If anything needs to be done about the Ship Graveyard, perhaps there ought to be another area before it, so that players who are rushing through the game have a bit of a longer time to level. Leave the cold casters alone! They're not overpowered, they just force the player to take care, which is a good thing - the game does a fairly good job there, but could even use more of that. I don't even bother to specifically build Cold Resistance (though I pay attention to it, it won't make or break an item for me, and I'm wearing two gold rings).

Of course, it helps to have Seething life flasks (for instant recovery) and flasks of Heat (to escape freezing). Usually going into a new area, even when there's been some risk of death, I've managed to pop a few potions and get out. Still, being quick on potions and staying a few levels ahead of the mobs has made the risks entirely manageable. If I've gotten into dangerous situations where there was a chance I might have died, it's always been because I did something stupid and risky, like running forward into an area with a handful of yellow cold-attack enemies in it. Nothing I've come across in this game (up to the end of Act 1 Cruel at least), has seemed even the slightest bit unfair.

I *like* the fact that they're dangerous. (and have experimented with other classes on normal) I've been playing on hardcore as a cold witch, and am presently level 38. The only enemies I've come across which can even threaten to kill me are the cold enemies.

Path of exile wiki seething brine