(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
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  • [Channeler] [1.2.1.2] Beginner Lightning AAR Templar (Ralfhskz)
    • Damage: Lightning, Electrocute
    • Active Skills: Albrecht’s Aether Ray, Aether Corruption, Mirror of Ereoctes, Ascension, Vire’s Might

Hey there GD community!

After some days of ZERO hours playing, i challenged myself making a leveling guide focused on a skill i personally used only a few times in this game: AAR.

And decided to make it on a class i almost never used too: TEMPLAR

This build uses few buttons, so if you’re looking for a lazy build, this one’s for you :rofl:

Tbh, i was surprised with the results, char was leveled on HC SSF, no merits, Xp bonus sets or potions were used.

Char current spec Templar, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

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I’ll show you how i leveled this char:

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

Well… this class start is a bit slow… I started with Oathkeeper, put some points on righteous fervor and aegis of menhir, it should be enough to bash the trash mob, spend points on mastery bar until you get the Eye of Reckoning skill (don’t forget to spend 1 point on vire’s might for mobility)

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

Max out Eye of Reckoning skill ASAP and continue to spend points on the Oathkeeper mastery bar. On devotions, complete the tortoise and viper.

Lvl 20-30 Templar, Level 32 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

At this point i had already reached homestead, so when i defeated The Amalgamation - Grim Dawn Monster Database and got our first build MI, the Pulsing Shard - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database i decided to already respec the char skill points from Eye of reckoning to the Arcanist’s mastery bar until you reach Albrecht’s Aether Ray then spent some points on the skill. If you didn’t reach homestead yet, don’t worry, you can continue using EoR skill until you get our first MI. On devotions, complete Behemoth.

A little tip for dealing with energy issues (AAR requires lots of energy) is maxing out mental alacrity quickly and putting some points early on the second node of maiven’s sphere of protection, CONVERSION. If you’re already respected with black legion, it’s a good idea buying the BP of Arcane Spark and crafting one)

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

I started spend points on Arcanist’s mastery bar until i got the AAR second node, Disintegration. Then i started spending points on Oathkeeper mastery bar until i got Summon guardian of empyrion and Celestial presence. When i got the first build’s mandatory MI, the pulsing shard, i started immediately the FG DLC (a tip: choose dreeg’s cult on normal and Bysmiel cult on elite or ultimate) to get our second mandatory MI, the Crimson's Arcane Scepter - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database from Sister Crimson, Vengeance of Kymon - Grim Dawn Monster Database
On devotions, complete the Widow (bind it’s proc to AAR) and Lizard.
After restoring all the corrupted shrines for devotion points on FG DLC, i finished the campaign and did most of AoM DLC quests.

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

Started elite difficulty at lvl 50. Remember to upgrade your gear to cap resistances and to buy factions writs when you get honored with them to boost up your reputation gain. I maxed out AAR, disintegration and celestial presence, then started to spend points on Star Pact and maiven’s sphere of protection. You can spend a point on mirror of ereoctes for dealing with sire situations (tbh, we deal so much life leech on AAR that i didn’t had any trouble so far). On devotions, complete the Oklaine’s Lantern.

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

Don’t forget to activate totems for upgrading gear / acquiring BP’s. Max out Star Pact. On devotions, complete the Tree of Life and Ultos, The Shepherd of Storms (bind its proc to your guardians).

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

At this point you should be honored with most factions, don’t forget to buy their faction boosters! Max out maiven’s sphere of protection and start spending points on Haven.

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

Started Ultimate difficulty at lvl 70. Upgrade your gear, cap resistances! activate totems. Beware with physical hard hitters like Gulgoth and Voldrak while on the campaign, you can facetank a little and use mirror of ereoctes, but be careful with their massive powerful physical dmg.

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

At this point you should be already revered with most factions. When revered with Malmouth Resistance, buy some potion of clarity from them to speed up our way to LVL100.

After reaching lvl 90, buy the Aetherbolt Pendant - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database from the coven of ugdenbog faction. You can buy the Coven Sky Seal - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database from them too.

Buy your boots from Black Legion and your shoulderguards from Dreeg’s cult. Your armor can be farmed from Valaxteria on Crown Hill in malmouth.

Farm Dreeg’s guardian near devil’s crossing for your pants (if you want more life leech, you can farm a good solael-sect pants too)

Your medal can be bought from Bysmiel cult, and your helmet on the entrance of the maw of enath, on FG DLC.

You can farm your belt on port valbury, and your gloves on homestead.

You know where to farm a good version of our off-hand and our main weapon MI’s.

Here’s some video proof

(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar x Rashalga

(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar x Kra’Vall

(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar x Gargabol

(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar x Morgoneth

(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar x Korvaak

(1.2.1.2) HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar x Theodin Marcell

As you can see, even without better quality components and without even reaching LVL100, this build was able to beat campaign bosses and farm skeleton dungeons and monster totems, facetanking most of the challenges.

