Important Tree Nodes

The best ascendancy order is Pursuit of Faith, Conviction of Power, Arcane Blessing, and Ritual of Awakening. The Ancestral Bond node should be picked up because it gives an extra totem with the drawback of making it so that you can't deal damage without totems, traps, or mines. You should also use a Watcher's Eye jewel for up to 6% increased life, 6% increased energy shield, 6% increased mana, 15% increased cast speed while affected by Zealotry, critical strikes penetrate 10% of enemy elemental resistances while affected by Zealotry, and optionally 15% spell suppression while affected by Grace. The Resistance Mastery is important to make curses no longer lower your resistances because this is a self curse build. The Mana Mastery is also important because it gives 12% increased mana reservation efficiency which allows you to use the recommended reservation skills. This is a life build so make sure and take as many nearby life percent nodes as you can for survival.

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Defensive Layers

You will have a minimum of four Endurance charges and Power charges at all times with the Conviction of Power ascendancy which reduces your physical damage taken, increases your elemental resistances, and increases your critical strike chance. You will also regenerate 1% life per second for each summoned totem with the Ritual of Awakening ascendancy. This build has high life from the Templar tree and the strong defensive advantage of being able to use a shield.

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Gems

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Weapon (3-link)

Wave of Conviction

High-Impact Mine Support​

Charged Mine Support

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Shield (3-link)

Cold Snap (only level this until Arcane Surge triggers from one cast)

Cast When Damage Taken Support (keep at level 1 to make Cold Snap cast more frequently)

Arcane Surge Support (keep at level 1 to make Arcane Surge trigger after every Cold Snap)

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Armour (7-link)

Arc

Multiple Totems Support

Awakened Added Lightning Damage Support

Awakened Lightning Penetration Support

Increased Critical Strikes Support

Increased Critical Damage Support

Spell Totem Support (granted by Soul Mantle)

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Helmet (4-link)

Grace

Zealotry

Enlighten Support

Flame Dash

 

Gloves (4-link)

Steelskin

Empower Support

Enduring Cry

Call To Arms

 

Boots (4-link)

Summon Lightning Golem

Minion Life Support

Elemental Army Support

Culling Strike Support

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Reservation Skills

Grace is the best defensive aura for this build and gives very high evasion. Zealotry is the best offensive aura for this build and gives increased spell critical strike chance, increased spell damage, and creates consecrated ground when you hit an enemy. You shouldn't use a Banner on this build or you won't have enough mana to cast all of your totems at once. Zealotry can be used once you have the 12% increased reservation efficiency from the Mana Mastery and a level 4 Enlighten Support to lower the mana reservation cost of your skills.

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Gem Notes​

1. Steelskin is the recommended guard skill for this build because Immortal Call requires you to use potions more often and Molten Shell requires very high armor to be effective.

2. Arc of Oscillating is not recommended because Arc is better for both single target encounters and multi-target fights.

3. The Ancestral Bond passive on the tree makes it so that you can't deal damage yourself which is why Wave of Conviction mines are preferred as a secondary attack. Wave of Conviction mines are used to lower the lightning resistances of enemies by 15% and for Frenzy charge generation with Charged Mine Support.

4. Enduring Cry is used to give a large 2223 life heal over one second, an extra 2% physical damage reduction per Endurance charge, and 2% increased elemental resistances per Endurance charge. You will have four Endurance charges at all times with your ascendancies. Enduring Cry should also be linked to Call To Arms to instantly cast Enduring Cry on cooldown.

5. Summon Lightning Golem applies lightning exposure with Elemental Army Support, increases your totems cast speed, kills enemies at 10% life with Culling Strike Support, and has an aura that increases the lightning damage of your totems.

6. If you would prefer to play a caster playstyle Hierophant over a totem build the Spark Hybrid Hierophant is a strong option. If you would like to try out the Spark Hierophant build a guide for it can be found here Spark Hybrid Hierophant Guide.

