This guide focuses on the unique skill of Path of Exile Icestorm, which can only be accessed by equipping the Whispering Ice staff. Icestorm deals cold damage and scales with intelligence, making it a great choice for an intelligent stacking build. This guide will provide an overview of the build, recommended passives, gear choices, gem links, and more.

• Build Overview
• Pob Link
• Passive Skill Tree
• Gear Choices
• Gem Links
• Additional Skills
• Auras and Flasks
• Conclusion

↖ Build Overview

The Whispering Ice Wielding Trickster is a powerful build that revolves around maximizing intelligence to boost the damage and duration of Icestorm. With 2000 intelligence, you can achieve an impressive three-second duration for each Icestorm and have up to five active at a time. The build offers excellent survivability through a high energy shield pool, making it resistant to one-shot mechanics.

↖ Pob Link

https://pobb.in/sEARXic5RpfX

↖ Passive Skill Tree

It is recommended to start in the upper part of the skill tree and choose the Trickster ascendancy. Trickster provides additional energy shield and addresses the build's weakness in terms of armor. Key keystones to consider include Forbidden Flame and Flesh, Spellbreaker, Bomb Specialist, Born in the Shadows, Mistwalker, Unstable Infusion, Deadly Infusion, and Harness the Void.

↖ Gear Choices

The most crucial item for this build is the Whispering Ice staff, which grants the Icestorm skill. Look for a staff with high intelligence rolls. Other important gear choices include Stampede boots for increased mobility and energy shield, Astromantis amulet for attributes, Eyes of the Greatwolf ring, and synthesized bases for intelligence and energy shield modifiers.

↖ Gem Links

The Icestorm skill itself does not require linked sockets. However, you can enhance it by linking support gems such as Inspiration, Energy Leech, Intensify, Concentrated Effect, Cold Penetration, and Power Charge On Critical. Concentrated Effect can be swapped with Increased Area of Effect for mapping purposes.

↖ Additional Skills

Frostblink is recommended as a mobility skill that leaves chilled ground, synergizing with Icestorm. Vortex can be used as a movement skill to leave chilled ground and increase damage against chilled enemies. Other useful skills include Frostbite for reducing enemy cold resistance, Elemental Weakness for lowering elemental resistances, and Punishment for increased damage against low-life enemies. Consider using an Arcanist Brand to apply Assassin's Mark for improved critical strike chance.

↖ Auras and Flasks

Recommended auras include Hatred for increased cold damage, Discipline for additional energy shield, Purity of Elements for resistances, and Clarity for mana regeneration. Use Enlighten support to lower their reservation cost. Flasks should include Bottled Faith for increased damage and crit chance, Atziri's Promise for damage and chaos resistance, and Aurseize for improved clear speed.

↖ Conclusion

The Whispering Ice Wielding Trickster offers a unique playstyle with the Icestorm skill, focusing on intelligence stacking for increased damage and duration. The build provides excellent survivability with a high energy shield pool and synergistic defensive layers. While it may require some investment in gear, the build's clear speed and single-target damage make it a formidable choice. Experiment with different gem links, gear choices, and passives to personalize the build to your playstyle.