PoE Sanity

Grim Pillars Destroys EVERYTHING | Spell Totem Oracle Day 2 Update

By PalsteronWatch videoDuration: PT17M25S

Summary

  • Performance: The Grim Pillars Spell Totem build is demonstrating exceptional clearing power and damage output in Tier 15 maps, even with low-currency investment.
  • Playstyle: Primarily a two-button setup involving placing totems and using Entangle to consume ice crystals for massive damage.
  • Core Mechanics: Understanding how to manage mana, totem limits, and the interaction between Biting Frost and ice crystals is essential for the build’s success.
  • Progression: The build has transitioned from early-game items like Life Sprig to more robust gear, with ongoing optimization for cast speed, mana, and resistances.
  • Resources: Detailed build snapshots and progression guides are available in the provided Google Doc and Maxroll planners.

Mapping and Single-Target Strategy

  • Clearing: Place totems to drop ice crystals, then cast Entangle with Branching Fissures to shatter them. This provides effective area-of-effect damage.
  • Single-Target: Utilize Frost Bomb, Mana Tempest (for a significant damage buff), and Eleg Wieg with Curse Ground to maximize damage output.
  • Mana Management: Periodically use mana flasks to recover resources during intense combat. Efficiency support on the main skill and specific amulets help manage costs.

Essential Gem Setup

  • Grim Pillars: Requires Urgent Totems and Magnified Area. Note: Astral Projector is unnecessary as totems target outward naturally.
  • Entangle: Use with Branching Fissures (AOE) and Biting Frost (consumes ice shards). Do not over-level this gem, as higher levels increase mana costs without providing necessary damage scaling.
  • Eleg Wieg: Focus on adding Efficiency support.
  • Mana Tempest: Works well with Advancing Storm to allow for movement while keeping the effect active for four seconds due to Lingering.
  • Utility Gems: Keep Elemental Weakness and Frost Bomb at level 18; they do not need to be leveled further once they can hit all enemies.

Gear and Progression

  • Weapons: Upgrade from Life Sprig to high-level wands crafted with Essences (specifically +2 to level of all spell skills). Aim for +1 Runes.
  • Rings: Prioritize cast speed (up to 10% on implicit, 24% on suffix). Pearl rings are optimal.
  • Armor/Stats: Focus on maximum life, resistance (chaos resistance is important), and Spirit. High Spirit is required to maintain the five-totem threshold.
  • Weapon Swap: Keep all totem skills on weapon set 1. Ensure spirit counts match on both sets to prevent accidental totem unsummoning. Lock skills to both sets where possible to avoid unintended swaps.

Passive Tree and Optimization

  • Crit Strategy: Do not spec into crit nodes until you have Inevitable Crit, which ensures consistent critical hits despite lower base damage.
  • Mana Fixes:
    1. Prioritize flat mana on gear.
    2. Use Mana Remnants if you have enough excess Spirit (30 cost).
    3. Utilize Efficiency supports.
  • Quality Priority:
    1. Grim Pillars (extra pillars).
    2. Entangle (additional fissure chance).
    3. Mana Tempest (increased lingering duration).

Key References