[1.2.1.5] Beginner Primal Strike Vindicator - Unleash the Thunderbuss - SR and Lokarr viable

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
, ,
1

TouchofLightning2

Introduction

This build shoots a multiplying barrage of lightning from it’s blunderbuss.
If you are looking for a fun, easy-to-use ranged build with great AoE and good single target damage, this might be just the thing.

Did I mention it’s fun to play?

→ Lightning Primal Strike Vindicator (GrimTools) ←

Strengths and Weaknesses

  • Easy to gear
  • Amazing AoE
  • solid single target damage
  • 150%+ movement speed
  • solid mix of life leech and HP regeneration
  • Lots of fireworks

However

  • The build enabling weapon is only available once you reach the Ashes of Malmouth DLC. Before that point, the build is fine, but fairly unexciting.
  • No movement skills besides the medal’s augment. 150% movement speed somewhat compensates, but it’s not the fastest build in the world.
  • The visual effects can be a bit much and can cause drops in frame rate.
Build Mechanics The build's main skill is Primal Strike. The skill works with melee or ranged weapons, in this case we use a rifle.

Ugdenbog Sparkthrower will add 100% pass-through to Primal Strike, meaning the projectile will pierce enemies and continue to hit targets behind the first one.

Since Primal Strike has a AoE radius effect, this will compound the damage in packs that stand close together.
In short, it blasts packs of monsters.

To debuff monster resistance (as well as to add a few defensive layers) we use Wind Devils and Aura of Censure.

Storm Box of Elgoloth is another tool, the skill receives some incidental bonuses from gear we want to use anyway, so it also deals some damage while lowering the monster’s defensive ability and slowing them.

An important defensive layer comes in the form of Inquisitor Seal, providing a large amount of flat absorption to all incoming damage types. :inquisitorseal:

To heal we rely on passive HP regeneration and life leech, but there is also Wendigo Totem, which provides a heal every 0.5 seconds, and Word of Renewal, which can be used as a heal on demand.

TL;DR: Summon Wind Devils and blast enemies with your lightning shotgun.

:damage_lightning: :damage_lightning: :damage_lightning: :gun: :cowboy_hat_face:

General advice for new players
  • Do all the quests, at least on your first play-through. They give you reputation with factions and keep you on track to level 100. Some also provide extra skill and stat points.
  • Explore the map, especially if it’s your first time playing. Finding stuff like shrines is quite important.
  • Prioritize resistances first, damage second
  • Use crafted components from the smith to fix missing resistances
    • Use 2x Scaled Hide (crafted) in pants, chest or shoulders to fix your armor absorption
  • The inventor can recover components from your outdated gear, whenever you swap to a better piece
  • Additionally to components, you can apply augments, which you buy from the faction vendors. They also sell great gear and blueprints, for leveling and even late-game setups.
Faction choices

  • I recommend being friendly with Kymon’s Chosen first on this character. They have some useful leveling gear that can help around level 40, until you get access to better gear in Ashes of Malmouth.

    • You can switch sides later, after reaching Revered and buying their augments, blueprints and mandates
    • this works best if you already have a Mandate from another character.

  • I prefer Cult of Bysmiel on normal, for the Emblem of the Leaping Mantis. If you desire a different movement skill, the choice is all yours. You will level up all cults eventually.

    • Since this build uses an item sold by the Cult of Bysmiel at Revered standing, it is probably a good idea to choose Bysmiel on at least 2 difficulties.

  • Friendly or hostile with Barrowholm, both work. (Friendly if you want to test your mettle vs Ravager)

  • Outcasts do not matter much, do as you please. Hostile with Outcasts gives you access to a quick dungeon with good drop rates for one of the key items.

Progression through the game

You can start as either Shaman or Inquisitor.
With Shaman, you can either level to level 3 and then go straight into Primal Strike, or (if you want to play safer) you can invest ~10 points into Devouring Swarm and respec those points into primal Strike after you reach roughly level 6.
With Inquisitor, you will level quite easily with Storm Box of Elgoloth, until you go into Shaman for Primal Strike.

Stat points are mostly invested into physique to wear armor at the start, with a few into cunning (for the ranged weapons) and spirit (for jewellery and the body armor)
In the end, the build needs about 800 physique, 580 cunning, 600 spirit. the few remaining points are put into Physique for extra HP and defensive ability.

Devotion progression is included in the GT links, open the devotion tree with (S) (D) and then scroll through the bar on the bottom.

Items used will usually drop along the way while questing, or are purchased from faction vendors.
Farm an upgrade for your green items, if the level falls too far behind (~15+ levels).
When you reach level 90+ you can put in some extra effort to farm a version of these items with good affixes.
(For this build, I will have a section for good affixes at the bottom of the build guide.)

