[PoE2] Shockwave Totem Guide

Your all-in-one reference for gearing, passives, and support gems

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[PoE2] Shockwave Totem Guide
Your all-in-one reference for gearing, passives, and support gems

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Introduction
Shockwave Totem is a melee totem skill in Path of Exile 2 that slams nearby enemies for physical/elemental damage.
As with other totems, the skill synergy is nuanced: some modifiers scale the totem’s damage and speed, others don’t.
This guide compiles current observations and tips for building Shockwave Totems effectively.

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Totem Basics

• Totems use their own stats/weapon scaling—your character’s actual weapon DPS mostly doesn’t affect them.
  
• The skill tree’s totem passives, global damage modifiers, and global skill levels are important.
  
• Attack Speed, Accuracy, and any level/quality multipliers (e.g. from gear or passives) can scale your Totem effectively.

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What Works With Shockwave Totem

• Totem Passives – Anything that specifically states “Totem” or “Totem Damage” on the passive tree.
  
• + to Melee Skill Levels – Weapons, amulets, and gloves can all roll this.
  
• Global Adds #–# Physical or Elemental Damage – e.g., Iron rings.
  
• Global Skill Effect Duration – Extends slam effect.
  
• Increases to Melee Damage – Passive nodes or gear affixes that say “Melee Damage” or “Physical Damage.”
  
• Global Damage Conditionals – Low-life enemy bonuses, armour break, stun buildup, etc.
  
• Global Attack Speed (Non-Weapon Sources) – From gloves, passives, etc.
  
• Accuracy (Non-Weapon Sources) – Accuracy from passives or gear (not from the weapon) updates totem accuracy.
  
• Resolute Technique – Never miss on totem hits.
  
• Multiple Shockwave Totems – You can slot two separate Shockwave Totem gems with different supports.

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What Does Not Work With Shockwave Totem

• Weapon Local Modifiers – Local “% Increased Weapon Physical Damage,” “Attack Speed,” “Crit Chance,” or “Accuracy” do not affect the totem.
  
• Life/Mana on Hit/Kill (Weapon Only) – On-weapon leech doesn’t transfer to totems.
  
• Direct Weapon DPS – The totem only uses global stats like +skill levels.

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Unconfirmed Interactions

• Weapon Swapping – Not fully tested whether the totem retains +skill levels after you swap weapons.
  
• Global Crit Damage on Weapons – Unclear if global crit damage lines truly apply.
  
• Non-Weapon ‘Gain Life/Mana on Hit/Kill’ – Uncertain if purely global lines work.

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Weapon & Gear Setup
Best in Slot for Totem Scaling

• + to Melee Skill Levels is the single most important stat.
  
• 1H weapons can roll up to +5; 2H weapons can roll up to +7.
  
• Giant’s Blood Keystone allows dual-wielding two-handed weapons for potentially +14 total skill levels.
  
• Amulets can roll up to +3 to Melee Skills; gloves can roll up to +2.
  
• Potential total: +19 to Shockwave Totem from gear alone.

Flat Damage

• Don’t sleep on gear that adds “#–# Physical Damage.”
  
• Attack Speed on gloves is valuable (since weapon-based AS doesn’t apply).

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Keystones & Classes
Gemling Legionnaire

• Converts all gem requirements to your highest attribute (often STR).
  
• +14% gem quality (massive for Shockwave Totem).
  
• 30% less skill cost – crucial for high-level totem mana costs.
  
• STR-based life bonus doubled (4 HP per STR instead of 2), enabling Blood Magic synergy.

Titan

• 50% increased effect of small passives – huge scaling for damage, attack speed, and defenses.
  
• Better late-game synergy when your passive tree is large.

Warbringer

• More straightforward mana sustain node for totems.
  
• Generally overshadowed by Titan or Gemling Legionnaire but viable with warcry synergy.

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Support Gems
High-Priority Damage Supports:

• Brutality
  
• Concentrated Effect
  
• Heavy Swing
  
• Heft
  
• Martial Tempo

Utility & Situational Supports:

• Inspiration – Reduces mana cost.
  
• Overabundance – Adds an extra totem but shortens duration; can slot on a second gem or an Ancestral Warrior Totem.
  
• Armour Breaker – Great for boss armor shred if you lack Warchief.

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Mana Management

• High gem levels = huge mana cost per totem.
  
• Gemling Legionnaire helps mitigate costs (30% less skill cost), plus STR-based HP can make Blood Magic viable.
  
• Non-Gemling builds may need heavy mana investment or Inspiration support.

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Conclusion
Shockwave Totem scales primarily from global and totem-specific modifiers—especially +Melee Skill Levels and global added damage.
Your weapon is effectively a stat stick; ignore local weapon DPS lines.
Focus on gear that gives +skill levels, choose between Gemling Legionnaire or Titan for your ascendancy synergy, and pick the right support gems
(Brutality, Concentrated Effect, Martial Tempo, etc.).
Managing mana or using Blood Magic are key considerations at higher levels.
Good luck in Path of Exile 2—go forth and slam with unstoppable Shockwave Totems!