Hi everyone! A new PoE league means a new build but with the all the changes to Ascendances this time around we didn't have enough time to see what would still work this league and make a forum vote like last time. So, instead, we've worked around a base totem build that we've modified/improved where we felt it was necessary.
(For reference the original build can be found here :
https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view- ... 074/page/1 , thanks to the OP : Orion72! )
This time around Cohh will be playing a Dark Pact Totem build!
- Dark Pact is a fairly recent skill added with 3.0, the premise of the skill is using a portion of your life (or in this case your totems life) and skeletons near you or the targeted location to deal Chaos damage accordingly, plus a base of chaos damage. So the more skeletons you can summon, the more damage you'll output per totem, this will be important later on for bosses.
- The goal of this build is to focus on pure Chaos damage and scale it up as much as possible.
The skill tree
Let's get right into it : the "final" tree will look like this
Tree at level 93
Path of Building link :
https://pastebin.com/ZGvus3jf
The leveling progression goes like this :
- Start by going straight to SANCTITY, going through the mana and life node of Templar starting zone. We then head to RETRIBUTION, taking all the nodes on the way. Next stop is Mind Over Matter and the mana nodes after it. (If you have mana issues, hold on MOM until you are comfortable with using it)
- The aim now is to reach Ancestral Bond, which should be around level 28; for that we take LIGHT OF DIVINITY then go up to PURITY OF FLESH and finally head to ANCESTRAL BOND.
DO NOT take Ancestral Bond until you get your Spell totem gem with Dark Pact.
- Now we grab AMPLIFY and take all the nodes we need in the Witch area of the tree : OCCULTIST's DOMINION, grab the spell damage nodes going down to the witch starting point, HEART AND SOUL, DEEP WISDOM, go up to BLAST RADIUS and then up to CRUEL PREPARATION and DEEP THOUGHTS.
- Get QUICK RECOVERY and head down towards straight down to TOTEMIC MASTERY.
- Next go toward TOTEMIC ZEAL and SENTINEL (hold on taking all the life nodes on the way unless you really need more life)
- At this point it's a matter of preference, life, mana, damage, jewel sockets. Pick whatever you need from what is left on the tree. Keep in mind that the goal while using MoM is to keep a ratio of about 2/3 of your life as mana
Ascendancy
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The Gems links
- Our main link with this build will be: Dark Pact > Spell Totem support > Added Chaos damage support (added Cold damage until level 31) > Controlled Destruction support > Void manipulation support > Concentrated effect support(can eventually be swapped to Faster casting for map clearing).
(While leveling and prior to eventually getting an Apep's Rage at level 62 you can use Dark Pact >Spell totem>Added lightning>Added Chaos (added cold until 31)>Controlled Destruction>Faster Casting(Concentrated effect for boss) and take advantage of +elemental damage gear).
- 4 Link: Flame Dash>Faster Casting>Arcane Surge>Inc duration (can use shield charge/whirling blade>faster attack prior to using Apep). Make sure to keep Arcane Surge level low enough so it can be triggered with every cast of Flame Dash.
- 4 Sockets/ 3 Link: CWDT(fully leveled)>Stone Golem>Molten Shell and Decoy totem on the fourth socket
- 3 Link: CWDT (lvl 1)>Immortal Call (lvl 3)>Inc duration
Then we have a couple options :
If you want more mobility :
- 4 Link: Summon Skeletons>Faster Casting>Spell Echo>Minion Life
- 3 Link: Despair>Wither>Faster Casting
Or if you're fine with a more static and a bit less complex version :
- 4 Link: Wither>Cast While Channeling>Summon Skeletons>Minion life
- 3 Link: Despair>Increased Area of Effect>Faster Casting
The Gear
This build can work with a very small budget using mostly rare gear and only an Apep's Rage and a 6 link rare armor or even a Tabula. That being said there are also great unique items options that can add both to damage and survivability.
We'll split this section in two parts: First the gear we're aiming at for this league, and then the other options that can be used while leveling or while waiting on currency.
End game gear goal :
- Weapon:
Apep's Rage
- Shield:
Atziri's Mirror and ultimately the new Fated version
Atziri's Reflection
- Body:
Soul Mantle
- Helm: A good
rare helmet with Dark pact damage/cast speed enchantement
- Belt: If/When you find one a good
rare Stygian Vise
- Gloves:
Fingerless Silk Gloves are the best base overall, you can also craft
rare gloves using
Essence of Insanity
- Boots:
Rare boots with speed, life, resists and mana.
- Rings: Two
Kikazaru while waiting for Atziri's Mirror/Reflection if you start using the Soul Mantle
- Jewels:
Clear Mind ,
Self-Flagellation
Other options or while leveling :
- Weapon:
Shimmeron ,
Brightbeak ,
Divinarius or crafted a
rare spell dagger
- Shield:
Trolltimber Spire or any
rare Spirit Shield focusing on life, spell damage, cast speed, resists, mana
- Body:
Tabulla Rasa is probably the best while leveling,
The Covenant , a good
rare Carnal Armor for great defense. Other options
Carcass Jack ,
Cherrubim's Maleficence
- Helmet: Eventually
Devoto's Devotion for speed in lower tier maps, be aware of the Dex requirement though
- Belt: Any
rare Belt with life/resist/mana
- Gloves:
- Boots:
Some leveling tips
Bandits : For the bandit quest we kill all of them for the skill points. (Helping Alira can be an option while leveling and eventually respec'd later).
Level 1-27: While levelling you can start by using dual spell damage wand (or spell damage dagger if you find some), when needed switch one to a spirit shield.
Pick your favorite aoe skill, anything will do, use what you're most comfortable with. Once you've dealt with Brutus you can start using and leveling Spell Totem.
An example of what you can work with then :
Firestorm>Arcane Surge>Added Lightning Damage
Spell Totem>Firestorm>Added Lightning Damage
From level 28: From now on you can start working with Dark Pact. If you can find one get a Tabula, but you can start with any 4 links rare chest as Tabula will probably be rare and expensive on league start.
You can eventually use
Hrimsorrow gloves,
Berek's Grip and
Berek's Pass for flat spell damage increase but it's not an obligation at all.
At level 49: This is when you can start equipping the
Soul Mantle, you'll need the 2
Kikazaru rings for that though, to limit the effects of the curse affecting you. You can also use a
Self-Flagellation jewel, that'll compensate for some of the dps you may lose from the curse
At level 62: In a perfect world this is when you'd start using
Apep's Rage, but it's probably going to take a while to find one when the league starts
At level 68: This is when you can start using the
Atziri's Reflection, this will probably be very hard to procure so don't sweat over it.
We hope that you have fun if you follow this build, and if not, that you find a build you do have fun with. ^_^
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