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[3.3] Path of Exile Glacial Hammer MF Build

Path of Exile Incursion League

This melee AoE build is a fair bit different from other MF builds we’ve covered. While it relies on freeze mechanics and elemental damage scaling to wipe out mob packs, it makes use of a specific Unique weapon in pairs to buff DPS enough to take on bosses as well. The Scion class is pretty flexible, and even more so after Ascending, and this build makes full use of that aspect.

I recommend having a setup for map bosses for Atlas clearance, and then a setup for map farming with pure MF. You’ll find recommendations for gear, gems and other aspects of the build that take this idea into account. Simply run your DPS setup until you clear map bosses, then switch to MF items/gems and skip the bosses you’ve beaten.

This build’s amazing AoE and clear speed come from:

  1. Winter Burial threshold jewel – granting splash in a small radius around your target
  2. Ancestral Call – which makes the melee splash from Winter Burial to overlap on multiple enemies
  3. Herald of Ice – which causes AoE Explosions when killing Frozen enemies

Build Pros

  • Excellent AoE damage
  • Good clear speed
  • Amazing MF means lots of Rares and Uniques

Build Cons

  • Glass cannon in high-tier maps, so no Guardians/Shaper/Elder
  • Needing to manage Curses/Flasks is not for extremely new players
  • Killing bosses with sub-optimal gear is difficult

Passive Tree(s)

Poeplanner: poeurl.com/bXJt

Pantheon

Major God:

Map farming – Soul of Lunaris – 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%; 1% increased Movement Speed for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%

Boss fights -Soul of Solaris – 6% Physical Damage Reduction if there is only one nearby Enemy; 20% chance to take 50% less Area Damage from Hits

Minor God: Soul of Gruthkul – 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each Hit you’ve taken Recently up to a maximum of 5%

Bandits

Oak for survivability in most cases.

Kill All for the bonus Passives if you have good Jewels.

Ascendancy skill points

Ascendancy Nodes:

Using the Ascendant gives tons of flexibility. Picking the Juggernaut and Raider Ascendancies from the options allows good DPS and survivability.

Enchants

Helmet:
x% Increased Glacial Hammer Damage
Glacial Hammer has +x% chance to Freeze

Boots:
16% increased Attack and Cast Speed if you’ve Killed Recently
0.6% of Damage Leeched as Life and Mana if you’ve Killed Recently
Adds 45 to 68 Cold Damage if you’ve been Hit Recently

Gloves:
Decree/Commandment of Winter
Decree/Commandment of Frost on kill

Leveling Items and General Tips

Leveling Items:

Tabula Rasa – Always run this when possible to buff Damage/Sustain with Elemental Attack or Leech Gems.
Blackheart – Two of these give great buffs to DPS in early leveling.
Brightbeak
Meginord’s Girdle
Atziri’s Foible

Avoid these map mods:

  • Reflect
  • Temporal Chains
  • No Leech/Regen

If you are a brand new Path of Exile player, feel free to check out our various POE guides for noobs.

Final Skill Gem Setup

You’ll find recommendations for different attack skill setups for this build below. The basic buff and aura setups are down there too.

=== GLACIAL HAMMER ===
Glacial Hammer- Elemental Damage with Attacks – Melee Physical Damage – Cold Penetration – Ancestral Call/Ruthless – Item Rarity/Hypothermia

Item Rarity and Ancestral Call for farming, Hypothermia and Ruthless for map bosses.

=== CAMERIAS SUPPORT ===
Elemental Damage with Attacks – Pierce – Volley

Slot this into BOTH of your mauls. It’s absolutely needed to buff single-target damage.

=== MOVEMENT/AURA ===
Leap Slam – Purity of Elements – Fortify – Faster Attacks

=== UTILITY CURSE===
Herald of Ice – Curse on Hit – Frostbite – Hatred

=== CWDT ===
Cast when Damage Taken (LVL 2) – Immortal Call (LVL 4)- Increased Duration – Lightning Golem

Build Uniques / Example Rare Gear

In this section you will find all the suggested items for this build. We always try to include optional gear in our listing, or try your own assuming you get similar stat rolls. Aim for high-quality Rares if you’re replacing Uniques. The Minimum/Optional requirements listed assume you’re using Rares as a replacement for listed Uniques (where possible).

Depending on your gear choices, you can go for either a lot more DPS at the expense of Life, or go for more defensiveness by sacrificing a portion of DPS. This is your choice.

