- [2H melee] [1.2.1.6] Herald of Oleron (Ralfhskz)
- Damage: Physical, internal trauma
- Active Skills: Cadence, blitz, war cry, wendigo totem
Are you ready to crush your enemies literally?
Do you like a lazy (few buttons) and full facetankin’ gameplay?
You’re new on the game and want a build that can deal with almost all of the endgame achievements without depending on legendary or epic drops??
Want a hard hitting colossus with high HP pool and very nice health regen?
This build’s definitely for you!
I had the idea of leveling and making this guide a long time ago, but some changes on patch 1.2.1.6 made it even more viable now!
The changes on devotions (more reflected dmg reduction now available on lotus) made me more confident on building and sharing this uber tank! (we have 60% reflect resist now)
I leveled a similar char some time ago and it was a very smooth gameplay… until i faced reflecting mobs! Turns out that the build don’t have much physical resistance, and char deals MASSIVE physical damage, so the build’s depended on dropping titan plating components ASAP, and i wanted a build that won’t rely so much on a random drop.I had lots of close calls on ultimate, and decided the build could be dangerous for new players specially on HC, after all…getting one-shotted by those reflective bastards while you can facetank literally all the other enemies and bosses can be really frustrating.
But this problem finally got solved!
Gameplay is very simple: Use blitz to approach your enemies, debuff them with war cry and smash them with cadence (use wendigo totem for extra healing), our build can fully facetank almost all campaign and DLC content (some bosses like lokarr and alkamos require some extra attention, but can be defeated easily)
This char was leveled full HC SSF, no mandates, potions, sets or any other leveling items were used.
Char actual stats
I’ll show you the leveling:
Lvl1-10 Shaman, Level 10 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
This time i started as a shaman, i rushed to get one 2H weapon, it can be melee or ranged. Ranged is safer, tho. You can get the Hevill’s Greatsword or buy a weapon on devil’s crossing shop.
Spend initial points on the mastery bar until you reach primal strike and thunderous strike. Spend on point on PS, one point on TS and one point on the mastery bar, then at each level spend 1 point on PS, 1 point in torrent and one in the mastery bar until you reach wendigo totem.
Lvl 10-20 Warder, Level 20 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
After reaching your first 6 devotion points, complete the assassin’s blade. Bind the proc to PS.
Start spending points on the soldier mastery bar. Spend a point on menhir’s will.
Lvl 20-30 Warder, Level 30 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
When you reach smuggler’s pass it’s time to farm build’s main weapon the Voldrak’s Crusher (be careful, we are not ready to facetank this “little guy” yet)
After equipping the weapon, respec all your points on cadence, fighting form and deadly momentum.
On devotions, complete eel, rat, start spending points on behemoth.
Lvl 30-40 Warder, Level 40 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
On your way to homestead, be sure to stop by pine barrens, one of the quests there is about killing a hero manticore mob, she will give us our build’s main amulet the Mogara’s Fangs.
When you get to homestead, look for the fleshwarped mobs around there to farm our main shoulderguard the Fleshwarped Pauldrons and helmet, the Fleshwarped Casque.
On devotions, complete the behemoth, kraken, remove rat, complete lizard and lotus.
When on your way to fort ikon (after defeating karroz on darkvale gate), it’s time to farm build’s main medal, the Mark of Harvoul, you will find harvoul near the asterkarn valley waypoint, on the Tomb of Korvaak.
Lvl 40-50 Warder, Level 50 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
On this level you’re should be getting close to complete the vanilla’s campaign normal difficulty and the DLC’S. You can farm your belt, the Ugdenbog Girdle on ugdenbog.
The easiest way is farming carraxus foul, he always drops one, you can find him in the den of carraxus (go to gloomwald crossing rift then go always right and up)
On devotions, complete the solemn watcher, spend 4 points on tree of life for now and complete owl.
When you reach malmouth, you can farm build’s chest armor, the Galakros Dread Plating, you will find galakros near the malmouth sewers rift.
Complete all malmouth quests to get access to hyram’s shop. If you didn’t dropped the juggernaut relic blueprint till’ now, you can do the reset shop trick until you find one, i recorded a video doing the shop reset trick if you’re new on the game and still don’t know how to do it.
Try crafting one right away, it will bring you even more damage and health regen.
If you’re lacking some crafting materials, pay a visit to horrus, he can trade crafting materials.
Lvl 50-60 Warder, Level 60 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
I started elite around lvl 51.
Not much to do besides upgrading weapon, gear and checking your resistances.
When you get honored with any faction, buy this faction writ right away!
On devotions, complete hammer, azrakaa (bind it’s proc to wind devil) and finish the tree of life.
Lvl 60-70 Warder, Level 70 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
I finished elite around lvl 78, don’t forget to activate monster totems, sell your loot, always check resistances and upgrade gear.
Lvl 70-80 Warder, Level 80 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Not much to be said, you will do the same thing, upgrade gear and rush to get revered with most of the factions.
Lvl 80-90 Warder, Level 90 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
It’s time to begin the endgame gear farming!
You know where to farm your weapon, right? (look for attack speed affixes)
The best place to farm your head and shoulder armor is port valbury outskirts and port valbury skeleton key dungeon (you can buy them on a shop there too)
You can use Elite Legion Greaves for now. I used it until i dropped the Blueprint: Intrepid Warboots, craft a decent one (spent lots of scrap and money, but it was worthy)
On the hands armor i planned using a Elite Rhowari Grips until i get something better, but i managed to drop the Mythical Turin’s Grips that is a decent option for now and it’s a very common drop. I planned crafting a Plagueguard Grips when it’s BP drop, but i got super lucky and dropped The Crimson Claws while recording the ancient grove dungeon video.
You can use another gear too if you don’t have any of those, just look for attack speed and physical damage.
You know where to farm the chest armor, amulet, medal and the belt.
I bought the Coven Storm Seal from the ugdenbog coven faction, but you can use Gollus’ Ring too for even more health regen.
If you didn’t dropped a good epic or legendary pants yet, (original plan was using Mythical Chausses of Barbaros, but didn’t dropped any yet) farm a decent Dreeg-Sect Legguards from the dreeg’s guardian near devil’s crossing
Char first spec at lvl 100
Allright i hit LVL 100 and i’m fully geared… now what?" 
This char can easily and quickly farm all skeleton key dungeons facetanking all its heroes and bosses (take a little more care with alkamos sunder pools on steps of torment) SR26-27 is usually a joke for this flesh hulk, and he can even clear the crucible gladiator 150-170 naked (take a little care on the last wave)
Char current spec 
You can make this char even more tankier/safer by changing menhir’s bulwark over oleron’s rage and swapping your rings for two gollus’ rings, but for that you’re gonna need OA stats on your other pieces of armor, look for “agressive” “of the dranghoul”,“of readiness” or “of attack” affixes to heavily boost on OA.
You can respec this char on a classic Avenger warder.
There are lots of monstrous endgame focused avenger warders on the grimtools builds section (i reccomend searching for the @RektbyProtoss version)
Some video proof:
Port Valbury
Steps of Torment
Tomb of the Heretic
Ancient Grove
Bastion of Chaos
Rashalga
Kra’Vall
Korvaak
Theodin Marcell
Bourbon Clones
Lokarr (watch out, tried to tank him more than i should, he can be dangerou with his sunder waves)
Crucible 150-170
SR26-27
Thank you for reading this guide!
