Ice Spear in Path of Exile 2: What Does It Mean?
Ice Spear is a spell skill in Path of Exile 2 that casts a projectile dealing cold damage. It is a versatile skill that players can use to control crowds and deal significant damage from a distance. Ice Spear is particularly popular for its ability to pierce and shatter enemies, making it an excellent choice for crowd control and burst damage builds.
Mechanics
Ice Spear has unique mechanics that differentiate it from other projectile spells. Understanding these mechanics is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness in combat:
- Two Phases: Ice Spear has two phases. In the first phase, it travels slowly and does not pierce. Upon reaching a certain distance, it transitions into the second phase, where it travels faster, gains increased critical strike chance, and can pierce enemies.
- Chilling Effect: Ice Spear can apply a chilling effect to enemies, reducing their action speed. This makes it an excellent control tool, especially against fast-moving targets.
- Critical Strike Potential: In its second phase, Ice Spear has a significantly increased critical strike chance, allowing players to build around critical strike multipliers for massive damage output.
Build Strategies
Players often incorporate Ice Spear into their builds to capitalize on its strengths. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Critical Strike Builds: Since Ice Spear gains a high critical strike chance in its second phase, building around critical strike chance and multiplier can result in devastating damage.
- Spell Totem Support: Using Ice Spear with Spell Totem Support allows players to cast multiple Ice Spears simultaneously, increasing the coverage and control over enemy groups.
- Cold Damage Multipliers: Equip gear and use passive skills that enhance cold damage to maximize the effectiveness of Ice Spear's chilling and shattering capabilities.
Synergies and Support Gems
To enhance Ice Spear's performance, players can use various support gems and skill interactions:
- Greater Multiple Projectiles Support: Increases the number of projectiles, allowing for more widespread damage and better crowd control.
- Increased Critical Strikes Support: Further boosts the critical strike chance, taking advantage of Ice Spear's high critical potential in its second phase.
- Hypothermia Support: Increases damage against chilled enemies and adds a chance to freeze, enhancing Ice Spear's crowd control abilities.