Greetings!
We have many good GD news nowadays - 1.2 patch, a whole new expansion next year that will ruin many viable builds (mine ones included ). But this is in the future. So let us enjoy old ways while we have time.
Today’s build was made for two main reasons (except for fun, of course):
- To use triple-rare great Fire Retal Shield Hyram sold me.
- To check if Fire Retal is workable at all.
I did not expect much from it because numbers were not that good (Retal especially). But this is Warlord - the best class in GD that makes even pathetic build ideas into working ones . Even Fire/Lightning. Yes, I do not like how these damage types presented in GD
.
But let us see the build.
1. Grimtools link.
I took all Fire Retal devotions available - Messenger, Phoenix, Hyrian (wanted to try this one, never used before). Obelisk as usual for S&B Retal, Crown for flat RR and Dryad as our main source of healing. I wish I could complete Obelisk and get Shieldmaiden+Ghoul though. But sacrifices are needed. Such is Warlord way - too much good stuff, too scarce possibilities .
2. In-game character stats.
general stats, only passive buffs are active. Damage Per Second is for Righteous Fervor
retal stats
defense stats
3. Gear/Build explanation.
The gear was chosen to maximise Retal potential of our abilities - AoM, RF etc. and have reasonable amount of skillpoints (important for Warlord). Also, we need big OA numbers for Phoenix constellation (this is why Cunning dump).
- Core items.
Shield. Colossal Defender. Nice %RtA, -0.5 sec recharge, Physical-to-Fire conversion for AoM, -2 sec recharge for War Cry (-3 sec would make more sense), Fire affinity. Easy to farm - Hyram in Steelcap District. One question - does it miss flat and %Fire retal? It is Retal shield, after all. My item has BiS affixes, try at least get Flamewall of something (or something of Conflagration, but we need Physique).
Helmet. Dawnshard Gaze. Another %RtA and +1 target for AoM, +1 to Soldier, flat and %Fire retal. Craftable.
Amulet. Avatar of Order. Even more %RtA for AoM, +1 to Oathkeeper, flat and %Fire retal.
Medal. Basilisk Fang. Nice ADCtH and %Crit Damage for AoM, +3 to Reprisal, %Poison res. For MIs - look for OA, %Pierce, %Poison, %Aether res, DA (in this order). - Mandatory items.
Weapon. Totally Normal Shield. +1 to All skills (most important), some flat Physical retal, proc does not hurt.
Ring 1. Combustion Band. Fire RR ring for single RR class.
Ring 2. Creeping Ring. +3 to Retribution, %Retal. Farmable across Ugdenbog and in Ancient Grove shop.
Chest. Divinesteel Hauberk. The only reasonable item slot with Fire retal (Dawnshard Hauberk has Fire-to-Lightning conversion). Nice %Phys res, %Health, %Stun res, excessive %Fire, %Vitality and %Chaos res (much room for improvement). Craftable.
Pants. Runeplates of Ignaffar. Good Fire retal slot with OA, DA, %Phys res and RtA proc, +3 to Smite is okay bonus.
Shoulders. Dawnshard Pauldrons. Yet another Fire retal slot with +2 to Reprisal, %Phys res and DR proc (helps when War Cry is on cooldown).
Gloves. Blacksteel Gauntlets. +2 to CS and Retribution (important), great DA and %Phys res, some flat Physical retal, flat Physique, Health - everything is needed.
Boots. Stormbearers. +2 to Retribution (important), %Phys res, DA, some flat Fire retal, proc with RtA (not much, but still something). - Can be changed.
Belt. Gargoyle Girdle. Retal belt with +1 to Oathkeeper (important) and %Petrify res. Dreeg Venomspine Girdle has same stats (without Petrify and only one affix), but craftable, if you do not want to farm Gargoyle.
Relic. Absolution. Retal +1 to Oathkeeper relic with defensive active skill. I use it to fill vacant Overguard place. Honor is an alternative - flat Fire retal, %Damage to humans (helpful agains Fabius and Maiden), offensive active skill with RtA.
Craft with reduced Freeze Duration (bonus is provided by Malmouth blacksmith in Steelcap District).
About Resistance Reduction. Total amount is ~88% (-25% from GoE aura, -8% from Combustion Band proc, -23% from Solael’s Witchblade constellation and flat 32 from Rhowan’s Crown constellation) plus 20% from Viper constellation, so it may vary. Not big numbers, most Fire-resistant enemies take some time to beat (Maiden, Grava, Fabius etc), but they are not that dangerous, just somewhat annoying. No particular problems with other Nemeses.
4. Gameplay.
Pretty simple. Charge in crowds through Will of the Fallen Kings, debuff everything with War Cry and spam RF/AoM/Will of Kings until everything is roasted . Absolution and Ascension for additional offense/defense. Well… that is it
.
5. Videos.
Mad Queen.
Kra’Vall.
Lokarr (even harder since 1.2.0.3).
Morgoneth.
SR 75 full.
Ravager of Flesh (potions are in the video, no Aether Clusters, occasional healpots, mostly facetank with evading on sunder (is not needed much, just in case) and some kiting out of blood pools. Energy Leech from that boss is enormous, keep an eye on your mana bar).
Callagadra (potions are same as Ravager, no Aether Clusters, occasional healpots, facetank with evading on sunder).
Avatar of Mogdrogen was defeated earlier with another build, so no fight. Crate’s crates are just too much for my computer (and boss itself is not suited for melee Retal builds well).
I want bigger Fire retal numbers. Even though the build works fine, it feels… uncompleted? I would like to have more, from skillpoints to devotions. Just imagine what Warlord would have done at full potential .
Thanks for reading and your future feedback. Stay safe!