Storm Burst Totem
Hierophant build

Updated for Patch 3.18

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Totem builds are often played by Hierophants, as the Pursuit of Faith and Ritual of Awakening provides them with a significant advantage. It allows for an extra Totem, enhances their properties, and grants you more Damage and Mana Regeneration per active Totem. You will be able to summon up to nine or more of them, three of which will be responsible for the actual damage output via Storm Burst, others are Phantasmal Searing Bond Totems. They have a unique property of increasing the maximum number of summoned Totems per Gem Quality, but only the ones of their kind. With 9 Totems, your damage will grow by 45%, just from the Ritual of Awakening Keystones. The other Keystones from your Ascendancy Skill Tree to pick are Divine Guidance and Conviction of Power.

With Divine Guidance you have increased Maximum Mana, Transfiguration of Mind, and a portion of Damage taken from Mana before Life. It goes along nicely with Mind over Matter, and a vast, unreserved Mana Pool. This setup creates a very efficient defensive layer, where your Mana is able to absorb a lot of incoming damage before it's deducted from Life. It will require you not to reserve too much of your Total Mana, and that's why we recommend using only one Aura and linking it with Eternal Blessing Support. Having a lot of Mana matches with Arcane Cloak Guard Spell which grants extra Lightning Damage, scaling up with your Mana. With Viridi's Veil and Soul Mantle the character will also be Hexproof. The build has a moderate Critical Strike Chance when combined with Conviction of Power, enhanced by Inner Conviction.

You can also check our other Path of Exile builds right over here Odealo's Crafty Guides - Full List

1. Gameplay

For the majority of the time, using Storm Burst Totem will be enough as the damage is sufficient in itself, but for the boss fights deploy the six additional Searing Bond Totems and activate Vaal Righteous Fire to boost your damage. Storm Brand or Arcanist Brand can be used to apply numerous useful debuffs such as Curse or to grant you Culling Strike, Power Charges, or Innervation. The only Aura to be used is Wrath linked with Eternal Blessing. For a Guard Spell use Arcane Cloak, and for a movement Spell - Flame Dash. 

This video was recorded on a level 94 Hierophant in budget gear, including 1.5 Ex Cane of Kulemak, which was the most expensive item used in the entire build. Currently, we have upgraded the Staff to a Rare one with +3 Lightning Skill Gems, a bunch of Spell Damage, and Spell Crit. Chance, boosting the damage by approx 20% which allowed us several attempts at Uber Pinnacle Bosses - without a success, yet...

2. Build's PROS & CONS

3. Leveling tips

Start with any Spell Totem. We recommend Holy Flame Totem, as it's available since level 1, has good AoE, and creates Consecrated Ground. It actually deals Physical Spell Damage with 50% Conversion to Fire, while the extra 40% will be acquired through Fire Mastery. Switch to Storm Burst only after acquiring Soul Mantle and Viridi's Veil. You can of course do it sooner if you feel like you will deal enough damage. Soul Mantle will save you a Gem socket, and Viridi's Veil will negate the downside of Soul Mantle. Start gaining more Mana after allocating Mind Over Matter, and be sure you have a high enough Mana Regeneration Rate.

Suggested leveling Gem setups:

Holy Flame Totem setup
	Holy Flame Totem - a Channeling Spell Totem which fires a barrage of Projectiles targeting nearby enemies
	Added Fire Damage Support - adds Fire Damage sourced from Physical Damage
	Infused Channelling Support - it's more damage dealt and less damage taken for your totems
	Combustion Support - reduces Fire Resistance against ignited enemies and increases the chance to Ignite

Flame Dash setup
	Flame Dash - your default movement skill
	Arcane Surge Support - grants Arcane Surge with each cast - for more Spell Damage and Mana Regeneration Rate

Utility Gems
	Clarity - use this Aura for Faster Mana Regeneration Rate
	Flammability - lowers Fire Resistance of enemies
	Anger - adds extra Fire Damage to Spells and Attacks

Bandits:

When dealing with the bandits you can either help Alira, or kill all of them for two Passive Skill Points. Alira grants Resistances, Mana Regeneration, and Critical Strike Multiplier - it's all useful.

