[1.1.4.2-1.1.6.2] Thunderous roar - Lightning Forcewave Warder

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
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Introduction

Forcewave comes in different shapes and sizes. I wanted to explore the option of lightning one. To my surprise I liked Warder version better than Tactician. The support of the skill is minor outside of conduit+helm, but this build is surprisingly decent. Credit for the idea to @malawiglenn

Build Update 1.1.6.2

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  • pic with permanent buffs, damage for Forcewave

GRIM TOOLS :arrow_right: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/O2GOvgl2

  • devotion map is slightly changed, Korvaak is amazing here, DA/OA shred and damage. Tower for better DA/resistances

  • changed pants/rings. Better physical resistances as well. Crafts are with % phyisque

Video from Crucible run of 6:39, did 3 runs, perhaps with luck should can do under 6:30 but it depends on mutators and how many light resistant enemies you’ll encounter. Valadaran and Grava are very slow.

Original build

GRIM TOOLS :arrow_right: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/8NKOMDoN

Items selection is outside of build enabling helm and amulet, to take 3 parts of LD set for armor and resistances, belt+relic for Shaman lightning support, rings for flat damage, pants for slow resistance. Medal+Boots boost my DA and Forcewave nodes. Very import item is the weapon. It’s hard to net useful both the prefix and suffix. Imo replacement should be Ultos weapon, if you want no green build.

Devotions are full offensive, both Spear and Ultos, also I am fan of Tsunami proc. Wind devils can proc it often.

Performance

This build is more or less made for Crucible bannered. Banner and buffs gives enough OA to fully utilize the monster crit damage. Build can do slightly under 8 minutes on average with some peaks and downs. AoE damage is great, single target is kinda meh.

I am yet to record Crucible run, but here’s MQ one. It’s average speed,but not bad considering -20% cast speed mutator, video:

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Nicely optimized! Would you change something nowadays? Maybe there’s some new ring worth equipping since the procs don’t stack. I’ve also made a Lightning FW https://www.grimtools.com/calc/YVWjRby2 but it’s much weaker so I’m switching to yours.

Btw I may have not optimized the build but I sure have optimized the illusion for it :rofl:

Fashion Dawn

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Looks similar to my warder :slight_smile: I like it alot

Your version looks pretty good tbh, I like the idea of 2piece eastern set. Boots you can change to the ones that give +2 FW

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You’re right, very similar. I’ve forgotten about it (should’ve credited though because I may have remembered it subconsciously) but now that I see it I recall not liking the helm :wink: also the boots illusion I’m using leave long lightning trail on the ground which means it is non-negotiable :rofl: even though it doesn’t match perfectly.

Not too lazy to stop scrolling the database on purple items :slight_smile: My version is ok I guess but Nery’s is much more damage.

I think I prefer FW playstyle to PS. It’s nice to zoom around and place yourself so that you can cover many enemies. And you can also kite if you need which is more noob friendly, you don’t have to memorize all the special enemies attacks too much. I also think Lightning Force Wave has best FX of all the variations (not really a fun of fire element and physical/elemental look too calm to me).

Btw I’ve made the following personal changes to this great build:

  • changing one of the rings to the following (it allows 26/16 Storm Totem)
  • more defensive devo map with Solemn Watcher (also I don’t like Wendigo procing Ultos in the original but I haven’t tested honestly)

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I just like how the shaman is depicted in Grim Dawn, I aimed for that look :slight_smile:

Edit:

I think it was @Evil_Baka who had an idea to go with sword and board electrocute Forcewave with grey knight shield, possibly combined with untransmuted stun jacks or horn of gandrr so you really use the item skill modifiers of the helmet. Not sure if he or someone else mad such build.

@tqFan this is a similar theorycraft I made like 9 months ago https://www.grimtools.com/calc/pZrgXX6N belt is needed for vit > light conversion so bat heals better. I just did this out of memory so there are most likely dozens of tweaks one can do.
Weapon is easy to get, Hyram sells them so it should be doable to get a very nice one tbh. Belt is tricker.

