The Avowed Totem of Defiance is scattered in seven fragments across the Emerald Stair, but they're very much worth tracking down as the assembled item will buff your sneaking skills, which is perfect for Ranger builds. While some pieces can be easily collected, others will send you deep into dangerous zones as you seek them out, so you'll need to be prepared for the challenges ahead in Avowed if you want to complete this totem. To get through this search efficiently I've laid out the locations of all the Totem of Defiance pieces in Avowed below, and once you have them you should also take a look at a great Ranger build to use this totem with in my best Avowed builds guide.
Avowed Totem of Defiance piece locations
To begin the search for the Totem of Defiance buy the Fragments of the Offering quest item from Lluisa Mercel in the Farmer's Market. That will start a scavenger hunt for the seven pieces you need. Be warned: most of them are on the more treacherous west side of the region, so make sure you upgrade your items in Avowed to Exceptional quality (or close to it) first. Also make sure you turn on the "Compass – God Shrine Totem Pieces" setting under the UI menu as it's off by default.
Once you've got the core of the Totem of Defiance and place it at your Avowed Party Camp, you can start adding any totem pieces you find to it, unlocking unique buffs with each one until you've got a completed totem. While there are several totems to find and build - like the Avowed Totem of Rightful Rulership - you can have only one active at a time.
If you're ready to look, here's where you'll find all seven pieces of the Totem of Defiance in Avowed:
Avowed Totem of Defiance Core location
"To find the totem of the Quiet Slave, an ancient tower you must brave."
On the west side of Emerald Stair, you'll find an area known as the Delemgan Glade, part of which is between two cliffs. The Totem of Defiance core is on the northern cliff, which you can reach if you travel to the Plateau Junction Avowed fast travel beacon, and then head southwest past the Godless Sinkhole. At the end of the cliff you'll notice a crumbling tower which is the Shrine to Skaen. Climb it and you'll find the Schemer's Offering totem base at the very top.
Avowed Sacrificial Dagger location
"Left alone in fallow fields, the ritual blade thirsts for skin freshly peeled."
The Sacrificial Dagger is probably the easiest totem part to find and you can grab it early on in Emerald Stair. Head to the abandoned farms on the north side of the map and look around the back of the larger building on the east side of the area – it's touching the F in "Farms" on the map. You'll find the dagger pinning a note to a wall.
Avowed Idol of Covert Plots location
"In a place of worship amidst moldering rot, this idol continues to scheme and plot."
The Idol of Covert plots is hidden in a ruined church building on the west side of the Grim Wetlands near the Infested Camp. You need to take the long way around, though, to get inside. Start by heading south along the cliff wall and you'll eventually find a gate that you can open with a lockpick.
Head through, then go right and up the hill, eventually leading you to the sporeling-infested camp. On the cliff edge, you'll notice a broken bridge that leads directly to a whole in the roof of the church. Jump across, then drop down and collect the idol from the shrine. You can then unbar the main doors to get out.
Avowed Idol of Secret Hatred location
"In a damp hollow its sibling waits full of rage, while its previous owner decays with age."
This Idol of Secret Hatred is hidden within the Ancient Grotto which is a small dungeon with two entrances. I recommend taking the lower entrance in the cliff of the river chasm as you can get the idol quite easily from there.
Once you're in, bear right and then crawl through the small tunnel. You'll emerge into a small cave with a skeleton clutching the idol.
Avowed Idol of Violent Rebellion location
"From on high the third surveys the land, sowing the seeds of revolt near at hand."
The Idol of Violent Rebellion for the Totem of Defiance is in the Ranger Headquarters tower next to the eastern edge of the Emerald Stair map. Start by ascending the south side of the tower, climbing up to the ladder that leads to a hole in the wall. Keep climbing and you'll eventually reach the top, where the idol has been stuck into a wooden box.
Avowed Obsidian Prayer Beads location
"In a verdant glade where old ruins crumble, you will find beads dark and umbral."
From where you got the core, head across the tree root bridge to the glade proper. From the main clearing you'll notice some ruins on top of the cliff formation to the west. The prayer beads are on top of these ruins, but to get up there you'll need to follow the path through the archway to the right.
Follow the path up and around to the left, go under the tree root over the path, then turn around and climb onto it. From here, you can climb onto a rock ledge and then leap to the balcony on the ruined wall where you'll find a skeleton lying next to the prayer beads.
Avowed Effigy Necklace location
"Hidden in ruins of heathens long gone, the octet of skulls sings its silent song."
The Effigy Necklace is the only totem piece that need a certain some progress in the main quest to reach. You need to have the "Ancient Soil" quest, which tasks you with exploring the Nadu Tedek ruins. After some magical adra stuff, a door will open, letting you into the depths of Nadu Tedek.
Once you reach the bottom of the spiral staircase, go into the hallway and turn left, then get Giatta to activate the shock switch on the wall to open the door ahead. Head into the next room and climb onto the tree branch by freezing the water to give yourself a platform to climb, then hop onto the upper level. Here you'll find the necklace on a table.
All Avowed Totem of Defiance buffs
Besides the core, every fragment of the Totem of Defiance grants some kind of improvement, to your combat capabilities, your Avowed Attributes, or something else. If you want to boost your ranger abilities, stealth, and poison damage, then this is a good totem to activate.
These are the buffs that the Totem of Defiance in Avowed provides:
- Furious Frenzy: Second Wind casts Flurry of Blows.
- The Slave's Patience: Gain +2 Constitution and +2 Dexterity.
- Hidden Hatred: Increases your damage against unaware enemies by 25%.
- Kill the Master: Increases your damage against "skull" enemies.
- Bitter Thoughts: Critical Hits deal high Poison Accumulation.
- A Vengeful Victim: After taking damage from an enemy, your next attack within 10 seconds deals extra damage equivalent to 20% of the damage you received. This stacks with Retribution.
There's an Avowed totem to collect in each of the main regions, giving you a few different options when it comes to buffs. While searching for totem pieces, be sure to look out for treasure map locations for more loot, such as the Avowed Woedica's Inheritance and Avowed Intimidating Feline Codpiece maps in Dawnshore.
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