A Beginner's Guide to "The Chill" Notable (and Why You Should Care)

In the complex world of Path of Exile, passive skills are the bread and butter of character builds. Among the countless options available, "The Chill" stands out as a deceptively powerful and versatile notable. This guide will break down what "The Chill" does, why it's valuable, common mistakes players make when using it, and provide practical examples to help you understand its potential.

What is "The Chill" Notable?

Simply put, "The Chill" notable (found on the passive skill tree and on certain items) grants you the following effect:

• Enemies Chilled by your Skills have 10% less Action Speed.

That's it. A single, seemingly insignificant line. But don't let the brevity fool you; this small effect can have a profound impact on your survivability and damage output.

Breaking Down the Key Concepts:

Let's dissect the wording to understand its implications:

• Enemies Chilled: "Chill" is a status ailment in Path of Exile that slows down enemies. The amount an enemy is slowed depends on the chill effect applied. Most sources of chill apply a base chill of 10%, but this can be increased (we'll discuss this later). An enemy can be chilled up to a maximum of 90%.
• By your Skills: This is crucial. The chill must be applied by your *skills*. This means attacks, spells, traps, mines, and totems that you use. Things like environmental effects that chill, or chills applied by allies, won't trigger the effect of "The Chill" notable for you.
• Have 10% less Action Speed: This is where the magic happens. "Action Speed" governs how quickly an enemy performs *all* actions. This includes:

* Movement Speed: How fast they move around.
* Attack Speed: How fast they attack.
* Cast Speed: How fast they cast spells.
* Animation Speed: How quickly their animations play out, including recovery animations.

Therefore, "The Chill" effectively slows down *everything* your chilled enemies do.

Why is "The Chill" So Valuable?

The value of "The Chill" lies in its multifaceted benefits:

• Increased Survivability: By slowing down enemy attacks and movement, you have more time to react, dodge, and reposition. This is especially crucial in high-level content where enemies can one-shot you. Imagine a boss that winds up a devastating attack; "The Chill" gives you that extra fraction of a second to move out of the way.
• Improved Damage Output: While it doesn't directly increase your damage numbers, "The Chill" indirectly boosts your damage by:

* Increasing your uptime: If you're spending less time dodging and more time attacking, your overall damage output will be higher.
* Amplifying other effects: Many skills and support gems benefit from enemies being slowed. For example, some skills deal more damage to slowed targets.

• Versatility: "The Chill" is effective against almost all enemies in the game, from trash mobs to powerful bosses. This makes it a consistent and reliable defensive layer.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

While "The Chill" is powerful, it's important to avoid these common mistakes:

• Assuming it's automatically active: Remember, you need to *actually chill* the enemy for the effect to work. If you're not dealing cold damage or using skills that specifically apply chill, you won't benefit from the notable.
• Ignoring Chill Effectiveness: The amount of chill you apply is determined by the damage you deal relative to the enemy's maximum life. If you're dealing very little cold damage, you might only apply a tiny chill, making "The Chill" almost useless. Invest in sources of "Increased Chill Effectiveness" to apply a stronger chill with less damage. This is especially important against bosses with large health pools.
• Overcapping Chill: While you can stack sources of "Chill Effectiveness" to apply stronger chills, the maximum chill effect is 90%. Once you reach this cap, any further investment in "Chill Effectiveness" is wasted. Tools like Path of Building (PoB) can help you calculate your chill effect.
• Not understanding Chill Immunity: Some enemies are immune to chill, either inherently or due to map modifiers. In these situations, "The Chill" notable will have no effect.

Practical Examples:

Let's look at some real-world examples of how "The Chill" can be used:

• Example 1: Ice Nova Build: A popular Ice Nova build uses the Ice Nova skill to deal cold damage and chill enemies. By taking "The Chill" notable, the player gains significant survivability against melee enemies, making it easier to kite and avoid damage. They might also invest in "Increased Chill Effectiveness" on their gear to apply a stronger chill against bosses.
• Example 2: Cold Damage over Time (DoT) Build: A build that relies on cold damage over time, like Cold Snap or Vortex, can also benefit from "The Chill." While the initial hit might not be huge, the constant chilling effect from the DoT ensures that enemies are consistently slowed.
• Example 3: Support Character: A support character can use skills like Wintertide Brand to apply chill to enemies, providing defensive benefits for the entire party. Taking "The Chill" notable further enhances this defensive capability.

How to Incorporate "The Chill" into Your Build:

1. Assess your build: Are you dealing cold damage or using skills that apply chill? If not, "The Chill" is not for you.

2. Locate the notable: "The Chill" is located on the passive skill tree, typically near the Witch and Shadow starting areas.

3. Investigate Chill Effectiveness: If you're dealing cold damage, but not seeing a noticeable slowdown on enemies, invest in sources of "Increased Chill Effectiveness." This can be found on the passive skill tree, on gear (especially influenced items), and even on some jewels.

4. Use tools like Path of Building: PoB is an invaluable tool for calculating your chill effect and ensuring you're not overcapping.

Conclusion:

"The Chill" is a deceptively powerful and versatile notable in Path of Exile. By understanding its mechanics, avoiding common pitfalls, and incorporating it strategically into your build, you can significantly improve your survivability and damage output. Don't underestimate the power of slowing down your enemies – it can be the difference between life and death in the harsh world of Wraeclast!