PoE 2 Frozen Locus
It is a Skill Gem.
Attack
AoE, Duration, Cold, Melee
Tier: 1 (Monk)
Level: 1
Cost: 13 Mana
Attack Speed: 70% of base
Attack Damage: 100%
Requires: Level 1
Requires: Quarterstaff
Leap backward and strike the ground with your staff to call forth an Ice Crystal, which creates Chilled Ground around it and can be damaged by you and enemies. If the Crystal is destroyed it an icy explosion that deals Attack damage but does not use your weapon’s damage.
- Ice Crystal duration is 6 seconds
- Ice Crystal has 43 maximum Life
- Chilled Ground radius is 3 metres
Skills can be managed in the Skills Panel.
Buy PoE 2 Currency Fast
- Buy PoE 2 Currency Cheap (6% off coupon: z123). Path of Exile 2 currency items. Payment: PayPal, Skrill, Cryptocurrencies.
Frozen Locus is a Cold-based Melee Attack skill in Path of Exile 2 that combines AoE damage, Cold effects, and strategic positioning. As part of the Monk skill tree, it introduces a unique interaction with Ice Crystals, offering both offensive and defensive capabilities for builds centered around Cold Damage and AoE control.
Key Details of Frozen Locus
- Gem Type: Skill Gem
- Skill Type: Attack, AoE, Duration, Cold, Melee
- Tier: 1 (Monk)
- Level Requirement: 1
- Mana Cost: 13 Mana
- Attack Speed: 70% of base
- Attack Damage: 100%
- Requires: Level 1
- Weapon Requirement: Quarterstaff
- Effect: Leap backward and strike the ground with your staff, summoning an Ice Crystal that creates Chilled Ground around it. The crystal has a limited lifespan and can be destroyed, triggering an icy explosion that deals Attack damage, but without using the weapon’s damage.
How Frozen Locus Works
Frozen Locus is a unique skill that offers mobility, crowd control, and Cold damage potential. Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
1. Leap and Strike:
- Frozen Locus allows the character to leap backward, positioning themselves at a safe distance from enemies. This leap provides both mobility and strategic advantage, as it can be used to escape or reposition for better attacks.
- Upon landing, the character strikes the ground with their staff, summoning an Ice Crystal in the targeted area.
2. Ice Crystal Summoning:
- The Ice Crystal created by the strike has a 6-second duration and serves multiple purposes. It provides a Chilled Ground effect that slows down enemies within its radius (3 meters), making them more vulnerable to further Cold-based attacks and Freeze effects.
- The Ice Crystal can be damaged by both the player and enemies. If the crystal is destroyed, it triggers a cold explosion that deals Attack damage, but without using the player’s weapon damage.
3. Chilled Ground:
- The Chilled Ground around the Ice Crystal slows enemies, making it useful for crowd control. It synergizes well with other Cold-based effects, such as Freeze and Chill, allowing for a combination of damage and debuffs to enemy targets.
- The 3-meter radius of the Chilled Ground creates a zone of control, slowing enemy movement and making it easier to land additional hits.
4. Explosion upon Crystal Destruction:
- When the Ice Crystal is destroyed (either by the player or enemies), it triggers an explosive effect, dealing Attack damage to all enemies in its vicinity. However, the explosion does not use the player’s weapon damage. Instead, it deals a fixed amount of damage based on the Attack damage of the skill itself.
- This explosion provides additional AoE damage, making Frozen Locus an excellent tool for dealing with groups of enemies, especially when combined with other Cold damage modifiers.
5. Crystal Life and Duration:
- The Ice Crystal has 43 maximum Life, and it will exist for a maximum of 6 seconds unless destroyed earlier. The crystal’s relatively low life means it is somewhat fragile, and players will need to time their attacks and use other skills to ensure the crystal’s effectiveness before it is destroyed by enemies.
