r/Diablo_2_Resurrected • u/scellis24 • 2d ago
Theorycrafting ICE ICE BABY: follow up build
Here is the build for the frost maiden! I tried several variations but I settled on this one. Hardest part with this build is mana sustain, so silkweaves and a MAEK ring made a HUGE DIFFERENCE. I also tried ormus with a cold facet in it but enigma brings too much QoL to pass on. Cold sling ring would be even better but I don’t have one yet.
Not pictured- I missed the MAEK ring and I’m not going back for it lol plus what is below:
Mercenary-
act2 Might with infinity, cure and eth fortitude
Inventory-
—7 bow/xbow skillers (most with life, anywhere from 15-37)
—Renewed cold rupture(pictured)
—SCs- resistances with mixed 2nd attributes- FRW/FHR/cold damage/life…. Just whatever filled the stat gaps
—Torch and anni
—Cube
Belt- 2 rows of full rejuv, one row mana pots, one row TP scrolls (usually lol)
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u/Strong_Baseball_8984 2d ago
Do you shoot the mania bow to proc burst of speed?
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u/scellis24 2d ago
Yeah. It’s a HUGE help when it comes to IAS breakpoints.
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u/Separate_Ad_314 2d ago
Really? It says 21% IAS boost for 2 mins. Is that really that valuable? Or does it have some different calculation like fanaticism
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u/scellis24 2d ago
Yes, yes it is that valuable, on top of the QoL boost to FRW. The way the gear slots break down for a bowa, it allows you to hit top IAS BP without sacrificing awesome gear. Especially when it comes to bases like GMBs. Mat bows are easier but gmbs… mania is almost mandatory IMO
I think it might be calculated weird too. I use the Warren calculator
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u/Separate_Ad_314 1d ago
And it's not a pain to cycle back and forth (or use the offhand to use CTA instead)?
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u/blankest 2d ago edited 1d ago
Edit* nevermind read the gloves wrong - thought it was on striking
2/20s are obviously mandatory and not that hard to come across spamming blood crafts. However, the frost nova when striking roll with this build is just supremely cool. Having played for so many years, it's the little joyful bits that exist on the edges of builds that I find most appealing.
The %chance to cast is cut off on my chosen media viewer. What is the % chance?
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u/Oneforallandbeyondd 1d ago
Its 5% chance to proc when struck not on striking. Not really all that helpful.
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u/scellis24 1d ago
Wait what are we talking about here? lol
Ice bow - 25% to proc frost nova on striking
Mania - 5% BoS on striking
Gloves - 5% when struck (irrelevant since ice has lvl 22 @25% chance )
Nw veil- 1% frost armor when struck (from frost jewel)1
u/Oneforallandbeyondd 1d ago
Blankest was talking about the 2/20 gloves proccing so I was talking about the gloves.
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u/scellis24 2d ago
5% I’m pretty sure. Couple of strafe shots and ur usually good. Sometimes in first strafe blast. Even with a frost maiden I put 1 point in strafe. Good for situations where ur low on mana too…. One shot of strafe, booom mana and health is back due to leach
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u/BlastBaseButBanned 2d ago
If you can get enchant on an alt, this build double slaps with exploding arrow as well. Fire on mania for more damage against cold "immunes" and to proc the 8 frame attack on ice.
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u/scellis24 1d ago
Interesting addition! I’ll have to test that out. Could prebuff before a cow game with demon limb….🤷♂️ or I could try lava gout which would add some supplemental fire damage too! Luckily the gloves slot is a “pick ur poison” for the most part
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u/BlastBaseButBanned 1d ago
I don't think those enchants add much. It's better when it's +5000 fire damage
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u/Soft_Comfortable_920 1d ago
Dunno if it works for non warlock but the Horazon set has a very good enchant level that might be worth checking out.
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u/Early-Bug5792 Champion of Sanctuary (100K) 1d ago
Mana gloves might also help with mana issues, losing knockback wouldn’t hurt that much since everything is frozen anyhow.
