Core requirements
The advanced setup is A, and the budget setup is B.
- Hard points
- Level 90 · 101 points
- Cast rate
- A 105% / B 110%
- Main attacks
- Blizzard + Ice Blast
- Dealing with immunities
- A Sunder Charm / B Skip or use the mercenary
Attributes
Total attributes with equipment · hard points shown separately
| Strength | A·B 156Hard points A 76 / B 146 · maintained on swap |
|---|---|
| Dexterity | 0 hard pointsNo maximum block |
| Vitality | All remaining pointsHard points A 384 / B 314 |
| Energy | 0 hard points Insight, Warmth and potions |
Attribute calculations and equipment changes
Strength
Sorceress base Strength: 10. A uses Chains of Honor 20, Sandstorm Trek 15, Mara's 5, Torch 15 and Annihilus 15, plus 76 allocated points, for 156 Strength to equip a Spirit Monarch. B allocates 146 points without Strength bonuses. Only bonuses from equipment retained on swap are counted; add points if your item rolls leave a shortfall.
Dexterity
Death's Fathom and Monarch require no additional Dexterity investment. B also uses a Crystal Sword, so allocated Dexterity is 0. This is not a maximum-block setup.
Vitality
From 460 stat points at level 90, A 76 Strength, B subtract 146 Strength points and put the remaining 384/314 into Vitality. This assumes all 15 stat points from quests and counts only equipment bonuses retained on swap.
Energy
A/B both use Vitality without Energy Shield. Equipment, Warmth, an Insight mercenary and potions sustain mana.
Skills
Level 90 · 101 hard points
Main skills and synergies
Prerequisite · support 1 point each
Includes 12 quest points; equipment skill bonuses are excluded. Unlisted skills have 0 points. A and B use the same allocation.
Investment order
Early on, use 
Ice Bolt·
Ice Blast and 
Warmth 1 to progress, then unlock at level 18 
Teleport and at level 24 
Blizzard.
- Blizzard 20
- Ice Blast 20
Glacial Spike 20- Ice Bolt 20 in that order, then at level 90
Cold Mastery 15 and finish the 6 support points.
At levels 91–95, invest in Cold Mastery 20; at 96–99, Warmth 5 . If you farm only non-cold-immune enemies and have enough mastery, move these 5 extra mastery points to Warmth as a separate adjustment.
Equipment skill bonuses and allocation notes
Synergies count only points allocated directly to Ice Bolt, Ice Blast and Glacial Spike. Equipment skill bonuses do not increase synergy points.
Cold Mastery 15 is the direct investment in this level 90 baseline. Adjust later points according to mastery with equipment and the resistance of your targets.
A·B Shared · Level 90, 101 points
Open this allocation in the simulator ↗
Equipment
A / B: compare modifiers and replacement requirements.
| Slot | Advanced A | Budget B | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weapon | A Death's Fathom | B Runeword Spirit | Cold damage with 20% FCR |
Weapon choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsCold damage +15–30% · 20% FCR B · Setup requirements4-socket Crystal Sword Target 35% Faster Cast Rate Selection rationale and replacementsThe core of the main skill damage and casting speed. B can reroll Spirit to aim for 35% FCR. | |||
| Shield | ARuneword Spirit | BRuneword Spirit | A·B Count the FCR roll toward the 105% total |
Shield choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements4-socket Monarch Target exactly 35% FCR B · Setup requirements4-socket Monarch At least 25% FCR Selection rationale and replacementsMaintain the Monarch's 156 Strength requirement on swap as well. B includes even its lower roll in the FCR total below. | |||
| Helm | A Nightwing's Veil | B Runeword Lore | A Cold damage / B +1 skills |
Helm choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsCold damage +8–15% · +2 skills B · Setup requirements2-socket light helm +1 skills · lightning resistance Selection rationale and replacementsA provides offensive or defensive bonuses, while B provides +1 skills at a low cost. | |||
| Armor | A Runeword Chains of Honor | B Skin of the Vipermagi | A 65 resistances / B 30% Faster Cast Rate |
Armor choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements4-socket Dusk Shroud All resistances 65 · Strength 20 B · Setup requirements30% Faster Cast Rate · all resistances Selection rationale and replacementsA has its resistances and Strength included in the charm and stat calculations. B must maintain 30% FCR. | |||
| Gloves | A Magefist | BMagefist | 20% FCR links attacks between Blizzard casts |
Glove choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements20% Faster Cast Rate · mana regeneration B · Setup requirements20% FCR · boosts Warmth Selection rationale and replacementsMagefist's 20% FCR counts toward the casting total. Its +1 Fire Skills applies to fire spells and Warmth. | |||
| Belt | A Arachnid Mesh | B Nightsmoke | A 20% Faster Cast Rate / B Resistances and mana |
Belt choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements20% Faster Cast Rate · +1 to All Skills B · Setup requirementsAll resistances 10 · Mana 20 Selection rationale and replacementsB returns mana based on physical damage actually dealt to life. Damage Taken Goes to Mana does not refund all damage or Energy Shield's mana loss. | |||
| Boots | A Sandstorm Trek | B Rare run/walk and resistance boots | A Count 15 Strength toward Monarch |
