Today I’m going to give you an update on my latest build, Frost Blades Raider. My current level is 99 and my build is almost complete. Currently, I have upgraded Gears, Gems and Flasks. The only thing I haven’t gotten yet is Boot Enchants.

I’ve done a lot of endgame content with this build, including Breachstone, Invitations, and Pinnacle Bosses. This build now has 72 million Guardian DPS including damage from returning projectiles.

This build has great mobility, exceptional damage, and incredibly clear speed. Defense was an issue when I first got into the harder content, but I managed to get around it with multiple layers of defense, which I’ll explain later.

Mapping & Eradicator Boss

When we were doing regular mapping, after equipping Nimis, we could clear the level faster than before. Even if you only hit nearby monsters, you can still clear the entire screen because the returning projectiles will help you clear monsters further away.

When you enter the map, you only have 1 Frenzy Charge. Once you kill the first batch of monsters, you will receive full charges.

I like mechanics like Abyss, Breach, Beyond and Legion because they don’t require me to slow down or stop combat so I can keep full charges. I find mechanics like this most effective when farming POE Currency. We only need to summon the totem, activate Blood Rage, and increase the attack speed when fighting Eradicator Boss to generate Frenzy Charge quickly.

Offense

So, how does this build achieve 72 million Guardian DPS?

First off, this build increases attack speed with Frenzy Charge, Onslaught, Adrenaline, Blood Rage, Ancestral Protector and Vaal Haste.

Next, we can use the unique helmet Heatshiver to convert all physical damage into cold damage. With a high critical hit rate, we can constantly cool down and freeze enemies. This allows me to gain extra damage with Heatshiver.

Even though Nimis is expensive, I think it’s worth it. It’s powerful against bosses. Returning projectiles account for over a third of our total damage. With Ascendancy skill, Avatar of the Veil, I can apply Elemental Exposure to nearby enemies, reducing their resistance.

Defense

This build only has about 4k health, but I stacked a lot of defenses to reduce Glass Cannon.

I got 100% Spell Suppression and 100% Elemental Ailment Avoidance from my Ascendancy, Gears and Passive Tree.

Also, we’ve gained Fortification through tattoos and physical damage relief from body armor and Taste of Hate unique flask.

I can generate Endurance Charge on kill, which allows me to use Immortal Call. Although Jade Flask is not required, we highly recommended it as it will increase your survivability.

The Twisted + Nimis Or Not?

So should we still use Nimis? Nimis and Ashes of the Stars cost us 15 and 35 Divine Orbs, respectively. But if you’re not using Nimis, there’s no need to use Ashes of the Stars.

You’re better off saving your POE currency and using Yoke of Suffering instead. Even though the returning projectiles will cost you over 25 million DPS, the damage is still pretty high. You can then get a rare ring with a damage mod, or use another Circle of Fear to compensate for a bit of the damage loss.

Uber Elder

Damage wise, this build has very high single target damage and melts bosses. Even if you don’t use Nimis and Ashes of the Stars, this build will still do a lot of damage.

Defensively, I have to give it a 7 out of 10. This build is still very melee and requires you to get close to the enemy to deal damage. Obviously, you’ll run into more dangerous situations than with most other builds.

This build cost me 140 Divine Orbs, but you can easily reduce the cost by replacing Nimis and Ashes of the Stars with something else.

Also, since it’s the end of the league, everything is more expensive. If you’re looking for a building that clears all endgame content, there are plenty of cheaper builds out there. However, if you are looking for a powerful melee build, then this Frost Blades Raider will surely satisfy your requirements.

Conclusion

In terms of fun, I’d give it a 9 out of 10. This build has excellent mobility. You’re zooming in and killing monsters all the time. Not to mention all the explosions in Herald of Ice. You’ll get a tremendous sense of satisfaction from playing this build.