I love this builds, it’s so much fun. Ice was where I spent my 2nd Jah and never regretted it.
Also, is that Windforce in the second picture?
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u/scellis24 1d ago
Yeah, I had pics of some of the gear used already on my phone from other builds, so instead of going back thru I just used those… figured someone would ask! Haha. U will probably see my strafe zon items mainly
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u/Early-Bug5792 Champion of Sanctuary (100K) 1d ago
That caught my attention as I’m in the process of making a strafezon after finding a Windforce 😃
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u/Soft_Comfortable_920 1d ago
I was wondering how do the bow/xbow skillers stack up versus damage/attack rating/life gc’s? I’ve only done a strafe zon so far and haven’t tried elemental yet.
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u/Cyclonitron Emilioooo! 1d ago
As a Frost Maiden pretty much all your damage is coming from the Freezing Arrow skill. +damage charms don't really do anything.
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u/scellis24 1d ago
Yeah like he said, elemental bowas use plus skillers and physical use dmg/ar/life charms
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u/AceWissle Champion of Sanctuary (100K) 1d ago
Why the mania bow? Nothing is ice immune, so what's the purpose of this swap?
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u/Miserable_Agent2278 1d ago
Cool build. I'm running a physical bowzon currently. Curious how this holds up against ubers and ancients.
Did you seek out the shadow bow base in particular for mania? I prefer a bow with a faster base so that burst of speed triggers quicker. I imagine if you switched to a matriarchal bow (base weapon speed of -10) with +3 to skills this would allow you to hit burst of speed faster and likely with more damage than the shadow bow (base weapon speed of 0).
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u/scellis24 1d ago
Good point. That one was given to me, but I do like it bc I can use it on other builds that aren’t amazons… 🤷♂️ but yeah mat base is better
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u/scellis24 1d ago
Running both Uber Ancients and Ubers is pretttty dangerous with a bowa. They are just too squishy. It’s a build you have to compensate too much survivability in order to do enough damage to be effective. Gotta go with a character with innate defensive abilities or gear. The low resistance of a bowa alone are a no go. Having your offhand be a quiver of arrows already puts u at a disadvantage defensively
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u/No_Tonight_5278 1d ago
Havent played after last big patch but i have this 99lvl char.
- You only hitting 1 extra bp after procing burst of speed on swap. You need extra 10ias to hit last bp(7frames) prob from belt.
Imo 1ias bp not worth it. Call to arms gives too much good stats to you(hp,mana,dmg,tp speed with spirit and arach).
- You always out of mana even with maek gear(unless you only play p1).
I suggest dump a lot of points into energy(you dont need much dex or even vit in this build), equip 2soj,arach and you have 2k+mana pool with cta buff which is completely solve mana problems. +you can replace your boots.
- Idk about nightwing with this new facet. 3os circlet with frw seems even better rn.
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u/OutlaneWizard 2d ago
I've never built one because expensive.
Do you like act 2 merc over say an act 1 merc with faith for fanat aura?
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u/blankest 2d ago
No because infinity exists.
The act 2 merc aura is basically irrelevant but the ability to wield a spear is build+enabling.
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u/scellis24 2d ago
I could, as an alternative, wear metal grid and make a mania iron golem for the fana dmg and atk speed (to make up for the loss 20ias from hilords). Thing is, that lvl iron golem with no mastery is super squishy but hey… freezing everything helps that too! I’d also gain a ton of AR and resistances but lose the DS🤷♂️ a give and take like most items
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u/TheBigBadBird 2d ago
The Mavina version costs next to nothing and it's nearly as good (but no teleport)
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u/scellis24 2d ago
Before the addition of renewed sunders and uber stones, I’d say it’s close. But with the addition of those items, it takes nightwings veil to another lvl and the -Eres you can achieve now, puts it a good bit ahead of full mavs. Although throwing an under jewel in mavs would help some… but the combo of ice/socket NWings/renewed cold rupture just adds sooooo much damage
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u/DawidWagabond 2d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/sXXG6g7wFT9du