Updated for Patch 3.17
The Best Crafty Guides by Odealo
Guide notes |
March 31, 2022 -Updated for Patch 3.17 |
Build overview | |||
Tags: [TOTEM] [ELEMENTAL] [HYBRID] | |||
Budget: Defenses: |
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Boss DPS: AoE: |
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This build takes advantage of an item introduced to the game during Ritual League - Viridi's Veil, and its synergy with Coward's Legacy Belt. You are permanently Cursed with Vulnerability, but with the magic ring in the right ring slot, this curse will have no effect upon you. The belt additionally makes your character count as "Low Life" while being Cursed with Vulnerability, so that justifies taking Pain Attunement Keystone - an easy choice for free additional damage at all times. Soul Mantle provides the 7th link - level 20 spell totem, while the Helmet again makes you take no penalties for being cursed by this Body Armour. Hierophant Ascendancy is an obvious choice for most Totem builds. In Patch 3.17 the build has been slightly nerfed - Soul Mantle no longer grants +1 to Maximum Totems.
You can also check our other Path of Exile builds right over here Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List
Freezing Pulse with its fast Projectiles is the best choice as a spell for our Totems. This skill is more effective the closer enemies are to the source of the projectiles - totems in this case. It makes playing Freezing Pulse much safer than self-casting it. Ancestral Bond and Pursuit of Faith provided us with more Totems - up to four. Additional Mana will be required to smoothly run through the maps - with Mind Over Matter and the high cost of totem skill it's easy to run out of it in no time. Hierophant ascendancy is once more very useful here. With MoM, Maximum Life around 3k, additional ES, and freezing enemies from distance this build has a solid defensive capability.
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PROS |
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CONS |
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Holy Flame is an excellent leveling skill for this and many other Totem builds, it's available right from the start and doesn't require alternating your Passive Skill Tree in a significant way. It can carry you up to level 49 with just four links with no problem. Use it until you get yourself a Soul Mantle. Shortly after that, you'll be able to wear Coward's Legacy Belt. Wear Kikazaru - one or two of them so the Curses won't have a detrimental effect on you. While switching from Holy Flame Totem to Freezing Pulse it is important to look back at the Skills you're using. Adjust Gem links and Resistances. Use vendor recipes to obtain a decent leveling weapon. If you're using Holy Flame Totem by selling to a vendor one Blacksmith's Whetstone, a Chain Belt (preferably Rare or Unique) and a Dagger/Sceptre/Staff or Wand will result in a weapon with increased Spell Damage.
Suggested leveling Gem setups:
Holy Flame Totem setup | |
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Holy Flame Totem - decent spell for leveling Totem builds. The Support Gems that well synergize with it are available right at the start of the game. Use it until you'll be able to wear Soul Mantle. |
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Combustion Support - use it to deal more Fire Damage and increase the Chance to Ignite |
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Added Fire Damage Support - adds more fire damage to your totems |
Flame Dash setup | |
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Flame Dash - your main Mobility Skill, one of the best in the game. It offers instant relocation and holds up to three charges |
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Faster Casting Support - increases Flame Dash mobility effects |
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Portal - saves Portal Scrolls and the time to obtain them |
Utility Gems | |
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Flammability - reduces cursed enemies Fire Resistance, the type of damage you're dealing |
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Arcane Surge Support - a buff that grants spell damage, cast speed, and mana regeneration. |
Bandits:
Help Alira - you'll be rewarded with Mana Regeneration, Critical Strike Multiplier, and Elemental Resistances.
Leveling Skill Trees:
31 Points Skill Tree
Priorities: 1) Divine Fury 2) Ancestral Bond
68 Points Skill Tree
Important: Do not take MoM until you're able to sustain Mana and do not take Pain Attunement until you have your Unique Belt.
