KickStarter Grim Dawn

Chaotic_Heretic · Oct 17, 2017

Lacrymas
Your build seems interesting. A bit too casty, but i will try that later. Harbringer fo souls should eb useful for the casting speed and other bonuses; but blood pact is useless here - works only for weapon attacks or skills that do %age weapon damage.

Right now I am aiming for this: http://www.grimtools.com/calc/wV1wJ4wN

Basically Blade Arc is the big attack; and weapon pool skills are used (cumulative 100% with 9 in all four wps); out which two are AoE, one drains health. Damage is roughly 3:1 physical:vitality due to choice of life draining exclusive skill. Suboptimal, so hope there is a bitching two handed weapon somewhere which does vitality damage, or converts a large portion of physical to vitality.

But I actually have no fucking clue what devotions and equipment to go for this build.

AS for stat investment, roughly 4:2:1 physique:cunning:spirit. in case of higher vitality conversion weapons, will shift to investing in spirit heavily. in veteran act 2 beginning now, so plenty of time left...

Lacrymas · Oct 17, 2017

Mark of Torment scales terribly after 6 points, so I wouldn't take it to 10. Revenant is a cool constellation for a Death Knight, quite fitting in the theme as well.

This is the revised build now that I can free up Harbinger of Souls and Blood Pact, I might drop Spectral Binding to 1, max out Ill Omen and put the rest of the points into Grasping Vines for bigger AoE and stronger slow -> http://www.grimtools.com/calc/O2GWGz62

Alternate version -> http://www.grimtools.com/calc/w26MPRvN

EDIT: Still not sure about dropping Harbinger of Souls, though, that 12% casting speed seems like a lot of increase in DPS. Any advice? It's also not clear whether Blood Pact's health leech doesn't affect the totem itself.

Emmanuel2 · Oct 17, 2017

Chaotic_Heretic said:
Lacrymas
Your build seems interesting. A bit too casty, but i will try that later. Harbringer fo souls should eb useful for the casting speed and other bonuses; but blood pact is useless here - works only for weapon attacks or skills that do %age weapon damage.

Right now I am aiming for this: http://www.grimtools.com/calc/wV1wJ4wN

Basically Blade Arc is the big attack; and weapon pool skills are used (cumulative 100% with 9 in all four wps); out which two are AoE, one drains health. Damage is roughly 3:1 physical:vitality due to choice of life draining exclusive skill. Suboptimal, so hope there is a bitching two handed weapon somewhere which does vitality damage, or converts a large portion of physical to vitality.

But I actually have no fucking clue what devotions and equipment to go for this build.

AS for stat investment, roughly 4:2:1 physique:cunning:spirit. in case of higher vitality conversion weapons, will shift to investing in spirit heavily. in veteran act 2 beginning now, so plenty of time left...

http://www.grimtools.com/db/items/9430 or craft a Green one though as most sets use the weapon slot, it'll be a little hard itemizing. Dread Armor of Azragor seems to be in the right way so I suggest looking into it.

As for Devotions, I like building around weapon damage for instant leech, shields and -resists. Try looking at the devotions in my build to check if it suits your fancy, basically weapon damage procs = high vitality damage due to your investment in it + instant leech.

Lacrymas said:
Still not sure about dropping Harbinger of Souls, though, that 12% casting speed seems like a lot of increase in DPS. Any advice? It's also not clear whether Blood Pact's health leech doesn't affect the totem itself.

I'd recommend getting it. You'll get at the least a good amount of vitality damage, P/C/S therefore more OA/DA, health, and casting speed.

Blood pact is also an aura but comes from the Wendigo itself, so it works like your own Auras.

Chaotic_Heretic · Oct 17, 2017

OK so planned a devotion scheme.
http://www.grimtools.com/calc/RVvdyGGN

Not much resists as i would like, but some solid procs to go with the wps along with lie leech and regens.

Shadenuat · Oct 17, 2017

PUT EVERYTHING INTO SKELLINGTONS :shittydog:

god they're dumb and shooters and mages have less range than a rock throw

Great Deceiver · Oct 17, 2017

Skellingtons rape everything. Especially with Flame Torrent.

Renevent · Oct 17, 2017

BTW, some of new devotion skills you can bind to the skellies, and they actually proc those effects now. For instance, Will of Rattosh does damage and reduces vitality resistance...if you bind this to raise skeletons their attacks will actually proc the effect, which is awesome.