:zap:Update :zap:: Found a really badass and powerful endgame version for this leveling guide, ty @_maverick and @Jason_the_Iguana!

With this spec you can farm superbosses and reach high SR shards!

Thank you for reading.

2 Likes
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I am not sure about the Giant + Tree combo in devos when you have two non HP regen masteries. Turtle+Dryad+Crab would be better. I use this combo a lot with ray builds and it works. Especially if you already have leech from Pulsing Shard. You should also pick Elemental Storm in devos for flat RR…

I did a few quick changes. It can be improved even more for sure Templar, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.2) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

It now has more CS and more RR. It will also be a lot more defensive and damage will be better. The only loss is some OA and health but it is still good. You also have unnecessarily high overcaps on resistances… And armor absorption was also lacking…

And Arcanist should use Nullification against enemies.

I would suggest trying to pick up items with more DA and then speccing out of physique into spirit as well. It will boost your damage and energy regen.

For an endgame build it will be better to spec into fire AAR Templar. Lightning will be better on Druid or Mage Hunter.

And also with an endgame build picking up some tier 3 devo would be good. I didn’t do it yet. For your current spec it is not necessary.

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3

Great build, especially because it’s something different from what people usually do (fire).

(Gostei tanto que resolvi upar um templário tbm rs)

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Boa mano! Kkkkkk acho q da pra melhorar bem o dano dela, mas ao custo de sobrevivência…

5

Seria interessante um set e alguns itens roxos.
Por exemplo algum desses:

O set Light's Guardian - Item sets - Grim Dawn Item Database mais 2x Mythical Glyph of the Storm Witch - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database

Daria um bom up no dano de raio sem perder sobrevivência.

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Sim e vdd! Eu pensei em fazer uma versão endgame, mas eu meio que deixei de lado esta build pra focar em outras duas beginner q tem opções mais viáveis pra endgame.

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After watching the recent Panneti leveling by @RektbyProtoss i think that going with that until Amalgamation for the offhand, and after that, you do half FG expansion until Tomb of Sethan to farm the Sceptre and you are fine until ultimate with that combo. Also Loghorian drops the shoulder with +lvl for AAR so another power spike.

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hello! thank you so much for this build! by any chance, could you recomend some legendary equipment for this build? thank you again!

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Hey there… Ty for the reply! I think Maybe using this set can improve dmg and survivability a lot Veilkeeper - Item sets - Grim Dawn Item Database

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A while ago, @_maverick pointed me at a templar lightning aether ray build with end-game setup here:

Besides (part of) the set, it uses a much better amulet (the amulet in this build got a -10% total damage modifier in the last patch, ouch) and the legendary aether ray gloves. (Pretty much a must have for all aether ray builds, though mostly for lack of alternatives)

I haven’t tried that build, but I did try a druid version that is very similar so it should work fine.

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11

Here is a collection of all my AAR builds. There is also a lightning Templar (the best lightning AAR build).

Here is a GT link of that lightning Templar. It can do SR 38.

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12

Whoa! Crazy stats and Crazy damage! Loved it. Can i add your AAR templar as an full endgame spec for this leveling guide?

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Sure you can.

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14

Hi. May I ask reasons behind picking both Chariot and Behemoth? Looks redundant and regeneration isn’t a strong point on templar normally, although must admit that 25% health/sec is impressive. Still, shard’s sizable leech is there as well. I assume it’s insta heal you’re after, but otherwise can’t see reason.
Almost same question stands for going both Crown and Ulthos, with former adding marginal increase in res reduction…

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15

The crown’s increase in resist reduction is not marginal. It is critical for every character to have a source of flat RR, such as Rowan’s crown. Reducing resistances is a very big damage multiplier. It is essential to this build. Because of the way RR is calculated, flat RR is much more important than the reduction on the Ultos devotion.

Chariot meanwhile is very good in general: Lots of offensive ability, plenty of secondary resistances (stun, slow) and a powerful proc that heals and boosts defensive ability and armour by a lot. On a character with high cooldown reduction (such as this one: 27% average! That is a lot) it becomes very powerful, as you will have that additional DA and armour up most of the time.

Regeneration indeed isn’t a typical strong point of the Templar class, but @_maverick 's end-game spec uses it. That build was originally a more regen focused Druid but he then found it worked even better as a templar when going deep into the shattered realm. To make regen work, behemoth is needed. (Not to mention that it adds a lot of health and armour which is nice in general)

Aether ray builds suffer from limited sustain in general. The life drain from pulsing shard alone is often is not enough to keep them alive. (Rule of thumb I’ve seen on this forum is to have at least 15% leech and preferably more for melee classes, the shard is nowhere close to that.) So regen is a way to compensate a bit. (Though it won’t be enough to keep you alive by itself either.)

2 Likes
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Thanks for clarifications. Tend to forget that Crown sticks together with Widow and Rat/Ultos. Should be very, very beefy bastard by end game with all goodies. Gonna try it :wink:

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