[1.2.1.2] Beyond the veil - Beginner HCSSF Callidor's tempest Spellbinder - easy endgame farmer + leveling guide

Well, since i started playing GD, i often looked for tier lists of classes and builds, and this class was always on S-tier (don’t have a clue if it’s still on top nowadays) on those topics/lists.

Never i played this class using this skill before, so i took this new challenge of leveling this char from scratch using CT since the beginning.

As always, no merits, mandates, leveling items and pre-farmed gear were used.

Our build uses a target farmable set, the Krieg's Armament - Item sets - Grim Dawn Item Database (we won’t use the full set, so it’s a bit less grindy :sweat_smile:) and some easy-to-farm MI’s.

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Current char

I’ll show you the leveling process:

Lvl 1-10 Arcanist, Level 10 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

Get a two handed weapon ASAP and spend your first points on arcanist’s mastery bar until you reach callidor’s tempest. Spend 1 or 2 points on it and them spend all points you can on the mastery bar until you reach inferno.

Lvl 10-20 Spellbinder, Level 20 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

Spend 1 point on inferno, 1 point on callidor’s tempest and 1 point on the arcanist’s mastery bar (until you reach maiven’s sphere of protection and conversion, will be very useful for energy sustain on early levels), then spend points on the necromancer’s mastery bar until you reach spectral wrath, spend one point on spectral binding and some on spectral wrath

Activate monster totems and on devotions complete the imp and bind its proc to callidor’s tempest (very useful proc for boosting damage on early levels)

Lvl 20-30 Spellbinder, Level 30 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

Continue progressing the vanilla campaign and spending points on inferno, conversion and on the necromancer’s mastery bar (when i maxed those two, i invested all points per level on necro’s bar until i reached harbinger of souls)

Lvl 30-40 Spellbinder, Level 40 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

After reaching harbinger of souls, max it ASAP. Spend few points on siphon souls and a point on sear souls.
After maxing it, your priority will be spectral wrath, spectral binding and callidor’s tempest (not in this particular order). On devotions, remove imp, complete eel, raven and widow (bind the proc to callidor’s tempest).

Lvl 40-50 Spellbinder, Level 50 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

After reaching malmouth, you’ll finally be able to farm our main 2H weapon for the build, the
Fleshwarped Core - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database. You can farm it from aetherial sentinels or buy it from Hyram’s shop. Talking about hyram’s, it’s mandatory buying the Haunt relic bluperint from him (if you didn’t dropped it yet) and crafting one.

Remember to activate monster totems. It’s a good idea to start maxing out mental alacrity too. On devotions, complete behemoth, kraken, ghoul and lotus.

Lvl 50-60 Spellbinder, Level 60 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

I started elite at lvl 56. Gear up, cap resists and activate totems. On devotions, complete revenant and bind it’s proc to callidor’s tempest (change the widow’s proc to haunt skill from the relic). Spend 5 points on spear of the heavens and 4 points on tree of life.

Max out mental alacrity and the fabric of reality. If you’re already honored with some faction(s) don’t forget buying their writs for boosting up the reputation gain.

Lvl 60-70 Spellbinder, Level 70 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

At this point you should already get honored with most factions, don’t forget buying their writs. Activate all monster totems on your way. When you reach malmouth, don’t forget to upgrade your main weapon. Max out callidor’s tempest, start maxing out inner focus and overload.

Lvl 70-80 Spellbinder, Level 80 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

Started ultimate at lvl 72. Upgrade your gear and cap you resistances. You should be getting revered with most factions, if you don’t, it’s time to grind some reputation :sweat_smile:

Lvl 80-90 Spellbinder, Level 90 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

At this point you should already reached malmouth. Get revered with them ASAP to buy some potions of clarity to speed up our lvl 100 achievement.

Upgrade you main weapon to a lvl 94 one. Look for casting speed suffix like “of celerity”

Dont’t forget to also buy Heart of Malmouth - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database and two Malmouth Aetherblaze Seal - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database and your shoulder armor Elite Malmouth Aetherblaze Mantle - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database.

You’ll get your boots and gloves on homestead faction.

Your chest guard can be farmed from Loxmere Nightmage - Grim Dawn Monster Database or from possessed elementalists and ascended spellbreakers.

Your helmet can be farmed on cronley’s hideout or arkovian docks.

Farm the solael guardian for a good Solael-Sect Legguards - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database on broken hills.