Shadenuat · Oct 17, 2017

Surprisingly, the 6/10/6 guy is where I am actually going. It's somewhat weird path compared to standard stuff like Modrogen or Leviathan. I am playing pure necromancer, ignoring "pick class" button on purpose and only use necro skills, just as a caster. I max almost everything and check how it works. I don't go for any build just play for funs.
I am stacking Vitality damage since it shows up in most skills and I am not sure switching to Cold would be a good idea since I'll loose my only potentially health restoring skill.
So I use these skills at level 42:
- Drain Essence. This one is kinda shit and leveling with only that would probably be a terrible chore, so if you don't have pets I'd skip it for later. I'll soon install vampire fangs into it, max Decomposition and start collecting necro items so maybe it will turn out better. It's clearly inferior to things I used long time ago when playing Shaman like vines or vitality totems.
- Bone Harvest. It's important to upgrade this one for +2 extra meters otherwise it's range really sucks. Maybe it's better to just leave it and max Soul Harvest, idk. It does hit like a truck tho.
- Ravenous Earth. This one is a great all round performer and you can put some Devotions into it. I have Bysmiel's dog in it, which is still as shitty as I remember it years ago. Oh well. Foul Eruption would be neat.
- Raise Skellengtons and both extra skills. They're stupid but hurt like fug, just point and click these things, if you get like 8 archers bosses get one-shotted. I had Scorpions Bite on them first but since you can't pick melee ones it was useless there. I wanna put Will of Rattosh into there.
- Blight Fiend. This guy can tank, his AI is agressive as he sorta "sticks" to mobs, and even if they kill him good for us - since he explodes. I have Scorpion's devotion on him and he's all maxed out. Sometimes I wonder if he just clears mobs by himself. He survives actual one-shotters like mobs 5+ levels higher. I want to max Blight Burst too.

Compared to D2... this necro sure looks crappier. You can't see your own skellingtons because everything is so dark (who's idea was to give them black armor?), auras look like same boring effects, and you can mistake many skills for part of background. The scale is also not so massive, you won't try and find good bodies for reanimation, but I guess you have Unstable Anomaly as a great party trick.

Oh, and only necro items I found so far are a mace +skellingtons and shield +1 all skills that all require inhumane amount of physique. Watafaq man.

Lacrymas · Oct 17, 2017

Drain Essence is mind-blowingly cool once it gets going. Seriously, it's my favorite skill from any ARPG ever. The pet side of things starts really coming into its own when you get gear that increases your skeleton "capacity" and you get spawnlings as well.

Chaotic_Heretic · Oct 17, 2017

Eh necro cabalist summoner works rapey
max the skelly tree
max bonds of bysmal and the necro summon buffs
max hellounfd basic stuff and the curse of frailty shit.

/gg

But tbh, I am not fond of pure summoner builds in grim dawn. way too passive. And boring.

Also I have notced that hybrid pet builds cannot into higher difficulties.
Sure 16/16 briarthorn and hellound will rape act 4 veteran on normal... but on higher difficulties the pets are quite faggy unless you pump up +% pet bonus gear and skills...
But then your PC becomes cucked relying on his bitches, so...

Shadenuat · Oct 17, 2017

I am very sad that you can't put Raise the Dead into skellingtons so when your skellingtons hit other skellingtons they would raise more skellingtons.

Sykar · Oct 17, 2017

Shadenuat said:
Surprisingly, the 6/10/6 guy is where I am actually going. It's somewhat weird path compared to standard stuff like Modrogen or Leviathan. I am playing pure necromancer, ignoring "pick class" button on purpose and only use necro skills, just as a caster. I max almost everything and check how it works. I don't go for any build just play for funs.
I am stacking Vitality damage since it shows up in most skills and I am not sure switching to Cold would be a good idea since I'll loose my only potentially health restoring skill.
So I use these skills at level 42:
- Drain Essence. This one is kinda shit and leveling with only that would probably be a terrible chore, so if you don't have pets I'd skip it for later. I'll soon install vampire fangs into it, max Decomposition and start collecting necro items so maybe it will turn out better. It's clearly inferior to things I used long time ago when playing Shaman like vines or vitality totems.
- Bone Harvest. It's important to upgrade this one for +2 extra meters otherwise it's range really sucks. Maybe it's better to just leave it and max Soul Harvest, idk. It does hit like a truck tho.
- Ravenous Earth. This one is a great all round performer and you can put some Devotions into it. I have Bysmiel's dog in it, which is still as shitty as I remember it years ago. Oh well. Foul Eruption would be neat.
- Raise Skellengtons and both extra skills. They're stupid but hurt like fug, just point and click these things, if you get like 8 archers bosses get one-shotted. I had Scorpions Bite on them first but since you can't pick melee ones it was useless there. I wanna put Will of Rattosh into there.
- Blight Fiend. This guy can tank, his AI is agressive as he sorta "sticks" to mobs, and even if they kill him good for us - since he explodes. I have Scorpion's devotion on him and he's all maxed out. Sometimes I wonder if he just clears mobs by himself. He survives actual one-shotters like mobs 5+ levels higher. I want to max Blight Burst too.