Stat Priorities:

Life is super important for survivability, especially at end-game. Although be careful to to forsake too many damage mods for it or you won’t be able to kill mobs quick enough for your defenses to handle incoming DPS.

Elemental Damage is your main scaling and your primary DPS with Poison, Added Elemental with a focus on Lightning as that’s where most of your Poison-converted damage is.

Magic Find in the form of Increased Item Rarity and Quantity is an absolute necessity for any Magic Find build.

Resistances until you cap them off.

Attributes

Weapons

Cameria’s Avarice does insane damage with the right skill gem setup, and proccing the IIR on Frozen enemies is a must for getting the MF rolling, our other gear and skill choices will take care of that though.

Helmet

A Rare helm is usually best in this slot. You’ll need some Life and Resistance in this slot to help survive, but luckily IIR can be gained from most Rare helms.

Min. requirements:
90 maximum Life
Added Elemental Damage
Increased Item Rarity
Optional affixes:
Uncapped Resistances

Body Armor

You have a choice between two chest pieces here. If you want pure MF at the expense of movement and some resists, go for Greed’s Embrace.

If you want more survivability, and can get the currency, a 6-link Belly of the Beast is your best bet.

A max-rolled Loreweave can be used as well if you can get it. Farm for unique rings, even corrupted ones, and save them all, then trade them to a vendor.

Belt

Abyss Belts with Life and Resistances are a good option for end-game. Other Rares might do in a pinch, but not having good rolls can make you a lot more squishy than is tolerable. Abyss Jewels are also a great source for damage buffs as well. Buffing your damage and Life is the best bet here with Jewels.

Min. requirements:
90 maximum Life
Added Elemental Damage
Uncapped Resistances
Optional affixes:
Energy Shield

Gloves

Rares, especially with added damage are great here.

Aurseize is OK for the MF, but the loss of DPS can really hurt.

Min. requirements:
50 maximum Life
Added Damage to Attacks
Any Uncapped Resistances
Optional affixes:
Attack Speed

Boots

Goldwyrm for the MF buff is best when farming. Rare boots with max rolled Life, Resists and Movement Speed are great as a generic choice while leveling or dealing with bosses.

Min. requirements:
60 maximum Life
30% increased Movement Speed
Any Uncapped Resistances

Amulet

Bisco’s Collar is the BIS for Magic Find, but will be very expensive. So use the Rare recommendations below otherwise.

A Rare with the right high rolls is the best here when going for DPS/survivability. This is also a great slot for some Attributes. Getting a Jade base with both +Dexterity and +All Attributes is great for covering the needed Dex and Int.

Min. requirements:
80 Maximum Life
Attributes
Increased Item Rarity
Optional affixes:
Uncapped Resistances
Critical Strike Chance

Rings

If you’re going for pure MF:

Ventor’s Gamble is a must for the MF. NEVER, EVER use one with negative rolls. They’re very common, you just have to search for a good one.

If you’re going for pure DPS:

Rare Shaped Opal Rings are great for this build and it’s Elemental Damage. Use the stats below as a guide for that. If you’re running a DPS setup for bosses that is.

Berek’s Grip  or Tasalio’s Sign can be used in a pinch until you can get the Opal Rings. Although you’ll need either specific Divination Cards or farming the right Zana mod to get these.

Min. requirements:
50 Maximum Life
Added Cold Damage to Attacks
Uncapped Resistances
Optional affixes:
Increased Attack Speed
Attributes

Flasks

Atziri’s Promise or Quicksilver
Lion’s Roar (Sulphur while leveling)
Divination Distillate (Mana/Hybrid while leveling)
Instant Life
Instant Life

Needed Mods:
Freeze/Chill Removal
Bleed Removal

You can swap the mods around if needed due to RNG.

Jewels

Winter Burial is great if you can get the right slot with Strength around it to get the added damage. Shattered Chains can also work. Use one of these in combination with the Abyss Jewels for Added Cold/Physical for best effect.

Getting mana regen/leech on a jewel is usually enough to get mana sustain working for end-game.

Abyss Jewels:

Recommended affixes:
Maximum Life
Added Physical/Cold Damage to Attacks
Added Physical/Cold Damage to Mace Attacks
Optional affixes:
Chance to gain Onslaught for 4 seconds on Kill
Mana Regeneration

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