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Equipment

 

Weapon

Rare Wand

Look for a wand with high increased spell damage, increased critical strike chance for spells, increased global critical strike multiplier (very important), increased cast speed, and added lightning damage to spells. You should also add 1% elemental damage per 2% quality with the Horticrafting Station which can be added to your hideout..

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Shield

Rare Shield

Look for life, +1 to level of all lightning spell skill gems, increased critical strike chance for spells, increased spell damage, and add increased cast speed. You can also look for +1 to maximum number of totems but it's rare to find one with great modifiers.

Lioneye's Remorse

An extreme budget option with 210 life and very high armour especially if you can purchase the legacy version in Standard.

 

Armour

Soul Mantle

Gives socketed gems are supported by level 20 Spell Totem Support, up to 25% spell damage, 30% increased totem life, and inflicts a random hex on you when your totems die. Curses will not lower your resistances with the Resistance Mastery. The legacy version has higher totem life and +1 to maximum number of totems. You should also use the unique Self-Flagellation jewel for 20% increased damage per curse on you for a huge damage increase.

Belly of the Beast

Belly of the Beast is the budget defensive option that gives up to 40% increased life, 15% increased elemental resistances, and 50% increased life flask recovery rate.

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Helmet

Maw of Conquest

Has up to 80% increased critical strike chance for spells, 70 life, high energy shield, immunity to poison, and 20% of damage taken recouped as life. You should also look for a +2 to level of socketed aura or AoE gems corruption once you can afford it.

 

Gloves

Rare Gloves

Look for gloves with high life, strength or dexterity, resistances, and increased critical strike chance against Shocked enemies. You should use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll lightning exposure on hit and chance to Unnerve enemies on hit.

 

Belt

Stygian Vise

Look for high life, strength or dexterity, increased lightning damage, resistances, and an abyssal socket. You can use 20 Turbulent Catalysts on the belt to improve its increased lightning damage.

Abyss Jewel

Look for an abyss jewel with high life, high energy shield, added lightning damage to spells, and added cold damage to spells.

 

Boots

Rare Boots

Look for life, strength or dexterity, resistances, movement speed, and optionally spell suppression. Tailwind and Onslaught on on boots don't affect your totems because they require you to score a critical strike not your totems. You should use Eldritch Embers and Eldritch Ichors to roll chance to avoid elemental ailments and 5% increased damage per Endurance charge.

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Amulet

Rare Amulet

Look for an increase to all attributes, high life, increased critical strike chance, increased critical strike multiplier, and resistances. You should use 20 Unstable Catalysts on the amulet to increase its critical strike modifiers.

 

Rings

Conductivity Curse Ring

Look for Conductivity curse on hit, life, resistances, increased cast speed, and increased lightning damage. You should use 20 Fertile Catalysts on both of your rings to increase their life bonuses.

Rare Increased Cast Speed Ring

Look for high life, dexterity, increased cast speed, increased lightning damage, increased critical strike chance, and resistances. If you have an open prefix on a regular uninfluenced ring you can use a Crusader's Exalted Orb for a chance at rolling increased spell damage or added lightning damage against Shocked enemies.

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Tattoo (Standard Only)

Honoured Tattoo of the Wise

This tattoo can replace a 30 intelligence node on the tree to give +1 to Level of All Intelligence Gems.

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Utility Flasks

Bottled Faith

Gives 40% increased damage, consecrated ground, 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground, and 10% increased damage to enemies on consecrated ground. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Rumi's Concoction (legacy is better)

Gives 1500 armour, 12% chance to block, and 6% spell block. The legacy version is better and gives much higher block chances. You should also use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Diamond Flask

Gives 100% increased critical strike chance. You should roll Bleeding and Corrupted Blood immunity during effect and use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever you are Bleeding.

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Anointment

You should anoint your amulet with Heart of Thunder for 30% increased lightning damage and 6% lightning resistance penetration at Cassia using a Sepia Oil, Azure Oil, and Golden Oil.

