Introduction
This will be my last build update before v1.3.2.0 arrives. I don’t plan to update other set-based or non-set builds for now, but since some people have been concerned about Skeletons’ performance, I felt it was necessary to revisit this build after the pet resistance bug fix.
Compared to the offensive devotion setup I used in v1.3.0.8, I’ve switched to a more defensive devotion setup. Offensive devotions certainly make SR30–31, Crucible, and 5 Ashes dungeon runs faster, but Skeletons tend to die horribly against Celestials. In the current patch, I believe survivability and consistency are more important for pet builds than squeezing out some extra damage.
This is a non-set build that makes flexible use of double rare items and gear with high DA to improve the overall survivability of Skeleton Mages. With around 40k health and 50%DA , the Skeleton Mages can handle most high-pressure content comfortably.
There is also a decent Chaos Cairnguard shield alternative. A build using it was posted back in v1.3.0.8, paired with the Dying God devotion setup. It performs reasonably well in lower-pressure content, but the shield doesn’t provide CDR, making it less suitable for a defensive devotion setup. Personally, I still prefer the Fiendgaze version.Feel free to experiment with the shield setup yourself, or wait for other experienced builders to release their own versions.
The relic, components, and jewelry affixes shown in the gameplay videos also differ slightly from those in the GrimTools link. The GrimTools setup reflects the final gear configuration, but the Ascended affixes are the same as those used in-game.
Ascended Affix Priorities
For jewelry, medal, belt, and both weapons and off ha, reduced target resistances is the preferred Ascended affix. % Health and Crit Damage are the next best options.
For the remaining gear slots, % Health and Crit Damage are generally preferred, although affixes that help patch up player resistances are also perfectly fine. There’s no need to spend huge amounts of Soul Fragments rerolling affixes just to get the absolute best combination.
Pros
- Extremely fast recovery: Around 3.5k health regeneration per second with Tree of Life active, rising to approximately 6k per second with Giant’s Blood active as well.
- Excellent Skeleton survivability: The Skeletons are roughly 200–300% tougher than those in the offensive version.
- Few active skills to manage.
- Cool-looking Skeleton Mages and skills.
Cons
- Moderate damage , but still more than adequate for the content this build is designed to handle.
- Limited sources of the three types of resistance reduction. The build relies on the Nature’s Guardians for 18 points of RR, which requires a proc.
- The player has no damage absorption skill and has less health than a Ritualist, but the build is still more than capable of handling SR37 and Superbosses.
Performance Across All Content
Shattered Realm
- SR30–37: Comfortable, with no significant pressure.
- SR47: Some pressure. In HC, I strongly advise against pushing this high, as the risk of sudden death is substantial.
Superbosses – 5 Ashes
- Ravager of Flesh: Can generally facetank the fight. If the Skeletons lose health too quickly, you may need to kite and reposition them two or three times during the fight.
- Mogdrogen: Can stand and fight without any real difficulty.
- Callagadra: Requires kiting. The main threats to watch out for are her wind breath attack, which applies a damage-taken debuff, and her large tornadoes, which reduce your physical resistance. Avoid these two attacks, then stay aggressive for a few seconds before repeating the process. The fight takes approximately four minutes with this approach.
- Uber Nerfatal: Uber Nerf is relatively easy to deal with. Just keep both your character and pets out of its attacks, and you should be able to kill it without much trouble.
GrimTools
Gameplay Demonstrations Across Different Content
Shattered Realm 30 - 31
Shattered Realm 36 - 37
Shattered Realm 46 - 47
5 Ashes Dungeon Steps of Torment
5 Ashes Super Boss Ravager of Flesh
5 Ashes Super Boss Callagadra
5 Ashes Super Boss Mogdrogen
Super Boss Uber Nerfatal
Previous Version
Leveling Guide
You can follow the skill point allocation order shown in the screenshots below. For certain specific green items, you can click on them in the GrimTools build calculator to check their drop locations on the map.
Leveling must farm item:Cabalist, Level 100 (GD 1.3.0.8) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
