[1.2.1.6] Budget SSF Cold Callidor Tempest Spellbreaker [SR32]

GIJW · January 2, 2026, 11:25am

Tried to make a cold nova sorceress from Diablo 2 but in Grim Dawn I did so by playing a Spellbreaker SSF-style and used whatever I could find! Goal was to make a cold damage Callidor tempest skill build, that also casts blizzard devotion in order to maximize the diablo 2 cold nova sorc playstyle as close as possible

Grim Tools << Spellbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator >>

Completed the entire campaign in ultimate, all skeleton key dungeons and SR 26-27 several times which goes pretty quick and safe as long as you do not try to facetank everything all the time - use your evade skill, nullify yourself when sundered in a bad spot, use mirror when you are about to RIP.

Video sloppy SR26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSMtHdEy69k

Core items are

Mark of Nacrathan - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database farmed in the “hidden” dungeon inside tomb of tomb of archon bartolem outside of fort ikon. Not so fun, use shadow strike and other movement skills to get there quick
Lightning damage to cold damage conversion gear. Chillheart Chillheart - Official Grim Dawn Wiki (get to vanguard of the three in ultimate asap once you hit level 94, use aether cluster, healt pot, mirror in succession in order to survive the trial), M Vestments of mourning random drop but “epic” so it should be pretty easy to obtain, Mythical Chillmane Mantle - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database also random drop but “epic”. Harra's Hood - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database if you drop the blueprint craft this AT ALL COSTS, and if you crop another Harra set item - transmute into helmet ASAP!!! If you use this, you do not need any other lightning to cold damage items and can focus on cold damage and skill ranks alone

The rest of the items are just fillers that grants skill points and skill modifiers, like Ellena amulet, you can use Nightstalker Pendant - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database which is faction item, instead in particular if you are using chillheart for some massice frostburn Ring of steel hits! I used faction rings Rhowari Wrath Seal - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database for skill ranks and casting speed.

I went with this nice shield that is quick to farm Wradlith's Bulwark - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database which buffs our skills to make them a bit more potent. Try to get one with physical resists or armor/resistances.

As long as you meet resistances to have them a bit overcapped as well and health, just use the rest of the stats as “good to have” like OA/DA, damage and casting speed.

If you can not figure out how to do the devotions, let me know and I can make a point by point template.

Now we are gonna continue farming and hopefully make a full Harra set build one day Spellbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator which should both be tankier and deal way more damage.

Thanks for reading, will be back with another “wannabe diablo 2 cold caster build” soon I hope and think.

For you Diablo 2 fans out there, what else have you done for d2 builds in GD?

Auradin?
Zealot?
Skeleton summoner?
Dual wield Frenzy barb?
Trapsin
Javazon
Bowazon
whirlwind

GIJW · January 2, 2026, 2:46pm

Reserved for updates and progress
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I went up as far as SR 32 did not manage to end the boss room on timer because one dude was Moosie and we did not have enough resistance reduction on him (+ kite around while mirror on cooldown)

will try again, hoping we do not encounter any high cold resistance boss

Also changed build a bit, removed blade spirits and took more points in pneumatic burst line.

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Update 3/1 2025
Blade spirits got back up again, and a change of devotions since it seemed we did not needed scales proc to sustain energy after all (have to drink energy pot now and then in certain 1-1 situations)
<< Spellbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator >>
Climbed to SR29:

Need stun res badly now, need to farm some new MI’s… all except amulet are quick to farm…
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Uncle_Mac · January 2, 2026, 3:48pm

I was thinking about this the other day. Like you can make an approximation of most of those but there’s nothing that gives you that Multishot bowa feel.

GIJW · January 2, 2026, 3:49pm

Phantasmal blades?

Kicksin and hammerdin seems very hard to recreate xD also no corpse explosion so most necro builds are out of question

More d2 builds one can do in GD

Chargedin (vires might, blitz)
Leaper (with FoA)
Blizzard sorc (TSS + Blizzard proc, or a devastation build)

Uncle_Mac · January 2, 2026, 4:12pm

I like PB builds but it feels more like an Assassin than a Zon to me.

GIJW · January 2, 2026, 4:17pm

Multishot blade fury hybrid xD

GIJW · January 5, 2026, 3:39pm

Edit - added video.
Hope this can get added to grim tools builds soon

@Uncle_Mac
More Diablo 2 builds to reconsinder
Lightning sorc (aethersteal set?)
Double Throw barb (dual gunner purifier???)

Uncle_Mac · January 5, 2026, 8:40pm

Lightning Druids using seal of sky/chain lightning + callidor’s tempest with kymon badge feels like D2 sorc. I guess the aether lightning jewelry set could work too.

I don’t think a gunner feels much like throw barb. Maybe could do a meme Biting Blades setup. Off the top of my head that’s the only skill that actually throws a weapon (other than PB).

tqFan · January 6, 2026, 6:59am

I know you most probably want to play vanilla but I’ll just mention that there’s some stuff in Grim Legue, i.e. you could throw this club Troll Ice Club with Aegis skill or there’s a multi-projectile skill with this Looted Legion Shotgun that could fit some Amazon build.

GIJW · January 6, 2026, 8:11am

SR 32 done, it was close but we did it