Get your medal on barrolholm’s faction shop and your belt can be farmed on port valbury skeleton key dungeon.

After some time of farming, your char should be looking like this Spellbinder, Level 95 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

With this setup, you can safely farm for your krieg’s set.

You’ll find the boots with Terrnox - Grim Dawn Monster Database. The gloves and shoulders can be farmed on Valaxteria - Grim Dawn Monster Database.
You’ll farm the chest armor with our infamous warden Fleshweaver Krieg - Grim Dawn Monster Database. ( Don’t forget, you don’t really need the helmet that also drops from him)

Reached lvl 100 while farming the set and char was like this

After some good hours of grinding for krieg’s set:

(Luckily dropped BiS medal while activating monster totems, but if you didn’t dropped it yet, you can farm it on dungeons or in SR65)

With this setup you’re able to farm all skeleton key dungeons and even SR65 easily. You’ll feel very comfortable facetanking almost everything (build has very good life leech) but don’t get too lazy and forget using your mirror of ereoctes and mark of torment when in dangerous situations.

:zap: edit: Dropped the Blueprint: Mythical Maw of Despair - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database after some SR65 runs, you can craft one for damage improvement if you want.

Here’s some video proof

Beginner CT spellbinder X Kra’vall

Beginner CT spellbinder X mad queen

Beginner CT spellbinder X Korvaak

Beginner CT spellbinder X Theodin Marcell

Beginner CT spellbinder X gargabol (complete run)

Beginner CT spellbinder X morgoneth (complete run)

Beginner CT spellbinder X SR65

Ty for reading!

7 Likes

interesting approach
curious you don’t 1pt mirror until level 50 :thinking:
not using fleshwarped carabine until fleshcore either
almost “rushing” Harbinger instead of maxing many other things before
definitely different way, - not bad :+1:

1 Like

Thank you! Yeah, you could say it’s a bit unorthodox leveling. Since the latest changes on the MI drop rate i prefered going straight after the fleshwarped core (did some valbury outskirts and conflagration run for the carbine and didn’t dropped any) and yeah, i really rushed for harbinger of souls on this one, helps a lot boosting dmg and survivability :grin:

1 Like

ye i used to do the same/similar approach couple years ago (aside from couple 1pointers you didn’t),
then i was convinced into start maxing couple choice skills on the way first/before climbing mastery bar and grabbing tier 50s - long live powercreep :smile:

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CT spammer is a cool archetype and with all the defensive tricks in the Arcanist and Necro bar, plus deleting things early on with spectral wrath this looks like a fun and chill build. Might try it when I get bored with my Blitzer

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No damage reduction? If this is true then you should take RE or Ill Omen instead of Siphon Souls.

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Tbh i was worried with the lack of DR too, but the build performed really well even without it, on the leveling and on the endgame farming

Sure RE can be really helpful taking on higher challenges, tho

Tyrants on the Fw core? Tyrants of celerity sounds kind of scary but doable as a hyram farm

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I wouldn’t when RE and Omen can give way more DR.

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Recommended Factions Please?

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Well, it’s a good idea to be friend with barrolholm and outcast for this build

2 Likes

Thank you. Another question. Your steps for skill point distribution in the leveling section doesn’t match the GT links you provided. Are they out dated and we should only use the GT links as a reference instead?

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Yeah, i think it’s more precise using the GT link for distributing the skill points. If you’re playing HC, it’s a good idea marking one point on mirror of ereoctes for dangerous situations early on, i didn’t had to use it until ultimate, but things can get hairy in some situations

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Heya there, from a newish player, quick question, CT is actually a damage over time spell or a direct spammable spell? Asking this from an energy pool pov. Thanks

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Hey there! Hope you’re enjoying the game! Well, CT is a spammable skill with flat aether and fire dmg, it’s second node, inferno, adds aether and fire dmg and fire DoT (burn).

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I’ve just started playing and am using this build and have a couple of questions…

  1. I’m using the GrimTools links but the stats aren’t the same as mine, is that just because of game updates?
  2. What about attributes? It looks like you put all points into Physique, is that right?

Thanks for sharing.

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Hi! Yeah, spent all att points on physique!

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At what point do you attach components to armour and which ones to use on what? Thanks

Heya, was trying to follow the skill point distribution but neither your description or the GT links meet the level 20 bracket requirement for the point allocation so i felt a bit lost there. Is it possible to update the GTlinks OR the point allocation to match correctly? thanks for the guide and effort

cheers

1 Like