Lightning Retaliation Archon
Last time I did lightning retal with Warder for Dawnshield set. This time it is Archon.
There is a support in devotions for physical retal or for fire retal but not for lightning retal. And the support is also mostly for shield builds. I thus decided that the best way to approach it is to go for a hybrid retal build. Some normal lightning damage and some lightning retal damage. Thus by itself the retal damage here is not spectacular and the normal damage is also not spectacular but if you combine them it actually works. RATA skills that are used here are Grasping Vines and Righteous Fervor. In devotions I went rather non conventional. The only retal one I took is Hyrian. And the rest went for support of lightning damage, attack speed and defenses. I didn’t even take any tier 3 devos. My approach also worked for Warder and Warlord as well.
Archon is in the middle of these three possible builds. It has lower attack speed (all do) but it works anyways. Defensively the build uses damage absorption on Primal Bond, damage reduction on attuned lodestone, Wendigo Totem which is great with high life pool and high healing increase of 43 % and of course nice ADCtH after healing increase. I had to go for Primal Bond because using Stormcaller’s Pact was not enough defensively. But there was a loss of DPS with this choice. Azrakaa’s Sands amulet is also necessary defensively here due to +4 to max res and healing proc. Build also has high phys res and armor. It is hard to get OA and DA though so you have to roll good items for that. I also went for some racial damage to help the build in high SR.
I am actually quite surprised how well it all works together. And take into account that this is a blue set that will get ascended in FoA expansion. Build can do SR 90 within the timer mostly. And it can kill Ravager and Callagadra.
GRIMTOOLS
Archon, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Download
_Champion Archon.zip (759.2 KB)
This build is just a template. Customize it to your own liking. Crafting bonuses are to freeze resistance.
Righteous Fervor DPS with passive buffs
SR
I finished SR 80-81 5 out of 5 times within the timer. It is easy.
In SR 85-86 I finished 5 out of 5 times within the timer. I had no deaths in all runs. If you die you will be on the edge with the timer. No boss is a problem if played well.
In SR 90 I finished 3 out of 5 times within the timer. You have to avoid dying in order to finish within the timer. Bosses are tough but doable if played safely. Try avoiding ground damage. You have to fight within Wendigo Totem’s range. Damage could be greater here. Valdaran takes longer time to kill but he is not dangerous if you time your skill correctly or disengage when you can’t use them through his aura. Alexander also takes longer time to kill. If you get the shard with three Manifestations of Hunger, it will be hard but it can be played wihout dying but you will need a lot of good piloting…
In SR 95 I did just one run. Build is slow. Your damage is lacking here and defenses start to crumble. SR 95 is too much.
Celestials
I killed Ravager of Minds without pharma. It is slower. Avoid sunder and the null of course.
I killed Callagadra without pharma. Avoid the sunder and tornados.