Spell totem and ranged attack totem gems are now vendor trash

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Jiero a écrit :

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alvadagansta a écrit :

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Jiero a écrit :

Speaking of dual totems.... and I know this is sorta off topic, has anyone tried tried this pair of spell totems: 1 with desecrate and 1 with detonate dead, with both fully supported for speed casting?

It's not off topic. The answer is no. I did the math and the DPS made me officially depressed.

Well, thats a shame... I was told to try it but didn't drag my lazy butt in time to get it set up and it sounded sorta fun to play and watch... like a PoE micheal bay movie only actually enjoyable.

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alvadagansta a écrit :

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raics a écrit :

Other totems are fine, shockwave is spot-on and flame totem is now just as good as incinerate+spell totem (stronger, but more costly).

I know you're just trying to give good inputs, but if you put flame totem and incinerate totems with GMP side by side, there is not a single doubt that flame totem is stronger.

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alvadagansta a écrit :

All this talk defending the nerf and I bet not a single one of you guys use the spell totem gem since 1.1...And let me tell you why you don't use those gems: Their damage output is shit.

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RogueMage a écrit :

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alvadagansta a écrit :

All this talk defending the nerf and I bet not a single one of you guys use the spell totem gem since 1.1...And let me tell you why you don't use those gems: Their damage output is shit.

I've been using Spell Totem with Flameblast on my hybrid Witch since patch 1.0 and it's still business as usual in 1.1. While it's not the only attack I use, it's the mainstay of the build:

Rime Gaze gives me a 5-link Spell Totem + Flameblast + Fast Cast + Fire Pen + Conc Effect. I also have 28% Increased AoE radius from Carcass Jack and skill tree. Surprisingly, the 1.1 cast speed nerf didn't retard Flameblast much - my cast rate is still 0.18 secs per stage. All that boils down to one-blast kills on trash mobs in Act 3 Merc and low maps.

The obvious benefit to Spell Totem is pumping Flameblast up while I'm free to do other stuff like freezing mobs solid with this:

Unlike Freeze Mine, which merely immobilizes a pack, Multi-Trap Cold Snap does significant damage when boosted by Increased Trap Damage nodes and Cold Pen. And with Temp Chains, most mobs stay frozen till it's time to set off Flameblast. That combo is what gives Spell Totem enough survivability to pump Flameblast high enough to overcome the totem's 50% damage penalty.

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alvadagansta a écrit :

...I think the only reason your damage is fine is because of the major buff on flameblast. I have a self-cast flameblast witch with only a 4link and even 1 charge blast (click then move) can kill most white mobs. A full charge can kill most rare mobs. I'm not trying to invalidate your point, but I'm almost completely certain that a self-cast flameblast will put your totem flameblast to shame.

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RogueMage a écrit :

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alvadagansta a écrit :

...I think the only reason your damage is fine is because of the major buff on flameblast. I have a self-cast flameblast witch with only a 4link and even 1 charge blast (click then move) can kill most white mobs. A full charge can kill most rare mobs. I'm not trying to invalidate your point, but I'm almost completely certain that a self-cast flameblast will put your totem flameblast to shame.

Now you're arguing the advantage of self-cast versus totem-cast, which is a debate for another thread. In my case, I wouldn't have had the patience to pump up Flameblast myself, so without Spell Totem, I wouldn't have a build at all.

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tikitaki a écrit :

So, how good do they need to be?

The last totems were "a thing" they were brokenly overpowered.

Not only did they allow for crazy high dps, but immunity to reflect damage and many other problems that were related to dealing high damage.

Notably, Baker got to level 100 in Hardcore by (ab)using totems. Many other top players RIP'd to reflect or lightning thorns trying to get there.

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CanHasPants a écrit :

For a while now, we've been discussing the inadequacies of self casting and possible ways to fix them. The discussion always boils down to "but that would buff totems and CoC, which does not serve our intention of buffing self casting."

I believe that is the nature of the spell totem nerf. Anything that can be done to make self casting more appealing, would by nature make (old) totems more appealing. CoC is less of an issue, requiring a greater investment (in crits) and bearing a greater risk (in reflect). Totems, on the other hand, almost always trivialized any incentive to self cast.

I suspect, along a similar vein to mana leech, the totem nerf is meant to encourage more self casters as a way to expose their trouble areas, and highlight them for a future buff. This could never happen so long as everybody was still using totems.

If this is true, expect totems to benefit second hand from any buffs performed on self casting. This should be, all around, more satisfactory in the end; never mind the turbulence in the meantime. Edit: That's not to say, that turbulence in the meantime isn't a right pain in the ass :) It's just the perspective I choose to observe the whole ordeal from.

@RogueMage: I hadn't considered it, but self casting Raging Spirits as a "spell" with AB totems sounds like a right fun idea! Once I get my current builds sorted, that may make a good alt to build--perhaps resurrecting my old CB Firestorm totemancer.