[1.2.1.2] Freeze! HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker - suitable for first char + Leveling guide!

  • [Melee/Caster] [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker (Ralfhskz)
    • Damage: Cold, Frostburn
    • Active Skills: Shadow Strike, Amarasta Blade Burst, Ring of Steel, Pneumatic Burst

Hello there, grimmers!
WhatsApp Image 2024-09-21 at 18.49.02

This freezing freak is the perfect char if you’re looking for a fast, mobile and fun gameplay. She have lots of AoE dmg and lots of skills proccing!

I must say it is CHALLENGING too, since it delivers lots of damage and DoT’s, but have low health pool (common issue with this great class).

Your main items are mostly from faction vendor’s and we have some easy-to-farm MI’s (only the medal can be a little annoying LOL)

Our strategy is jumping straight to the enemie(s), hit and debuff them with ABB and use ring of steel for high dmg and DoT. Let your blade spirits do their proc, disengage from battle and quickly repeat the combo. Don’t try to facetank hard hitters and you’ll be fine :slightly_smiling_face:

:point_right: It’s very important knowing the right situations to use the mirror of ereoctes, (pay attention specially with the turtle shell proc) this “shit-button” will save your ass oftenly :rofl: you can spend a point on blade barrier too to have 2 shit-buttons, but i didn’t feel it was necessary. :point_left:

This char was leveled without merits, mandates or other leveling items, and no pre-farmed gear.

:snowflake: :snowflake: Update Included elemental storm to improve flat RR and dmg, thank you @tqFan and @mad_lee for your suggestions

:snowflake: :snowflake: :snowflake: UPDATE 2 : Decided to make major changes on devotions. You’re gonna do like this:

-crossroads: one point on chaos
-viper: 4 points
-crossroads: remove chaos
-crossroads: One point on eldritch
-Rat: 4 points
-Behemoth- 6 points
-Remove rat
-Crossroads: 1 point on order
-Tortoise: 5 points
-Crossroads: Remove order
-Amatok, spirit of winter: 7 points (bind proc to ring of steel)
-Crossroads: Remove eldritch
-Quill: 4 points
-Crossroads: 1 point on ascendant
-Rhowan’s crown: 5 points (if you didn’t reached blade spirit yet, bind the proc to shadow strike)
-Murmur, mistress of rumors: 6 points (bind proc to ABB)
-Lion: 3 points
-Hammer: 3 points
-Remove ascendant
-Crab: 5 points
-Remove hammer
-Bard’s harp: 6 points
-Remove lion
-Ultos, shepherd of storms: 6 points (bind the proc to shadow strike)

CHAR CURRENT SPEC
spell3

The leveling process is very fast and fun:

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

I started with nightblade mastery. First thing i did was acquiring two Olman's Axe - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database (you can use a rifle too if you want, but i wanted to be DW thematic right from the start). Spend your first points on dual blades, amarasta blade burst and on the mastery bar.

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

When you reach lethal assault, pneumatic burst and breath of belgothian, spend 1 point on them. Then start spending 1 point on lethal assault and 2 on the mastery bar until you reach night’s chill. Spend 1 point on veil of shadow and max night’s chill and lethal assault. Spend a point on shadow strike for mobility.

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

After defeating the warden, be sure to farm two Spectral Longsword - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database on Spined cove Grim Dawn World Map .

Lvl 30-40 Spellbreaker, Level 42 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

After defeating Cronley, i did the FG DLC (join bysmiel cult) to restore more shrines (you can farm Gargoyle Gaze - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database and Gargoyle Waistguard - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database on astral field, they are great for leveling), then gone back to vanilla campaign. Spend points on the arcanist mastery bar until you reach star pact.

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

After reaching ugdenbog, farm a Ugdenbog Chillstrife - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database from Janaxia Grim Dawn World Map . Don’t forget to activate all monster totems you may find.

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

I started elite at lvl 55. Upgrade your gear, cap resistances and activate totems. When you get honored with devil’s crossing, it’s a good idea to do the inventor quest (hargate isle) to farm a useful MI for the leveling, the Ellena's Necklace - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database .

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

Don’t forget to buy the factions writs to boost the reputation gain from factions and to activate totems !

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

I started ultimate difficulty on lvl 77. Cap your resistances and upgrade your gear. don’t forget to activate totems. At this point you should be honored with most factions, don’t forget to check if you’ve already bought their writs.

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

At lvl 90 i had already reached malmouth. Be sure to get revered with them ASAP to buy ther potions of clarity to speed up your way to Lvl100.

