able to do bosses, probably even OoS+PCoC won't be enough.
326k dps vs map bosses fully buffed is quite good but getting Power Charges reliably will probably mean some dps/defensive sacrifices. Either Romira's and non-crit (lower dps) or Voll's (much lower life), as I don't think staff will be enough on its own.

I don't think Cold Snap will be worth building around when its use is restricted by Power Charge mechanics while at the same time Frostbolt and Freezing Pulse are not only much easier to build but also provide higher dps. I've tried both crit and non-crit Cold Snap this league, however I concentrated a bit more on freeze duration and single hit damage (so no Spell Echo) to freeze bosses more reliably. Sadly, damage wasn't there and anything above t11 was really hard to freeze, even with freeze duration jewels.

true, need to somehow up mana cost or get the pale council boots.
actually fevered mindx2 wouldn't be so bad, but would need to get more mana regen again
or maybe both xD
this is getting expensive by now but something like that would probably do it:
https://pastebin.com/YgifWc1e
tell me what do you think :)
also just a note, there are builds better and cheaper than this one, but where is fun in that :P

You won't actually need this much mana regen since you have quite a bit of leech going, which is more then sustainable with the amount of unreserved mana that you have.
Fevered Mind definately synergizes with the staff. Overall its a great chaos conversion attempt.

I'm personally a bit bitter about spending money on CS mtx before actually testing the skill, but that's my fault only. The skill is fun to use and and even though its mechanic is restricting, there are a few clever ways of sustaining Power Charges, and new staff will hopefully be one of them as well.
Now GGG just needs to double/triple CS's damage so its usable :D

"

also just a note, there are builds better and cheaper than this one, but where is fun in that :P

I've had loads of fun with my Elemetalist, scaling proliferating ignites (Abberaths') and poison prolif (Bino's) with Flameblast. Build was fun but struggled to survive in red tiers and couldn't even reliably finish tier 12 bosses. It did however made me 100% sure that building around ailment damage scaled from hits is way inferior to just scaling hit damage, poison and ignites are dead.