Sparks are funny with TRAPS / MINES / TOTEMS

Hey everyone. Any Traps / Mines / Totems fans here? The idea of these Builds was created from that: "I hate Spell Echo Support, it's clunky and annoying, but I wanna play Sparks so much." Also main point was Build have to be cheap, get well with T16 (even T17) and Maven is possible (last league 3.27 I beat Maven on Traps twice - with league mechanics: Graft Hands and without that too.
Mines and Totems I invent this league 3.28, I did just fun one-two attempt, but it's possible).

Then it's my results of that.

Short comparing all of them:

1) Traps - https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3874972


+ Very easy to Build

+ You play 100% life cost, so Mana don't care (only for activated Auras)

+ Mapping is amazing

+ Single target is just solid (Orb of Storms link with Lightning Penetration helps a lot)

- We have to play Eldritch Battery until get Gloves, so we are less tanky yet

- Gloves are a bit expensive on league start

- On maps you have to run Flask with Phasing, cuz we play Sunblast Belt

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2) Mines - https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3923827


+ Mapping is better than Traps

+ Single target (also Orb of Storms link with Lightning Penetration) is very comparable, but a bit better than Traps

+ Uniques are cheap

+ Increased effect of Shock on enemies from Belt + Skitterbots

- Minefield Support while throwing 5 Mines per 1 cast is great, but penalty of Mine Throwing Speed is annoying and painful so for mitigate that effects we need stack a lot of that (so around 90 lvl is a much need for comfortably playing)

- Midgame (70-90 lvl) can be lacks DMG, especially on single target (Swift Assembly Supp is inconstant, but there isn't any better option to playing)

- Mana management

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3) Totems - https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3925555


+ Mapping is slower than Traps and Mines ofc, but still amazing

+ Super burst Damage on single target with helping of Searing Bond Totems (even 2x faster than Traps and Mines)

+ Huge life regen (ascendancy, tree, gear, Siphoning Trap)

+ No problem with Mana regen (ascendancy, tree, Clarity)

- Soul Mantle can be expensive on league start

- Needs a bit invest into Life regen to mitigate effect of burning and open full damage potential from Righteous Fire boost


If I have to ranked them in phases of game and endgame:

1) Early Game / Campaign - until around 70 lvl
* No questionable, that Traps are king, with Chain Reaction from Sabo Ascen + 4L Ice Trap form 28 lvl + Multiple Traps it's just destroy everything

2) Midgame (70-90 lvl)
Honestly hard to say

* Traps are easiest - damage is super, but without Gloves with Lifetap, we must playing Eldritch Battery (cost is so high and mana isn't enough). In this case we are less tanky cuz ES doesn't protect Life.

* Mines are good too - we have ES on Life, but Damage is very inconstant - before we prepare to properly use Minefield, the best option is Swift Assembly + any Damage Support

* Totems - they a bit slower, but balance of Damage / Defense is better than Traps and Mines

3A) Endgame (90+ lvl) - Mapping
* Mines with Minefield, when we are throwing 5 Mines per one cast and enough Mine Throwing Speed it's explode whole screens

3B) Endgame (90+ lvl) - Bossing / Pinnacle Bosses
* For Damage Totems rule - burst is insane, problem is that we have put Searing Bond Totems directly on Boss head for max Damage,

* For better focus on avoid attacks Traps and Mines - we don't have to even hit Boss (just from time to time throw directly in him to get refresh Charges)


What I was testing yet for Spark style:

1) Brands - a bit Autobomber with Perfect Crime, but a lacks of stuff. Totally not my style

+ Mapping is good, a lot of Sparks
- Single target Damage very average
- Mana is huge problem, Eldritch Battery is delete that, but automatically we are less tanky
- So much LAGS

2) Cast While Channelling / Cast on Crit - very similar, they seem funny on paper, but lacks of Damage and have a lot problem in build up. Maybe Hierophant version with Ivory Tower + Indigon + Archmage with stacking Mana will be have sense of that, but it's so expensive

+ We just Cyclone around
+/- Mapping is even good, but already on blue monsters it lacks of Damage
- Single target Damage is very disappointing
- Problem is that we generate too low numbers of Spark (even Spark on Body Armour and Spark on Mjolner it isn't enough)
- For full potential we have to get 100% Accuracy Rating, for CoC is even worst, cuz we have to also stack Crit Chance