Leveling Skill Trees:

33 Points Skill Tree
head for Ancestral Bond Keystone, and pick all the nearby useful Notables for Elemental Damage and Maximum Life on your way. Don't forget about the Fire Mastery for Damage Conversion.

67 Points Skill Tree
Get more Maximum Mana, allocate Mind Over Matter, some Maximum Life, and Fire Damage

Recommended leveling items:

Le Heup of All - good Ring for leveling, it grants Attributes and a lot of Elemental Resistances

(10-30)% increased Damage +(10-30) to all Attributes (10-30)% increased Rarity of Items found +(10-30)% to all Elemental Resistances

Goldrim - a Helmet that grants a lot of Elemental Resistances

+(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)

Tabula Rasa - has six, linked, white sockets

Item has no level requirement and Energy Shield (Hidden) Item has 6 White Sockets and is fully linked (Hidden)

Atziri's Foible - The Amulet which grants absurd amounts of Mana and Mana Regeneration Rate

(20-30)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate +100 to maximum Mana (16-24)% increased maximum Mana (80-100)% increased Mana Regeneration Rate Items and Gems have 25% reduced Attribute Requirements

Praxis - another good Mana-related item, definitely use it with Mind Over Matter

+(20-30) to maximum Mana +(30-60) to maximum Mana Regenerate (3-6) Mana per second -(8-4) to Total Mana Cost of Skills 8% of Damage taken Recouped as Mana

Essence Worm - If you're using only one Aura consider this Ring, as it makes it reserve no Mana

Has 1 Socket +2 to Level of Socketed Aura Gems Socketed Gems have no Reservation Your Blessing Skills are Disabled 80% reduced Reservation Efficiency of Skills

4. Final Skill Tree, Ascendancy Points, and Pantheon

Final Skill Tree:

102 Points Final Skill Tree (doesn't include Unique nor Cluster Jewels)
118 Points Path of Building (PoB) link

Ascendancy points:

Preferably in that order:

1. Pursuit of Faith
2. Ritual of Awakening
3. Divine Guidance
4. Conviction of Power

Pantheon:

Major God: Soul of Solaris: 6% additional Physical Damage Reduction while there; is only one nearby Enemy; 20% chance to take 50% less Area Damage from Hits

Minor God: Soul of Shakari: You cannot be Poisoned while there are at least 3 Poisons on you; 50% less Duration of Poisons on You

5. Final Gems links

[DPS] Storm Burst Totem setup
	Storm Burst - A Channeling Spell dealing Physical Damage, half of which is converted to Lightning. It creates orbs rapidly jumping toward targets and exploding after Channeling.
	Inspiration Support - Increases Critical Strike Chance and Elemental Damage, while lowering Mana Cost of Skill
	Lightning Penetration Support - Damage Penetrates more Lightning Resistance
	Elemental Focus Support - Skill is unable to inflict Elemental Ailments but deals more Elemental Damage in return
	Increased Critical Strikes Support - Critical Strike Multiplier for linked Skill is increased
	Increased Critical Damage Support - Increases Critical Strike Chance
provided by Soul Mantle Unique Body Armour:
	Spell Totem Support - It transforms any Spell to be cast by a Totem instead

[UTILITY] Searing Bond Totem setup
	Phantasmal Searing Bond - Searing Bond dels Burning Damage but that's not important. Get the Phantasmal version which has +1 to the Maximum number of Summoned Totems per 10% of Gem Quality just to get more Totems and deal more Damage via Ritual of Awakening.
	Multiple Totems Support - you're able to summon three extra Totems, and double the speed at which these are summoned
	Enhance Support - increases the Gem Quality of linked skills

[UTILITY] Storm Brand setup
	Storm Brand - A Brand Spell that sticks to the enemy to periodically Hit it alongside nearby enemies. It won't do any damage as you've allocated Ancestral Bond.
	Conductivity - Curse that lowers Lightning Resistance
	Hextouch Support - Hits done by the linked Skill will apply linked Curse
	Divergent Innervate - with the Divergent version you have a chance to gain an Innervation buff each time Storm Brand Hits an enemy.
	Power Charge on Critical Support - Storm Brand has a chance to grant you a Power Charge on Critical Strike
	Culling Strike Support - use it to kill enemies below 10% of their Maximum Life

[UTILITY] Arcane Cloak setup
	Arcane Cloak - Arcane Cloak protects you from Hit damage by transforming the majority of your Current Mana onto a shield that prevents a big portion of incoming damage. It grants Lightning Damage too.
	Empower Support - increases the Gem Level of Arcane Cloak to make it more effective
	Increased Duration Support - Arcane Cloak has increased Skill Effect Duration
	Arcane Surge Support - Casting the Spell will grant you an Arcan Surge Buff, for more Damage and Mana Regeneration Rate.

