[1.3.0.7] - The Ice Wall - Rimethorn Defender (no longer a) Theory Craft - HC Ascendant Viable - SR31 - Calla/Mog/Ravager/Lokarr/Dread/Bourbon

[or0b0to]

While digging into the new content with an old level 100 character I came across this interesting item:

Which made me curious about how I could theory craft around it, and decided to try and set up an infinite loop TSS + Overguard Battlemage.

The idea is to have 100% block + 100% Recovery to constantly refresh TSS which in turn refreshes Overguard.

• If you’re curious about the Theory Craft progression I’ve preserved all of the grimtools links in the “old” section below.

This build is officially at a done point for me, I’ve accomplished pretty much everything I could have wanted and some more considering the place it started from.

It’s a fun, tanky, flashy toon, that has a nice progressive upgrade path that will take you continually through increasingly difficult content so long as you understand your current limitations from a gearing perspective.

I’ll be using it to do some Ascendant farming, but I don’t anticipate any updates/changes from here on out. I’ll periodically check in on this thread for any questions though.

The only 2 places it didn’t perform, which are completely understandable, are Crate and Nerf. I gave both of them the ol’ college try, and the low single target damage, coupled with the TSS refresh mechanic relying on block, made both of these Uber Endgame bosses just out of reach of this build for now. I got Crate to ~20% before the arena was overrun with boxes and I had to bail to the menu, and got Nerf to ~60% before I started running out of room and bailing to the menu (that heal is rough to deal with on this build).

I don’t find either of those things to be failures though, it just is not within the strengths of what this build is great at.

Ravager of the Flesh down on HC Ascendant
Lokarr down on HC Ascendant
Calla down on HC Ultimate
Avatar of Mogdrogen down on HC Ascendant
FoA Avatar of Mogdrogen down on HC Ascendant - 100% face tank
Killed The Dread on Hardcore Ascendant
SR31 knocked out - This is typically as far as I go in SR for most builds
Bourbon down on HC Ascendant
Crate/Nerf - fell short on the single target damage

1.3.0.7 Grimtools: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

Old:

Initial idea + some iterations along the way

Here is where I am at level 98: Battlemage, Level 98 (GD 1.3.0.5) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Fresh at level 100: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 100 new devotions: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator - Trying out Blizzard + Tsunami as added procs
Level 100 New Devotion Map: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

Level 100 - Ultos Devotion added: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator - Updates have the build doing ~60% more damage from previous iteration. Thanks to GIJW and Maverick to help nudge me in that direction.

• Devotions still have a few levels to go too. They were all under leveled as I was experimenting with different setups, so there will be some more natural growth to this builds capability.

This update had me switch to:

• The Dread Helm: Juiced for Cold damage and got a single rare to drop w/ Rimefrost
• Moosi Shoulderguards I had in stash to get +3 TSS
• A pair of double rare Stoneplate Greaves that took a TON of scrap to craft.
• A new Weaver Band that I farmed in the Convicts Tunnel/Devil’s Aquafer from the Spiders that are guaranteed spawn there. I’m going to spend more time farming them to try and get a better roll, but this one was good enough for now. This is a good place to farm them as it’s a quick in and reset from Devil’s Crossing.

SR31 Grimtools: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

[GIJW]

I also have this in my mind but always get depressed when I have to deal with cold damage on a 0 RR mastery combo…

My sketch Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.5) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

looking forward to see your progress on this one

[Yarik85]

Alright alright alright.
This looks like a build I can get behind.

That is, other than the movement skills, you activate overguard, and as long as you’re casting the sky shard, overguard keeps refreshing, correct?

Might be time to start leveling me a battlemage along with my other current alts lol.

[or0b0to]

Yeah, I hear you on the 0 RR mastery combo, but I was able to squeeze in a number of flat and percentage shreds.

All these should stack:

Rumor gives -XX% Cold
Eternal Haunt proc is -XX% Cold
Anguish gives -XX% Elemental - I’m an idiot

And the Rimethorn Defender gives 34 Reduced Resistances to Overguard

Is that enough? Don’t know, but it’s a work in progress

[GIJW]

@or0b0to

Anguish gives -XX% Elemental

Lack of reading skills in ARPG strikes again

Read very carefully

Same with Olexra Flash freeze

the stuff this skill apply only works for the duration a monster is frozen, and most bosses you’ll be able to freeze 0 to 0,1 seconds

[or0b0to]

Yup, that’s exactly how the feedback loop works.

