Shaman Mastery Leveling Build for Last Epoch (Patch 1.1)
This is the perfect leveling guide for new players wanting to start with Shaman! This page will cover everything and anything you could need to know about leveling the class, including which skills to use, what stats to prioritize, and what uniques are useful early in the game.
Build Introduction
You are a warrior of lightning, manipulating the element through your totems to control and singe your opponents to death as you charge across Eterra. This build utilizes new, welcomed changes to our Summon Storm Totem in 1.1. We consume 5 of our standard Summon Thorn Totems when we want to create a monstrosisty of a Thunder Totem. Most enemies will be instantly decimated with this totem, and bosses will see their health pools disipate after a few seconds.
Skill Selection
We utilize the new interactions with Summon Storm Totem, its support node of Thunder Totem, and the new node of Unmatched Storms. This new interaction allows us to scale Storm Bolt damage through our Gathering Storm Tree which converts the Storm Totem from using its own instance of lightning strikes, to Storm Bolts. This is the reason we try to scale our Attunement and Mana, as attunement will add base damage to Storm Bolts, and Mana will add significant multipliers to the damage. Not all enemies are created equally in Eterra, and not all of them will require a massive Thunder Totem. Many will be felled by using a standard Storm Totem—utilize them appropriately.
Class and Skill Passive Trees
Our base class is the Primalist, which acts as a generic caster, brawler, or companion summoner. Our character will be offered an opportunity to select an Advanced Mastery once we have completed the first act of the campaign. Each base class has three possible masteries to choose from. For the Primalist, we have access to the Mastery Tree Passives for Beastmaster, Shaman and Druid. Upon selecting a Mastery and placing 20 Passive Points into the Primalist Tree, you'll then be able to place Passive Points into the Mastery Trees.
For this Totem build, we will be picking Shaman as our advanced class. We will utilize the majority of our Passive Points in the Shaman Passive Tree. We will be picking up any Attunement in order to augment our spell damage, health for obvious reasons, strength to bolster our defenses, and gains in both shared and totem spell damage.
Primalist Passive Points
- 8 points into Natural Attunement: Increases our Attunement and Resistances.
- 5 points into Hunter's Restoration: Increases our health and gains health on hit.
- 7 points into Primal Strength: Increases our spell damage and minion spell damage.
Our base class is the Primalist, which acts as a generic caster, brawler, or companion summoner. Our character will be offered an opportunity to select an Advanced Mastery once we have completed the first act of the campaign. Each base class has three possible masteries to choose from. For the Primalist, we have access to the Mastery Tree Passives for Beastmaster, Shaman and Druid. Upon selecting a Mastery and placing 20 Passive Points into the Primalist Tree, you'll then be able to place Passive Points into the Mastery Trees.
For this Totem build, we will be picking Shaman as our advanced class. We will utilize the majority of our Passive Points in the Shaman Passive Tree. We aim to garner attunement to scale spell damage for our Storm Bolts and add large amounts elemental penetration for both our minions and us. We also gain significant mana regeneration in this tree, which will allow our Storm Bolts to hit hard with full mana.
Shaman Passive Points
- 8 points into Shamanic Infusion: Increases our Attunement and Penetration.
- 5 points into Sky Warrior: Increased damage for us and minions, as well as cooldown recovery for Crowstorm.
- 5 points into Silent Protector: This gives both our totems and us Armor, as well as Mana Regen.
- 2 points into Storm Bringer: This node gives us shared lightning res and damage.
- 5 points into Ancestral Speed: Our totems gain significant cast speed, and a chance for us to gain haste.
- 5 points into Avatar of Thunder: This gives us and our minions base spell Lightning Damage, and 2% Lightning Penetration per 5 points of Attunement.
- 8 points into Rune of Awe: This node gives both our minions and us base spell damage.
- 5 points into Elemental Shrines: We gain significant mana regeneration, per point of Attunement we have.
- 1 point into Dervish: This is only taken to move forward.
