Path of Exile Glacial Hammer Slayer Build Guide 3.24

The Glacial Hammer Slayer build is a non-crit build that focuses on dealing massive amounts of AoE cold damage with melee attacks. With the new Precise Technique passive, you can capitalize on Glacial Hammer's incredible single-target damage potential, making it an exceptional boss killer. This build may not be the fastest mapper, but it makes up for it with its high damage output, excellent defenses, and versatility.

Offensive layers:

1. Glacial Hammer + Heatshiver + Yoke of Suffering
2. Glacial Hammer culling + Herald of Ice + Melee Splash & Strike from tree
3. Cold Ailment Effect

Defensive layers:

1. Armor + >75% res + Block + Stun Immunity + Fortify
2. Overleech + Regen + Life recoup
3. Cold Ailment Effect
4. Ailment immunity (Freeze & Ignite)

Ascendancy and Passive Skill Tree

As a Slayer, you will take the following Ascendancy points in this order:

1. Impact
2. Bane of Legends
3. Headsman
4. Masterful Form

The passive skill tree focuses on increasing cold damage, attack speed, maximum life, and accuracy rating. Allocate points in the following clusters:

• Cold Damage nodes near Fervour
• Life and Armour nodes
• Mana Reservation Efficiency
• Attack Speed and Accuracy Rating nodes

Gem Setup

Your main skill will be Glacial Hammer, supported by the following gems:

• Melee Physical Damage Support
• Elemental Damage with Attacks Support
• Hypothermia Support
• Increased Area of Effect Support (swap with Concentrated Effect Support for bosses)
• Fortify Support (optional for added defense)

Utility gems include:

• Leap Slam (for mobility)
• Ancestral Protector (for boss fights)
• Frost Bomb (to reduce enemy cold resistance)
• Hatred, Precision, Herald of Ice, Determination, Defiance Banner, Blood and Sand, and Aspect of the Cat (auras)
• Blood Rage (for frenzy charges)
• Molten Shell (as your Guard Spell)
• Frostbite (as your Curse)

Gear Tips

1. Convert physical damage to cold damage, focusing on added cold or physical damage to attacks.
2. Aim for high accuracy rating, focusing on helmet, gloves, jewels, and jewelry.
3. Use a mana reservation efficiency cluster jewel for aura setup.
4. Use Replica Farrul's Fur for endurance charge generation and Arn's Anguish to convert endurance charges into brutal charges for increased damage.
5. Apply Frostbite on hit and cast Aspect of the Cat.
6. Prioritize maximum life, elemental resistances, accuracy rating, added physical/cold damage, increased attack speed, mana reservation efficiency, chaos resistance, armor, and evasion on gear.
7. Recommended unique items include Heatshiver, Replica Farrul's Fur, Frostbreath, Darkray Vectors, Arn's Anguish, Uul-Netol's Vow, Watcher's Eye, Intuitive Leap, Lethal Pride, Unnatural Instinct, and Lion's Roar.
8. Use rare jewels with life, damage bonuses, accuracy, reservation efficiency, and other useful affixes.
9. Employ flasks such as Lion's Roar, Taste of Hate, Atziri's Promise, and utility flasks for additional benefits.

This build focuses on maximizing cold damage output and defense. 

Pantheon

Soul of Arakaali, Soul of Ryslatha / Yugul / Garukhan

Conclusion

The Glacial Hammer Slayer build is a powerful and unique option for players who enjoy dealing massive cold damage and excelling in single-target boss encounters. While the build might not be the fastest mapper, its high damage output, excellent defenses, and versatility more than make up for it. Following this guide will help you build a strong and efficient Glacial Hammer Slayer, capable of tackling the most challenging content Path of Exile has to offer. Remember to adapt the build to your personal playstyle and preferences, and most importantly, enjoy the game!

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