Getting the Most Out of My Totem Build

I have a 78 Templar that I've been enjoying and mapping with. I was able to do a Tier 7 Waste Pool mostly without issue, and most other maps I've done are doable (except the dual boss Phantasmagoria). So I'm pretty happy with the build, but I want to know how I can get more out of it.

Specifically, I'm using Flame Totem in a 5L Sire of Shards right now, which works very nicely, but I'm wondering if there's something else I should be doing besides throwing down my two Flame Totems and cursing mobs. Should I put Searing bond back into the mix? I used to have it in a 4L, but got rid of it and respecced the Holy Fire passives in the tree to get more spell damage for FT.

I didn't realize until experimenting with it that I can't use two FTs and a spell totem simultaneously, but I can use SB and 2 FTs...So the Spell Totem with Shock Nova I have on my chest right now is not being used.

Also, I'm not using Anger anymore. Switched to using Discipline for more defense, and occasionally Vaal Discipline, which I found to have very limited practical application for this build.

Current Gear:



Passive Tree:


I'm sitting at 2.9K life and 1.5K ES, with only a few hundred armor (about 3% phys damage reduction - virtually worthless). My original idea was to use more armor in the build, but after I decided to integrate Infernal Mantle, Doedre's helm, and Windscream, that turned into just getting some ES for defense.

One thing I know I could do to get a little more damage is to get rid of my item rarity gem, and swap it with added chaos.

My question is: how else would you modify the build to increase totem damage and increase survivability?

Hi there, so you have a video on how Sire of Shards work with totems? Never seen that interaction before :)

I don't personally have a recorded video, but here's one that I found from a quick search: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re_H4tbqfsg.

Do you have any comments on my questions? :)

HellO! I have a FT totem build too, can u tell me what is your dps at your lvl with that 5l staff?

HellO! I have a FT totem build too, can u tell me what is your dps at your lvl with that 5l staff?

Hello,
Not much you can do to remedy your defense with those ES uniques. Get more ES by getting Faith and Steel and perhaps on jewels, If you were to get soverignty then you could also run Grace aura.
As an experiment swap out the staff for a Wand and Armour shield and see how much difference the extra block makes for you.
Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone. Continuing this thread at this link if you'd like to contribute to the discussion:

https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/1551457/page/1/#p12478116