PoE Ice Crash of Cadence Build 3.25 – Path of Exile: Settlers of Kalguur

The Ice Crash of Cadence build in Path of Exile offers a unique playstyle that utilizes dual-wielding to deliver powerful area-of-effect (AoE) melee attacks. This build leverages the unique mechanics of Ice Crash to maximize cold damage, AoE, and overall damage effectiveness, making it highly effective for both single-target and group encounters. By focusing on alternating slams with the main hand and off hand weapons, players can deal significant damage and control large areas. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of how to optimize an Ice Crash of Cadence build in the 3.25 patch, ensuring you maximize your damage output and efficiency.

Key Features of Ice Crash of Cadence

Ice Crash of Cadence (Level 20):

• Attack, AoE, Cold, Slam, Melee: Ice Crash of Cadence is a melee attack that slams the ground, dealing cold damage in an area. The main hand weapon deals more damage, while the off hand weapon has a larger area of effect.
• Mana Cost: 11 mana.
• Attack Speed: 90% of base.
• Attack Damage: 458.7% of base.
• Effectiveness of Added Damage: 458%.
• Quality: +20%.
• Requirements: Requires Level 70, 98 Strength, 68 Intelligence.
• Ice Crash of Cadence Mechanics:
  • Gain 15% of physical damage as extra cold damage.
  • 100% of physical damage converted to cold damage.
  • 80% more damage with main hand weapon.
  • Main hand base radius is 1.1 metres.
  • Off hand base radius is 3.1 metres.
  • Requires dual-wielding swords, maces, sceptres, or axes to use.

Building Around Ice Crash of Cadence

1. Weapon Choice:

• High Physical Damage Dual-Wielding Weapons: Prioritize weapons with high base physical damage to maximize the conversion to cold damage. Look for weapons with increased attack speed, critical strike chance, and added cold damage.

2. Passive Skill Tree:

• Focus on nodes that enhance cold damage, physical damage, melee damage, area of effect, and critical strike chance. Specific clusters to prioritize include those near the Marauder, Templar, and Duelist start areas.
• Consider pathing to nodes that increase life, resistances, and defensive attributes to maintain survivability.

Ascendancy Choices

1. Juggernaut:

• Unflinching: Grants Endurance Charge generation and reduces physical damage taken.
• Unstoppable: Grants immunity to stuns and movement impairments.
• Unbreakable: Increases armor and grants life recovery based on physical damage prevention.
• Unyielding: Enhances fortify and provides damage reduction.

2. Champion:

• Unstoppable Hero: Grants increased attack speed, damage, and immunity to stuns while you have fortify.
• Fortitude: Grants fortify, providing damage reduction and increased defenses.
• Inspirational: Increases the effect of non-curse auras from your skills.
• First to Strike, Last to Fall: Provides increased damage and survivability.

Support Gems

1. Main Skill Setup:

• Ice Crash of Cadence: Primary melee attack skill.
• Support Gems: Melee Physical Damage, Increased Area of Effect, Cold Penetration, Elemental Damage with Attacks, and Hypothermia.

2. Secondary Skill Setup:

• Ancestral Warchief: Totem skill to enhance melee damage.
• Support Gems: Multiple Totems, Melee Physical Damage, and Elemental Damage with Attacks.

3. Utility Skills:

• Hatred: Aura to increase cold damage.
• Herald of Ice: Aura to increase cold damage and shatter enemies.
• Steelskin / Immortal Call: For defense.
• Leap Slam / Shield Charge: For mobility.
• War Banner: For increased accuracy and physical damage.

Armor and Accessories

1. Armor:

• Body Armor: Prioritize armor with high life, resistances, and increased cold damage. Consider options like Carcass Jack for increased area of effect and damage.
• Helmet, Gloves, and Boots: Look for items that boost life, resistances, attack speed, and cold damage. Consider using items with increased armor and defensive mods.

2. Accessories:

• Amulet and Rings: Focus on items that enhance cold damage, physical damage, life, and resistances. Look for mods that increase attack speed and critical strike chance.
• Belt: A Stygian Vise with life, resistances, and increased cold damage is ideal.

Flask Setup

1. Life Flask:

• Instant Recovery: For emergency healing.

2. Utility Flasks:

• Granite Flask: For increased armor.
• Basalt Flask: For physical damage reduction.
• Quicksilver Flask: For increased movement speed.
• Diamond Flask: For increased critical strike chance.
• Silver Flask: For increased movement and attack speed.

Combat Strategy

1. Engaging Enemies:

• Use Ice Crash of Cadence to deal significant area-of-effect damage and freeze enemies, alternating between main hand and off hand slams to maximize damage and coverage. Utilize Leap Slam or Shield Charge for mobility and positioning.

2. Utilizing Ascendancy Passives:

• Leverage the Juggernaut or Champion passives to enhance your defenses and damage output. Use Juggernaut for increased endurance charges and physical damage mitigation, and Champion for fortify and increased attack speed.

3. Managing Buffs and Debuffs:

• Maintain high uptime on Hatred and Herald of Ice to boost your cold damage and shatter enemies. Use War Banner to increase accuracy and damage. Apply flasks to enhance your damage, resistances, and survivability during combat.

Example Builds

1. Juggernaut Ice Crash of Cadence Build:

• Focus on endurance charge generation and physical damage mitigation.
• Utilize Unflinching and Unyielding to maximize survivability and damage reduction.
• Use support gems that enhance cold damage and area of effect.

2. Champion Ice Crash of Cadence Build:

• Focus on fortify and increased attack speed.
• Utilize Unstoppable Hero and Fortitude to maximize survivability and damage output.
• Use support gems that enhance cold damage and attack speed.

Conclusion

The Ice Crash of Cadence build for Path of Exile 3.25 offers a powerful and unique playstyle for melee enthusiasts who enjoy dealing significant area-of-effect damage and freezing enemies. By focusing on maximizing physical to cold damage conversion, area of effect, and overall damage effectiveness, players can effectively dominate both single-target and group encounters. Proper gear selection, passive skill tree planning, and strategic use of ascendancy passives will ensure that you unleash the full potential of this powerful skill. Equip your weapons, prepare your flasks, and slam the ground with the chilling force of Ice Crash of Cadence to crush your enemies with overwhelming might.