Build of the Week Video #1

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Xendran wrote:

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zeto wrote:

Totems almost seem like a mandatory skill to have on all builds due to their mana/output efficiency.

Whether you use them for support casting, damage, or crowd control... I don't really think I can imagine a build not being vastly superior due to the use of totems.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but if not, I actually see that as a problem.

Totems aren't mandatory at all. Come chaos in hardcore with the regulars sometime, we'll show you how its done :P

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zeto wrote:

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Xendran wrote:

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zeto wrote:

Totems almost seem like a mandatory skill to have on all builds due to their mana/output efficiency.

Whether you use them for support casting, damage, or crowd control... I don't really think I can imagine a build not being vastly superior due to the use of totems.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but if not, I actually see that as a problem.

Totems aren't mandatory at all. Come chaos in hardcore with the regulars sometime, we'll show you how its done :P

Mandatory in this context doesn't mean you can't succeed without it... it means that your build is better by default with it, than without it. Not using it simply means you are gimping your character.

I'm not sure if this is actually the case, but it sure seems like it. You gain the ability to cast a totem, and for that, the totem then casts multiple spells for free. I can't see how that wouldn't always be better than not having it, and being forced to spend your mana to cast your support skill of choice.

For instance, I can't see it not always being better to prep a totem with some sort of AE debuff skill before an enemy cluster, then using that in conjunction with your primary skill. The alternative is to cast the AE debuff yourself. Therefore my conclusion is:

debuff prep. and attacking > debuff cast then attacking > just attacking

If not, I'd like to hear why not. In what situation would you be better off NOT having pre-cast a totem? Assuming totems are always beneficial by definition of being a desirable skill. In what situation would doing that prevent you from doing something else MORE desirable?

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pneuma wrote:

Just wish you had shown Frost Wall + Totem for max survivability shenanigans.

Also, I thought my cold totem character (cold snap with damages, lots of cast speed, low life with pain attunement and redbeaks) would be pretty novel. Have to cook something else up now.

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Big_Z wrote:

Unfortunately, From what I have found from playing one of the big draw backs of totems is in fact time.

It takes time to cast that totem and in addition, without spec'ing into them they take no time at all to kill at higher difficulties due to their comparitively low health levels. So it is not always wise to use Totems, especially if your character is squishy.

Your time could be better spent casting those skills yourself (because totems cost ++ mana and they -50% on any attack skill used, which is hidden at the moment)

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zeto wrote:

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Big_Z wrote:

Unfortunately, From what I have found from playing one of the big draw backs of totems is in fact time.

It takes time to cast that totem and in addition, without spec'ing into them they take no time at all to kill at higher difficulties due to their comparitively low health levels. So it is not always wise to use Totems, especially if your character is squishy.

Your time could be better spent casting those skills yourself (because totems cost ++ mana and they -50% on any attack skill used, which is hidden at the moment)

Only comment on this is that theoretically the time is negligible and occurs prior to engaging combat, therefore theoretically that time should be free-time.

I realize they deal less damage, but I'm unsure how or if that applies to debuffs. I assume that debuffs are just as good, and putting one behind you means that creatures are very unlikely to kill it prior to being tagged with the debuff.

Similarly as stated above, a raise skeleton totem placed behind you will spawn fodder, and even if they only take 1 hit to kill, those are hits not directed at you.

I just can't see a scenario where pre-casting a totem isn't strictly the best possible option. Most other skills have opportunity cost to them, but since you can pre-cast the totem and then act in parallel with it, there is no opportunity cost to it, except the cost of one cast - regen * time to engage... which for some builds might be 0.