PoE Sanity

Torchlight Infinite - Carino 2 Auto Target Budget Build - Icebound Beam

By ds lilyWatch videoDuration: PT9M

Summary

  • Playstyle: An auto-targeting build that allows for high mobility using a “hold and dash” mechanic.
  • Core Skill: Icebound Beam, which utilizes projectile shotgunning for high damage.
  • Performance: Capable of reaching 40–67 billion DPS on a budget.
  • Cost Efficiency: Significantly cheaper than popular alternatives like Chromatic Shot due to lower gear demand.
  • Key Mechanic: Uses Auto-aim Mode 2 to ignore the cursor and automatically track enemies while dashing.

Build Overview and Performance

Icebound Beam is an excellent alternative for Carino 2. It shoots both projectiles and a beam that shotguns, providing strong single-target and area-of-effect coverage. Because it auto-targets, you can hold down the main skill button and spam your movement ability to clear maps quickly. Currently, this setup achieves approximately 40 billion DPS, peaking at around 67 billion, which is sufficient for high-tier content without the “gear tax” associated with more popular meta builds.

Gear Specifications

  • Helmet: Blind Vision (Corrupted with +20 Wind Projectiles). This is a top-tier budget choice for Carino because Wind Projectiles convert projectile speed into damage and reload speed.
  • Necklace: Ele of the Immortal. A version corrupted for “minus elemental damage taken while standing still” (e.g., -30%) provides significant survivability.
  • Belt: Two Beams (Corrupted +16). Ideally, look for a double corruption, though it may be expensive.
  • Weapon: Seek stats including spell damage, +main skill level, cold damage to spells, cast speed, crit damage, and elemental damage.
    • Tip: Using a staff early on is recommended as it only requires crafting one item instead of two one-handed weapons.
  • Gloves: Vortex Gloves with Tyrant’s Smoldering (Lucky Crit Strike). It is generally cheaper to buy these pre-crafted than to craft them yourself.
  • Boots: Lightning Strikers. These are inexpensive and the corruption is optional but affordable.
  • Crafted Boots/Other Gear: Prioritize damage, projectile speed, +cold skill levels, resistance, and “gain a barrier every 5 meters moved” for extra tankiness.

Gameplay and Technical Settings

To make the auto-targeting feel smooth, you must adjust your game settings:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Navigate to Battle > Keyboard & Mouse.
  3. Set Auto-aim Mode to Mode 2. This mode ignores your cursor position and targets enemies automatically, which is essential for the “blink-and-beam” playstyle enabled by the Ele of Immortality synergy (allowing you to gain charges while channeling).

Talents and Star-Slates

  • Goddess of Knowledge & Prophet: Use an Inverse Star-Slate. Focus on high rolls for medium talents rather than legendary affixes.
  • Marksman:
    • Spellsurge: Provides additional spell damage based on Spell Aggression.
    • Gale: Applies projectile speed to the additional damage bonus.
  • Ranger: Impending for increased damage taken by enemies.
  • Star-Slates:
    • Look for sources of Agility Blessing, Cold Skill Level, and Beam Length.
    • Ensure you have a source of Frail (does not need to be a legendary affix).
    • Static: Provides a massive damage buff while standing still, which occurs frequently during channeling.
  • Pedigree: Look for Projectile Speed, additional damage against cursed enemies, and spell damage.
  • Main Skill: Icebound Beam linked with Magnificent and Noble alternate support gems.
  • Movement: Blink.
  • Debuff Setup: Huge Ember Automaton with the Searing Crush trait.
    • This applies a significant “damage taken” debuff (approx. 50%) to enemies.
    • Link it with Activation Medium: Motionless. This ensures the minions are recast every time you stop moving.
  • Auras and Curses:
    • Biting Cold: Curse for additional cold damage.
    • Frigid Domain: Cold damage aura.
    • Precise Projectiles: Increases projectile damage.
    • Sundering Blossoms: Buffs attack and cast speed.

Spirit Pacts (Pets)

The recommended combination focuses on elemental penetration and extra projectiles:

  • Iron Lion: The best choice for Carino 2. The +2 projectiles acts as a massive damage multiplier for the Icebound Beam shotgunning mechanic.
  • Dreamweaver: Provides solid elemental penetration.
  • Cloud Gatherer - Violet: Useful for additional elemental penetration.

Note: Ensure you maintain enough projectile speed to keep your bullet count topped off during combat.

Key References