Time to really begin our farming!

Buy our main weapons blueprint from coven of ugdenbog faction Blueprint: Witch Moon - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database . The amulet Blueprint: Witch Moon - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database can be bought from bysmiel cult. Your rings can be bought from coven’s faction too.

Farm the dreeg’s guardian near devil’s crossing for a decent Dreeg-Sect Legguards - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database . If you didn’t dropped the stoneplate greaves BP yet, you can buy Elite Legion Greaves - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database . I dropped a decent glove, but if you don’t have one yet, you can use Elite Harvest Grips - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database until you drop a nice glove or a Blueprint: Emberguard Gauntlets - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database .

Your belt and helmet can be farmed on astral plains. Your chest and shoulder armor can be bought on Bysmiel cult and coven’s vendors respectively.

Now the medal can be annoying (and dangerous LOL) to farm, i suggest you to farm it on normal or elite, if you don’t have advanced components that gives your char more armor dmg absorb like living armor or sacred plating.

beware with ilgorr’s sunder and specially with his second phase

After some good hours of farming, my char scratch to begin endgame farming Spellbreaker, Level 95 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator :point_left:

When i reached lvl100 i began farming totems for some advanced drops (blueprints of components and our ideal planned relic) :point_right: Spellbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator :point_left:

This process can last for hours or days depending on your luck. But you’ll find very easy and fast cleaning monster totems.

This is the current char spec :snowflake:Spellbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator :snowflake:

“So, now what?” - Well, with this setup you can farm skeleton key dungeons and totems really fast and having lots of fun (not a tedious or boring playstyle at all).
You can respec your char to another specs for advanced endgame (celestials, SR50+) like a spam ABB version of this class (1.2.0.3) Cold DW spam ABB Spellbreaker for example.

:snowflake:Edit - Just dropped Blueprint: Mageslayer's Hood - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database gonna try a spec that can deal with at least SR65 soon.

Here’s some video proof:

GRIM DAWN [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker x Rashalga

GRIM DAWN [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker x Kra’Vall

GRIM DAWN [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker x Korvaak

GRIM DAWN [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker x Morgoneth

GRIM DAWN [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker x Gargabol

GRIM DAWN [1.2.1.2] HC SSF beginner cold DW spellbreaker x Theodin Marcell

Thank you for reading!

2 Likes

Hi, I have some questions:

  • Where is flat resist reduction like Rhowan’s Crown?
  • Why not invest in Null - very effective survival tool? Also another point into dual blades would give 1% phys res?
  • Why neglect Shadow Dance and Veil of Shadow? Both are powerful sources of DA and VoS increases the radius of our RR?
  • Why didn’t you take Viper in devotions? It seems like you are missing %rr in your char as well as flat rr.
  • seems like Restless remains in gloves would go a long way as well.
1 Like

Yes, even with little devo change and good proccer (Shadow Strike unused now)

1 Like

Hi! Ty for the reply!

-made a little experiment withou elemental storm this time
-because yes😁
-usually don’t spend more than 1 point on those
-Absolutely right. Lacks a bit flat and %RR

I think Viper is optional (if you have otherwise very optimized devotion) since it barely works on resistant monsters but Elemental Storm in a build like this without this type of RR, easily included in chosen devo is mandatory. It’s just too good and no experiment could ever prove otherwise, even remotely. You would have way better time leveling this character with it, especially since it clearly struggles against Cold resistant enemies.

2 Likes

agreed. gonna make some changes and compare performances soon

I cannot help but notice that weapons, amulet and helmet used all have additional mods to Rune of Hagarrad. Please replay as an Infiltrator! :laughing:

1 Like

I first tought that too LOL but since it looked too good to be true, i chose spellbreaker :rofl:

Also tbf there’s nothing DW about this character except it holding 2 weapons at the same time. I think I’ll put it to DW Caster category so that my DW RoH Infiltrator is not alone there :thinking: It’s not wrong since RoS is the main attack and it’s a caster spell not melee attack.

Btw it’s funny how you’re using much stronger (for a general Cold NB, not your concept) weapons (Spectral Longsword, Chillstrife) than Witch Moon while leveling , not utilizing their power, damaging with ABB only and not RoS, and then you switch to Witch Moons and RoS all of a sudden.

2 Likes

Yeah, that’s right! i saw some DW cold guides using those weapons and wanted building a different concept with this one. Saw witch moon and nightstalker pendant other day and tought… WHY NOT? :grinning:

1 Like