Recommended leveling items:
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(10-30)% increased Damage +(10-30) to all Attributes (10-30)% increased Rarity of Items found +(10-30)% to all Elemental Resistances |
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+(30-50) to Evasion Rating 10% increased Rarity of Items found +(30-40)% to all Elemental Resistances Reflects 4 Physical Damage to Melee Attackers Level Requirement reduced by 100 (Hidden) |
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Item has no level requirement and Energy Shield (Hidden) Item has 6 White Sockets and is fully linked (Hidden) |
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(130-150)% increased Armour +(40-60) to maximum Life 0.5% of Life Regenerated per second 15% increased Area of Effect for Skills used by Totems 0.5% of Damage dealt by your Totems is Leeched to you as Life |
Final Skill Tree:
106 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Cluster or Unique Jewels)
121 Points Path of Building(PoB) link
Ascendancy points:
Preferably in that order:
Pantheon:
Major God: Soul of the Brine King 1% additional Physical Damage Reduction for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%; 1% increased Movement Speed for each nearby Enemy, up to 8%
Minor God: Soul of Ryslatha Life Flasks gain 3 Charges every 3 seconds if you haven't used a Life Flask Recently
[DPS] Freezing Pulse Totem setup | |
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Freezing Pulse - the Spell most suitable for this type of build. It shoots projectiles at very high speed, Pierce all targets, has high base damage and it's safe. |
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Hypothermia Support - synergizes well with Cold Spells |
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Added Cold Damage Support - adds additional Cold Damage based on Physical Damage |
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increased Critical Damage Support - a massive boost to your Critical Strike Multiplier |
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Cold Penetration Support - a great boost to Cold Damage by Penetrating enemies Cold Resistance |
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Multiple Totems Support - enables you to place one more Totem at one cast, and have more Totems placed at the same time |
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Spell Totem Support - 7th link provided by Unique Body Armour Soul Mantle, makes Freezing Pulse a Totem Spell. |
[UTILITY] Frost Bomb setup | |
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Frost Bomb - reduces Life Regeneration and Energy Shield Regeneration for enemies and also apply Cold Exposure which reduces Cold Resistance. Useful for long fights with tough enemies. |
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Spell Cascade Support - Frost Bombs cover more area |
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Increased Duration Support - Frost Bombs last longer |
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Second Wind Support - allows you to store an additional charge |
[MOBILITY] Flame Dash setup | |
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Flame Dash - main mobility skill for faster movement through Maps. It's instant and can be used up to three times in rapid succession. |
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Increased Duration Support - increases the duration of Arcane Surge |
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Arcane Surge Support - after casting Flame Dash you will gain the Arcane Surge buff, which increases Spell Damage and Cast Speed. Keep this Gem at a low enough level so that mana requirements won't be too high. |
[UTILITY] Immortal Call | |
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Immortal Call - Guard Spell that grants a brief bonus that reduces Physical and Elemental damage taken. Keep it at level 12 |
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Cast when Damage Taken Support - will cast Immortal Call for you. Keep it at level 10 |
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Increased Duration Support - increases the duration of the Immortal Call effect |
[UTILITY] Hatred | |
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Hatred - an Aura that increases your Cold damage and converts part of your Physical damage to Cold damage. Keep in on your Essence Worm Unique Ring for extra potency and no cost. |
[UTILITY] Cold Snap setup | |
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Cold Snap - creates a Chilled Ground effect that enhances the effect of chill and provides a chance to gain a Frenzy Charge while killing enemies standing on it. Really powerful when combined with Bonechill Support. |
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Bonechill Support - provides damage bonuses, mainly for cold damage over time against enemies that are standing on chilled ground |
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Second Wind Support - This allows you to cast more the skill more often |
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Spell Cascade Support - Increases the area covered by Cold Snap |
[UTILITY] Golem setup | |
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Summon Lightning Golem - this type of Golem is the most beneficial for this build. It grants more Cast Speed and adds some Lightning Damage to Spells. |
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Culling Strike Support - your Golem will be able to kill bosses with less than 10% Life |
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Cast when Damage Taken - Golem will be summoned automatically after you take damage |
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Innervate Support - Golem will have a higher chance to Shock enemies and grant the Innervation buff. Use the Divergent version if you can afford one. |
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Below you will find all the recommended and required gear for this build. Some of these items are absolutely mandatory and a few are heavily recommended. It leaves us with not so many items to cap Elemental Resistances and to gather as much Maximum Life as possible.