- 1 point into Rhythm of Thunder: This is only taken to move forward.
- 3 points into Thunder Strike: This gives us a chance to cast Storm Bolt on Melee Hit.
- 5 points into Conflux: We increases our area skills' area of effect, and take 5% Less Damage from Shocked enemies. We also have a 20% chance for indirect casts of Storm Bolt to be doubled.
Our base class is the Primalist, which acts as a generic caster, brawler, or companion summoner. Our character will be offered an opportunity to select an Advanced Mastery once we have completed the first act of the campaign. Each base class has three possible masteries to choose from. For the Primalist, we have access to the Mastery Tree Passives for Beastmaster, Shaman and Druid. Upon selecting a Mastery and placing 20 Passive Points into the Primalist Tree, you'll then be able to place Passive Points into the Mastery Trees.
For this build, we will be picking Shaman as our advanced class. We will utilize the majority of our Passive Points in the Shaman Passive Tree. In the Druid tree, we and our minions gain Armor. We also gain bonuses to all of our stats.
Druid Passive Points
- 5 points into Chitinous Plating: Increases our Endurance and Armor.
- 5 points into Druidic Prowess: Increases our base stats.
In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill perform as best as possible in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own personal preferences, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.
Summon Wolf
Summon Wolf will be used early on as our primary damage skill in the game. As we progress later, we keep this still in order to maintain an additional Storm Crow, from the Pack Hunters. Which will GREATLY increase the damage of our Totems.
Order of Skill Points
- 2 points into Lupine Endurance: This gives our Wolves more health.
- 1 point into Storm Caller's Reprisal: This gives our Wolves a chance to retaliate with OUR Storm Bolt.
- 5 points into Cloud Runners: This adds significant lightning damage to our wolves.
- 1 point into Shaman's Bond: This gives our Wolves large amaounts of Health and damage based on our points.
- 4 points into Storm Jaws: This adds a base of 20 Lightning Melee Damager for the Wolves.
- 2 points into Wolfen Recovery: This adds base HP Regen and Increased HP Regen for our Wolves.
- 4 points into Stormborn: This adds even more Retaliation chance, now making it a 55% chance to retaliate with OUR Storm Bolt.
- 1 point into Pack Hunters: This adds an additional companion (Wolf Early game, Crow Late game).
In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill perform as best as possible in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own personal preferences, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.
Gathering Storm
Gathering Storm is going to be our primary damage dealer, both directly and indirectly. Early on, wolves will utilize the subskill of Storm Bolt to retaliate against enemies. In the Mid/Late Game, our Summon Storm Totem will cast our Storm Bolt, instead of its standard Lightning Strike. This is a welcomed change for the Shaman in 1.1, as it allows us to scale our Attunement and Mana in order to push large amounts of damage to our Totem.
Order of Skill Points
- 1 point into Windfury Blows: Attack speed is not really important for us, only in the very early game. We take this node in order to access more of the tree.
- 2 points into Thunderous Strikes: We add Lightning Penetration to our attacks with Gathering Storm.
- 1 point into Excited Bolts: This allows our Storm Bolts to use 1% of our mana and add 3% more damage per 10 Mana we currently have.
- 5 points into Friends of the Tempest: This gives us a 40% Chance to gain a Storm Stack when one of our minions use a lightning skill. MUST HAVE AT LEAST 1 STORM STACK FOR THE AUTOMATION TO WORK.
- 1 point into Looming Clouds: This gives us a small chance to hit an additional enememy with Storm Bolt.
- 1 point into Lightning Strikes Twice: This gives Storm Bolts a 20% chance to repeat its attack on a Boss or Rare enemy.
- 4 points into Concentrated Storm: This adds significant damage and frequecy to Storm Bolt.
- 2 points into A Storm Gathers: This node will give a 12% chance to gain a stack, instead of expending a stack.
- 1 point into Lightning Gale: This node will give us a chance to be hasted whenever we expend a Storm Stack.
