The cold Asterkarn nights are approaching and after 2 years or so I found myself farming ugdenbloom, again.
This time I think I have found something which I haven’t seen in build guides (I haven’t done a very throughout research though), it seems to work, it feels good to pilot so I thought let’s share it with you!
This is my very first build post (my first post here ever actually). Constructive criticism is always welcome. Please correct me If I misunderstood some of the game mechanics and/or wrote total nonsense as I do not have a degree on Grim Dawn. Also, if you have some ideas on how to change this build to make it better, please share!
I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Introduction
I decided to go with Templar. One thing I knew that I don’t want to go EoR, because it is, you know, a spin-to-win thing and it is not my piece of cake. I started leveling my templar and I found EoR super-efficient for leveling… aaand fell for it… So yes, this will be an EoR build, but with a twist. 
Or I can say that this will be an AoM build, but again, with a twist.
This is a full epic, “no green or blue” build, because this is how I like it.
You guessed right, we will max out both EoR and AoM. This is why I like to call this build the Aegis of Reckoning or the Eye of Menhir.
GRIMTOOLS Updated with absolution relic recommended by Amaranthen. TY. Also tweaked a bit with attribute points. More on cunning for higher OA.
Lazy SR75 run to grasp the feeling
Even lazyer Ravager of Flesh (just the end, boring)
SR90 Died at the very (VERY) end and I was so pissed that stopped recording, but I think the video proves that this build can do 90.
Avatar of Mogdrogen Now I haven’t forgot to start recording. 
Callagadra Ok, this is rather a joke, but hey, he is dead in the end. When you are not tough enough, use your other assets to overcome obstacles.
General concept:
I wanted to create a build which can push deep into the Shattered Realms. Based on my limited experience in higher shards I theorized that I want something which can quickly chew itself through chunk 1 to 3 and arrive at chunk 4 with as much time as possible on the counter. At chunk 4 focus is on not dying 
and be able to kill the bosses in the available approx. 9 minutes. Easier said then done.
What do I need to pull this off? Below you will find what I thought to be necessary and the resolution what I have gone with.
Chunk 1-3: Good AoE damage with high enough armor and sustain to survive large pack of mobs.
- Good AoE Damage: EoR is perfect for this. Not to mention that moving while damaging in a countdown scenario is HUGE. AoM with Burn dot also does reasonable AoE like damage and procs Combustion and Fissure very reliably.
- Sustain: 19% Life Leech with perma buffs. Devotions with % of Attack Damage converted to Health and Restless Remains component on gloves.
- Armor: Mainly through item choices and components. I aimed to 2,2k, it ended up at 2,3k. With procs 2,4k. It feels enough.
Chunk 4: Not getting insta killed by crits. High enough damage to be able to kill the bosses in reasonable time. Also wanted to have the opportunity to deal damage from afar when I face a boss which I am not familiar with or just simply don’t want to (can not :D) facetank.
- Reasonably high DA: Around 60% of the attribute points are spent on Physique. Gear and component choices. It is around 2800, with procs around 3200.
- Reasonable high Phys Res: Phys Res devotions, gear and component choices. Eneded up at 37%. 63% with procs.
- Healing: Besides the sustain from EoR I looked for other reliable sources of healing. I found two. Dyrad’s Blessing devotion proc on Vire’s Might and surprisingly from AoM life leech which works from a distance.
- Reasonably high OA: 40% of attribute points are spent on cunning, some devotion nodes but majority of OA comes from passive skills from both Arcanist and Oathkeeper + Ascension.
- RR: I think this is the main reason why this build works. We have quite a few sources of RR:
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- % res: Olexra’s Flash Freeze (-100% fire), Combustion (-8% fire), Eldritch Fire (-23% fire), Celestial Presence (-30% elemental)
- Flat: Elemental Storm (32 Elemental)
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- Some form of damage what will eventually kill the bosses - Burn Dots: EoR got burn from Alladrah’s Spellbalde (which has a built-in burn proc from Phoenix Dive). AoM already had but got supercharged from Virtue’s defender (which has a built-in burn proc from Virtue’s Guardian). The Guardians of Empyrion and Fissure also applies Burn. Combustion is technically not Burn but an AoE patch which deals fire damage.
Ingame stats with perma buffs:
Ingame stats with perma buffs and Ascension up:
Ascension has 19,2 sec cooldown because of our CDR and has 14 sec duration (+4s from Virtue’s Gaze) so it has roughly 73% uptime.
Gameplay/Rotation: It is quite simple
- Ascension+Absolution. From this point on use on cooldown.
- Toss in the shield with AoM from a distance. Deals a lot of damage, aplies burn, procs fissure and combustion.
- Vire’s Might in. Procs Dryad’s Blessing.
- Oleaxra’s Flash Freeze. From this point on use on cooldown. (Guardians should arrive into the party around here)
- Lay on right button and EoR.
- Based on the situation, just spin EoR or spam AoM and use Vire’s Might for movement and healing. Use evade and Displacement to fight the battle on your terms.
- Nullify what needs to be nullified.
- Repeat.
In the following sections I will try to explain what and why I have chosen regarding skills, devotions and gear.