Synergies with Other Skills and Builds
Frozen Locus works well in Cold-based builds and can be combined with other AoE, crowd control, or damage amplification skills. Here are some synergies and strategies for integrating Frozen Locus into your build:
1. Cold Damage Builds:
- As a Cold-based skill, Frozen Locus benefits from Cold damage modifiers. Pairing it with Cold Penetration or Hypothermia can significantly increase its damage potential.
- The Chilled Ground effect it creates is perfect for Freeze and Chill-focused builds. By slowing enemies and increasing their susceptibility to Freeze, you can trigger Freeze effects more easily.
2. Melee and AoE Builds:
- Frozen Locus provides both melee damage and AoE control. The explosive effect when the Ice Crystal is destroyed can deal substantial AoE damage, especially in crowd control situations.
- Combining it with Area of Effect (AoE) scaling nodes or skills like Cleave or Sweeping Strikes allows you to take full advantage of its explosive damage when enemies are near the Ice Crystal.
3. Mobility and Control:
- The leap backward effect of Frozen Locus offers excellent mobility, allowing you to create distance between yourself and enemies. This is particularly useful for Monk builds, where positioning and defensive strategies play an important role in surviving high-damage encounters.
- Combining Frozen Locus with Leap Slam or other movement skills can create a dynamic and evasive playstyle, allowing you to quickly reposition and set up Ice Crystals to deal AoE Cold damage.
4. Support Gems:
- Cold Penetration: This gem helps reduce enemies’ Cold Resistance, making your Frozen Locus damage more effective.
- Hypothermia: As a Cold skill, Hypothermia can increase the damage of Frozen Locus when enemies are slowed or frozen, especially in combination with the Chilled Ground it creates.
- Increased Area of Effect: This gem increases the Chilled Ground radius and the explosion radius of the Ice Crystal, making it more effective in crowd control and AoE damage.
Pros and Cons of Frozen Locus
Pros:
- Mobility: The leap backward provides excellent repositioning and escape potential.
- Crowd Control: The Chilled Ground and Cold damage effects can slow and freeze enemies, making it great for crowd control and Freeze-based builds.
- AoE Damage: The explosion from the Ice Crystal provides AoE Cold damage without relying on your weapon’s damage, adding versatility.
- Duration: The 6-second duration of the Ice Crystal allows ample time to deal damage and strategically use the effect.
Cons:
- Fragile Ice Crystal: The Ice Crystal has relatively low health (43 Life), and it can be destroyed quickly by enemies, limiting its effectiveness.
- Damage Scaling: The explosion damage does not benefit from weapon scaling, which may limit its damage potential in high-level content.
- Limited AoE Radius: The Chilled Ground radius (3 meters) is relatively small, meaning its effectiveness depends on enemy positioning.
Tips for Using Frozen Locus
- Strategic Placement: Use Frozen Locus to leap backward and create Chilled Ground in areas where enemies are likely to move. This will allow you to control their movement while dealing damage.
- Time the Explosion: The explosive damage from the Ice Crystal can be a significant source of AoE Cold damage. Be mindful of when the crystal is likely to be destroyed to trigger the explosion at the optimal moment.
- Synergize with Freeze Builds: The Chilled Ground from the Ice Crystal is perfect for Freeze-focused builds. Pairing this with Freeze-inducing skills or items can increase your chances of locking enemies in place.
- Combine with Other Movement Skills: The leap backward effect of Frozen Locus works well in combination with other movement skills like Leap Slam or Whirling Blades, allowing you to quickly reposition while controlling the battlefield.
Conclusion
Frozen Locus is a powerful Cold Melee Attack skill that offers a combination of mobility, crowd control, and AoE damage. With its ability to summon an Ice Crystal that creates Chilled Ground and deals explosive damage when destroyed, it fits well into Cold Damage and Melee builds. Whether you’re looking to control enemies with Chilled Ground, use mobility for positioning, or deal AoE Cold damage, Frozen Locus provides a versatile tool for Monk builds focused on Cold and Melee mechanics.