[UTILITY] Wrath setup
	Wrath - Wrath makes you deal more and adds Lightning Damage to your Spells
	Eternal Blessing - Linked Aura will reserve no Mana and be slightly less effective

[UTILITY] Vaal Righteous Fire setup
	Vaal Righteous Fire - Vaal Righteous Fire costs a lot of Life, but for a duration, it grants more Spell Damage
	Increased Duration Support

[MOBILITY] Flame Dash
	Flame Dash - a basic mobility Spell that allows you to teleport

6. Gear Setup

The build requires a few Unique Items - Soul Mantle, Self-Flagellation, and Viridi's Veil are the most important. It's a very popular way in which you can make yourself Hexproof, make the Curses affecting you beneficial, and bear a lot of Curses at once at all times. Your Rare Items should provide Resistances, Maximum Life, and Maximum Mana - these are the most important defensive stats. For offense seek Spell, Physical, or Lightning Damage. To convert your Damage you can use Gloves Affix, Lighting Mastery, and/or Watcher's Eye. Gem Level of Spell Burst is important too, try to get at least two extra levels for it. Critical Strike Damage is a big part of the build, but your Critical Strike Chance won't reach 100%, not at least without completely altering the whole gear and Skill Tree. There should be no problem with getting enough Attributes to wield all the Items and to socket all the Gems. Cast Speed is somewhat important, Storm Burst is a Channeling Spell, but still benefits from this stat.

Our recommended items will:

1. Cap your resistances 
2. Give you enough DPS/Life to start mapping successfully

(Helmet) Viridi's Veil - It will require you to have one Magic Ring, but in return will render you Hexproof, which is very important. It grants some Resistances, Armour, Energy Shield, and Level to all Gems socketed in it.

+(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

Helmet enchantments: Strom Burst Enchantment

(Weapon) Cane of Kulemak - Cane of Kulemak is potentially the best Staff you can have, given you got the right Affixes on it. The list of possible mods is extensive, but Spell, Lightning, or Physical Damage, Critical Strike, and Gem Level mods are always good. You can always replace it with a regular Rare staff with similar bonuses.

+20% Chance to Block Attack Damage while wielding a Staff (60-90)% increased Unveiled Modifier magnitudes Veiled Prefix Veiled Suffix Veiled Prefix

(Body Armour) Soul Mantle - It's another mandatory piece, it basically allows you to seven-link your main damage setup while turning the penalty into favor.

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

(Boots) Rare Boots - Rare Boots with high Maximum Life, Elemental Resistances, and Movement Speed are good enough, but for an upgrade, you can seek the mods for Tailwind and Elusive.

Min. requirements: 25% Movement Speed +60 to Maximum Life 60% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: chance to gain Elusive on Critical Strike you have Tailwind if you have dealt a Critical Strike Recently Chaos Resistance

(Gloves) Rare Gloves - Gloves are able to convert your remaining 50% of Physical Damage into Lighting with a craftable Incursion or Crusader's Prefix, and with Eldritch modifiers.

Min. requirements: +50 to Maximum Life 40% Total Elemental Resistances 25% of Physical Damage Converted to Lightning Damage Optional affixes: 25% of Physical Damage Converted to Lightning Damage Maximum Mana Chaos Resistance Attributes

(Belt) Rare Belt - Stygian Vise packed with Life, Mana, and Resistances will be a good choice, there aren't many modifiers unique to Belt to look for

Min. requirements: +90 to Maximum Life 90% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: increased Maximum Life Chaos Resistance Maximum Mana

(Amulet) Rare Amulet - Maximum Life and Mana can be found there in abundance, the same goes for the Critical Strike modifiers and Elemental Resistances. For the best outcome also get one or two mods for the increased Gem Level of Strom Burst.

