[2.2 Video Guide] Beginner's Build: Dual Flame Totem, Blood Magic Chieftain [Atziri & HC/SC Viable]

2.2 Video Guide: Path of Exile Ascendancy: Dual Flame Totem Ultimate Beginner's Build! [HC/SC & Atziri Viable]

Check this short (5-6 min) build guide video above. It will show you how the build performs and explain how to set everything up!

If you have any questions about the build, come to my twitch stream and I will do my best to answer them:

Lifting's Twitch Live Stream Channel
__________________________________________________________________________


This is my official thread for my Dual Flame Totem Blood Magic build. In this thread I will cover the most basic requirements of the build. To see the build in action, check out the link to my video guide above.

This build is very strong compared to the amount of currency you have to invest into it. Flame Totem requires nothing more than a 4-link to start doing lots of damage. That doesn't mean that Flame Totem doesn't benefit from getting 5 or 6-linked, it does. A lot actually, but if you can't afford that yet, don't despair a 4-linked chest will carry you until you can.



First of all, what is this build and who is it suited for?

1. This build is designed for beginners and veterans alike. It is very cheap, simple and effective. This build is able to effectively destroy bosses and farm end-game maps.

2. Players who seek a powerful, but simple and easy build to understand and play.

3. Fans of totems and flamethrowers!

4. A build that is both viable for hardcore as well as softcore.

5. People who prefer a build that has a video-guide linked to it.

__________________________________________________________________________

Build mechanic introductions:

In short this builds defensive capabilities lies in it's high amount of life, armor, endurance charges, life regeneration and the use of 3 different CWDT skill-gem setups. The finished build has a total of 199% increased total maximum life and an additional 1% extra fire resistance. That combined with mobs typically attacking your totems makes us very tanky and safe.

This build further utilizes the Blood Magic keystone, which allows us to focus on what's important; damage and survivability and it allows us to use the Clear Mind Jewel and the Infernal Mantle unique armor.

Since we are using totems as our primary way of killing, reflect damage is never a problem.
__________________________________________________________________________

Skill-gems and setups:

Primary Damage setup:

- Flame Totem, Faster Casting, Fire Penetration, Controlled Destruction, Elemental Focus and Iron Will.

Defensive Setup 1:

- Enduring, Cry Cast When Damage Taken (lvl 9), Immortal Call (lvl 11) and Increased Duration (max lvl)

Note: You need to cast Enduring Cry yourself, it does not automatically proc with CWDT.

Defensive Setup 2:

- Cast When Damage Taken (lvl 4), Arctic Breath (lvl 7), Greater Multiple Projectiles (max level) & Chain (max level)

Defensive Setup 3:

- Cast When Damage Taken (lvl 4), Temporal Chains (lvl 7), Flame Golem (lvl 6) & Summon Skeletons (lvl 10)

Mobility & Curse

- Flame Dash, Flammability & Faster Casting.

Defence & Utility

- Vaal Haste, Increased Duration & Arctic Armor.

Note: Arctic Armor should not be linked with Increased duration as that will increase the amount of life it reserves to run.

__________________________________________________________________________


Skill-trees & Ascendancy class:

Ascendancy Class: The Chieftain

Ascendancy Points: Tawhoa, Forest Strength, Arohungui, Moon’s Presence & Tukohama War's Herald (6 pts)

Leveling skill-tree, 34 points:


Leveling skill-tree, 54 points:


Leveling skill-tree, 83 points:


Leveling skill-tree, 98 points:


Finished build, Marauder 111 points:


__________________________________________________________________________

Leveling Tips:

1. Grap Flame Totem after completing the "Breaking Some Eggs" quest in act 1.
2. Use 1x Lifesprig and 1x Abberath's Horn Wand to greatly increase you damage early on.
3. Buy a cheap 5-link or Tabula Rasa once you reach level 50.

Note: Flame totem damage can be somewhat slow during the first levels, but it drastically increases once you get to Ancestral Bond.

Bandit Quest Rewards:

- Normal : Help Oak for 40+ life
- Cruel : Kill them all for 1 extra skill point
- Merciless: Kill them all for 1 extra skill point
__________________________________________________________________________

Gearing and stat priorities:

Defensive affixes, in priority:

1. Life
2. Elemental Resistances (75% on Merciless)
3. Armor
4. Strength (Iron Will)
5. Chaos Resistance

Offensive affixes, in priority:

1. Fire/Spell/Elemental Damage
2. Added Flat elemental damage to spells (for wands/scepters)
3. Increased Cast Speed
4. Increased Projectile Speed
5. Strength (Iron Will damage)

Jewels:

- Inc. Spell damage%
- Inc. Maximum life %
- Inc. Cast Speed%
- Inc. Fire Damage%
- Inc. Totem Damage%
- Inc. Elemental Damage%
- Inc. Dexterity/Intelligence
__________________________________________________________________________


Recommended unique items:

Gloves: Winds of Change

Weapon: Apep's Rage (note a well crafted rare Wand, will be better)

Shield: Lioneye's Remorse

Body armor: Infernal Mantle

Jewel: Clear Mind


None of these uniques are required, but they can greatly increase the power of the build if you are willing to invest the time and currency

__________________________________________________________________________


The above information serves as a rough guideline to get you started with the build. I recommend watching my video-guide, especially if you are new to the game. In the video I will explain some of the skills and how they work and how you should spend your skill points while leveling.

2.2 Video Guide: Path of Exile Ascendancy: Dual Flame Totem Ultimate Beginner's Build! [HC/SC & Atziri Viable]

Feel free to ask me any questions regarding the build, but please do me the favor of watching the video first. It should explain a lot of the common questions you might have :)

Anyway, thank you for reading guys. I'll see you for my next beginners guide!

Stay safe!

Kind Regards
Lifting

What do you recommend leveling with until you get flame totem? From my understanding, you will not be able to get it until cruel (new league).

Sorry if you already answered this but in that case I must have missed it.

its a lvl 4 gem now (in beta, today)

Oh okay, thanks!

how does nerf affect this build ?

Why not going for Crit?

Thank you so much for taking the time to prepare this build. I wanted something to get started with cheaply because we will be in a league with a fresh economy.

I love playing witch builds and I have incorporated the flame totem in a couple of builds I have done early on for survivability until I could grow into the main skills of the build I was doing. This will be fun for me to actually take flame totem into late game.

I mentioned this on one of your youtube videos (I post as Sista Feed) that your Vaal Reeve Ranger was my very first Poe build and I really wanted my very first Awakening build to be a Lifting Nerd build! I nerd!

Can't hardly wait until Friday to start this build!

Excellent guide as always! Thanks for holding this newbie's hand and helping me to get the most out of POE.

how do you feel about a crit/3dragons variant on this? dropping life regen and relying on surgeons flasks to make room for the crit nodes? there was another build guide that did that but ive not seen much regarding 2.0 for it

"

Gulanka wrote:

how does nerf affect this build ?

It's more than a little frustrating that beta has been running for so long and yet they will wait until release day to change it. Oh well.

What is the nerf on flame totems? Where do I go to see it?