INTRODUCTION
The idea behind this build is to make cold Primal Strike work both as melee and ranged. It even works as a switchable melee/ranged build. It requires some greens because of lower item support. I chose Trickster because of cold damage support. As a melee weapon I chose Bane of the Winter King and as a ranged weapon I chose Northern Wyrm. Because I have recently cracked the code for aether PS, it was relatively easy to make cold PS as well. Build has good lifesteal but it is necessary to have large enough health pool to absorb attacks. All versions (melee/ranged/switchable) can do SR 80 relatively easily.
I have other Primal Strike builds here. I have other cold melee builds here. I have other ranged builds here. All my builds are here.
Here is a list comparing all my Primal Strike builds from best to worst. All are at least SR 65-66 capable.
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Dragonborn – great build, 2H melee physical PS, good offensively and very powerful defensively (best of my PS builds)
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Thor – great build, 2H melee lightning PS, offensively similar to Dragonborn, defensively noticably weaker than Dragonborn
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Aetheros Ranged – great build, 2H ranged aether PS, offensively a little weaker than Dragonborn, defensively a little weaker than Thor
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Aetheros – great build, 2H melee aether PS, offensively a little better than Aetheros Ranged (and a little weaker than Dragonborn), defensively a little weaker than Aetheros Ranged
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Colderos – great build, 2H melee cold PS, offensively noticably better than Dragonborn (best of my PS builds), defensively a little weaker than Aetheros
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Colderos Ranged – great build, 2H ranged cold PS, offensively a little weaker than Colderos, defensively a little weaker than Colderos (actually only when facetanking bosses otherwise you can take out enemies from distance)
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Aether Primate – great build, 2H melee aether PS, offensively similar to Aetheros Ranged, defensively a little weaker than Colderos Ranged
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Viteros – good build, 2H melee vitality PS, offensively a little weaker than Aetheros Ranged, defensively similar to Colderos Ranged
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Meme Striker – good build, 2H melee lightning PS, offensively similar to Colderos, defensively a little weaker than Viteros
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Chaotic Primate – good build, 2H melee chaos PS, offensively a little weaker than Viteros, defensively noticably weaker than Meme Striker
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Mental Primate Druid – good build, 2H melee elemental PS, offensively a little weaker than Chaotic Primate, defensively a little weaker than Chaotic Primate
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Storm Blitzer – OK build, 1H melee + shield lightning PS, offensively a little weaker than Mental Primate Druid, defensively a little better than Chaotic Primate
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Mental Primate Conjurer – OK build, 2H melee elemental PS, offensively a little better than Mental Primate Druid (but a little weaker than Chaotic Primate), defensively a little weaker than Mental Primate Druid
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Storm Knight – OK build, 1H melee + shield lightning PS, offensively similar to Storm Blitzer, defensively similar to Mental Primate Druid
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Savage Stormrender – weaker build, DW melee lightning PS on cooldown + Savagery, offensively noticably weaker than Storm Knight, defensively similar to Storm Knight
GRIMTOOLS
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/b28mxMKV pure melee version
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/xZyQ8krZ pure ranged/switchable version
Crafting bonuses on amulet and gloves are to stun resistance. Ranged version has also crafting bonus on weapon to stun resistance. You want affixes on greens to OA, DA and resistances. Most affixes are interchangable. Prefix bonus for PS on medal is not necessary (I just chose it as the best option). In switchable version you can’t use aura on the Winter King weapon (it would be a hassle to turn it on after each change).
Stats of the build for pure melee
OFFENSE
nice DPS 200k - 240k
OK OA - around 2900 OA
up to 55 DA reduction to enemies from Annihilation
high critical damage 75 %
good cold resistance reduction from Veil of Shadow, Murmur, Wind Devil, Ravager’s Deathgaze and Revenant - up to -144 %
damage from devotions – Blizzard, Murmur and Revenant
DEFENSE
great life close to 18000 HP
OK DA - around 2900 DA
up to 151 OA reduction to enemies from Murmur and Annihilation
good lifesteal 30 %
good CC resistances with crafting bonuses to stun res
reasonably overcapped resistances
good physical resistance 28 %
OK armor – close to 2100
at least +3 to all max resistances
Serenity
Ghoul
Stats of the build for pure ranged
OFFENSE
nice DPS 160k - 190k
OK OA - around 2950 OA
up to 55 DA reduction to enemies from Annihilation
high critical damage 71 %
good cold resistance reduction from Veil of Shadow, Murmur, Wind Devil, Ravager’s Deathgaze and Revenant - up to -132 %
damage from devotions – Blizzard, Murmur and Revenant
DEFENSE
great life above 18000 HP
OK DA - above 3000 DA
up to 151 OA reduction to enemies from Murmur and Annihilation
good lifesteal 30 %
good CC resistances with crafting bonuses to stun res
reasonably overcapped resistances
OK physical resistance 22 %
OK armor – around 2150
at least +3 to all max resistances
Serenity
Ghoul
image from the game for melee version with passive buffs
image from the game for melee version with passive buffs + Lethal Assault and Blood Pact
image from the game for ranged version with passive buffs
image from the game for ranged version with passive buffs + Lethal Assault and Blood Pact
SR, CRUCIBLE
I play SR with camera pointed away from enemies and I try my builds only in SR 65-66 and SR 80. I play around 10 SR runs per character.
This build does SR 65-66 very easily. All versions can even do SR 80 relatively easily. No boss is a problem. Melee version is a little safer in SR. I don’t push my characters higher but it can go higher if you are a skilled player.
I don’t play Crucible so I don’t have a time number for it.
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