Boot choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirementsTarget 15 Strength · poison resistance Selection rationale and replacementsFaster run/walk and resistances help you reposition. A requires stat adjustments if the assumed 15 Strength roll differs. | |||
| Amulet | A Mara's Kaleidoscope | B Sorceress skill amulet | A +2 skills · resistances / B +1 skills |
Amulet choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements+2 all skills · at least 20 resistances Selection rationale and replacementsA offers skills and resistances; compare these with B and its lower cost. For a separate setup requiring FCR, meet that threshold first. | |||
| Ring 1 | A The Stone of Jordan | BMana/resistance ring | A Skills and mana / B Missing resistances |
Ring 1: choice and replacement detailsA · Setup requirements+1 skills · maximum mana Selection rationale and replacementsAdds mana and skills. If resistances are low, prioritize survival over a small damage increase. | |||
| Ring 2 | ACast rate/mana/resistance ring | BMana/resistance ring | A Removing 10% FCR drops below 105% |
Ring 2: choice and replacement detailsSelection rationale and replacementsCount the combined FCR and mana of both rings. Identical rings still occupy separate slots. | |||
Mercenary and weapon swap
| Slot | Advanced A | Budget B | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercenary | A Act 2 Prayer  Runeword InsightRuneword Fortitude Andariel's Visage | B Act 2 Prayer Runeword InsightRuneword Treachery Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest | Life steal and resistances for survival |
Mercenary detailsOperating requirementsA/B Both use Insight's Meditation for mana recovery. The mercenary's physical attacks handle remaining immune enemies; give the mercenary life steal and resistances. A Offset Andariel's Visage's fire-resistance penalty with a Ral rune or another source. | |||
| Weapon swap | A Runeword Call to ArmsRuneword Spirit | B Keep the main weapon's mana and resistances | Battle Command → Battle Orders → main weapon |
Swap detailsOperating requirementsCall to Arms provides supporting buffs. Check all speed and resistance targets on the weapon used to attack. Battle Command does not increase synergy hard points. | |||
Upgrade order
- Use Spirit, Skin of the Vipermagi and Magefist to complete B and its 110% FCR total first.
- Add a cold Sunder Charm together with charms that offset its resistance penalty.
- Upgrade cold damage and FCR through Death's Fathom, Nightwing's Veil, then Arachnid Mesh.
- A On switching, recalculate 20+35+20+20+10=105% and avoid removing a ring without checking the total.
Playstyle
- Starting a run
Cast Frozen Armor and travel with your mercenary.
Starting a run: details
Details
Mana recovery falls sharply if the Insight mercenary dies. Keep potions ready.
- Fighting packs
Cast Blizzard ahead of the pack, then move to its edge.
Fighting packs: details
Details
If enemies leave the area, cast at their next position. FCR does not remove Blizzard's casting delay.
- Follow-up attacks
Use Ice Blast against individual enemies between Blizzard casts.
Follow-up attacks: details
Details
Use Glacial Spike to freeze packs and protect your mercenary. Cold-immune enemies cannot be frozen.
- Bosses
Use Static Field from a safe distance, then alternate Blizzard and Ice Blast.
Bosses: details
Details
In Hell, Static Field cannot reduce life below 50% and does not affect lightning-immune enemies.
- Budget farming areas
After Nightmare Mephisto, prioritize Hell Mephisto and the Ancient Tunnels.
Budget farming areas: details
Details
Random unique modifiers can still produce cold immunes in the Ancient Tunnels. Let the mercenary handle them or skip them.
- Leveling transition
Prepare a Monarch and 156 Strength before switching to B and its 110% FCR setup.
Leveling transition details
Details
Start with a low-requirement shield such as Ancient's Pledge. Avoid sacrificing life by investing heavily in Strength too early.
Mechanics and notes
Cast rate
A has weapon 20 + shield 35 + gloves 20 + belt 20 + ring 10 = 105%. B has sword 35 + shield 25 + armor 30 + gloves 20 = 110%, meeting the 105% FCR, 8-frame breakpoint for ordinary spells.
Mastery after breaking immunity
After cold Sunder, the enemy has 95% resistance, and Cold Mastery works at 1/5 effectiveness. Do not apply the reduction used against normal enemies and calculate -100%.
Sustained damage and synergies
Blizzard gains +5% damage per 1 hard point in its three cold synergies. With 20 in each, 60 total points give +300% synergy damage. Skill damage, resistance and other factors apply afterward.
Strengths, limitations and farming style
Strengths
Boss farming is accessible without expensive runewords.
Freezing and broad ground coverage help protect the mercenary.
Limitations
Cold immunes and fast-moving single enemies take longer to handle.
High enemy cold resistance remains even after using a Sunder Charm.
Additional variants
Lower Cold Mastery investment
When farming only non-cold-immune enemies without a Sunder Charm, Cold Mastery level 17 with equipment and its -100% can be a starting point. Move hard points reduced from the baseline 15 mastery into Warmth or armor, keeping this variant separate from the baseline tree.
Blizzard / Frozen Orb
Adding Frozen Orb requires taking points out of synergies such as Ice Bolt. The baseline has 0 Orb points, so this is not another name for the same tree.