And here he goes again, I wake up and start thinking about how to put together a new retaliation build in Grim Dawn. 
Actually, I wanted to post this sooner, but Grandpa is busy and working a lot.
This is my take on a Warlord build focused on physical retaliation damage, utilizing the classic Stoneguard set. But in the context of the expansion’s new mechanics involving the conversion of retaliation damage to WPS. Minimal AoE, maximum defense, and a classic melee build with an active playstyle through RATA Shattering Smash + Markovian’s Advantage.
A resilient build well-suited for stable gameplay in both Softcore and Hardcore modes, including when utilizing Altars (level 5+) on ascendancy and not the most expensive one on resources to do. The build on screenshot is a 1.3.0.8, so I’ll post here updated version to grimtools 1.3.1.1.:
V i d e o
Ravager of Flesh (x5 Altar)
Callagadra (x5 Altar)
Gargabol (x5 Altar)
Crate of Entertainment (Ascendancy)
Beronath (x5 Altar)
Shattered Realm 40 (Run 1-3)
Shattered Realm 40 (Boss Room)
Crucible (190-200)
Wolf of Mogdrogen (Ascendancy)
Lokarr (Ascendancy)
E x p l a n a t i o n
This is the second-strongest build in terms of defensive mechanics that I’ve ever put together—I’d rank it just behind my lightning\fire-retaliation Commando. I initially built it around a specific Monster Infrequent (MI) shield Bloodbound Guardian, focusing on critical hits combined with added trauma and physical damage, as well as retaliation damage applied to Blitz. This was made possible by the shield itself, the Crest of Winter Fortitude medal, and a solid stack of crit chance derived from Divine Mandate and various Soldier skills. However, I wasn’t entirely satisfied with this hybrid approach—mixing retaliation damage with Blitz-focused mechanics—as it raised several issues that I don’t like. If you decide to take this concept and shift it from a defensive setup toward a more offensive one with Divine Mandate, please share your results in the comments; I’d love to see your version!
Following this, I re-evaluated the concept, and the version I’m now sharing on the forum is the one I’ve chosen for myself: a build centered on physical retaliation damage, RATA WPS featuring high shield-blocking proficiency and the substantial amount of armor typical for this type of setup. Another melee tank build for those who collecting retaliation builds. An easy-to-play build that requires only minimal management of defensive skills. It features significant physical resistance reduction and strong survivability, even in the Crucible.
G e a r
A pretty obvious choice of items for physical retaliation for the Warlord class is the Stoneguard Set, the Callagdra’s Visage, Thornhide Legguards, and the Gildor’s Guardian. - Full sustain of damge, shield mastery, armor, health. Markovian’s Stratagem medal is giving damage conversion to WPS and chance of acting and buffs damage a bit. An important next step involves increasing the proc chance for the primary offensive skill, “Shattering Smash.” This requires two basic green-tier items, which, when ascended to +3, grant a bonus to “Shattering Smash” along with an additional 2% retaliation damage. For this purpose, I have chosen the “Preserver Ring” and “Redeemer Treads.” Both of this greens are focused on suffix\affix regen\armor\OA\HP bonuses to increase overall armor sustain and surviving - and this is the most expensive part of roll\ascend items. Devourer Ring is for overall stats + damage boost, any similar MI’s in stats is ok to choose. Same I can say about Bloodbound Guardian shield, it was just lucky drop for me so you can do\found same one or replace it with a legendary one’s based on physical retaliation: Zolhan’s Revenge, Dauntless, Final Stop, Crest of the Black Legion. - all of this shield will give good retaliation damage sustain - but may be worse in extra stuff such as resists or OA\DA. Awakened Blacksteel Gauntlets or alternatively Mythical Colossal Grasp, I prefer first one because overall it gives better health\damage sustain, but the other one is better for attack speed and shield mastery. Citadel - this relic you not often see in other builds, as this is not the highest physical relic from all, but actually it is so good for my version of build - as it supports all the game mechanics I’ve chosen as the foundation for this build—along with every stat—are maximally useful and contribute directly to the overall design. But alternatively if you looking to get more damage and RR than your choose might be Reckoning Relic.
Since gear does not provide sufficient sustain for OA (Offensive Ability)—while also requiring that both OA and the activation chance for “Shattering Smash” be maintained—the Ascension bonuses are allocated as follows:
5% Chance to Shattering Smash (armor) x2
Presence of Virtue (OA+%Retaliation) or +40 OA (armor) x3
+3 to Shattering Smash +2% retal (boots and ring) x2
in this case you can’t much compensate physical resistance for melee, so
3% physical resistance (jewerly\belt) x3
and I took one bonus to:
2% max Aether +30% Aether resistance (medal) x1
Not the highest resistance sustain from gear but it very well compensates from shield mastery, huge armor and health regeneration\ADcTH.
S k i l l s
At this stage, a fair number of skill points will go into passive health regeneration to boost survivability; it’s important to keep this stat in the 1900–2000 range to help you withstand sudden spikes in incoming damage. (Veterancy, Menhir’s Bulwark) + Gear
Shattering Smash and Markovian’s Advantage requires also few more points not just to increase a chance of activation, but also - its a RR to physical -DA, somehow compensates lack of OA.
Since I play on hardcore, I have maxed out defensive skills such as: Military Conditioning, Field Command, War Cry, …sacrificing some damage. However, for Softcore—where the risk of death is higher but you gain a damage boost—I would suggest an alternative way to allocate skill points, as there generally aren’t enough points to cover everything.
D e v o t i o n s
1 point primordial
1 order
Wraith
Lion
[remove 1 point from primordial and order]
Assasin’s Blade
Lizard
Sailor’s Guide
Shieldmaiden
Anvil
Harvestman’s Scythe
Sailor’s Guide
Vire The Stone Matron
Targo the Builder
Tree of Life
Hound
Much like the items, the constellations focus on bonuses to physical retaliation damage, shield mastery, armor, and health regeneration. If desired, this constellation setup allows for swapping Targo the Builder for Obelisk of Menhir; the damage output remains essentially the same, with more flat damage absorption, though at the cost of some armor and shield-retaliation damage. I ran tests using both Vire the Stone Matron and the Menhir’s Obelisk; I preferred the Vire, as there is already a significant amount of flat absorption available from skills and items. Vire provides slightly more damage, health, and physical resistance—which carries more weight when fighting super bosses.
L e v e l i n g
It’s debatable whether it’s even worth building around retaliation damage from level 1, given that most items designed to convert retaliation damage into skill damage only become available after level 80. Without these conversions, the progression feels extremely slow by 2026 standards. It makes more sense to focus on raw physical damage—for instance, by using a two-handed weapon and investing in skills like Oleron’s Rage, Righteous Fervor, Zolhan’s Technique, and Markovian’s Advantage—or perhaps by using Forcewave to level up quickly to 94, at which point you can switch to your target gear and respec your character.
B o s s e s
With well-chosen gear featuring strong stat rolls, the character gains a massive boost to survivability—up to 37000 HP. Defense sustain allows for comfortable gameplay in Altar (level 5+)—ideal for farming “Roguelikes”—as well as in Shattered Reality (levels 30–37). The character also performs quite well in the Crucible, even under the heaviest enemy onslaught. It can easily defeat every boss, with the exceptions of the Crate and Nerfatal. However, its damage output is relatively low compared to dedicated DPS builds.