Lexyu's Cold Snap of Power Hierophant Build Guide (PoE Keepers of the Flame 3.27)

December 1st, 2025, 00:28

Introduction

The Cold Snap of Power Hierophant (Templar) is a ranged spellcaster that excels at speed-farming maps with rapid mobility and massive screen-wide explosions. Damage and survivability is scaled by Mana stacking. With moderate investment, this build can also be effective at killing pinnacle bosses.

Watch the video below for an example of the gameplay. The build setup in the video is slightly outdated since Shield Charge is now used to activate Instruments of Zeal.

Build Overview

The following sections provide a brief summary so you can decide if this is the right build for you.

Pros

➕ Ranged Off-Screening Clear
➕ Fast Mobility
➕ Low-Budget Starter Endgame Build
➕ Easy to Transition From Any Archmage Leveling Build
➕ Scales Well With Moderate Investment

Cons

➖ Complex Mechanics
➖ Lack DPS Against Pinnacle Bosses Until Awakened Spell Cascade
➖ Shield Setup is Essential for Surviving T17 Maps

Build Mechanics

Cold Snap of Power (CSoP) is an ideal skill for this build due to its exceptional base damage, effectiveness of added damage, and 10% base critical hit chance. The cooldown of CSoP is bypassed by the Wand affix, Gain a Power Charge after Spending a total of 200 Mana, which is activated on every cast for an infinite cycle.

In addition to the Hierophant Ascendancy Passives, the Inquisitor’s Instruments of Zeal is obtained from Forbidden Flesh and Forbidden Flame. Instruments of Zeal is highly beneficial for this build due to the Fanaticism buff granting 75% More Cast Speed, 75% Reduced Cost, and 75% Increased Area of Effect. Shield Charge is utilized to traverse and activate Fanaticism bonuses.

Maximum Mana is stacked as a primary stat to scale damage from Archmage Support and Arcane Cloak. The Added Lighting Damage becomes the overwhelming majority of damage output compared to CSoP’s base Cold Damage.

Once Awakened Spell Cascade Support is obtained, Area of Effect (AoE) is another important stat that increases damage output by overlapping up to 5 CSoP explosions to shotgun enemies. The explosion radius required to shotgun an individual target depends on the hitbox size of the enemy. Obtaining a 4.8M radius breakpoint for CSoP allows all 5 explosions to hit a small-sized enemy when directly targeted. If you do not have enough increased AoE to overlap all 5 explosions on an enemy, CSoP can be aimed at a diagonal offset to the target to hit with 3 explosions.

Due to the efficient damage scaling and shotgun mechanic, the Cold Snap of Power Hierophant is capable of reaching 100M DPS in a tanky shield setup.

Playstyle

Cast Shield Charge to traverse and activate Instruments of Zeal for the Fanaticism buff.
To prepare maximum damage output against bosses, activate Sigil of Power and Arcanist Brand (if Svalinn is not yet equipped).
Cast Arcane Cloak and Vaal Haste when maximum damage is needed.
Spam casts of Cold Snap of Power to deal damage, which can be aimed at the sides of your screen to kill enemies from outside of their sight. Against bosses, aim directly on them to overlap 5 explosions.

Damage Scaling

Maximum Mana with Archmage Support and Arcane Cloak
Area of Effect for Shotgun Explosions with Awakened Spell Cascade Support
Critical Hit Chance (easily capped at 100%) and Critical Strike Multiplier
Cast Speed
Increased Spell/Elemental/Lightning/Area Damage

Defensive Scaling

Maximum Life and Energy Shield
Maximum Mana with Mind Over Matter and Arcane Cloak
Block and Spell Block
Capped Resistances

Map Modifiers to Avoid

Certain combinations of modifiers on maps can increase difficulty, such as stacking multiple monster damage modifiers. You should figure out which modifiers your current build struggles with from experience. The following list of modifiers need to be avoided entirely.