- 2 points into Whirlwind Tactics: When we use a Minion Skill (Victory Howl early game or Sky Passage Late game) we will instantly expend 2 Storm Stacks with increased Damage.
In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill perform as best as possible in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own personal preferences, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.
Summon Storm Totem
Summon Storm Totem should be picked up when you reach the end of time and select your Mastery of Shaman. With that, the changes in 1.1 brought serious damage scaling to the table. The Storm Totems default attack will clear early on, but will start to rapidly increase its damage output as you get closer to mid game (around 13 Points invested). It is recommended you only take the MINIMUM amount of points in each node, in order to reach the key nodes. I will tell you the key nodes in the descriptions below.
Order of Skill Points
- 2 points into Limited Resistance: Drastically increases the mana efficiency of Storm Totem.
- 1 point into Unmatched Storms: KEY NODE - This node enables the use of our Storm Bolts, scaling with our Attunement and Mana for Damage.
- 4 points into Lightning Raider: Greatly increases the cast speed of the Storm Totem.
- 3 points into Direct Current: Increases the base Critical Strike Chance for our Storm Totem.
- 3 points into Power Shunt: This node gives our Storm Totem 90% Critical Strike Multiplier.
- 3 points into Storm's Reach: Increases the area the Storm Totem can attack.
- 5 points into Intensity: Adds a massive boost of Damage to Storm Totem, at the expense of Mana Cost.
- 1 point into Thunder Totem: KEY NODE - This node allows us to consume our Summon Thorn Totems in order to create a signifantly stronger Storm Totem.
If you haven't obtained the 2 levels for Storm Totem, you can trim 1 point from Intensity and 1 point from Lightning Raider.
In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill perform as best as possible in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own personal preferences, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.
Summon Thorn Totem
Summon Thorn Totem is going to be additive damage for our character. These can be used generically for small underpowered trash. We will mostly use this skill to "feed" our Storm Totem, in order to produce a monstrous Thunder Totem. To use this, cast Summon Thorn Totem, until 5 are produced (2 casts), then cast Summon Storm Totem. The 5 will be consumed to create a massive Storm Totem. You can freely cast Summon Thorn Totem again for additive damage, but be aware, your Summon Storm Crowss will attempt to buff these Totems as well.
Order of Skill Points
- 5 points into Totemic Wisdom: We drastically reduce the cost of summoning our Thorn Totems.
- 3 points into Memories of Eterra: We gain mana, whenever Thorn Totems die, or are consumed.
- 4 points into Forested Expanse: Mana Cost is doubled, but we can now summon 6 Thorn Totems.
- 3 points into Eternal Forest: Thorn Totems last longer, and have more health.
- 1 point into Grove Mind: We can now instantly summon all Thorn Totems at once, but can only summon 5 Thorn Totems now.
- 1 point into Torrent of Thorns: Thorn Totems now have a chance to double cast.
- 2 points into Lethal Thicket: Thorn Totems have 100% increased Critical Strike Chance, and 10% more Damage.
- 1 point into Titan's Bane: Thorn Totems now cast twice as fast, with increased accuracy, and do 10% more damage to bosses and rares.
In this section, we will break down each skill and highlight the key passives we have selected to make the skill perform as best as possible in the build. While some of these skills do allow for some variation to exist depending on your own custom choices, we recommend utilizing the skill trees as presented until you have a strong understanding of the build itself.
Summon Storm Crow
Summon Storm Crows will be the icing on the cake for our Totems. They will cast an incredible stacking buff of Aspect of the Crow. Each stack will add +3 Base Lightning Spell Damage to our Totems, causing our already strong Storm Totem to hit even harder. As the stacks ramp up, you will see the damage begin to climb. We also scale this to be our movement skill, as we Teleport with the active ability of Crowstorm with Sky Passage. They are scaled to cast quickly, and have as much dodge as we can give them. Try to not send them directly into traffic. Although 1.1 did bring welcomed base HP to the Crows, they can still die when blatantly ignored.
