10 Best Totem Pieces & What They Do

If you’re keen on exploring the Living Lands and tracking down all the totem pieces in Avowed, you’ve already noticed that some buffs are simply way more useful than others. Totem pieces are scattered throughout each major region, from the Totem of Rightful Rulership in Dawnshore all the way to the Totem of Perseverance in Galawain’s Tusks. All four totems are composed of six pieces that each provide unique buffs, but you can only have one active totem at a time.

Which totem you activate in Avowed will depend on your specific build. However, there are clear front-runners in terms of unique effects, and certain individual buffs can be hard to pass up, such as Fickle Winds and its random accumulation effect. If you’re unsure which totem to activate, these ten totem buffs are some of the strongest and most versatile in the game.

10

Golden Scale of Justice: Have A Little Sympathy For The Damned

Located In Paradis Market District, Dawnshore

The Golden Scale of Justice is part of the Woedica Totem in Avowed, found in the Market District in Paradis in a room hidden by a balcony overlooking the city. This totem piece’s Sympathy for the Damned buff causes critical hits to deal high Fire accumulation, making it very useful against the many bears you’ll find around Dawnshore. Any skill or buff that deals high accumulation is worth checking out, but this fire buff being available so early is a clear winner for early options.

There are also some excellent unique Fire weapon options available in Dawnshore that benefit from this buff, such as Sheathed in Summer and Last Light of Day. Further, the Golden Flames totem piece will also be activated with this totem, and the two abilities combined will make the beginning of the game much more feasible.

9

Golden Flames: Fall Into That Burning Ring Of Fire

Located In Castol’s Folly, Dawnshore

Also part of the Woedica Totem in Dawnshore, the Flames of Resurrection totem effect will automatically cast Ring of Fire from a Second Wind after being incapacitated. A free Ring of Fire, when you’re in a bind, can be absolutely clutch, dealing Fire accumulation to any and all enemies within the circle. Ring of Fire stays with you as you move around instead of remaining in the place you cast it, making it the ultimate retribution spell.

You can find this totem piece in Castol’s Folly, Dawnshore, which is the island at the southeastern edge of the map that you’ll be sent to during the “Precious Light” side quest. The Ring of Fire is ideal if you end up getting swarmed by loads of enemies and are downed in the process.

8

Sacrificial Dagger: A Frenzy Of Furious Blows

Located At The Abandoned Farms, Emerald Stair

Similar to the Golden Flames, the totem bonus for the Sacrificial Dagger functions based on a Second Wind after being downed. The Furious Frenzy effect will automatically cast a Flurry of Blows after a Second Wind, giving you maximum attack speed, increased movement speed, and rapid stamina regeneration. Because you can get this totem piece relatively early, it’s the only real way to access Flurry of Blows before leveling up.

The Sacrificial Dagger is part of Skaen’s Totem in Emerald Stair and can be found at the Abandoned Farms. The other pieces in this totem set complement this ability especially well and, combined, will enhance any sort of Assassin build in Avowed more so than any other totem. Flurry of Blows is hands down one of the most OP abilities in the game.

7

Obsidian Prayer Beads: Poisonous, Bitter Thoughts

Located In The Delemgan Glade, Emerald Stair

The Obsidian Prayer Beads are another totem piece from Skaen’s Totem in Emerald Stair found near the Delemgan Queen in the Delemgan Glade. You don’t actually have to fight all the enemies in the area to get this if you are keen on sneaking past. This totem piece has the Bitter Thoughts ability which causes critical hits to deal high Poison accumulation, making it ideal for a poison build in Avowed.

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Poison damage is among the most effective elemental damage types in the game, and this buff alone will have you inflicting poison with nearly every hit – assuming the enemy isn’t immune. Alongside the other totem buffs in Skaen’s Totem, the Obsidian Prayer beads are perfect for stealth and/or rogue-style gameplay.

6

Effigy Necklace: The Vengeful Victim’s Retribution

Located In Naku Tedek Grounds, Emerald Stair

The Effigy Necklace, also part of Skaen’s Totem in Emerald Stair, is easily the most overpowered buff once you can access the Retribution ability at Level 15. Retribution is a skill that gives you increased damage after taking damage yourself for a limited time – your next attack within 5 seconds after taking damage deals +70% of the original damage received.

The Effigy Necklace’s Vengeful Victim effect stacks with Retribution, dealing an additional +20% of the original damage received. With a fully ranked Retribution ability, you’ll be dealing +120% plus an additional +20% of the damage originally received. In practice, this can result in devastating attacks that one-hit enemies into oblivion, and this totem piece is highly recommended for a Berserker build, at least until you start picking up totems in Galawain’s Tusks.