Activate Overgaurd
Activate Terrobellum Potion to cap block

Start spamming TSS

Everytime you block TSS cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds making it almost like a default weapon attack, and then TSS extends the duration of Overgaurd.

So far in practice I’m able to maintain 100% uptime while in combat, and it shreds Ultimate.

Also, for having low HP it is surprisingly tanky.

Over Max Resistances, Weapon Damage added to TSS + ADctH, 41% Phys Resist, and a couple of defensive procs to smooth out anything big that comes in.

Plus stuff just gets frozen a lot, so your CC acts as a decent defensive buffer.

[or0b0to]

lol, I totally didn’t notice that when I equipped it last night thanks for the catch!

[GIJW]

Imo there are two weapons one can use, non-mythical shard of asterkarn, and mythical crescent moon solely for their RR stuff.

This is why I took toad in my devotions, beasts usually have very high cold resists (thanks to their thick fur)

[or0b0to]

Yeah, I was using the non-mythical Shard of Asterkarn when I was leveling and switched to the bludgeon when I was trying out OFF in the build.

I can definitely switch off of that weapon though, OFF is completely unnecessary, you really have no time in the rotation for it cuz you can spam TSS so fast, plus you’re already freezing things, so it’s defensive CC isn’t needed

[or0b0to]

Maybe a Chains of Ygraad would be a good alternative belt slot item.

Could make for a decent way to fill out some resistances if needed while still getting the +1 Arcanist skills

[GIJW]

it is always a good choice, also check out faction belts.
The +1 soldier ones from crabs can be good they roll with high armor and +% armor bonus

[or0b0to]

True, I have a boatload of Ugdenbog Girdles in my stash, the +1 to soldier isn’t as impactful as the Arcanist though as there aren’t as many skills that need upgrading on that side of the classes.

Doing a little Port Valbury farming this afternoon would be a fun way to level out to 100 with this toon so the Ygraad isn’t a bad target at first.

[or0b0to]

Fresh at 100 took this toon for a spin in Hardcore Ascendant and it’s solid so far for campaign content, and doing some skeleton dungeons… with the big man disabled, I don’t want to rip this character like that just yet! lol

[GIJW]

did you forget augments in wpn and shield?

[or0b0to]

Nah, just haven’t got there yet.

I usually just drop augments across armor to fix resistances at first to see how things are going and then make my way back around to fill in the final augments/components.

So yeah, there’s still room there for some more improvements.

[or0b0to]

Updated with a new devotion page to try and fit in a few more damage procs.

[or0b0to]

New Devotion Map and a few more tweaks updated in post 1 and right here: Battlemage, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (Thanks to GIJW for some ideas)

I’ve been face tanking everything in Hardcore Ascendant.

Face Tanked Korvaak at the end of FG no problem.

Single Target Damage falls off a little bit, especially with bosses that don’t attack quickly, which slows down the TSS feedback loop, but it’s definitely not zDPS.

Clears trash and crowds exceptionally fast!

I’ll be playing this toon for a bit longer still, it’s a lot of fun, and very flashy, so there’ll be more updates as I get them.

[or0b0to]

The Dread has been taken down with this build as is, even with some more noticeable upgrades to be made, and It was a pretty comfortable kill.

I face tanked all of his attacks except for his Sunder and the Red Ball attack without issue.

Got hit a few times by both attacks, but just popped Mirror to be safe and was fine.

Some Ideas for next steps:

Helm: The Dread for +1 all skills and other bonuses
Boots: Crafted Stoneplate Greaves @ Devil’s Crossing for bonus Armor % and resistances
Shoulders: Switch to Moosi Shoulderguards for +3 TSS to move some extra points around
Ring: Mythical version of Eternal Haunt when I finally find that damn recipe

Is it the fastest clearing character I’ve ever played/made? No
Is it fun and HC viable? Absolutely

[GIJW]

Congrat!

I had this on my to-do list for a while, but your work made my bump that one up higher on that list

I think M. Eternal Haunt ring also can drop straight in game. I have quite many of them and several did not seem to have any crafting bonus on them…

[Blondyn]

Super interesting build archetype but relying on block will always feel bad in fights where there’s hardly anything to block. Fighting Beronath must be a pain for example. Or something like Zantarin.

Too much stuff that you want to simply side step instead of tank - FOA bosses aren’t light on damage.