Our recommended items will:
Stat priorities on items:
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+(1–2) to Level of Socketed Gems (120–160)% increased Armour and Energy Shield +(15–25)% to all Elemental Resistances Damage of Enemies Hitting you is Unlucky while you have a Magic Ring Equipped You are Hexproof if you have a Magic Ring in right slot Take no Extra Damage from Critical Strikes if you have a Magic Ring in left slot |
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Helmet enchantments: #% Increased Freezing Pulse Damage |
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Min. requirements: |
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Socketed Gems are Supported by Level 20 Spell Totem (20-25)% increased Spell Damage (100-120)% increased Energy Shield (20-30)% increased Totem Life Inflicts a random Hex on you when your Totems die, with 80% more Effect |
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Min. requirements: 70 maximum Life 70% Total Elemental Resistances 25% Movement Speed Optional affixes: Cannot be Frozen Attributes |
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Boot enchantment: 16% increased Attack and Cast Speed if you've Killed Recently 70% increased Mana Regeneration Rate if you've cast a Spell Recently |
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Min. requirements: 90 maximum Life 70% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: Maximum Mana Spell Damage |
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+(9-20) to maximum Energy Shield +(15-20) to all Attributes (5-10)% increased Movement Speed 50% increased Effect of Curses on you You count as on Low Life while you are Cursed with Vulnerability You are Cursed with Vulnerability, with 80% increased Effect |
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+(20-30) to Dexterity (20-30)% increased Cold Damage +(35-40)% to Cold Resistance Chill Enemy for 1 second when Hit, reducing their Action Speed by 30% Blind Chilled Enemies on Hit Damage Penetrates 20% Cold Resistance against Chilled Enemies |
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Recommended Anointments: Heartseeker Heart of Ice |
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Has 1 Socket +2 to Level of Socketed Aura Gems Socketed Gems Reserve No Mana 40% increased Mana Reserved |
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Min. requirements: Curse Enemies with Frostbite on Hit, with #% increased Effect Optional affixes: # to Maximum Life |
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Recommended affixes: increased Cold Damage increased Spell Damage increased Global Critical Strike Multiplier increased Maximum Life increased Maximum Mana |
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(7-10)% increased Projectile Damage With at least 40 Intelligence in Radius, Freezing Pulse fires 2 additional Projectiles With at least 40 Intelligence in Radius, 25% increased Freezing Pulse Damage if you've Shattered an Enemy Recently |
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(10-20)% increased Damage per Curse on you An additional Curse can be applied to you |
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Only affects Passives in Very Large Ring Passives in Radius can be Allocated without being connected to your tree -(20-10)% to all Elemental Resistances |
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(50-30)% reduced Totem Damage Totems fire 2 additional Projectiles |
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(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield (4-6)% increased maximum Life (4-6)% increased maximum Mana |
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Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Ancestral Inspiration 1 Added Passive Skill is Practiced Cater 1 Added Passive Skill is Blanketed Snow 1 Added Passive Skill is Blizzard Caller |
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Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Ancestral Inspiration 1 Added Passive Skill is Ancestral Echo 1 Added Passive Skill is Ancestral Reach 1 Added Passive Skill is Sleepless Sentries 1 Added Passive Skill is Cold Conduction 1 Added Passive Skill is Astonishing Allfilction |
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+50% to Fire Resistance 20% less Fire Damage taken (125-150)% increased Charges per use (60-40)% less Duration (10-20)% increased Area of Effect during Flask Effect Skills fire 2 additional Projectiles during Flask Effect |
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Creates Consecrated Ground on Use (30-50)% increased Duration Consecrated Ground created by this Flask has Tripled Radius +(1-2)% to Critical Strike Chance against Enemies on Consecrated Ground during Effect Consecrated Ground created during Effect applies (7-10)% increased Damage taken to Enemies |
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+35% to all Elemental Resistances During Flask Effect, 10% reduced Damage taken of each Element for which your Uncapped Elemental Resistance is lowest During Flask Effect, Damage Penetrates (10-15)% Resistance of each Element for which your Uncapped Elemental Resistance is highest |
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Other suggested Flasks:
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If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.
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