Compared to D2... this necro sure looks crappier. You can't see your own skellingtons because everything is so dark (who's idea was to give them black armor?), auras look like same boring effects, and you can mistake many skills for part of background. The scale is also not so massive, you won't try and find good bodies for reanimation, but I guess you have Unstable Anomaly as a great party trick.

Oh, and only necro items I found so far are a mace +skellingtons and shield +1 all skills that all require inhumane amount of physique. Watafaq man.

D2 skelletons were all running around with helmet, shield and one handed weapon endgame and there was seriously too many of them. Having more than two army mancers in a party would bring lag so massive you could just leave the game. What is worth minions could and often did block each other especially in tight places so their efectiveness was questionable. Mages were overall pretty bad and only there for show, certainly not for damage.

You can have 15 minions easily with a Cabalist for example more than enough to satisfy that mini army feel.

Shadenuat said:
I am very sad that you can't put Raise the Dead into skellingtons so when your skellingtons hit other skellingtons they would raise more skellingtons.

Even if they did they scale with player boni not pet boni so they won't be very effective.

Shadenuat · Oct 17, 2017

Lacrymas said:
Drain Essence is mind-blowingly cool once it gets going. Seriously, it's my favorite skill from any ARPG ever. The pet side of things starts really coming into its own when you get gear that increases your skeleton "capacity" and you get spawnlings as well.

I admit I am too dumb still to understand how it works and how to aim it right. Is it a ray? A shaft like in Quake that snaps to targets? Why is chance to snap to multiple targets is so low? (12+1% per level?) Why sometimes it's really short but sometimes reaches quite far? it just feels... eh.

Sykar said:
What is worth minions could and often did block each other especially in tight places so their efectiveness was questionable. Mages were overall pretty bad and only there for show, certainly not for damage.

Never said they were too effective, Necro was trickiest class to play and I don't think ever got the better re-balancing he deserved. But for playing first 30-40 levels with pile of popcorn? Best shit ever.
For everything else i.e casuals like me, there was cyclone-druid.

Lacrymas · Oct 17, 2017

Just vaguely aim it at the direction of enemies and it will do its job. You can also fine-tune it to target whoever you want by specifically targeting a mob. The % chance is low since the health leech is obscene, it makes you kinda unkillable at higher levels. If combined with other stuff.

Chaotic_Heretic · Oct 18, 2017

Okay theory crafted Elemental Based Inquisitor+Arcanist.

http://www.grimtools.com/calc/1NXlp0WN

Decked out with gear and devotions (could use some more optimization for more resists and shit)

Focused on Weapon pool Skills so that fizz starts sizzling from default attack for offense. of course ranged expertise and deadly aim is maxed for the passive goodness.

Defensively, word of renewal, inquisitors seal, maviens sphere of protection and mirror of erectus.

Defensive devotion skills are turtle shield and giants sphere

Offensive Devotion skills are Fissure, win Fangs, Flame Torrent, Etherfire and Tsunami.

Rest of the devotions semi randomly filled.

I think I will reroll with this; as Death Knight has HUGE lack of synergizing equipment. Plus never relaly played a ranged build in Grim Dawn, so...

Is there any gapingly obvious flaw i failed to plug in this build?

