Glacial Lance is back on the menu in Path of Exile 2, and thanks to the buffs introduced in Patch 0.4, it is stronger and smoother than ever before. This build focuses on abusing the Ritualist ascendancy to generate infinite Frenzy Charges, allowing us to permanently cast the empowered version of Glacial Lance. The result is a fast, screen-freezing caster that excels at both clearing and controlling enemies with ease, while remaining friendly to players who may not have a massive stash of POE 2 Currency at league start.

One of the biggest strengths of this build is accessibility. It can be started on a very low budget, requiring only three extremely cheap Unique items to function, yet it scales exceptionally well into the late game with better gear, jewels, and optimization. Whether you are a league starter or looking for a powerful caster that feels rewarding to invest in, this build delivers a smooth progression curve and an incredibly satisfying playstyle from early maps to endgame bosses.

Why Glacial Lance?

Glacial Lance has always been a fan-favorite cold spell thanks to its piercing projectiles and freezing potential, but in Path of Exile 2 it truly shines. Recent buffs significantly improved its damage scaling and quality-of-life, making it feel less clunky and far more lethal. The skill rewards aggressive casting and positioning, firing piercing lances that tear through packs while applying strong chill and freeze effects.

The real magic happens when Glacial Lance is permanently empowered. Normally, the empowered version is gated behind Frenzy Charge uptime, which can feel inconsistent on many builds-especially during long boss fights. This build completely removes that limitation. With infinite Frenzy Charges, every cast is empowered, resulting in dramatically increased damage, better clear speed, and near-permanent crowd control. Enemies rarely get the chance to fight back when they're frozen solid.

Ritualist Ascendancy: The Backbone of the Build

While several ascendancies can generate Frenzy Charges in short bursts, only Ritualist can do so infinitely and reliably. The key node here is Mind Phylacteries, which allows charms to be used even when they have no charges available. This single mechanic opens the door to one of the most creative and powerful interactions currently available in Path of Exile 2.

Ritualist also brings excellent utility to the table. Increased sustain, flexibility with charms, and strong defensive options make it a natural fit for a caster that wants to stand still and channel destruction. The ascendancy smooths out the build's resource management and ensures consistent performance in both mapping and boss encounters.

The Tech: Infinite Frenzy Charges

At the heart of this build lies a clever interaction between four specific items:

Scold's Bridle

Lightning Coil

Bijouborne

Valako's Roar (Unique Charm)

Here's how it works in practice.

Every time you use a skill, Scold's Bridle deals Physical Damage to you based on your mana cost. Normally, this would be a downside, but this build turns that drawback into a powerful engine. Lightning Coil converts a large portion of that Physical Damage taken into Lightning Damage. Now, whenever you take Lightning Damage, Valako's Roar triggers and grants you a Frenzy Charge.

To increase how often this happens, Bijouborne is used to reduce the duration of the charm, allowing Valako's Roar to activate more frequently. This results in Frenzy Charges being generated constantly as long as you are casting spells.

What truly makes this setup possible, however, is the Ritualist ascendancy node Mind Phylacteries. Normally, charms require charges to activate, which would eventually run out in single-target situations. Ritualist ignores this limitation entirely, allowing charms to activate even at zero charges. This means Frenzy Charges are generated endlessly, with no downtime, regardless of the encounter.

No other ascendancy in Path of Exile 2 can replicate this interaction reliably, which is why Ritualist is mandatory for the build.

Playstyle and Gameplay Feel

The Infinite Frenzy Charge Glacial Lance Ritualist plays like a classic high-speed caster with modern polish. You move quickly through maps, firing empowered Glacial Lances that freeze entire screens of enemies. Packs shatter instantly, and rares are locked down before they can use dangerous abilities.

Against bosses, the build feels surprisingly safe. Permanent Frenzy Charges ensure consistent damage output, while freeze and chill effects dramatically reduce incoming pressure. You are rewarded for good positioning and continuous casting, but the build is forgiving enough for less experienced players thanks to its strong control tools.

Gearing and Scaling

Early gearing is extremely straightforward. The required Uniques are all inexpensive and widely available, making this build ideal for league starts or players who prefer not to engage heavily with trading. A basic rare wand or staff with spell damage and cast speed is enough to get going, while life and resistances round out the rest of your gear.

As you move into the mid and late game, the build scales beautifully. Increased cast speed, cold damage, critical strike chance, and Frenzy Charge modifiers all provide meaningful upgrades. Jewels and charms allow further customization, letting you tune the build toward either maximum clear speed or stronger boss damage depending on your preference.

Defensively, you can invest into higher life totals, additional damage mitigation, and improved recovery to handle the toughest content Path of Exile 2 has to offer.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Permanent empowered Glacial Lance casts

Exceptional clear speed and crowd control

Very low entry cost

Strong scaling into late game

Unique and satisfying mechanical interaction

Weaknesses:

Relies on specific Unique items

Requires understanding of self-damage mechanics

Less flexible ascendancy choice (Ritualist is mandatory)

Final Thoughts

The Infinite Frenzy Charge Glacial Lance Ritualist is a powerful, creative, and budget-friendly build that showcases some of the most exciting mechanics in Path of Exile 2. With permanent empowered casts, massive freeze potential, and excellent scaling, it stands out as a top-tier choice for players who enjoy innovative interactions and explosive cold-based gameplay. Best of all, it proves that you don't need massive investments or rare chase items to experience endgame power-sometimes, a clever idea and a few cheap POE 2 Orbs are all it takes.