Attack
Projectile, AoE, Cold
Level: 4
Cost: 10 Mana
Attack Speed: 45% of base
Attack Damage: 313%
Requires: Level 9, 14 Dex, 14 Int
Requires: Spear
Throw an icy copy of your spear that deals cold damage. After a short distance it arms, massively boosting its damage. When the spear breaks against an enemy it deals damage in a cone shaped area behind them.
Converts 70% of Physical Damage to Cold Damage
Base radius is 2.5 metres
When armed
Deals 80% more Damage
Converts 70% of Physical Damage to Cold Damage
20% chance for Hits to be Freezing
Base radius is 2.5 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.
Ice Spear is a powerful Cold-based Attack skill gem in Path of Exile 2 designed for Spear-wielding characters who want to combine projectile damage with Cold effects. This skill allows you to throw an icy version of your spear, which becomes much more powerful after traveling a short distance. The spear not only deals damage to enemies directly hit but also explodes in a cone-shaped AoE behind the target, delivering more Cold damage. Ice Spear is perfect for those who want to combine single-target damage with AoE Cold damage for clearing large groups of enemies.
Key Details of Ice Spear
Gem Type: Skill Gem
Skill Type: Attack, Projectile, AoE, Cold
Level Requirement: 4
Mana Cost: 10
Attack Speed: 45% of base
Attack Damage: 313%
Physical to Cold Conversion: Converts 70% of Physical Damage to Cold Damage
Freeze Chance: 20% chance for Hits to be Freezing
Radius: Base radius of 2.5 meters
Requires: Level 9, 14 Dex, 14 Int, Spear
Damage Boost: Deals 80% more Damage when armed
When Armed: Significantly boosts damage and adds Cold effects
How Ice Spear Works
Ice Spear is an intriguing and unique projectile attack that combines the range of a Spear with Cold damage mechanics. Here’s how it works:
Throwing the Spear:
The skill throws an icy copy of your Spear at your target. Initially, the spear deals Cold damage but does not have its full potential.
Arming the Spear:
After a short distance, the spear becomes armed, which means it significantly boosts its damage output by 80%. This phase makes the spear much more powerful, and you’ll want to use it against enemies that are further away to maximize its potential.
Impact and Cone AoE:
When the spear impacts an enemy, it breaks, causing an explosion of Cold damage in a cone-shaped area behind the target. This adds AoE Cold damage, making it effective against groups of enemies or when fighting in tight spaces. This secondary explosion helps Ice Spear deal both single-target and AoE damage simultaneously.
Cold Damage Conversion:
Ice Spear converts 70% of Physical Damage into Cold Damage, which makes it an excellent skill for Cold damage scaling, particularly in builds that focus on Cold or Elemental damage. The cold-based explosion and projectile damage are particularly devastating when combined with Cold-boosting modifiers.
Freezing Chance:
Ice Spear also has a 20% chance for Hits to Freeze enemies. This makes it a reliable skill for Freezing enemies, slowing them down and opening them up for additional attacks or movement. Freeze mechanics provide great crowd control, allowing you to keep enemies at bay and prevent them from dealing damage.
Synergies with Other Skills and Builds
Ice Spear is a versatile skill that can fit into several Cold damage builds, particularly those utilizing Spear-based weapons. Here are some synergies that work well with Ice Spear:
1. Cold Damage Builds
Ice Spear converts a significant portion of its Physical damage into Cold damage, meaning that it benefits from Cold damage scaling, such as Cold Penetration or Hypothermia. These modifiers can make your Ice Spear even more powerful, particularly when Freeze is triggered.
2. Projectile and AoE Scaling
Since Ice Spear is a projectile, it can synergize well with projectile scaling. Support gems like Greater Multiple Projectiles (GMP) or Pierce can allow your spear to hit more targets, especially useful when dealing with large groups of enemies.
Projectile Speed and Area of Effect (AoE) scaling will further enhance the effectiveness of the skill, allowing you to hit more enemies and increase the damage radius.
3. Freeze and Chill Mechanics
Ice Spear‘s 20% Freeze chance makes it an excellent option for Freeze-based builds. Combine it with Cold debuffs, such as Frostbite or Frost Bomb, to increase the Freeze chance and provide better crowd control.
The Freeze mechanic synergizes well with Chill effects, slowing enemies to give you more time to react. The Cold-based damage and the 20% Freeze chance can shut down enemy actions and make them easier to handle.
4. Spear and Melee Synergy
Since Ice Spear requires a Spear, this skill fits perfectly into builds that use Spear or Polearm weapons. These weapons often have high base damage, and combining them with Cold damage modifiers or projectile scaling can lead to devastating effects. If you have Spear-based passives, this skill becomes even more potent.
5. AoE Scaling and Cluster Jewels
Ice Spear benefits greatly from AoE scaling, making it a great option for Cluster Jewel builds. If your build focuses on AoE damage or uses AoE-enhancing modifiers, this skill will provide substantial damage output and coverage across larger groups of enemies.
Pros and Cons of Ice Spear
Pros:
Massive Damage Boost When Armed: The 80% more damage when the spear is armed makes Ice Spear extremely powerful, particularly against single-target enemies or bosses.
Cone AoE Explosion: The cone-shaped explosion behind the target makes it effective against multiple enemies, dealing Cold damage in an area around the target.
Freeze Chance: The 20% chance for Hits to Freeze provides good crowd control, allowing you to slow and lock down enemies for better positioning and damage.
Cold Damage Conversion: The 70% Physical to Cold conversion makes the skill compatible with Cold scaling and Cold damage modifiers, especially useful in builds focused on Freeze effects.
Cons:
Short Range Before Arming: Ice Spear needs to travel a short distance before it becomes armed, meaning that you must position yourself correctly to maximize its potential.
Requires Specific Weapon: The skill requires a Spear to use, which limits the weapon choices for players who prefer other types of weapons like Bows or Swords.
Mana Cost: The 10 Mana cost per shot is relatively low, but if you’re using it frequently in large engagements, you may need to ensure sufficient mana regeneration or mana cost reduction.
Tips for Using Ice Spear
Positioning for Maximum Damage: Ensure that the spear travels far enough to become armed before impacting enemies. This maximizes the damage boost and ensures that you’re dealing 80% more damage.
Maximize Freeze Effects: Combine Ice Spear with skills that apply Freeze to increase the 20% Freeze chance. Skills like Frostbite and Frost Bomb will help you control enemies and trigger Freeze effects.
Leverage AoE Scaling: The cone AoE explosion can deal significant Cold damage to multiple enemies. Use AoE scaling modifiers to increase the radius and damage of the explosion.
Combine with Projectile Scaling: Ice Spear benefits from projectile-scaling passives, support gems like Greater Multiple Projectiles, and items that boost projectile speed. This will increase the skill’s effectiveness in both single-target and AoE scenarios.
Conclusion
Ice Spear is a powerful Cold attack skill in Path of Exile 2 that provides a unique mix of projectile damage, Cold effects, and AoE Cold damage. The skill’s ability to convert Physical damage to Cold damage, along with its Freeze chance and cone AoE explosion, makes it ideal for players looking to deal both single-target and group damage while utilizing Cold mechanics. Whether you’re aiming to freeze your enemies, deal devastating damage, or take advantage of Spear-based builds, Ice Spear is an excellent addition to your arsenal.