Welcome, Exiles, to a comprehensive guide on mastering the Toda, the Totem of the Ancients mechanic in Path of Exile. In this guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of this unique gameplay feature and share strategies that can help you navigate through its challenges.

• Understanding the Basics
• Unit Selection and Strategy
• Combat Mechanics
• Survival and Progression
• Unit Upgrades and Adaptations
• Conclusion

↖ Understanding the Basics

Toda, the Totem of the Ancients, is a mechanic in Path of Exile's endgame content that involves strategic planning, unit placement, and efficient utilization of your resources like Poe Currency. The goal is to progress through rounds while defending your totems from enemy attacks and ensuring that your totems continue channeling spells to eliminate enemies.

↖ Unit Selection and Strategy

• Choosing Rewards: At the start of each round, evaluate the available rewards. Prioritize significant rewards, such as unique items or powerful modifiers. If no exceptional rewards are present, aim for high numbers of valuable resources.
• Unit Types: Units like Namahu Tribe and Rangu Curry are valuable due to their unique abilities. Experiment with different unit combinations to find the ones that synergize well with your playstyle.
• Flankers and Defenders: Assign units with strong offensive capabilities as flankers to eliminate enemies quickly. Defensive units, like the Thunderbird, can be used to protect your totems from enemy assaults.
• Unit Movement: Keep your units moving to avoid stuns and enemy attacks. Utilize the blue circles to determine which units are channeling spells, and protect those units to maintain a steady offense.
• Totem Placement: Position your totems strategically to attract enemy attention. Placing totems near enemies will divert their focus and allow your totems to channel spells without interruption.

↖ Combat Mechanics

• Channeling Totems: When channeling on a totem, left-click to maintain the channel. However, avoid standing still for too long, as you can be stunned and become vulnerable to enemy attacks.
• Enemy Behavior: Enemy Defenders move towards you when you start channeling a totem. Use this behavior to your advantage by placing totems in locations that will draw enemies away from your main units.
• Taunting Mechanic: While taunt mechanics are present, it's more about placing targets for enemies to attack rather than relying on the actual taunt effect. This can help protect your totems and other units.
• Unit Coordination: Work in tandem with the units channeling spells. Move away from enemies to avoid stuns and protect the channeling units to maintain a consistent offensive output.

↖ Survival and Progression

• Staying Alive: Prioritize staying alive over securing rewards. Even if you don't obtain the best rewards, completing the run is crucial for accumulating ranking points and advancing in the mechanic.
• Snowballing: Eliminate enemies efficiently to initiate a snowball effect. Once you eliminate a significant number of enemies, the momentum will carry you through the remainder of the round.
• Recovery: In case you die or lose a round, don't give up. Losing a round might affect rewards, but it doesn't necessarily mean failure. Continue to progress and accumulate ranking points.

↖ Unit Upgrades and Adaptations

• Unit Upgrades: Use accumulated points to buy new units and strengthen your team's composition. Units like the Caldera Ravager are highly effective and can significantly enhance your offense.
• Strategic Adaptations: Tailor your unit composition based on your experiences and the challenges you face. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your playstyle.

↖ Conclusion

Mastering the Toda, the Totem of the Ancients mechanic in Path of Exile requires a mix of strategic planning, unit management, and adaptability. By understanding the mechanics, coordinating unit actions, and making strategic choices, you can conquer this challenge and reap the rewards it offers. Remember to prioritize survival, adjust your strategy as needed, and make the most of your resources to ascend the ranks and achieve victory.