Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant

With Path of Exile: Expedition being all about digging up artifacts and the Undead, the Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant is a rather fitting build to start things off in the expansion. 

Play Style

As the name suggests, the build requires players to be constantly summoning at least two totems in front of them. While this could be a chore for those that prefer a more direct means of dealing damage, the sheer amount of damage this build deals makes it worth trying out. Plus, it’s a breath of fresh air compared to the usual AOE and melee build, and even when compared to other totem builds. 

Pros and Cons

Pros: 

• Can serve as a league starter
• Deals much damage
• Does well against bosses
• Engaging play style

Cons: 

• Low defensive potential
• Can feel slow when not fighting bosses
• Playstyle is not for everyone

Passive Skill Tree: https://tinyurl.com/8c2zzkxc

Gem Links

Core Skill: Forbidden Rite with Volley, Faster Casting, Void Manipulation, Increased Critical Strikes, and Increased Critical Damage support gems.

Utility and Mobility: Flame Dash and Steelskin with Increased Duration support gem; Shield Charge with Faster Attacks and Fortify support gems. 

Wither Setup: Wither with Spell Totem, Multiple Totems, and Faster Casting support gems. 

Curse Setup: Assassin’s Mark with Arcanist Brand and Faster Casting support gems. 

Golem Setup: Stone/Chaos/Lightning Golem with Culling Strike, Minion Life, and Elemental Army support gems. 

Gear

Weapon: Rare Wand with increased spell damage, cast speed, critical strike chance for spells, global critical strike multiplier, and mana. 

Shield: Rare Spirit Shield with increased life, mana, and +1 to the maximum number of summoned Totems. 

Helm: Rare Hubris Circlet with increased life, mana, elemental resistances, and attributes if needed. 

Body: Soul Mantle (Unique) for level 20 Spell Totem support to socketed gems, increased spell damage, energy shield, and +1 to the maximum number of summoned totems at the cost of random hex cast on you if totem dies. 

Gloves: Rare Fingerless Silk Gloves with increased life, mana, spell damage, elemental resistances, and attributes if needed. 

Belt: Rare Heavy Belt with increased life, mana, elemental resistances, and attributes if needed.

Boots: Torchoak Step (Unique) for increased armor, movement speed, totem life, and placement speed, and damage to totems reflected as fire damage. 

Accessories: 

• Rare Amulet with increased life, mana, spell damage, elemental resistances, critical strike multiplier, and attributes if needed. 
• Two Kikazaru rings (Unique) for increased lightning resistance, bonus to all attributes, mana regen, 40% reduced curse effects, and 1 life regen per second. 

Jewels: 

• Rare Jewels with increased life, totem life, and either global or spell critical strike multiplier.
• Self-Flagellation (Unique) for increased damage per curse on you. 
• Rain of Splinters (Unique) for reduced totem damage but additional totem projectiles. 
• Spire of Stone (Unique) for increased totem life per 10 strength in radius.

Flasks: 

• Diamond Flask for lucky critical strike chance
• Seething Divine Life Flask of Staunching for life recovery and bleeding recovery/immunity.
• Eternal Life Flask of Heat for life recovery and chill/freeze recovery/immunity.
• Enduring Eternal Mana Flask for mana recovery. 
• Quicksilver Flask of Adrenaline for increased movement speed. 

There is no better time to start Expedition than now, and there’s no better build to start it than with the Forbidden Rite Totem Hierophant.