[1.1.5.2] From Memes to Magnificence - Cold AAR Mage Hunter - 5:00 Crucible [c+][vid]

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
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1.1.5.2 Update

Ignore everything I said about cold AAR in my original version, this build is broken. The last patch gave cold AAR some new tools to play with, as well as a conduit buff and some refinements to the build. It results in an extremely strong version of AAR second only to full glass cannon Aether.

Thanks to @ya1 and @mad_lee for help optimising the build.

Details

BiS GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/M2g14pYZ
Realistic GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/b28d3Az2
Full glass cannon GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/r2BWOJrV

Physique crafts cover the missing physique requirements. The DA may look a bit low, but the build is incredibly reliable, I haven’t died with it. If you want more DA, feel free to invest more into physique. Of Rituals is an alternative on the off hand if you prefer the extra seal points.

The realistic version is about 20 seconds slower than the BiS version but it still works completely fine. Don’t be afraid of chains of anguish, it’s not nearly as dangerous as it looks. That said, chains of anguihs will be nerfed next patch, so if it becomes unusable you can swap to arcanoweave cord or phantom-thread girdle.

The glass cannon is for insane people and its only use is to speed run crucible while being extremely fragile.

PNG
Cheap%20Cold%20AAR
Screenshots with permanent buffs and Word of Renewal up.

Performance


A lucky and smooth 4:30 run. I think there is potential for 4:20 or under with a full glass version but I haven’t managed to do that yet.

My only run with the realistic version just as a proof of concept. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even have revenant bound to my movement skill so it should have been even faster.

This is the fastest I could get with the glass cannon version, I think it can be a bit faster but I ran out of patience :man_shrugging:

Feedback

AAR is still overpowered in all its forms. These little lovetaps to pieces of AAR gear aren’t working because there’s so many options and the skill is just too powerful. Aether, cold and chaos are all too strong in my experience. Fire and lightning probably are too, but I haven’t personally played them. It’s too varied to target items to nerf it, as I think the only unifying piece of gear is Aethereach.

I think the skill itself needs to be toned down by at least 10%, maybe more. As for cold AAR reverting the conduit buff would probably be fine.

Old Version

Introduction

Cold AAR is the red-headed step child of the AAR family. It’s widely considered by the community to be the weakest playable version, and they’re right. But what if it’s not as bad as people thought?

Details

BiS GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2d4dz82
More reasonable GT: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/lNkOlRBN

Itemisation for Cold AAR is pretty bad so I had to rely on impossible to attain greens to cover all my resists. The cheaper version is an alternative if you don’t want to GD Stash greens. It’s a fair bit weaker but it should still function.

PNG
Character sheet with permanent buffs and Word of Renewal.

Performance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34VyJlMieqE&feature=youtu.be

5:21 is by far my best run and was very lucky. The average time is probably a bit over 6 minutes which is still pretty decent.

Feedback

I know AAR will be getting nerfed next patch, I just hope it’s done in a way that doesn’t murder cold AAR by collateral. I think it’s performing fairly decently and doesn’t deserve a nerf.

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Another ray into the fray. Nice build, good job @Plasmodermic !
On mobile atm and can’t check devotions, can you explain the reasoning behind using this belt over +1 all skills belts?

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Honestly, it’s a holdover from when I was trying to do the same thing as a Sorcerer, I think I ported it over without thinking about it. It is converting Seal, Censure, Elemental Storm and the ring procs but the +1 all skills is probably better.

Edit: I updated it, not sure why that didn’t occur to me.

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5:21 run is just sick. Yes, lucky mutators and spawns, but god damn, it’s an absolutely unreal timer for Cold AAR build.

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Build looks great!

Nope, Vitality AAR is the worst of the lot. See my build for reference! :smile:

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Dear God.

She looks like what I’d imagine Elton John would wear if he was obsessed with the movie Frozen.

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Cool build, literally…

So even AAR with least support can shine. That’s speaking highly of the skill and your skills as well. I am fan of yours.

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I actually like the look of that. I wonder if it can work as a druid with the RR from Devouring Swarm.

Isn’t she just fabulous?

Stop it Nery, you’re gonna make me blush.

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Yauss, gurl. Yauss.

snap

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I completely reworked the build for the new patch with some great results. Gonna get AAR nerfed in every patch until the end of time.

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Sick results. Fastest cold build ever, on par with fastest Aether AARs. And it’s not even super glassified version, it’s fucking solid!

So much for everyone telling me that base skill should be left untouched and only items should be adjusted when I made feedback few patches ago. Look what happened now, 4:30 COLD (!!) AAR, based on rag tag bunch of items.

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Wait, found an actual video of Zantai and Praetorians balancing all different kinds of AAR before 1.1.5.0 patch

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  1. You gonna make Chillheart suffer for this.

  2. 4:30? Why not 4:29? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

  3. Of Scorched Runes, I think. Best affix for elemental inquis for me. +% spirit is a bit overrated, I think. +4% in this gives you about +25%dmg so it’s not

  4. Shoulders of the DRANGHOUL??? Don’t you want 4:27, son? Of Insight! :wink:

  5. A little shenanigan with the devos, check it out: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/m23qa4YZ

No, I think it’s the entropic echo of Flashwarped Tome mystique. I think that should be nerfed just a little bit more. Just in case. :rofl:

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You’re probably right, I was struggling to choose between them but the extra 2% RR is probably just better.

You know, I think I decided against that because the proc only says 18% damage in GT… oops.

That is better, I didn’t really know where to go with the last few points but that works.

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I’m not quite sure about it. 3 ranks in the Seal and 60 flat absorb is quite a lot. And dmg ticks from the Seal and the mini-seal from the Rituals proc are also not nothing. But I love the scaling of Censure radius after the cap. It’s a bit op, imo. Should be like Veil of Shadows, good gains till the cap and +0.1m per point after.

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Should be Tempest affix on pants too imo.

EDIT and if you are glassifying it, probably all points from Seal to Arcane Empowerement.

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For max dmg, yeah. But aether res and stunres… Oh, I just noticed Incantations was buffed. It used to be 33% disrupt res at all levels.

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I’ll use Tempest on the glass setup, but thunderstruck is better for the balanced one I think.

I moved the seal points to lightning tether for the glass version, maybe arcane empowerment is better though.

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With your insane direct damage I think Storm Box is doing Jack Shit and it’s unfortunate you even have to use it. It only really debuffs DA, but then it disrupts your AAR.

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https://www.grimtools.com/calc/q2M9lBr2

How is that for max damage setup?