The innate totem mechanic of Shockwave Totem

When considering builds like Ancestral Protector or Shockwave Totem, there's a curiosity about why players tend to opt for elemental conversion rather than sticking with physical damage. Shockwave Totem, in particular, benefits from the Divergent gem that converts part of POE currency trade the damage to cold, which supposedly helps it survive endgame content. Is this due to freezing or is elemental damage simply superior? Can conversion to fire be just as effective? Additionally, why don't these builds prioritize physical damage nodes, which should also scale their damage?

While it's incorrect to assume that Shockwave Totem's survival in endgame is solely attributed to its conversion, there are indeed multiple factors that make it a popular choice. The innate totem mechanic of Shockwave Totem, combined with features like Astral Projector for auto-aiming, and decent base DPS contribute to its effectiveness. If conversion to cold were the only determining factor, we would see more players opting for Glacial Cascade totems instead. Most endgame builds tend to prioritize efficiency, hence the prevalence of cold conversion.

For Shockwave Totem, you can achieve endgame viability with any element, but cold conversion is generally considered stronger due to several reasons. The freeze mechanic synergizes well with the Hatred aura, and there are additional scaling options available. Fire conversion is also viable, and in place of Hatred, players typically run Herald of Ash, which provides slightly less damage but with lower reservation cost.

Is conversion always superior? In the case of spells, conversion is beneficial in 99% of cases. Converting to a different element opens up various scaling options, especially with "gained as" modifiers and additional gem links that can support the skill. Therefore, the Path of exile currency investment in conversion is often worth it.

Regarding the absence of increased physical damage nodes, it's important to note that these builds also tend to avoid increased elemental nodes. Increased damage, while still relevant, is considered one of the weaker modifiers. The inclusion of increased damage nodes in these builds is usually a byproduct of targeting a specific mastery node or benefiting from other effects within the key node.