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Enchants (Standard Only)

Helm: Arc Chains An Additional Time

Gloves: Commandment of Blades

Feet: Damage Penetrates 10% of Enemy Elemental Resistances if You Haven't Killed Recently

Belt: Hits Against Enemies Unnerve By You Have 50% Increased Spell Critical Strike Chance

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Bandits

The best bandit to choose in Act 2 for critical strike builds is Alira because she gives 15% increased elemental resistances, 20% increased critical strike multiplier, and 5 mana regeneration per second which are all very beneficial.

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Pantheon

Soul of Solaris is the best major Pantheon power and gives 6% reduced physical damage taken when only one enemy is present, a 20% chance to take 50% less area damage, 8% reduced elemental damage taken if you haven't been hit recently, take no extra damage from critical strikes if you've been hit with a critical strike recently, and a 50% chance to avoid elemental ailments from critical strikes. Soul of Ryslatha is the best minor power and gives 60% increased life recovery from flasks at low life, life flask charges every 3 seconds if you haven't used a life flask recently, and enemies you hit have 50% reduced life regeneration.

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Leveling Gear

 

Weapon

Lifesprigs

You can use two level one Lifesprigs that each give 40% increased spell damage, +1 to level of socketed spell gems, increased cast speed, life, mana, and life regeneration.

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Armour

Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa is a level one strong offensive chest armour that has 6 linked white sockets. Any combination of skill and support gems can be linked together inside of it which allows you to do much higher damage at an earlier level. You can also get a Tabula Rasa with a high increased damage corruption which also requires level one for fairly cheap from the trade site.

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Helmet

Goldrim

A strong level one evasion helmet with up to 40% to all elemental resistances and 10% increased rarity of items found.

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Gloves

Lochtonial Caress

These gloves can be used at level one and give 15% increased attack speed, 15% increased cast speed, and a 15% chance to generate an Endurance, Power, or Frenzy Charge on kill.

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Boots

Wondertrap

Wondertrap boots require level nine and give up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 30 intelligence, and 25% movement speed.

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Amulet

Karui Ward

A level five amulet that gives up to 30 strength, 30 dexterity, 100 accuracy, and 30% increased projectile damage.

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Rings

Perandus Signets

You can use two Perandus Signets at level one that each give up to 65% mana regeneration, 65 mana, 2% increased intelligence for each unique item equipped, and 2% increased experience.

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Flasks

Quicksilver Flask

This flask can be used at level four for 40% increased movement speed and can have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Silver Flask

This flask gives Onslaught which increases your attack speed, cast speed, and movement speed as early as level 27. It can also have increased movement speed as a second modifier. You should use Instilling Orbs on the flask until you automatically use the flask whenever it has full charges.

Bottled Faith (use a Sulphur Flask for 40% increased damage if you can't afford Bottled Faith)

This endgame flask requires level 27 and gives 40% increased damage, creates consecrated ground, increases enemies damage taken by 10% on consecrated ground, and gives 150% increased critical strike chance against enemies on consecrated ground.

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Leveling Gems

Freezing Pulse is the best starter spell to use at level one and you can make Freezing Pulse cast from totems as early as level 8 using Spell Totem Support. You should switch to Arc totems which is your endgame skill at level 12. Make sure to pick up a Steelskin gem once you've reached level four and have 16 strength for a defensive guard skill. Dash also requires level four and should be used as your travel skill at early levels.

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Upgrades

You can upgrade your wands to two Ashcallers at level 12 for increased spell damage, high added fire damage to spells, a 10% chance to cover enemies in Ash on hit, and a chance to summon Level 10 Raging Spirits. You can also benefit from upgrading to two Praxis ring at level 22 to reduce the mana costs of your skills by up to 16 which allows you to use utility flasks in the place of mana flasks. Many of the items in this section can be used until the midgame where better items will become available.

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And that's all for the Arc Totem Guide! For more about Path of Exile you can view the endgame guide here Endgame Guide.

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