How exactly does totem playstyle feel to play? Help create totem build!

Can't find direct answer in the wiki about auras and totems, does my auras affect my totems? Do heralds add damage to spells that have totem support? Does it heralds added damage (not direct skill) work with ancestral bond?

It's like this - totems use your offensive stats and have their own defensive ones. They aren't affected by offensive auras but if you are they will use those bonuses, they're affected by defensive auras normally.

Sounds reasonable, thanks for all your help!

Are totems summoning minions a thing? To keep the flow of minions coming? And to press 0 buttons during your game?

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argonaftec wrote:

Are totems summoning minions a thing? To keep the flow of minions coming? And to press 0 buttons during your game?

Yes, skeleton totems uses to be very popular in the old days and earned the nickname "skelly brotem"

Nowadays minion totems are probably a waste other than Summon Raging Spirits. Be aware that SRS skulls are technically minions so that if you want to build SRS you would want cast speed and minion damage, maybe skill duration as well, but not fire/physical attack damage of your own, as they would do nothing for SRS.

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adghar wrote:

Nowadays minion totems are probably a waste other than Summon Raging Spirits. Be aware that SRS skulls are technically minions so that if you want to build SRS you would want cast speed and minion damage, maybe skill duration as well, but not fire/physical attack damage of your own, as they would do nothing for SRS.

And not totem damage because those minions are using attacks, not placing totems of their own.

SRS totems are an option for Hierophant because his less totem damage penalty won't kick in for the above reason. Still, three totems spewing spirits that to 0,74 damage at 0,7 cast speed is only marginally better that spamming them yourself with spell echo at 1,7 cast and 0,9 damage. In reality it's even worse because placing all those totems takes time too.

Guys, if I go SRS totem, will spell damage boost the damage of my spirits? As I remember SRS has spell keyword.

Also, if I take avatar of fire, will my spirits have 100% conversion to fire? As it goes on wiki

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Damage conversion: 50% of their physical damage is converted into Fire Damage, similar to the bonus on Infernal Blow.[2] Raging Spirits have no weapon, and thus do not benefit from Weapon Elemental Damage Support inventory icon.pngWeapon Elemental Damage Support.

What kind of added damage will work with SRS? +to spells OR +to attacks?

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argonaftec wrote:

Guys, if I go SRS totem, will spell damage boost the damage of my spirits? As I remember SRS has spell keyword.

This is why I keep telling them they should explain what are gem tags actually for somewhere.
- the action of summoning a spirit is a spell which creates a minion, it does no damage
- bonuses that apply to you do not automatically work on the minion, to give it spell damage bonus you would need to do something like equip a shield with spell damage and invest in necro aegis
- the spirit uses normal attacks and that means it won't be affected by spell damage bonuses even if you grant some to it

The point two covers for avatar of fire, that bonus applies to you, it won't work on minions. They would need added damage to attacks, however none of the bonuses from your gear will affect them unless it says so (see Clayshaper).

So, if we are talking about equipment, added damage to attacks will work but only if it states added to minion attacks or something like this. Correct? Are there any such equipment here (uniques/non-uniques)?

I added Clayshaper there as an example, but such bonuses aren't really a good way to boost minion damage, it's usually auras or curses. Gear with increased minion damage also isn't significant, most of it comes from the tree so the new helmet base will be worthwhile.