Are'nt totems boring?

I enjoy not dying in hc so I often go with totem builds.

While we are at who likes what, is there any other person here that enjoys builds that require more than one button to kill monster? :V

I mean, even having to activate Enduring Cry from time to time, or give your minions an Offering.
Wish there were more non-forced interactions between skills, where you could use, for example, status effects to deal more damage/get utility. While uniques do that things to some degree, nowadays it is hard to justify dropping equipment slot to get that one extra mechanic, that mostly isn't that helpful. :v

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Perq wrote:

While we are at who likes what, is there any other person here that enjoys builds that require more than one button to kill monster? :V

I think i actually do not enjoy any build where you only need one button or where position doesn't matter. Just feels so bland and boring to me.

Most fun chars where
- Self-cast Flameblast with decoy totem and searing bond and fire-curse until reflect map BOOM (my own fault at lvl 87).
- Static strike Inquisitor with orb of storms, Enduring Cry, Ancestral Protector and lightning-curse - still alive, lvl 82 when Perandus ended.
The buff attack when you cast a spell and buff spell when you attack from Instruments of Virtue is a mechanic i really enjoyed.

Totems as a main-mechanic wouldn't fit me i guess.

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brunowa wrote:

As i skim through all the builds I'm seeing a sea of blade vortex and blade fall builds as usual.

But I'm also seeing totem builds everywhere.

I mean c'mon...

I use totems while leveling or for decoy etc, but to JUST use totems all the way into end game?

Do people actually enjoy totem builds? It's like you're not even playing... your totems are.

You can jump into packs and shoot fire balls out of your ass with so many cool builds... or you can choose to place some totems on a screen and hide.

Is the only reason people play them because they are safe and they can do more content with them (while being bored with the gameplay)? Or do people really enjoy them?

Serious question.

I started the league playing self-cast EK, a skill I enjoy a lot. Then I discovered every second essence pack has reflect, there is a new reflect map boss which instagibs you if you don't know beforehand and many map bosses are now much more unpleasant and difficult to deal with. Switched to totems, gameplay went from 'semi-heart attack every map' to 'Chris, where's my TV?'.

I don't enjoy totems but I enjoy dying and having to reroll even less and the new essence league seems to be telling us 'totems or GTFO'. I spoke with a buddy who also reached the same conclusion and said his entire guild is going for totems too. For reference, he has several HC 100 characters and plays everything from melee tanky chars to range self-cast to SRS.

This league is punishing and players are flocking to the safest possible builds, it's only natural. You should've seen the beginning of Invasion league, everyone was flame toteming or dead. Coincidentally (or not), Invasion league made a lot of players quit PoE, some of them for good. Combined with the lack of lab changes, I expect this one having a similar impact on the already almost nonexistent HC population. The same should apply to SC, only by a lesser extent.

Would never play totems in SC of course.

Ugh, the stupid Racecourse boss... While I enjoy mechanical/knowledge based fights, 100% reflect is beyond retarded. Atziri is a little different because of the ability to attack others, and being immobile while doing so.

I'm playing Shockwave totems right now, last league was Tornado Shot Ranger & Lacerate Gladiator, I love all kind of skills and I switch between leagues.

I choose totems for my first build this league because there is many changes and it's safer this way, but i'm thinking in self-caster freezing pulser Inquisitor for my second build this league.

Do you want adrenaline playing totems? play as me, jump into a pack (Whirling Blades) and throw the totem, kite, repeat.

Its like playing tank in other games. You are safe, but for some people, the gampley seems boring.

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Bars wrote:

I started the league playing self-cast EK, a skill I enjoy a lot. Then I discovered every second essence pack has reflect, there is a new reflect map boss which instagibs you if you don't know beforehand and many map bosses are now much more unpleasant and difficult to deal with. Switched to totems, gameplay went from 'semi-heart attack every map' to 'Chris, where's my TV?'.

Besides the normal melee problems, last league I had a reflectproof 1 hander EQ Duellist with Voidheart - he had enough armor and block to even play reflect maps. But this season no Voidheart...

But it's not HC proof, at least as reckless as I played him, got 2 insta-deaths on normal monsters and a few with bosses. The Atziri-Deaths I don't count - I wouldn't go there in HC, as with a few of the boss 1-hits on infamous bosses with hard mods.

I enjoyed my bladefall totem build from Prophecy. My character was also moderately tanky at 5k life and 16k armour, so I didn't actually have to hide against most enemies. It was quite fun and relaxing compared to some action-packed self-cast builds I've played.

I personally find totems very boring. BUT, I love that they exist. The game is just so diverse. I love that there are so many play styles.