Aothan · Oct 18, 2017

I don't have any experience with Aura of Censure, for an exclusive skill the numbers don't appear to be that strong for the apparent purpose of contributing to dps, unless the reduction in elemental resistances applies to creatures, for some reason I assumed it was a debuff on the player character. Either way maybe Aura of Conviction for ranged dps purposes, depends on how you intend to play the character. The percent bonus to offensive ability (critical hits in effect) from Inner Focus may be useful in late game, same with Arcane Empowerment if you expect to be standing in the Inquisitor Seal frequently. Not sure how Giant's blood works, the cooldown takes a long time and is chance based to begin with, maybe the Dryad to assist with healing abilities

having just started another Inquisitor I'm trying to incorporate the Kraken constellation as quickly as possible since the character is primarily designed around ranged focus without using active ranged skills and as such needs their core range capabilities optimised as early in the game as possible

Emmanuel2 · Oct 18, 2017

Chaotic_Heretic said:
Okay theory crafted Elemental Based Inquisitor+Arcanist.

http://www.grimtools.com/calc/1NXlp0WN

Decked out with gear and devotions (could use some more optimization for more resists and shit)

Focused on Weapon pool Skills so that fizz starts sizzling from default attack for offense. of course ranged expertise and deadly aim is maxed for the passive goodness.

Defensively, word of renewal, inquisitors seal, maviens sphere of protection and mirror of erectus.

Defensive devotion skills are turtle shield and giants sphere

Offensive Devotion skills are Fissure, win Fangs, Flame Torrent, Etherfire and Tsunami.

Rest of the devotions semi randomly filled.

I think I will reroll with this; as Death Knight has HUGE lack of synergizing equipment. Plus never relaly played a ranged build in Grim Dawn, so...

Is there any gapingly obvious flaw i failed to plug in this build?

I'm sorry if it sounds a little harsh.

Small Health Pool, very low DA and OA (With that OA you'll be hitting mobs around 60-70% of the time without crits negating all your crit damage bonuses including not being able to proc Deadly Aim) no synergy between devotion and playstyle, severe lack of - resists, etc., too much procs but only one thing to proc it from including chances for the actual devotion procs.

Assign Seal of Blades' Whirling Blades aura to a weapon damage proc since that is allowed and is an overall boost to your DPS since you won't have to rely on chance anymore and is much more consistent.

Really Great Pants is one of the best, if not, the best pants and only benefits a build more. Your pants add little to nothing and so does your boots.

For boots, either get one with Health + Shield proc or craft a green one, preferably a Survivalist.. of Kings but that would require intense grinding.

Invoker accessories need to go, you can get better leverage/Damage from Reign of Fire and Ice + Belgothian Sigil including added OA + Health + good procs.

Cataclysm Pact for Belt is a much better alternative.

Relic, go for Ignaffar's Combustion not only do you get more CC and damage, you have a proc that's actually useful.

Replace your Seal of Resonance in the main hand for a Shard of Beronath so that you actually have a good default attack.

You wouldn't need Aura of Censure because you'll need to kill them before they get to you + having offensive ability is important for actually proccing Inquisitor's top tier passive.

This is what I suggest going for this character. Without changing alot of gear and from the theme I see based on your build.

As a result, your damage Spread would be 5:4:1:1, Pierce:Fire:Cold:Lightning, mainly due to how your weapons work (fire + pierce) and that it seems that the kind of character you want rather than a full elemental one

Chaotic_Heretic · Oct 18, 2017

Emmanuel2 said:
Chaotic_Heretic said:

Okay theory crafted Elemental Based Inquisitor+Arcanist.

http://www.grimtools.com/calc/1NXlp0WN

Decked out with gear and devotions (could use some more optimization for more resists and shit)

Focused on Weapon pool Skills so that fizz starts sizzling from default attack for offense. of course ranged expertise and deadly aim is maxed for the passive goodness.

Defensively, word of renewal, inquisitors seal, maviens sphere of protection and mirror of erectus.

Defensive devotion skills are turtle shield and giants sphere

Offensive Devotion skills are Fissure, win Fangs, Flame Torrent, Etherfire and Tsunami.

Rest of the devotions semi randomly filled.

I think I will reroll with this; as Death Knight has HUGE lack of synergizing equipment. Plus never relaly played a ranged build in Grim Dawn, so...

Is there any gapingly obvious flaw i failed to plug in this build?

Click to expand...

I'm sorry if it sounds a little harsh.

Small Health Pool, very low DA and OA (With that OA you'll be hitting mobs around 60-70% of the time without crits negating all your crit damage bonuses including not being able to proc Deadly Aim) no synergy between devotion and playstyle, severe lack of - resists, etc., too much procs but only one thing to proc it from including chances for the actual devotion procs.

Assign Seal of Blades' Whirling Blades aura to a weapon damage proc since that is allowed and is an overall boost to your DPS since you won't have to rely on chance anymore and is much more consistent.

Really Great Pants is one of the best, if not, the best pants and only benefits a build more. Your pants add little to nothing and so does your boots.

