Quote Originally Posted by 'Darm',index.php?page=Thread&postID=79772#post7977 2
I've seen one ground totem eat two spells if those two spells were cast at the same (or very close to) time.

Can the opposite happen? Can a single spell wipe out two ground totems if those two ground totems were placed at the same (or very close to) time?
No it can not ive blasted a grounding totem with 8 spells several times... Lightning bolt has traveling time, and the totem is not destroyed until the spell hits.
so.. LB-Shock = 8-10 spells in 1 totem :S

The way grounding totems work, the spell that is cast will go to the first active grounding totem that is in range of the target.
I do believe this is defined by buff slots, so.. The first cast totem, should be in an earlier slot, making that the first target to get hit.

Cast spell>Grounding totem buff on target? Yes=Target= grounding totem
No= Target = player

The Grounding totem buff stays on the target until the totem is destroyed.
The further back a totem is, the longer the traveling time is. With talents giving 30yard totem range, a fireball has 71yards maximum to travel before it hits the grounding totem.
A lightning bolt has a max of 66 yards, that is enough time to get CL off too.
If you replace a grounding totem while a spell is in mid-air to the old totem, it will hit the spot the totem was when the spell was cast, the new totem will not be destroyed.
A good rule to get the most of your grounding totems is to fight infront of them, maximizing traveling time and therfore giving a better chance it will soak 2 spells

And yes i desperatly hate locks for instant cast, instant hit spells... They chew grounding totems like it is no tomorrow.

Almost forgot the best tip i can give: When you see a grounding totem in arena, target it and cast chain lightning, the lightning will jump to close targets.
If you on the other hand were to target a player, the totem will soak the entire spell.
The reason behind this is that totems do not recieve party buffs, like other totems, therefore the grounding totem will just be the first target in the CL, the spell will not be redirected and soaked, it will destroy the totem, and because the jumps on CL are counted as AoE any other grounding totems will not absorb the next jump.