POE 2 Lightning/Ice Invoker Monk Acts 1-3 Update

Summary

Ryan shares an in-depth update on his Lightning and Ice Monk build in Path of Exile, highlighting his progress through Act 3 and gameplay strategies. He discusses key skills like Ice Strike, Falling Thunder, and Herald of Ice, and the importance of attack speed, elemental damage, and survivability. The video dives into gear choices, ascendency decisions, and crafting challenges. Ryan reflects on his character's strengths and weaknesses while planning future improvements to optimize elemental damage, survivability, and clear speed. A must-watch for players seeking to refine their builds and tackle tougher content in the game.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ryan is playing a Monk build focusing on both Lightning and Ice damage for a balanced elemental offense.
• 😀 Ice Strike and Herald of Ice are core skills for high DPS and freezing enemies, with Falling Thunder used for shock application.
• 😀 The build emphasizes **clear speed** with **elemental damage** boosts and **freeze/ shock effects**.
• 😀 Ryan is near the end of Act 3, aiming for full completion with attention to side quests and areas.
• 😀 Mana sustain and flasks are a critical part of the build's progression, especially in tougher fights.
• 😀 The initial Ascendancy choice, **Lead Me Through Grace**, was respec'd due to low Spirit generation, and Ryan is moving to **Unbound Avatar** for increased elemental damage.
• 😀 The character has died 32 times, emphasizing the challenge of the game and the need for strong defensive scaling.
• 😀 Gear upgrades are a priority, with focus on **lightning resist**, **life**, and **attack speed** for better survivability and damage output.
• 😀 Ryan has been using charms strategically, like **Cold Resist** for early bosses and **Antidote Charm** for poison damage in Act 3.
• 😀 Ryan plans to incorporate **Energy Shield + Evasion hybrid** for better scaling into the late game and endgame content.
• 😀 Crafting materials like Regal Shards are being carefully managed to improve gear, and Ryan is considering a **Chaos Resist Ring** for future challenges.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the character in this build?

The character focuses on a hybrid Lightning and Ice Monk build, using both Ice Strike for clear and Falling Thunder for damage, while incorporating shock and freeze effects into the gameplay.

How does the Ice Strike skill function in this build?

Ice Strike is the primary skill for both damage and clearing. It deals two fast attacks followed by a slower, more powerful third strike. The skill setup enhances its effectiveness with attack speed, elemental damage, and other support skills like Marshall Tempo, Primal Armament, and Close Combat.

What is the role of Herald of Ice in this build?

Herald of Ice significantly improves clearing ability. The explosion from Herald of Ice applies cold damage and ailments, including freeze and shock, making it easier to control crowds and deal more damage in area-of-effect scenarios.

What are some tips for managing Mana issues in this build?

Mana management is a challenge in this build, particularly when using cast-on-freeze skills. The player is addressing this by trying to fix Mana problems, but it’s a future goal to optimize Mana sustain, possibly through better gear or passive skill choices.

What is the purpose of the 'Falling Thunder' skill in this build?

Falling Thunder is used to apply lightning damage and shock. The skill benefits from power charges, increasing its damage output significantly when power charges are consumed, making it especially useful for dealing with tougher enemies and bosses.

Why did the player respec out of 'Lead Me Through Grace' in the ascendancy?

The player initially chose 'Lead Me Through Grace' for Spirit generation, but found it provided minimal benefits early on. After respecing, they opted for more direct damage and defensive capabilities instead.

What are the key defensive mechanics in this build?

Key defensive mechanics include stacking cold resist for survival against specific bosses, using high armor and evasion to mitigate damage, and leveraging freeze as a crowd control tool to prevent enemies from dealing damage.

How does the player handle elemental ailments like freeze and shock?

The build makes heavy use of freeze and shock mechanics, using skills like Wave of Frost, Ice Strike, and Herald of Ice to apply these ailments. Shock is enhanced with the 'Conduction' support gem and the player's skill tree, while freeze is boosted with passive skill choices and skills like Wave of Frost with Glaciation.

What is the importance of 'Essence of the Storm' in the player's skill tree?

'Essence of the Storm' increases lightning damage and ensures that the player can shock enemies more reliably, which is critical for the 'Falling Thunder' skill and its synergy with the rest of the build's elemental damage.

What challenges does the player face with their gear, and how are they addressed?

The player is facing challenges with upgrading gear, particularly with finding suitable rings, gloves, and amulets. They are actively crafting and gambling for better items, focusing on stats like elemental resistances, life, and attack speed. Gear improvements are an ongoing process, and the player is working on upgrading their Quarterstaff, gloves, and other key items.