Skills (top down, left to right)
Arcanist:
Iskandra’s Elemental Exchange: Min. I use this for the energy leach and regen because maxed out EoR slurps mana. Attached Ghoulish Hunger to it.
Overload: Max. OA, aether res and Burn dot.
Elemental Balance: Max. Crit damage for AoM, Burn damage and duration.
Maiven’s Sphere of Protection: Max. 22% damage absorption. Yes please.
Olexra’s Flash Freeze: Max. With the CDR we have it has a 4.8 sec cooldown. It has a 4.5 sec duration so almost 100% uptime for the -100% fire RR.
Inner Focus: Max. Mainly for OA.
Arcane Will: Max. Against enemies who count Arcane Will becomes a perma buff. 160% all damage, DA, energy regen.
Nullification: Min. Best 1 point skill ever! Helps our survivability a lot by cancelling enemy auras, buffs and removes debuffs from us.
Oathkeeper:
Safeguard: Min. Damage and Armor. I found that if I want better sustain from EoR this is the best skill to spend points on. Now I have 2 on it.
Eye of Reckoning: Max. One of our DPS skills. This is what keeps us alive as we have 19% Life Steal.
Soulfire: Max. DPS and 21% Reduced target’s Damage.
Vire’s Might: Min. Mobility and healing as it is superb to proc Dryad’s Blessing which is attached to it.
Volcaninc Stride: Min. Burn dot, slows.
Tectonic Shift: Min. -Skill Recharge and increases VM’s range.
Aegis of Menhir: Max. Our other DPS skill. Virtue’s Light set convert 100% Physical to Fire, so AoM is full fire now. Virtue’s Defender adds huge additional Burn to it. Attached Fissure to it.
Avenging Shield: Min. Min in this case means 1 point spent on it will result 11 out of 12. Crit damage and +4 targets. Virtue’s Light full set adds 3 more, so it affects up to 8 targets.
Reprisal: Max. Burn dot, 24% chance of 100% skill CDR, - Energy Cost.
Summon Guardian of Empyrion: Min. We need them for Celestial Presence.
Celestial Presence: Max: Another RR source. Attached Elemental Storm to it, which does RR as well.
Divine Mandate: Max. Our Exclusive Skill. Crit Damage and Fire/Burn damage.
Presence of Virtue: Min. OA and Energy Regen.
Haven: Min. Can argue with this as it adds health, energy regen and helps with the shield. Now I am comfy with it like this.
Rebuke: Min. Some damage and resists.
Resilience: Min. DA, Phys res, Healing.
Ascension: Max. HUGE damage boost + Virtue’s Light set adds Shield Block Chance and Shield Damage Blocked %.
Clarity for Purpose: Min. OA and resistances, reduced durations.
+1 Displacement augment from medal: I found Displacement as the best “Oh shit! / Get out of jail!” button as it has very quick animation and short cooldown.
Devotions
Here I will not go into deep details. I categorize devotions into four buckets why I chose them based on their primary purpose. RR, Damage, Sustain and Utility. Of course, all of them have multiple benefits but I grouped them to the bucket which I think is their most prominent aspect for this build.
RR: Solael’s Witchblade (Eldritch Fire -23% Fire Res, attached to EoR), Rhowan’s Crown (Elemental Storm 32 Reduced Elemental Res, attached to Summon Guardian of Empyrion)
Damage: Ulzuin’s Torch, Magi (Fissure attached to AoM)
Sustain: Revenant, Fox, Ghoul (Ghoulish Hunger attached to Iskandra’s Elemental Balance) Dryad (Dryad’s Blessing attached to Vire’s Might)
Utility: Jackal, Spider, Empty Throne, Lion
Gear:
This build uses the full Virtue’s Light set so I don’t need to explain one by one the reasons behind Helm, Offhand, Chest, Shoulder and Amulet slot decisions. To put it simply it focuses on making fire AoM good (100% Physical to Fire conversion for AoM, + Fire damage, Burn dot) and strengthens Oathkeeper in various aspects.
Main hand: Mythical Alladrah’s Spellbalde – main reason is that it converts 100% Physical to Fire conversion for Eor. +1 to Oathkeeper +3 to Elemental Balance
Ring 1: Mythical Combustion Band – BiS for every fire build. RR from Combustion.
Ring 2: Mythical Belgothian Sigil – Attack speed, +2 to EoR, Burst of Speed proc really helps clearing trashs and heroes.
Legs: Mythical Chausses of Barbaros – Armor, OA, Phys Res and GODLY Battlecry proc.
Hands: Mythical Sandreaver Bracers – Attack speed, Casting speed, +3 Presence of Virtue, +2 EoR
Feet: Mythical Wyrmscale Footguards – % Fire/Burn damage, Elemental Res, Reduced Stun/Petrify duration, Wyrmscale proc is also good.
Belt: Mythcical Infernal Knight’s Girdle – % Fire/Burn damage, Resistances, +1 to Oathkeeper
Relic: Absolution – “Dedicated” Oathkeeper relic, Fire/Burn damage, Cast&Attack speed, Shield Damage Blocked, +1 to Oathkeeper
Medal: Mythical Markovian Stratagem – Resists, Sheild Block Chance, +2 to AoM
That’s it! All in all I am prepared for the upcoming icy days in Asterkarn!