Min. requirements: +1 to Level of all Intelligence/Physical/Lightning Skill Gems +50 to Maximum Life Optional affixes: Maximum Mana Global Critical Strike Multiplier Global Critical Strike Chance Elemental Resistances

Recommended Anointments: Exceptional Performance Divine Wrath Divine Judgement Doom Cast

(Ring) Rare Ring - One of your Rings has to me Magic, with only one Suffix and one Prefix - it's a good opportunity to obtain the rarest mods here, like Conductivity on Hit. Get a lot of Mana, Life, and Resistances here.

Min. requirements: +80 to Maximum Life +60 to Maximum Mana 80% Total Elemental Resistances Optional affixes: added Spell/Elemental Damage Curse Enemies with Conductivity on Hit Global Critical Strike Multiplier Critical Strike Chance increased maximum Mana

(Jewel) Rare Jewels - Maximum Life, Maximum Mana, Totem Damage, and Critical Strike mods are common on most of the Jewels

Recommended affixes: Critical Strike Multiplier Totem Damage Critical Strike Chance Elemental Resistances increased Maximum Life increased Maximum Mana

(Jewel) Large Cluster Jewel - Large Cluster Jewels offer a lot of great Notables for you to choose from, some of which are defensively-oriented, like Conjured Wall or Mage Hunter, while others can provide you with a substantial damage boost.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Sap Psyche 1 Added Passive Skill is Conjured Wall 1 Added Passive Skill is Mage Hunter 1 Added Passive Skill is Prismatic Heart 1 Added Passive Skill is Supercharge 1 Added Passive Skill is Scintillating Idea

(Jewel) Medium Cluster Jewel - Medium Cluster Jewels can get you some of the best Critical Strike mods, but the most important is the Sleepless Sentris notable for near-permanent Onslaught.

Recommended affixes: 1 Added Passive Skill is Basics of Pain 1 Added Passive Skill is Pressure Points 1 Added Passive Skill is Sleepless Sentries 1 Added Passive Skill is Ancestral Echo

(Jewel) Self-Flagellation - Use it so that your damage will be increased by 20% per Curse on you. You will have a lot of Curses on you thanks to Soul Mantle.

(10-20)% increased Damage per Curse on you An additional Curse can be applied to you

(Jewel) Militant Faith - Get the Dominus Variant. You won't be able to easily generate any Frenzy Charges, so you might as well get more Damage from the existing five or six Power Charges.

Carved to glorify (2000-10000) new faithful converted by High Templar Dominus Passives in radius are Conquered by the Templars Historic <two random mods of devotion>

(Jewel) Impossible Escape - Necromantic Aegis Keysone is surrounded by Forethought, Dreamer, and the Duration Cluster - allocate all of these notables for more Mana and SkillEffect Duration - it increases your Storm Burst Damage.

Passive in Radius of <<Keystone>> can be Allocated without being connected to your tree

(Jewel) Watcher's Eye - You're using only Wrath as an Aura, which can grant increases Critical Strike Chance, Lightingnin Resistance Penetration, Physical Damage as Extra Lightning, and Physical Damage converted to Lightning.

(4-6)% increased maximum Energy Shield (4-6)% increased maximum Life (4-6)% increased maximum Mana <Two or Three random aura modifiers>

(Flask) Rumi's Concoction - a Flask for an additional Armour, Spell, and Attack Block Chance

+1500 to Armour +(8-12)% Chance to Block Attack Damage during Flask effect +(4-6)% Chance to Block Spell Damage during Flask effect

(Flask) The Wise Oak - Wise Oak reduces Damage taken and makes your Damage penetrate Lightning Resistance, given you have a correct Resistance setup

+35% to all Elemental Resistances During Flask Effect, 6% reduced Damage taken of each Element for which your Uncapped Elemental Resistance is lowest During Flask Effect, Damage Penetrates (5-8)% Resistance of each Element for which your Uncapped Elemental Resistance is highest

Other suggested Flasks: Bubbling Life Flask with Bleeding immunity/removal Diamond Flask with random ailment removal Quicksilver Flask with random ailment removal

If you have any other build requests please leave that in the comments below. We are always open to suggestions and constructive feedback.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Grinding Gear Games.