Fill all the other item slots as you see fit, this build will use pretty much whatever you can find until it can access the gear it wants towards the end of Act 4.

Normal difficulty progression:

(links lead to the map with the drop location)

Act 1:

  • any 2-handed ranged weapon with lightning damage increases. Attack speed is not as important for now.
    • Check at the normal vendors for an upgrade if your damage starts to lack. The relevant levels are 12, 16, 22, 27, 31 (at each of those, a new basic item tier unlocks).
  • Craft the Equilibrium Relic after you defeat the Act 1 boss and plunder his chest

Act 2:

  • Martin’s Crest from Moneybags Martin
  • Ulpranax’s String from this wasp
  • (optional) Craft the Squall Relic if you already have the blueprint. The skill it grants can be useful, but sticking with Equilibrium for the resistances and movement speed is absolutely reasonable.

Don’t forget your components, most of them crafted at the smith.

– Level 25 Snapshot –

Leveling for 1-25 -- Act 1 & 2

Leveling up in order:

  • 1 point Inquisitor
    • 1 point into Ranged Expertise
    • max out Storm Box of Elgoloth

or

  • 1 point Shaman
    • 10 points into Devouring Swarm
  • Shaman to 5
    • a few points into Mogdrogen’s Pact

Then sometime between level 6-10 respec into Primal Strike.
Remove all points from Stormbox and Devouring Swarm.
(You can also keep using Stormbox, but I find playing with Primal Strike feels more like a “ranged build”)

  • Inquisitor to 1

    • 1 point into ranged Expertise

  • Shaman to 5

    • Primal Strike to 10
    • a few points into Mogdrogen’s Pact
    • 1 point into Brute Force

  • Shaman to 10

    • 1 point into Thunderous Strikes
    • remaining points equally into Primal Strike and Mogdrogen’s Pact, until both maxed.

  • Shaman to 15

    • a few pints into Heat of the Wild
    • max out Torrent

  • Shaman to 20

    • 1 point into Wind Devil
    • remaining points into Raging tempest

Act 3-4:

  • Gollus’ Ring from the Deepdweller
  • Dreeg-Sect Legguards (You have to start the Quest “The Hidden Path” by blowing up the barrier to the area with Dynamite)
  • or Solael-Sect Legguards from the Guardian that follows
  • Harvest Footpads, Harvest Grips (buy those from Homestead faction vendor as soon as you have the rep)
    • try to get a good roll for offensive ability on the gloves (3%)
  • Devil’s Cover (sold by Devil’s Crossing vendor) or any of the Kymon’s Chosen headgear (sold by Kymon’s Chosen vendor)
  • Chosen Mantle (also Kymon’s Chosen)
  • Fleshwarped Platemail (drops from Fleshwarped Commanders around Homestead or Fort Ikon) or Chosen Chestguard (sold by Kymon’s Chosen)
  • (optional) Solar belt (blueprint sold by Kymon’s Chosen) - but any belt with resistances will also be good.
  • (optional) Kymon’s badge, if you need chaos resistances (sold by this hidden vendor)
  • (optional) Chosen Bolter, if you need a weapons upgrade (sold by Kymon’s Chosen)
    • but most rare weapons with lightning damage will be of similar power level.
  • (optional) Thundering Gem from the Homestead faction, if you have the rep
  • (optional) Ascended Epaulets, if a nice pair drops (from the Aetherial mages around Fort Ikon, the Bloodgrove and the Necropolis)

With some extra components we are ready to take on the boss.
(If you are having energy issues, crafting an Arcane Spark (blueprint sold by Black Legion) and/or slapping some Mark of Illusions on your rings is recommended)

– Level 40 Snapshot –

Leveling for 26-40 -- Act 3 & 4

  • max out Raging Tempest

  • Shaman to 25

    • a few points into Oak Skin for resistances
    • max out Storm Surge
    • some additional points into Heart of the Wild, if you need HP

  • In Inquisitor:

    • max out Storm Box of Elgoloth

DLCs and prep for Elite/Ultimate:

As soon as you gain access to the Ashes of Malmouth area, you can pick up your main weapon.
(If you have a merit from a prior character, to unlock the portals, you can go there earlier, but the lowest level the Sparkthrower can drop at is 40)

