PoE 2 Best Build Before Patch 0.2.0 - Frost Nova Fastest Quick Area Mob Cleaner Build

With the upcoming PoE 2 Patch 0.2.0, a massive content update is on the horizon, which will likely shake up the current meta. This guide covers the Frost Nova Fastest Quick Area Mob Cleaner Build, which has been one of the strongest and most efficient mapping builds before the patch. Given the potential changes, this will be the last update on this build before the patch rolls out.

Why Frost Nova in PoE 2 Pre 0.?

Frost Nova stands out as a top-tier choice for players who want to clear maps quickly and efficiently.

Its massive AOE damage allows you to wipe out entire packs of enemies in a single cast, making it one of the best skills for both leveling and endgame farming.

• Huge AOE Coverage – Frost Nova’s expanding blast ensures that no enemy is left standing.

• Skill Synergy – It works incredibly well with Greater Lightning Bolt and Frostfall, amplifying its damage output.

• Fast Paced Gameplay – Ideal for players who prefer a smooth and rapid playstyle without clunky mechanics.

With its ability to chain skills together for maximum destruction, Frost Nova remains one of the most dominant builds before Patch 0.2.0, offering both speed and power for efficient farming.

Key Updates to the Frost Nova Build

Choir of the Storm Amulet – A Cheap but Powerful Choice

The Choir of the Storm amulet remains a game-changer for this build, offering both high damage output and reliable utility at an incredibly affordable price.

It’s one of the best ways to boost both offense and survivability, making it a staple for Frost Nova builds.

• Boosts Critical Hit Chance – The added crit consistency significantly increases burst damage potential.

• Adds Greater Lightning Bolt – This additional lightning-based attack provides an extra source of massive damage, effortlessly clearing packs of enemies.

• Provides Lightning Resistance – Helps with survivability, especially in high-tier maps where elemental damage becomes more punishing.

• Budget-Friendly & Easily Accessible – Previously valued at 20 Divine Orbs, it has now dropped to just a few Exalted Orbs, making it an easy grab for players at any stage of progression.

For players prioritizing efficiency, this amulet is an absolute must-have before Patch 0.2.0 shakes up the meta.

Well... Are you looking for orbs, currencies, gold, and items? MMOPixel has your back. Now, you can Buy Cheap PoE 2 Currency and enjoy quick delivery with safe payment options. 

Skill Setup – Maximizing Damage & Efficiency

Primary Damage Source: Greater Lightning Bolt Setup

To ensure maximum efficiency, stack as many damage-enhancing support gems as possible onto Greater Lightning Bolt.

This will significantly boost your burst potential, making it even easier to clear entire screens of enemies in seconds.

Custom Critical Hit Setup – The Swap from Comet to Frostfall

One of the biggest optimizations in this update is replacing Comet with Frostfall in your critical hit setup.

• Frostfall’s wider AOE makes it far superior for mapping compared to Comet, allowing you to clear more enemies with each cast.

• This simple tweak leads to better map efficiency and smoother farming runs, making it the best option for speed-oriented players.

• High crit synergy ensures consistent AOE bursts, wiping out enemies instantly without slowing down your movement.

By making this change, you increase overall efficiency without sacrificing damage, making it a win-win choice for mappers.

Mapping & Playstyle Adjustments – Streamlining the Experience

This build is optimized for one thing: speed. Every aspect of the setup is designed to maximize clear speed, allowing you to run through maps effortlessly while maintaining high damage output.

Key Damage Mechanics:

• Frostfall + Greater Lightning Bolt Combo – The combination of massive AOE explosions and chain lightning procs ensures an insane damage spread, leaving nothing standing in your wake.

• Electrocute for Extra Crowd Control – If you prefer additional stuns and control, adding Electrocute will help lock down enemies, making your runs even safer.

Movement & Bossing Considerations

• Avoid Trample Toe – While it increases boss damage, it severely slows down movement speed, making mapping feel sluggish and inefficient.

• Focusing on speed over raw power is the best way to ensure consistent farming efficiency. Boss fights are already quick enough that the extra damage is unnecessary.

By keeping mobility high and clear speed optimized, this setup remains one of the fastest and most effective PoE 2 farming builds pre-Patch 0.2.0.

Passive Tree Adjustment – Enhancing Survivability

Listening to community feedback, a minor but impactful tweak was made to the passive tree to help improve survivability.

• Removed one node from Aetherflow – This freed up a valuable passive point to be used elsewhere like Charm of the Wide, or Hunter's Talisman.

• Gained an additional charm slot – Used to equip a stun charm, reducing the risk of being locked down by enemy stuns during mapping.

While this build is not meant to be tanky, this small change adds extra breathing room, making it more forgiving for fast-paced playstyles.

With these final optimizations, the Frost Nova build remains one of the top-tier choices for pre-Patch 0.2.0.

Whether you're speed farming maps or pushing high-tier content, these updates ensure you’re getting the most efficient and satisfying gameplay experience possible!

Performance Issues & Optimization

One of the biggest downsides to this build is the severe FPS drops caused by its high AOE and projectile effects.

While the damage output is insane, the sheer number of visual effects can seriously impact performance, even on high-end PCs.

• FPS drops from 140 to 20 in seconds, making gameplay feel choppy.

• Lowering graphics settings helps, but doesn’t completely eliminate the issue.

• Players with older hardware may struggle to maintain stable performance.

For now, the best options are to optimize settings as much as possible or wait for performance improvements in future patches.

If the lag becomes unbearable, upgrading your PC hardware might be the only viable solution.

Final Thoughts on the Best PoE 2 Pre Patch 0.2 Build - Frost Nova

The Frost Nova build has been one of the strongest pre-Patch 0.2.0 options for fast and efficient mapping, thanks to its massive AOE damage and insane clear speed.

However, it’s not without its downsides:

• Squishy survivability – If you rely on RMT (real-money trading) or struggle with basic campaign progression, this build may not be the best choice.

• Requires good game sense – Positioning and mob awareness are crucial, as you need to dodge and weave rather than face-tank enemies.

• Not for tank lovers – This build is all about speed and destruction, not stacking defenses. If you prefer high HP and mitigation, this isn’t for you.

While it dominates in clearing speed, it demands skill and awareness to maximize its potential.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, high-damage playstyle, this build is still one of the best choices before Patch 0.2.0 shakes things up!

Future Plans & Other Games

While the game remains exciting, the looming Patch 0.2.0 update means that investing time into new builds right now could be a waste.

The upcoming balance changes, ascendancy reworks, and potential item shifts will likely shake up the meta entirely, making pre-patch theorycrafting feel like shooting in the dark.

That’s why, for now, we are stepping back from new build guides until more information is available.

Instead, we will be shifting focus to covering upcoming content changes, patch notes, and balance discussions—making sure we’re fully prepared when the update drops.

Conclusion

That wraps up this final pre-Patch 0.2.0 Frost Nova build guide. Hopefully, the upcoming update will improve performance and bring new opportunities for fresh builds. If you're interested in more PoE 2 content, check out our MMOPixel PoE 2 News Section and Inventory of Orbs, Currencies, Gold, and Items.