Overview
This is a Grim Pillar spell-totem starter for the Druid’s Oracle ascendancy in Forbidden Rites. The creator adapted a guide by Palsteron to their own preferences. Grim Pillar is a Runes of Aldur skill that raises ice pillars, which deal area damage when they appear and again when they break. Its cost is paid in ward, and that’s a problem for normal casting. The build solves it by having Spell Totems cast Grim Pillar. Once a totem is placed, the spells it casts cost nothing.
The Ancestral Bond keystone removes the charge cost from totems and makes each totem reserve spirit instead. It also doubles the totem limit. A wand with a sceptre offhand gives enough spirit for four or five totems. Entangle breaks the pillars on purpose, and Biting Frost consumes the pillars’ freeze for extra damage. Mana Tempest is cast briefly after the totems are placed so they get its lightning buff.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- High damage from the start on cheap gear; the wand is the only key damage item
- Scales well into spell levels, CI and later mana-stacking
- Totems keep dealing damage while you dodge boss mechanics
- CI later removes chaos damage as a threat, which helps in Ritual-heavy content
Cons
- It feels slower than bow or spear builds, with a short delay between placing totems and enemies dying
- The pillars block movement and can trap you in narrow areas or during boss fights
- The ice effects put a heavy load on your PC
- It depends on getting the Grim Pillar gem, so level up with plant skills until you find it
Key Skills
- Grim Pillar: the main damage, cast by totems
- Spell Totem: casts Grim Pillar without the ward cost
- Entangle: breaks the pillars; level 1 is enough
- Mana Tempest: a lightning damage buff the totems keep for 4 seconds
- Elemental Weakness / Frost Bomb / Elemental Conflux: debuffs and damage boosts for bosses
Gear & Anointments
The wand matters most: spell or ward-spell damage, added damage, and +3 or more to spell or ward-spell skill levels. The sceptre’s main job is spirit. Aim for about 167 spirit there, and add a Rabbit idol plus a crafted alloy. That puts you at 315 total spirit, enough for five totems once all 8 ascendancy points are taken. The amulet takes spirit and spell levels and is anointed with the notable that lowers Spell Totem reservation. Nightscale gloves are a good pickup if they’re cheap. In the later CI swap, stack energy shield, collect lineage supports such as Rakiata’s Flow, and use 5-mod jewels to make up the lost damage.
Credits & Source
Build credited to なこ, based on Palsteron’s original guide. See the source video for gameplay and the full Japanese commentary: グリムピラートーテム オラクル ビルドガイド.