11-20-2013, 02:33 AM
Initial thoughts: I really like your gear, especially for self-found. That dagger is hot, hot, hot, and the resists sprinkled all over your gear are way above average. The main issue is that w/o having uniques (not your fault!) it is rather hard to find spell damage on gear, and you are lacking an ES offhand which can be a strong source of spell damage. With the gear you have, I would suggest having a very heavy damage passive tree, with some moderate defensive nodes should be sufficient. I realize you don't want to respec, just please keep in mind that POE does not have a Diablo or WOW style talent tree, you need to suit your passives to your gear here for optimal performance, not the other way around.
Now, onto gems, I see a lot of things that can be done to help:
First, boots: You truly, really, utterly NEED to put a LMP gem in there, probably for reduced mana, which is a terrible support for attacks. If you are having trouble sustaining it, you want mana leech, not reduced mana. Reason: Freezing pulse can shotgun and is amazingly potent when doing so. The damage will still be a bit lacking (though you pick up around 110% damage by doing so, at level 1 LMP), but the freezing can become nearly permanent.
Gloves & Hat: I would spend some currency to get those to 4L, stat. Also, I'd put added cold with your freezing pulse instead of added chaos, as FP has cold pen attached to it. Ideally, you would have cold pen with Ice Spear as well, but I understand the 5L struggle completely.
Belt: Honestly, I would try finding some higher level white or yellow belts and rolling them as it is lacking in a lot of nice stats, only thing worth much on it is the 23% Chaos.
Shield: Item rarity seems a bit odd on Fire Trap, but if it works as your boss killer, great!
If you have a spell totem, sync it up to your summon skeletons, it will help a *lot*. Take reduced mana and put it on your clarity, will save about 100 base mana.
That's it for now.
Good luck, Loch!
Now, onto gems, I see a lot of things that can be done to help:
First, boots: You truly, really, utterly NEED to put a LMP gem in there, probably for reduced mana, which is a terrible support for attacks. If you are having trouble sustaining it, you want mana leech, not reduced mana. Reason: Freezing pulse can shotgun and is amazingly potent when doing so. The damage will still be a bit lacking (though you pick up around 110% damage by doing so, at level 1 LMP), but the freezing can become nearly permanent.
Gloves & Hat: I would spend some currency to get those to 4L, stat. Also, I'd put added cold with your freezing pulse instead of added chaos, as FP has cold pen attached to it. Ideally, you would have cold pen with Ice Spear as well, but I understand the 5L struggle completely.
Belt: Honestly, I would try finding some higher level white or yellow belts and rolling them as it is lacking in a lot of nice stats, only thing worth much on it is the 23% Chaos.
Shield: Item rarity seems a bit odd on Fire Trap, but if it works as your boss killer, great!
If you have a spell totem, sync it up to your summon skeletons, it will help a *lot*. Take reduced mana and put it on your clarity, will save about 100 base mana.
That's it for now.
Good luck, Loch!
Hardcore Diablo 1/2/3/4 & Retail/Classic WoW adventurer.