Order of Skill Points
- 3 points into Avis: Gives our Storm Crows a large chunk of HP, Movespeed, and Cast Speed.
- 3 points into Aspect of the Crow: Our Storm Crows gain the ability to put a very strong buff on you and your allies.
- 1 point into Wisdom of the Storm: This point is taken in order to move forward in the tree.
- 1 point into Arborist: Storm Crows now only empower our totems, not the player.
- 5 points into Nimbleness: Our Storm Crows gain a large boost to Dodge rating, both base and increased.
- 1 point into Shocking Display: Storm Crows can now shock enemies, and have Lightning Resistance.
- 3 points into Thundering Strike: The Storm Crows active ability, Crowstorm, hits significantly harder.
- 1 point into Sky Passage: The active ability for our Storm Crows, is now our "Blink". Damage from Crowstorm and Whirlwind Tactics will apply at the targeted location.
- 1 point into Expansive Pulse: The Storm Crows active ability, hits in a larger area, and will shock enemies.
- 1 point into Thunderous Blast: Crowstorm will hit significantly harder, and we reduce its Cooldown.
Build Mechanics and Playstyle
This leveling playstyle will require interaction, though there will likely be instances where using one button will work ( Summon Storm Totem), especially later when gear is more ideal. The automation from Friends of the Tempest and the power of the Storm Totem will make leveling simple. Use your Totems to pull enemies, and place them between you and them. This is a caster-type build, not in-your-face melee tank. In the middle or close to end of the campaign, our unscalled Eterra's Blessing should be used to heal and "Energize" your totems, which increases its damage by 100%, and can also be used to heal yourself in a pinch. We wont need to have Summon Wolf on the bar once we have Summon Storm Crows.
Gearing and Affixes
The Primalist Storm Totem leveling build utilizes a wand and low level off-hand catalyst. The affixes shown in the planner are ideal, but was tested with T3-T5 rolls with no issues. We try to target affixes like Attunement, Increased Spell Critical Strike Chance. However, be aware our totems are the damage dealers. We try to hunt down Increased Critical Strike Chance and for Totems in our Chest and Head, ideally we put +2 of Summon Storm Crows in our head, but + Spell Damage for Totems will also work. See planner for details. It is possible to mix and match the shown defensive affixes amongst the gear, this is just how it was balanced. Mana Base is important in this build, as we do not use a mana-generating skill, however, Mana Regen is supplied via our Passive tree, Cost is used where we can.
Below is a list of Affixes you should aim for that better suit the playstyle of this build. This Primalist build scales well with Attunement, thus it should be prioritized on gear pieces when possible for both damage and look to Vitality for survivability.
Attributes | Offensive | Defensive |
---|---|---|
Attunement | Mana Increased Critical Strike Chance for Totems Spell Damage for Totems Increased Minion Damage Increased Spell Crit Strike Chance |
Increased Health Resistances Flat Health Critical Strike Avoidance |
Progressing to Endgame
This build will carry you all the way to the start of the Monolith, where you will need to decide on an Endgame build to follow. Below are the options available for Shamans.
Changelog
- 07 Jul. 2024: Reworked for 1.1. Using new functionality of Storm Totems.
- 30 Nov. 2023: Guide added.
EMP1241 is a Marine veteran who is currently pursuing higher education in Aerospace Engineering. He spends much of his time outside of his studies playing ARPGs, Builders, and MOBAs. He is frequently seen on his Twitch channel discussing science, space, or video games.
- Last Epoch - An Interview with EHG Lead Composer!
- Last Epoch - Best Endgame Build for the Imperial Uprising!
- Last Epoch - Patch 1.1.7: Imperial Uprising and Cycle Reset!
- Last Epoch - Details About the Imperial Uprising Event!
- Last Epoch - Patch 1.2, 1.1 Event, and Cycle Poll!
- Upcoming Last Epoch Cycle Restart With The Imperial Uprising!
- The Hardest Boss Fight in Last Epoch So Far!
- Last Epoch - Harbingers of Ruin Is Now Live!