[No longer updated] Pizza Sticks: Flameblast Totem Hierophant

At what point should we put inc crit strikes on a 5 link instead of controlled destruction. I've just hit tier 1 maps and working on getting more crit on gear. What %crit is worth the lack of raw damage?

So when using Instruments of Virtue with totems. Can I place my totems and then using whirling blades to improve their casting rate? Or do I have to use whirling blades before placing the totem, and then throughout the totem's life it benefits from that short term buff even if I'm afk for 8 seconds?

Doesn't matter weather you apply the buff before or after placing totems, however, it only lasts 4 seconds, So it's better to keep whirling (or charging) to keep the buffs up.

is there anyway to prevent totems from freezing? does necromantic aegis effect them? or would that be a huge waste?

What about linking in the 5th or 6th slot life leech, that would only heal the totem itself right? Unless you're a chieftain?

Oh also would the damage buff from http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Rallying_Cry work for the totems?

Warcry's are probably pretty good against breaches? since where else are you gonna have 30-50 enemies on screen at once? Or would that not be worth it at all? If it did work would longer duration linked to rallying cry help keep the buff up without recasting as much?

Anyone have any input on if Valryium is going to drop from its 8-10c price as more are found or will it rise with more people converting to CI? 8-10 seems like a big investment for me now given as i'm not ready for CI but I want to get one before price jumps if thats the case.

Nice writeup, thanks!

My question is how the hierophant variant is faring. The OP and discussion seems to have shifted very strongly toward inquisitor (and elementalist). Even if the others are strictly better, can hierophant still hold its own? And would there be any particular issues to watch out for or changes to make? I assume fire pen would become much more important, and crit maybe less so.

So I've been noodling this build a bit and want to go hybrid. Carcass Jack seems like a good balance between offense and defense.

Is there a point at which increased AoE radius is too much and no benefit is gained? Or is there no such thing?

How much ES will be given up if the 4 CI nodes are ignored?

So i've been playing this build for a while now in breach, but i feel really really squishy getting killed by pretty much anything T7+ (mostly breaches and rogue exiles), and i find myself struggling to even survive T4+ breaches... am i doing something wrong? is a gear thing? Should i have gone with the life based build instead of CI?
I am a little confused as to where the problem is.

my gear:

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tomay wrote:

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Acww52 wrote:

The main problem with life is next to zero life regen so hard content like shaper is probably not doable as life.

Indeed, the 1% Life Regeneration from Sanctity does perilously little, just about enough to sustain the Mana costs with Tukohama's Blood Magic (Voidbringer not helping much either here ;). So I suggest you aim for Quick Recovery in the Tree (.8%) and pray to RNGesus for a nicely rolled Marble Amulet (lvl 74, up to 1.6%). This should improve matters somewhat. And then there is always our trusty old Stone Golem...

My question, however, is: wouldn't we be better of with Elemental Focus instead of Controlled Destruction? We cannot ignite (the chance is only 5% anyway) but we will gain 5% more spell damage and 100% crit chance.

Pretty sure the inquisitor CAN ignite and does and it does a ton of damage. That's why. Unless I am wrong.

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SumoFlorist wrote:

So i've been playing this build for a while now in breach, but i feel really really squishy getting killed by pretty much anything T7+ (mostly breaches and rogue exiles), and i find myself struggling to even survive T4+ breaches... am i doing something wrong? is a gear thing? Should i have gone with the life based build instead of CI?
I am a little confused as to where the problem is.

my gear:

Spoiler

Hmm, I think breaches are just really hard. I've heard a lot of people having trouble with them. For me sometimes I just instantly die, and sometimes I do okay. I guess one problem with this build is that it doesn't have any freeze or stun sources at all the way a marauder or ranger might with a hammer or a bow.

Maybe try to stand outside the breach radius with your totem inside the radius? This should keep you alive, however if your totems just die instantly you won't get any rewards either. Would probably work best with a party, so someone else can trigger the thing.

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namad wrote:

Maybe try to stand outside the breach radius with your totem inside the radius? This should keep you alive, however if your totems just die instantly you won't get any rewards either. Would probably work best with a party, so someone else can trigger the thing.

Do be careful if you try this though. Apparently the monsters will become active a little before they're revealed by the breach threshold, and if they chase you outside the threshold they'll be invisible.