PoE 2 Permafrost Bolts – Path of Exile 2

PoE 2 Permafrost Bolts

It is a Skill Gem.

Ammunition
Attack, AoE, Projectile, Cold
Tier: 1 (Mercenary)
Level: 4
Cost: 6 Mana
Requires: Level 10, 15 Str, 15 Dex
Requires: Crossbow

Loads your Crossbow with icy bolts that fire in a burst, damaging enemies on hit and in a small cone behind the target. They icy coating on the bolts makes them extremely potent at Freezing enemies.

Attack Damage: 17%
Converts 80% of Physical Damage to Cold Damage
Knocks Back Enemies
300% more Freeze Buildup
Multiple Bolts from one burst can hit the same target
Bolts shatter on impact, dealing Damage in a 1.6 metre cone
Fires 10 Bolts per burst

Skills can be managed in the Skills Panel.

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Permafrost Bolts is a versatile Ammunition skill gem in Path of Exile 2, designed for Mercenary builds using crossbows. This powerful attack skill imbues your crossbow bolts with cold damage, allowing you to deal devastating damage while also applying powerful freeze effects. Whether you’re targeting single enemies or multiple foes, Permafrost Bolts excels at dealing cold damage, knocking back enemies, and freezing them with enhanced effectiveness.

Key Details of Permafrost Bolts

Gem Type: Skill Gem
Skill Type: Ammunition, Attack, AoE, Projectile, Cold
Tier: 1 (Mercenary)
Level Requirement: 4
Mana Cost: 6 Mana per use
Requires: Level 10, 15 Strength, 15 Dexterity
Weapon Requirements: Crossbow
Attack Damage: 17%
Cold Damage Conversion: Converts 80% of Physical Damage to Cold Damage
Freeze Buildup: 300% more Freeze Buildup
Projectile Effect: Fires 10 bolts per burst, with each bolt dealing damage in a small cone behind the target.
Knockback: Knocks back enemies hit by the bolts.
Shatter Effect: Bolts shatter upon impact, dealing damage in a 1.6-metre cone.
Impact Cone Radius: 1.6 metres

How Permafrost Bolts Works

Permafrost Bolts is a projectile-based attack that unleashes cold-infused bolts from your crossbow. Upon firing, the skill releases a burst of 10 bolts, each with a small cone-shaped effect that damages enemies directly in front of and behind the target. Here’s a breakdown of how it functions:

Cold Damage Conversion: Permafrost Bolts converts 80% of physical damage to cold damage, allowing you to take advantage of cold-based synergies in your build. This makes it ideal for freeze-focused builds that use cold damage to control enemies through freezing effects.
Freeze Buildup: One of the standout features of Permafrost Bolts is its ability to increase freeze buildup by 300%. This makes it exceptionally good at freezing enemies, even those with higher freeze resistance. The more bolts that hit a target, the higher the chance to freeze them, ensuring that enemies stay locked down and unable to act.
Burst Attack with AoE: Upon firing, Permafrost Bolts releases 10 bolts in a burst, hitting enemies directly in front of the target and those behind it in a small cone. This makes it effective for both single-target and multi-target engagements, as you can hit enemies in a small area and deal both direct damage and AoE cold damage.
Knockback and Shatter Effect: Permafrost Bolts also knocks back enemies hit by the bolts, adding crowd control utility. The shatter effect triggers when the bolts impact, dealing damage in a 1.6-metre cone around the target. This effect adds to the AoE damage and can help clear multiple enemies at once, especially in tightly packed areas.

Synergies with Other Skills and Items

Permafrost Bolts works excellently in cold damage-focused builds, especially those looking to maximize freeze and cold damage in both single-target and AoE scenarios. Below are some synergies that make this skill even more powerful:

Freeze and Chill Synergies:
- Increased Freeze Duration: With the 300% more Freeze Buildup, combining Permafrost Bolts with increased freeze duration from support gems or passives can help keep enemies locked in place for longer periods.
- Chill Effect: Increasing the chill effects of your cold damage can also slow enemies down, making them even more vulnerable to additional hits from Permafrost Bolts or other cold-based skills.
Projectile and AoE Damage:
- AoE Scaling: Enhancing the AoE of your projectiles can increase the number of enemies hit by the burst. AoE damage scaling or projectile speed can enhance the effectiveness of this skill in clearing large packs of enemies.
- Chain and Fork Support: Permafrost Bolts can also benefit from Chain and Fork support gems, enabling the bolts to hit even more enemies and increase the number of freeze effects and cold damage applied across the battlefield.
Cold Damage and Critical Strike Synergies:
- Cold Damage Supports: Use cold damage support gems to further boost the cold damage dealt by the bolts, especially if you’re focusing on high cold scaling. Combining this with freeze mechanics can make Permafrost Bolts a powerful crowd control tool.
- Critical Strikes: With critical strike chance boosting items or passives, Permafrost Bolts can take advantage of critical cold damage, increasing both the freeze effect and overall damage output.

Pros and Cons of Permafrost Bolts

Pros:

High Freeze Buildup: The 300% more freeze buildup makes Permafrost Bolts a strong skill for controlling enemies with freeze effects, especially in tougher encounters.
Burst Attack with AoE: The ability to hit multiple targets with a cone of damage behind the target makes it excellent for multi-target damage, in addition to strong single-target performance.
Knockback Utility: The knockback effect provides valuable crowd control, allowing you to push enemies away and control the flow of battle.
Shatter Effect: The shattering bolts deal AoE damage, making it an effective skill for clearing groups of enemies quickly.

Cons:

Requires a Crossbow: This skill is limited to crossbow users, so it’s not available for all builds. You need to build around a crossbow weapon, which may limit some gear choices.
Mana Cost: The 6 mana cost per use is fairly low, but repeated bursts can still drain your mana, requiring adequate mana regeneration or leech to maintain consistent use in prolonged fights.
Projectile Limitation: While Permafrost Bolts fires multiple bolts, its overall range and cone may feel somewhat limited compared to other projectile-based skills, requiring you to be relatively close to your target to maximize effectiveness.

Tips for Using Permafrost Bolts

Optimize Freeze Effects: To take full advantage of Permafrost Bolts, focus on building freeze duration and cold damage to lock down enemies for longer periods. Consider adding increased freeze duration from your passive tree or gear to extend the freeze time.
Manage Mana: While the mana cost per use is relatively low, you’ll want to ensure that your build has sufficient mana regeneration to sustain frequent use, especially in longer encounters. Utilize mana leech or mana on hit passives if needed.
Maximize AoE: Increase the AoE of the skill to hit more enemies. Consider adding AoE damage modifiers from support gems or passives to enhance the effectiveness of the skill in clearing packs of enemies.
Consider Knockback Utility: Use the knockback effect strategically to push enemies into better positions, such as away from objectives or into traps. This can provide an extra layer of crowd control and make the skill even more valuable in defensive setups.

Conclusion

Permafrost Bolts in Path of Exile 2 is a powerful cold-based projectile attack skill that excels at dealing AoE cold damage, knocking back enemies, and applying strong freeze effects. With its burst of 10 bolts, shatter effect, and freeze buildup, it’s an excellent choice for builds focused on crowd control, cold damage, and multitarget destruction. Whether you are fighting hordes of enemies or focusing on freeze-locking a boss, Permafrost Bolts provides both damage and control, making it a powerful addition to any crossbow-based Mercenary build.

PoE 2 Permafrost Bolts – Path of Exile 2