[1.1.5.0] Stern Gaze of Dreeg - DEE-spam Sentinel

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
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Build is Work in Progress

Making an acid/poison DEE-spam build has been a long-time dream of mine and with 1.1.5.0 I will finally try to make it happen (although I don’t use any of the new items for now).
I used Symbio’s Corrupted Avenger as a template for items and devotions and tried to spin up a build of myself. Here’s what I got so far:
GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/nZob67GV

This build is struggling at a lot of points: I have abysmal bleed res, the aether/chaos overcap is low and to have good elemental resist you have to use RF, which doesn’t feel very smooth. DA is low as well, but I have no idea where to put the many spare skill points.

Now to the problems of DEE-spam: DEE takes a shitload of energy to keep spamming it and I really have no capacity for an arcane spark, as I need the resists and damage. This build would be much better if I were spamming biting blades and used DEE as a nuke as it’d deal more damage and would use less energy, but that wouldn’t be DEE-spam anymore, would it?

Feedback of any kind would be highly appreciated, you don’t have to hold back :stuck_out_tongue:
Only thing to note: Focused Gaze (the DEE transmuter) shall not be taken.

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Well, my gut feeling is that for DEE spam:

Vitality go Sentinel with the new crazy OP offhand.
Acid go Witchhunter to conserve skill points…

Without the updated GT, it is hard to know the best options with 1.1.5. (call me lazy). Some new rings were added or tweaked.

Prior to this patch, I was thinking that I`d build a hc-ish DEE Sentinel like this with a few layers of leech to allow for repositioning and a little more armor: HC Acid Spam DEE Sentinel . (however…Manticore and Eye of the Guardian are probably worth a look, with the 1.15 changes.)

If you are going to spam acid, then I think you want a Toxic Effigy for the %wpn damage. The Wretched Tome is really good in terms of dots…but if you are spamming DEE, you want more cast speed and focus on profiting from non-dot at this increased cast speed.

I believe that I read DEE blood burst %wpn damage was increased for 1.15, as well. So this total could be a decent source of sustain.

Also, as with any spam skill, you probably want a fair bit of slow resistance.

And finally, DEE spam is very energy-heavy. At 100% cast speed, I calculate max DEE is about 130. If cast speed is double, then it is doubled.

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I looked at the new rings in GDStash and they might be worth a try. Will see if I can get the Poison/Acid Version working, before going down the dark path of OP vit off-hand :slight_smile:
Really like your Sigil in the GT btw

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hey nice build!
tried few times DEE builds but they were bad…

can you please explain how this works, left mouse and right mouse skills?

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The build in the OP is bad as well, the variant provided by @hammyhamster1 is much better and consistent, although still won’t break any records. I couldn’t make any tests in Crucible or SR due to having a lot going on atm, but will do that later this weak maybe.
What do you mean by “how left mouse and right mouse skills work”?

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i mean, DEE is your main attack and for what is RF? im trying to understand that part :slight_smile:

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I used it to get some stats from consecration, elemental res and armor to be exact, but it feels hella clunky spamming DEE and keeping up RF, so in the end I didn’t use it after all.

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for those elemental resistances and increased armor?
i mean, does it work if you dont use it as attack?

btw good build, i love DEE :slight_smile:

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Not a good idea IMO. I’m not sure if you’ll be tanky enough to constantly try and swat enemies with your dagger.

I just tested spam DEE myself: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/eVLddBMV

For rings, I’m using the new “Ring of shuroth” or however you spell it.

Energy is impossible to sustain without ulzuin’s buff, it isn’t tanky, and the damage output - while immensely improved - is still lackluster IMO.

Averaged about 8:45 - 9min in crucible with 4 buffs, 0 banners.

It also isn’t the most forgiving build to pilot.

EDIT: Lmao! Just realized I completely forgot to add resist augments :rofl:

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Always good to see testing.

ya know, spanks…investing in the Soleil witchfire line doesn’t really seem worth it with only 40% wpn. The payoff is pretty low. Imho. With the MI, this might work better.

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The flat damage also benefits guardian gaze and the rings.

The proc on each ring lasts 5s, with a 1.5s CD, with each proc dealing 8% WD.

Or 48%WD from the rings alone.

Couple that with a consistent 5-6 projectiles from GG, and you have 170% or so WD outside of DEE

EDIT: You also can’t afford the MI due to the loss of skill points. :confused:

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Well, I have not tested it, so I’ll take your word.

Looking at the math, though…the effect is ~20% more wpn damage. Which is then reduced by the effective %. So for guardian, that is only 20% times 0.2 = 4% more wpn damage. For 24 skill points.

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I think you need to factor in all things with a %WD component.

That being said, I initially had ascension and guardians hardcapped. The damage difference was noticeable.

P.S: Just being pedantic, so pardon me - but it’s actually 22 skill points, because solael’s/second rite are definitely one pointers at the very least

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Well, you could take some of those 22 skill and max black death for 100 x (avg) 25 per second damage. Or something like that?

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It’s definitely worth a test. Fully converted pox is nice, and DA shred on wasting seems like a good investment too.

Regardless, the results were too lackluster for me to even want to try min/maxing it further.

I can always upload the character file if you wish to ahve a go at it.

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You did give it a go. I’m going to wait for GT update to gaze at all the new wonders, though.

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Oh the times when sub 12 minutes in Crucible was godlike…
To be honest, after playing with the concept for a while, I realised why I stopped trying some patches ago. The Energy usage isn’t even funny and the damage is sub-par however you play it. Maybe I’ll have to try Vitality with the new Off-Hand, could work although you still have the massive energy problems.