  • Ugdenbog Sparkthrower from the Root Golems all across the Ugdenbog
    • if you haven’t found one until you reach the Coven, I recommend you immediately head into the Ancient Grove to buy one from Vinelton
    • talk to Mogdrogen at the entrance to get one free key
    • you can reset Vinelton’s inventory by going to the North-East exit to leave his area, then wait there for ~10 seconds and return.
    • Shop for something with attack speed and a lightning damage prefix (“Thunderstruck”, “Skyfallen” or “Stormcharged”. “Charged” also works)
    • the same vendor also sells Living Rings, Ugdenbog Waistguards and Basilisk Crests, all of which can be excellent upgrades.
  • Legion Greaves and Headguard (bought from the Black Legion)
  • (alternatively) Chosen Mask from Forgotten Gods or Ascendant Hood from Malmouth, if any drop.
  • Ascended Epaulets (if you haven’t found any yet, revisiting Fort Ikon might drop you some)
  • Valaxteria’s Skytorn Robe from the Aetherial of the same name (the robe has a 50% drop chance and might be level 55+)
  • (optional) update your Dreeg-Sect or Solael-Sect pants to current level
  • craft the Desolation Relic (blueprint can sometimes be bought the vendor Hyrram in the Steelcap District, at the end of Ashes of Malmouth)

– Level 50 Snapshot –

Leveling for 41-50+ -- DLCs & Elite prep

  • In Shaman

    • Heart of the Wild to the softcap

  • Inquisitor to 10

    • 1 point into Deadly Aim
    • a few points into Word of Renewal

  • Inquisitor to 15

    • 1 point into Lightning Tether

Elite & Ultimate

  • update all gear to versions of the current level
  • In Elite, pick up the Fettan Mask
  • at level 65-70, if you have the faction rep, buy Elite Legion Greaves from the Black Legion
    • you can also buy good elemental or lightning dmage themed shoulders from the Coven of Ugdenbog or the Cult of Bysmiel, if you can’t find Ascended Epaulets of decent quality
  • Gloves should probably be Elite Harvest Grips from Homestead, unless you find great gloves with a lot of offensive ability or Empowered Thundertouch Bracers

– Level 75 Snapshot –

Leveling for 50-75 -- Elite, Prep for Ultimate

  • In Inquisitor

    • 1 point into Word of Arms

  • In Shaman

    • 1 point into Wendigo Totem

  • Inquisitor to 20

    • max out Vigor

  • Inquisitor to 32

    • 1 point into Steel Resolve

  • Inquisitor to 50

    • max out Aura of Censure

Level 90+

After hitting level 90, it can be worthwhile to start farming for some upgrades.

Ultimate equipment setup:

Leveling to 100

  • In Inquisitor

    • max out Inquisitor Seal
    • 1 point into Runic Seal and Arcane Empowerment
    • Ranged Expertise to 10/10
    • Steel Resolve to 10/10

  • In Shaman

    • max out Brute Force
    • max out Heart of the Wild

  • remaining points can be distributed between Oak Skin, Word of Renewal, Steel Resolve or Lightning Tether as you see fit.

I had to drink a potion to reset my attributes as well, to get the requirements for my gear in cunning and spirit. Every spare point went into physique.

– Level 100 snapshot –

Augments for the final setup

Our desired augments are sold by all factions at ‘Revered’ standing. If you play through all three difficulties, you’ll reach that rep either late in Elite or after you have done their quests on Ultimate.
If you buy and read a “Writ” after you reach Honored with a faction, you will get bonus reputation for your future actions. Strongly recommended.

Various armor augments are used to fix our resistances, until they are all ~30% over the maximum cap, ideally.
After we have reached our desired overcaps, we can use Solael Bloodbinding (Cult of Solael) or Wendigo Lifescent Powder (Barrowholm), to improve our pool of HP and Defensive Ability.
Bysmiel Silversand (Cult of Bysmiel) can also be used for extra HP regen.

Rings and amulets are enhanced with damage augments, our main augments are:

  • Skyshard Powder (Coven of Ugdenbog) for offensive ability and flat damage
  • Osyr’s Wisdom (Cult of Dreeg), for offensive ability and resistances
  • Typhoon Powder (Malmouth Resistance) for defensive ability and HP

Weapon augments are:

  • Potent Malmouth’s Heart (Malmouth Resistance) for HP and flat damage
  • Potent Malmouth’s Will (Malmouth Resistance) for HP and vitality resistance
  • Potent Solael’s Glare (Cult of Solael) for HP and pierce resistance
  • Potent Dreeg’s Foresight (Cult of Dreeg) for HP and chaos resistance
  • Potent Creed’s Cunning (Black Legion) for offensive ability

Farming and Crafting Guide

Selecting affixes and balancing stats

This build benefits from almost all types of stats, so it’s about finding the right balance:

  • flat damage increases
  • percentage-based damage increases
  • offensive/defensive ability
  • attack speed
  • HP and HP regen
  • Life leech (“attack damage converted to health”)

Try to find a good balance that gives you the desired stats.

Insane offense is pointless if you get one-tapped.
High defense is not enough without sustain.

A lot of it will come down to the individual affixes on the gear you find.