Edit #2: here is a warder version with untransmuted primal strike using the new weapon https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2E3gnnZ perhaps this is something for @Duchy to explore, I know he likes crazy PS builds :wink:

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That’s a super old one for me :sweat_smile:. I put a link for it together sometime before FG released, it looked “ok” from what I remember. The new itemisation will give it more toys to play with now though so it’ll probably be largely different to what I did back then.

As far as Electrocute sources go, Gandarr doesn’t impress me that much - untransmuted Stun Jacks just has far more going it on Full Spread, Ulzuin’s Chosen and skill mods adding more on top. You do only need a point for Gandarr’s Electrocute so investing points into Storm Box + Tether alongside it does give Inquisitor more of a bump on damage and a good devotion bind but I don’t think it’ll match Jacks for single target ticks, Gandarr + Box will likely have more AoE though.

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yeah I think it was from there I collected the idea (ah, those were they days where hundreds of builds where theorycrafted in a matter of weeks, crazy!)

Yeah stun jacks will be the superior single target nuker. I just took the remaining points in Horns because I already maxed storm box + tether. Perhaps with light defender chest and another medal (Mythical Gildam arcanum commendation?) build will improve.

I guess this would be a good start for Commando https://www.grimtools.com/calc/bVA906wV

Edit. Sorry @Nery for stealing your thread :joy:

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Np, interesting ideas. I need to improve that Warder, I think Korvaak Devotion can fit very well. Also Solemn Watcher for stats. Definitely build worth testing in current patch. Also Storm Totem have more uptime.

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Build is updated for 1.1.6.2 after the thread was revived by @tqFan @malawiglenn and @Evil_Baka thanks for your comments.

New GT - https://www.grimtools.com/calc/O2GOvgl2

Video from Crucible:

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Well done!
Interesting with Korvaak instead of spear

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+1 for the build and for the Effort in itemizing . First time I saw this helm i wanted a Lightning FW like the Boc Vanguards have but itemization was so horrid i couldn’t go through it

We got the FX but not the damage. I hope this builds gets a buff

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Thanks, it’s cool build!

In Crucible with beacons, Totems and Korvaak on Wind Devils AoE damage is delight until you meet some resistant mobs and then it’s like car engine, that tries to start and that Forcewave struggling sound too :sweat_smile:

Thanks!

Korvaak is actually slightly better on 2H builds compared to Spear, I tested it on Ultos Conjurer.

And here I really need the DA/OA shred as well.

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i’m not even shure how CD lightning FW is even supposed to work. You would need some crazy dots, preferably on a shield so you can mix with another dot skill

Some crazy shit like this https://www.grimtools.com/calc/eZPE9vgN - hastily changed, so insert skills and + FW somehow :sweat_smile:

just as an idea, or more of a question mark

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Thanks for your idea @Superfluff I have some other builds lined up on the assembly line but I will for sure have a look into S&B lightning/electrocute FW in the near future :slight_smile:

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I like the changes (Thunderstruck, devotion, pants and that you found some points for Fighting Spirit) but I have one minor optimization

  • change Poison res to Aether res on the conduit
  • change 4 augments from 7/7 Aether/Chaos to 8/10 Chaos/Poison

The result is +12 Aether and +4 Chaos

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Damn , that’s good math out there! :ok_hand:

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MS is 124% without Prismatic Rage :thinking:

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Could probably up oak skin and grab mark of the traveler in boots if you need moar speed but you have two movement abilities so run speed should be that much of an issue

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By the way, we have +2/+1 Shaman/Soldier whereas the Fire variant can have up to +5/+3 Demolitionist/Soldier.
There is no Justice, no pun intended.

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Indeed, the Helmet gives +1 Demo. Also no suitable weapon, options are green MI for chaos FW (Is this a thing?) or Ultos weapon. But Ultos is so much better as PS.