5

Sapphire Eye: Throw Caution To A Fickle Wind

Located In Sand Sea Oasis, Shatterscarp

As you enter Shatterscarp, you’ll start finding totem pieces for Wael’s Totem or the Totem of Revelations. One of the most unique totem pieces available comes in this set, the Sapphire Eye, in the Sand Sea Oasis, where you’ll have to breathe deep and dive to find it at the bottom of the pool. This totem piece has the Fickle Winds effect, causing critical hits to deal high random accumulation on the enemy.

While that might sound strange at first, the effect of this totem is excellent. It pulls from all the elemental accumulation options available – Poison, Frost, Fire, Bleed, and Shock – making it a versatile, all-purpose effect, albeit somewhat unpredictable. Most enemies are not immune to all elemental types, and you’re likely to land something that sticks in most situations.

4

Ruby Eye: Made You Look

Located At The Shrine Of Wael, Shatterscarp

Like the above totems that trigger an ability upon casting Second Wind, the Ruby Eye’s Disappearing Trick effect casts Shadowing Beyond with Second Wind. This is another of Wael’s Totem pieces found in Shatterscarp at the actual Shrine of Wael after talking to the Ward of the Eye. Shadowing Beyond is a stealth ability that consumes Essence to make you invisible.

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When you cast Shadowing Beyond, you can move about the battlefield, unseen by opponents, as long as you have the Essence to fuel the ability. The good thing about the Disappearing Trick effect is that there’s no better time to disappear than after you’ve been incapacitated. You can use this to get out of dodge and even heal up or gain some distance between you and your foe.

3

Antler Of The Pursued Stag: Bloodied Hands Are The Godlike’s Workshop

Located North Of The Pargrun Cache, Galawain’s Tusks

As you enter Galawain’s Tusks, Galawain’s Totem pieces (the Totem of Perseverance) are located all across the region and include the best buffs in the game for any Fighter, Berserker, or Bleed-focused builds. The Antler of the Pursued Stag is one of only a few sources of Bleed damage in the game, alongside the Bleeding Cuts Fighter ability and a few weapons and armor pieces. This totem piece causes critical hits to deal high Bleed accumulation.

If you’ve made it this far into the Living Lands, you’ll notice that Kith enemies are especially susceptible to Bleed damage. When stacked with other effects that deal damage over time, such as Poison and Fire, you won’t find many enemies you can’t inflict with at least one of these options. If you’re pursuing Bleed effects, the other totem pieces in this set will likely benefit you even further.

2

Wolf’s Pelt Trophy: A Hunting Howl Echoes In The Distance

Located In Ash Forest Outpost, Galawain’s Tusks

The Wolf’s Pelt Trophy is another of Galawain’s Totem pieces in the Tusks, and it’s yet another Second Wind effect. The Hunting Howl allows Second Wind to cast Barbaric Shout, an ability that interrupts enemy attacks, gives you increased Stun against enemies, and empowers you against large enemies. Barbaric Shout is the top ability for a Berserker, and getting an automatic Barbaric Shout cast when being downed has many benefits.

For starters, if you’ve ranked up Barbaric Shout, it grants Temporary Health and taunts enemies. If you’re properly set up for Berserker-style melee encounters, you’ll have a heavy stat investment in Resolve, an attribute that increases your Second Wind efficiency. With high Resolve, you’ll be able to cast Second Wind more often, benefiting from the extra Barbaric Shout regularly.

1

Antler of the Persevering Stag: Quarry To Slaughter

Located Near The Bridge To The Garden

The final totem piece is also a part of Galawain’s Totem and can be found near the Bridge to the Garden, an area that can be accessed almost as soon as you enter Galawain’s Tusks. The Antler of the Persevering Stag comes with the Quarry to Slaughter effect, which increases your damage against prone enemies by 75%. This is an excellent totem buff for any build that deals knockback, which can be done in various ways.

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Power Jump and Power Slide, certain arquebuses, among other features in Avowed, can all deal knockback, while dealing Stun and completing a Special Attack will also knock an enemy prone. Increased damage to prone enemies is especially useful for heavy two-handed builds that regularly knock enemies back. The 75% increase in damage makes this and Galawain’s Totem one of the best totem options in Avowed.

Avowed is an upcoming RPG release from Obsidian Entertainment, the creative minds behind Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. Avowed will reportedly take place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity.

Systems

Released

February 18, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence

Platform(s)

Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC

Developer(s)

Obsidian Entertainment