Path of Exile Top 7 Totem Builds
1. Shockwave Totem Hierophant (Templar)
The Shockwave Totem Hierophant is the strongest totem build for bosses in the game and has excellent defensive layers.
Mapping: 10/10 Delve: 7/10 Heist: 10/10 Damage: 9/10 Safety: 9/10 Bosses: 10/10
Build Guide
The Shockwave Totem Hierophant is one of the strongest totem builds in the game for bosses and does well at maps, delve, and heists while still having great defensive layers and mobility. You will also have four Endurance and Power charges at all times which improves your physical damage reduction and increases your critical strike chance. If you are interested in trying out the Shockwave Totem Hierophant you can find a guide here Shockwave Totem Hierophant.
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2. Freezing Pulse Totem Hierophant (Templar)
The Freezing Pulse Totem Hierophant is the strongest totem build in the game with a freezing attack.
Mapping: 10/10 Delve: 10/10 Heist: 10/10 Damage: 9/10 Safety: 10/10 Bosses: 8/10
Build Guide
The Freezing Pulse Hierophant is the strongest totem build in the game that uses a chilling and freezing attack which greatly improves your survival. Four Endurance charges and four Power charges at all times from the Conviction of Power Hierophant ascendancy is extremely helpful offensively and defensively. If you are interested in trying out the Freezing Pulse Totem Hierophant build you can find a guide for the build here Freezing Pulse Totem Hierophant.
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3. Siege Ballista Hierophant (Templar)
Siege Ballista Hierophants are greatly improved by their dexterity which allows for very high damage with excellent gear.
Mapping: 10/10 Delve: 9/10 Heist: 8/10 Damage: 10/10 Safety: 9/10 Bosses: 9/10
Build Guide
The Siege Ballista Hierophant has excellent damage potential with great equipment like most attributes stacking builds because excellent gear can give extremely high dexterity. This build increases the damage you deal and the number of Siege Ballista totems you can have out based off of how much dexterity you have. If you are interested in trying out the Siege Ballista Hierophant build you can find a guide for the build here Siege Ballista Hierophant Guide.
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4. Arc Totem Hierophant (Templar)
The Arc Totem Hierophant is the fourth place totem build on the list and has very strong defensive layers and clear.
Mapping: 10/10 Delve: 10/10 Heist: 8/10 Damage: 9/10 Safety: 8/10 Bosses: 9/10
Build Guide
The Arc Totem Hierophant is one of the strongest totem builds in the game for clear. This build also has a minimum of four Endurance Charges and Power Charges at all times which is helpful offensively and defensively. If you are interested in trying out the Arc Totem Hierophant build you can find a guide for the build here Arc Totem Hierophant Guide.
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5. Explosive Arrow Totem Elementalist (Witch)
Explosive Arrow Totem is one of the strongest starter builds in the game and is excellent for the Forbidden Sanctum.
Mapping: 10/10 Delve: 7/10 Heist: 9/10 Damage: 9/10 Safety: 8/10 Bosses: 10/10
Build Guide
The Explosive Arrow Totem Elementalist is one of the strongest builds for starting a league and is excellent in Hardcore difficulty. It also deals excellent boss damage and great damage in maps. If you are interested in trying out the Explosive Arrow Ballista Elementalist build you can find a guide for the build here Explosive Arrow Totem Elementalist Guide.
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6. Shrapnel Ballista Hierophant (Templar)
Shrapnel Ballista is greatly improved by strength which allows for very high damage with very high strength.
Mapping: 8/10 Delve: 10/10 Heist: 5/10 Damage: 9/10 Safety: 8/10 Bosses: 9/10
Build Guide
The Shrapnel Ballista Hierophant has excellent damage and survival once you have extremely high strength from your equipment. You will have a high life bonus from having very high strength and a chance to block attacks while wielding a bow. A guide for the Strength Stacking Shrapnel Ballista Hierophant can be found here Shrapnel Ballista Hierophant.
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7. Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant (Templar)
The Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant is the seventh place totem build and has solid defensive layers.
Mapping: 10/10 Delve: 7/10 Heist: 8/10 Damage: 8/10 Safety: 8/10 Bosses: 8/10
Build Guide
The Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant has the drawback of requiring high totem life because of the damage bonus from maximum life on Forbidden Rite. This restricts the build to using an expensive Forbidden Shako with level 35 Spell Totem Support for high totem life but also comes with another level 1-10 support gem built in. If you still wish to play as a Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant a guide for the build can be found here Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant Guide.​​​
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That's all for the Top 7 Totem Builds! For more about Path of Exile you can view an endgame guide here Endgame Guide.
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