Farming for affixes

  • Weapon prefixes can add conversion of physical damage to lightning. Look for those, when farming/shopping for your Sparkthrower

    • Thunderstruck, Skyfallen, Stormcharged and Charged are good. Magestorm is not good.

  • Weapon suffixes can add a massive amount of attack speed

    • “of Alacrity”, “of Fury”, “of Ferocity”, “of Scorched Runes” and “of the Elements” are the most relevant. The last two also each add +4 to a very relevant skill.

  • When farming Gollus rings, any belts or Ulraprax’s amulet, look for offensive ability or defensive ability, as those values will be higher on jewellery and belts.

    • The same slots can also get “of Mending” for a massive HP regen boost, but it competes with OA, so I would not recommend more than one of those
    • You can also get attack speed on amulets and rings, which is your only source of additional attack speed, outside of the weapon, your gloves and some components.

  • Crafting Plagueguard Grips or Stoneplate Greaves mostly costs iron bits and scrap. Get the scrap by blowing up extra purple items, get the money by selling all green drops.

    • You will need to craft quite a few gloves and boots to get really good results. If you save your money through Ultimate you should have ~3-4 million iron set aside for crafting
    • Gloves should be crafted with attack speed. Lots of prefixes are good, it doesn’t have to be something with lightning or elemental damage (but it also doesn’t hurt)
    • Boots should ideally have stun res and/or freeze res. There are several affixes that can add those, “of Survival” is a rare affix that has both.
    • craft them at the smith in the Steelcap District, he has a chance to add additional freeze res or stun res.
Farming bosses and vendors
  • You can vendor farm at Vinelton for the Ugdenbog Waistguard and (most importantly) your Ugdenbog Sparkthrower. Reset the vendor by leaving the area at the North-East exit, wait a couple seconds, then return and his stock will be refreshed.
  • Likewise, you can use the vendor in Port Valbury to buy Ascended Epaulets.
  • Ulraprax, Valaxteria are spawning pretty close to a waypoint and are easily farmable
    • the Guardian of Solael is a little bit further away, so I’d look for his pants first. Once you have found a good pair, you know which resistances you still need to cover etc.
  • Gollus spawns pretty far away and has no affix-bias on his ring. If you can’t get him to drop anything good, the faction rings are pretty great, so not a big deal
  • For blueprints, random legendaries and epics, hitting totems that are on your farming route is the way to go, until you can roll through the Shattered Realm.
Crafting

Crafted items

Crafting items at the Blacksmith adds a “crafting bonus” stat, depending on the blacksmith.
My recommended smiths are:

  • Kaylon, Steelcap District - for Freeze or Stun resistance
  • Egellon, Sunbane Oasis (hidden) - for Slow or Reflect resistance
  • Angrim, Devil’s Crossing - for Armor, Physique

If you don’t get your desired bonus, it’s not the end of the world, usually.
The bonus doesn’t apply to relics, they get a different bonus, unrelated to the blacksmith.

Iron (money), Scrap & crafting mats

  • Collect green items and sell them all to have plenty of iron (money) for crafting
  • Collect dynamite while you are leveling, to blow up Legendaries. Anything below level 84 can be blown to bits, without regrets. A lot of higher level stuff as well.
  • This will provide the scrap needed for crafting and also the rare material that you don’t want to painstakingly farm
  • Dynamite can be crafted from Aether Shards, shards can be crafted from crystals. Farming Aether Crystals (in the Warden’s lab for example) is going to yield more dynamite, than picking up individual sticks

Legendary gear and endgame farming

Instant item upgrades

Some gameplay vids:

(This only serves to showcase the playstyle and relative power level. I don’t necessarily recommend diving straight into the Shattered Realm, it’s just a way to show pure gameplay without major spoilers.)

Primal Strike Vindicator in SR

Honestly could push a bit higher/harder.
The large pack size in SR really makes this build enjoyable.

- Lokarr fight -

Lokarr

Pretty easy on this build.
Using a Royal Jelly Ointment for more regen and an Aether Cluster for safety at the end (probably not needed)

- Endgame setup, Ravager, higher SR -

After some tinkering, this is my current endgame setup.
It can certainly still be improved upon, I just don’t have more time to fiddle with it.

Fighting Ravager of Flesh

Going through SR 32 and 33

Not the highest DPS, not the tankiest of builds, but also pretty much perfectly fine for most content.

____

As usual, let me know if you spot any errors or have any questions.

6 Likes
2

Thank you for the beginner friendly guide showing all the information (farming points for items and walk through for skills) I needed.

Actually I had an abandoned vindicator at level 50, thanks to your guide I could get back on track. And farming for the MI’s were rather motivating also, making the long leveling process not boring at all!

Love your guide!

1 Like