Spell totem and ranged attack totem gems are now vendor trash

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alvadagansta a écrit :

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RogueMage a écrit :

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.

There isn't a debate. Self-cast > spell totem. You can charge a full charge of flameblast 42.8% faster than letting the totems do it themselves. Since your totems take 0.18 secs per stage, If you self-cast, you can charge 1 stage in 0.127 sec. A full charge will take 1.27 sec. Maybe cold snap trap can freeze for 1.27 sec? I'm not that experienced with cold snap traps.

Yep, triple Cold Snap is an elemental force that proliferates like mad. It's the Flameblast/Cold Snap combo you're not figuring into your calculations. Once you work up a rhythm, there's a leapfrog effect where you drive forward like a flamethrower snowplow, overlapping Cold Snap with Flameblast in alternation. The trick is that casting the next totem automatically fires off the previous totem, and you can keep it going in a chain reaction.

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alvadagansta a écrit :

When was the last time you see someone use ranged attack totem outside of youtube videos from last year? Have u been playing the game recently at all?

I use a barrage totem with chain to inflict blind on one of my chars, ridiculously effective both on single targets and groups, freezing arrow is great too as a kiting help. I'm not really a ranged guy, though, got only one archer, ranged gameplay is kinda boring to me.

Totems can do all kinds of stuff, I could even claim their primary purpose would be assisting with skill combos you can't possibly pull off yourself with any efficiency, not a primary dps source.

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RogueMage a écrit :

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alvadagansta a écrit :

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RogueMage a écrit :

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.

There isn't a debate. Self-cast > spell totem. You can charge a full charge of flameblast 42.8% faster than letting the totems do it themselves. Since your totems take 0.18 secs per stage, If you self-cast, you can charge 1 stage in 0.127 sec. A full charge will take 1.27 sec. Maybe cold snap trap can freeze for 1.27 sec? I'm not that experienced with cold snap traps.

Yep, triple Cold Snap is an elemental force that proliferates like mad. It's the Flameblast/Cold Snap combo you're not figuring into your calculations. Once you work up a rhythm, there's a leapfrog effect where you drive forward like a flamethrower snowplow, overlapping Cold Snap with Flameblast in alternation. The trick is that casting the next totem automatically fires off the previous totem, and you can keep it going in a chain reaction.

I never thought of that. Might be fun to play. Too bad the damage is only 35% of self-cast flameblast so most likely not. Like 99.99% chance I won't try it.

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raics a écrit :

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alvadagansta a écrit :

When was the last time you see someone use ranged attack totem outside of youtube videos from last year? Have u been playing the game recently at all?

I use a barrage totem with chain to inflict blind on one of my chars, ridiculously effective both on single targets and groups, freezing arrow is great too as a kiting help. I'm not really a ranged guy, though, got only one archer, ranged gameplay is kinda boring to me.

Totems can do all kinds of stuff, I could even claim their primary purpose would be assisting with skill combos you can't possibly pull off yourself with any efficiency, not a primary dps source.

I honestly never thought of using RAT as assist source. Still, doesn't change my mind about the fact that using RAT as main damage source is a dead build.

You mean the totems are now kind of balanced around the idea that, if you just stand there while they're going off, you're less effective, but if you're actually doing things while they're working, they can help your build?

Well no shit, Sherlock. It's deliberately that way.

Ancestral Bond or not, if you can't think of something productive to be doing while your totems are at work, yeah, they're not good. Think of something — for example, the damageless Frenzy + PCoC Conduit combo for AB wander RATs — and then totems are good.

The recent totem nerf does not mean there are no good totem builds; it means there are no good single-skill-spam totem builds.

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CharanJaydemyr a écrit :

Totems as stationary buffs or aura pylons are fine, even great for ARPGs, but making them proxies for the player is an abomination.

I think that's a good situation. I think it's also a good situation when the roles are reversed, meaning the totems do most of the heavy lifting, but the player plays an active role in supporting the totem's efforts — the Ancestral Bond wand RAT build which has the player using a damageless Frenzy with PCoC is a good example of this, because the RATs are underwhelming unless the player is active in charge management and curse application.

But things like the old-school Spork totem, where you just place two of them down and then pretty much sit on your ass until the bodies hit the floor, then mosey over and pick up the loot? Yeah, fuck that shit. Seriously.

It's a little sad you can replace "old-school Spork" with "Searing Bond" these days, but at least there's some positional decisionmaking with that one.

Totems: Another example of good idea, horrendous implementation.

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Xendran a écrit :

Totems: Another example of good idea, horrendous implementation.

I think they've actually gotten the supports to a good place, which is a huge accomplishment in a way. When I think of OP totems now, it's specific active skills which come to mind, which means one can see light at the end of the imbalance tunnel.

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CharanJaydemyr a écrit :

And maybe the game was always going there. Not like it can be a Souls game with that level of visceral combat... But somehow both D1 and D2 managed to nail that feeling one against many. Hell, Titan Quest got it too. In PoE, playing that way just feels...artificially difficult.

Also: fuck totem supports.

When my internet was down in august, i started playing TQIT with whatever that one big mod was (first time playing TQ). Switching back to PoE was a very jarring experience.

With all frenzy charges, you have 30% increased attack speed, while you need 42.8% increased attack speed to overcome the 30% less attack speed penalty. The power charges may be enough to overcome the rest of the penalty.

As for those who say "fuck spell totem support", i guess if that's your attitude, I rest my case. I mean if that's GGG's attitude, they're definitely moving in the right direction.

Meanwhile, I'll keep passively playing my flame totems build while being immune to reflect, thorns, and corrupting blood. For those of you who haven't tried flame totems with GMP and added chaos, it can deal 2k dps per projectile (5 projectiles, 2 totems) with only level 15 gems and a 4link. I never need to cast curses or gain charges.

Edit: Whatever, fuck spell totem gems, flame totems is good enough.