For boots, either get one with Health + Shield proc or craft a green one, preferably a Survivalist.. of Kings but that would require intense grinding.

Invoker accessories need to go, you can get better leverage/Damage from Reign of Fire and Ice + Belgothian Sigil including added OA + Health + good procs.

Cataclysm Pact for Belt is a much better alternative.

Relic, go for Ignaffar's Combustion not only do you get more CC and damage, you have a proc that's actually useful.

Replace your Seal of Resonance in the main hand for a Shard of Beronath so that you actually have a good default attack.

You wouldn't need Aura of Censure because you'll need to kill them before they get to you + having offensive ability is important for actually proccing Inquisitor's top tier passive.

This is what I suggest going for this character. Without changing alot of gear and from the theme I see based on your build.

As a result, your damage Spread would be 5:4:1:1, Pierce:Fire:Cold:Lightning, mainly due to how your weapons work (fire + pierce) and that it seems that the kind of character you want rather than a full elemental one

Solid Analysis. You nailed my build expectation. Bitchin crits of peirce and fire peppered with cold/lightning focused around auto attacks and weapon pool skills.

Can you please optimize this build too? http://www.grimtools.com/calc/lNkBx0DZ

Mainly vitality damage and life leech off default attacks / weapon pool skills. Bleeding helps too.
Blade Arc should be huge buttload of bleeding criticals.
Enough resistances and health-pool so isn't one shotted for the life leech to actually work.

I really wanna play a summonless deathknight but cannot into equips (and devotion to a lesser extent)

Sykar · Oct 18, 2017

Does anyone know if the damage absorption from Maiven's Sphere and Possession stack?

Emmanuel2 said:
Chaotic_Heretic said:

Okay theory crafted Elemental Based Inquisitor+Arcanist.

http://www.grimtools.com/calc/1NXlp0WN

Decked out with gear and devotions (could use some more optimization for more resists and shit)

Focused on Weapon pool Skills so that fizz starts sizzling from default attack for offense. of course ranged expertise and deadly aim is maxed for the passive goodness.

Defensively, word of renewal, inquisitors seal, maviens sphere of protection and mirror of erectus.

Defensive devotion skills are turtle shield and giants sphere

Offensive Devotion skills are Fissure, win Fangs, Flame Torrent, Etherfire and Tsunami.

Rest of the devotions semi randomly filled.

I think I will reroll with this; as Death Knight has HUGE lack of synergizing equipment. Plus never relaly played a ranged build in Grim Dawn, so...

Is there any gapingly obvious flaw i failed to plug in this build?

Click to expand...

I'm sorry if it sounds a little harsh.

Small Health Pool, very low DA and OA (With that OA you'll be hitting mobs around 60-70% of the time without crits negating all your crit damage bonuses including not being able to proc Deadly Aim) no synergy between devotion and playstyle, severe lack of - resists, etc., too much procs but only one thing to proc it from including chances for the actual devotion procs.

Assign Seal of Blades' Whirling Blades aura to a weapon damage proc since that is allowed and is an overall boost to your DPS since you won't have to rely on chance anymore and is much more consistent.

Really Great Pants is one of the best, if not, the best pants and only benefits a build more. Your pants add little to nothing and so does your boots.

For boots, either get one with Health + Shield proc or craft a green one, preferably a Survivalist.. of Kings but that would require intense grinding.

Invoker accessories need to go, you can get better leverage/Damage from Reign of Fire and Ice + Belgothian Sigil including added OA + Health + good procs.

Cataclysm Pact for Belt is a much better alternative.

Relic, go for Ignaffar's Combustion not only do you get more CC and damage, you have a proc that's actually useful.

Replace your Seal of Resonance in the main hand for a Shard of Beronath so that you actually have a good default attack.

You wouldn't need Aura of Censure because you'll need to kill them before they get to you + having offensive ability is important for actually proccing Inquisitor's top tier passive.

This is what I suggest going for this character. Without changing alot of gear and from the theme I see based on your build.

As a result, your damage Spread would be 5:4:1:1, Pierce:Fire:Cold:Lightning, mainly due to how your weapons work (fire + pierce) and that it seems that the kind of character you want rather than a full elemental one

Wanna have some real fun with a badly geared character?
http://www.grimtools.com/calc/YNnMlabZ

That is my oldest character and yes that is the best gear I could find for him in 500 GD playtime. Sad, isn't it? The DA is so crappy that any standard white trash mob has around 10% crit chance.