[1.1.7.2-1.1.9.0] Lucius/Krieg deadly tag team! 2H Melee Aether Battlemage

Introduction

One of the new items I like in Grim Dawn is the 2H weapon Lucius Blade-arm. It have very cool AoE proc on top of huge single target damage. So wanted to build around it. My first try was Sorc, but actually I like it better as Battlemage.

Credit to @AlkamosHater and his recent Spellbinder thread HERE

Also to @Strannik and his quest of making Battlemage class better!

Update 1.1.9.0

GRIM TOOLS :arrow_right: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/62aa9oD2

  • Build was slightly buffed, with both Cadence conduit and Lucius weapon. Also changed devotion map a bit, going for Korvaak+Spear combo.

New Crucible video of 5:05, can go sub-5 perhaps.

SR 85:

Build

  • pic with permanent buffs and Deadly Momentum charged. Sheet DPS for Cadence.

  • second row of character’s sheet, including eye candy of Cadence damage.

GRIM TOOLS :arrow_right: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/O2GqvdlZ

Gear:

  • Key here is Lucius weapon farmed from this freak of a boss in act 4 in campaign. I used fantasy BiS affixes, in reality getting either prefix or suffix (recommended) will still create great build.

  • Krieg set is target farmable, it’s possible to get something like Anasteria’s Helm but full set bonus to Reckless Power is worth it .

  • Other gear is pretty standard for a aether build. Agrivix relic for AoE and racial bonus. Since both class miss -RR, racial damage bonus is even more crucial. Rings are 1x Eternal Haunt for -RR proc and 1x Albrecht for converting damage from relic proc and more importantly Fabric of reality. Belt for aether damage and +1Arcanist. Conduit with Cadence mod is also very important. Resistances can be compensated, but conduit mod to Cadence is mandatory.

  • Crafted items are both medal, amulet ant ring. Crafted bonus is up to personal taste/luck.

  • Putting Arcane Spark is very important for both energy sustain and disrupt protection.

Devotions:

Battlemage lacks good skills for proccing, so can’t use my traditional route with lot’s of procs. Also Fiend with conversion makes more sense here than Bat.

I am not sure about procing scheme. It’s probably good idea to swap Corruption and Zolhan.

Korvaak is here as great OA/DA shred source, also some WD on proc, which is powered by 40k Weapon Damage in game. Ghoul is for defense. Also Revenant for speed, life steal and such. Flat RR is abundant even without Revenant.

Performance

Build have OK clear rate in Crucible, although some waves are hard and it requires some skills for sure. MQ is tough to be facetanked, also 169/170 can be problematic as usual.

Everything except aether resistant Nemeses is quickly melted, although Valdaran, Reaper and Alex can be slow and frustrating. but you can count on Mirror, Ghoul and even Menhir’s WIll.

Times are around 5:35 on average with Beacons and slightly slower with Vanguard Banner, despite I don’t need the RR.

Video from my fastest run of 5:12:

I haven’t tried SR but I would probably shift some points to defensive skills and sub Fiend with Bat. I would say 75 should be possible.

18 Likes

The combination of Lucius sword and Krieg set for Battlemage is truly solid. Good build! :+1:

I have made this variant https://www.grimtools.com/calc/d2j5PpjN. Not as damaging, but with good overcaps, strong OA/DA above 3000 with permanent buffs only, important CC resists capped (Stun is 77% with amulet crafting bonus, may be higher). Do not know about Crucible, but SR 65+ is doable without accidents. Aether-resistant bosses take some time to kill, yes.

By the way, your weapon affixes are amazing :astonished:. Hope I will get them one day too.

1 Like

Lucius’ Blade Arm is such an amazing weapon and also finally an aether item that is better for battlemage than deathknight. And it’s really beginner friendly, too.
Good job on putting together this build!

About affixes, I’d say the suffix is almost mandatory for endgame, +5 fabric on “of shattered reality” is just crazy good. Prefix can be any aether dmg prefix.

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Congrats on top battlemage, it’s an achievement! I had pleasure to test it a little, absolutely consistent in Crucible, 162 wave with MQ is dangerous but Mirror, Nullify and Ghoul is here so she can be bursted down very fast. Should be 75-76sr viable (and higher with eventually changing spirit into physique or Fiend->Bat) without much troubles.

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Good and cool build! :+1:

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Yes, finally BM can be on par with aether’s big boys.

Shattered Reality is insane suffix and Fabric is key skill adding flat damage and racial.

Weapon is hard to get legit, but as RektbyProtoss any prefix with aether and Shattred Reality will do the trick.

You have done a great job, although Magelord is more suited for Sorc or Binder, since you need to convert your auto attack.

For BM Eternal Haunt with -RR proc and Albrecht for chaos to aether conversion is BiS for BM.

Also not fan of Serenity, since Arcanist have good relics available.

Thanks for testing this build!

Yes, I think 75 is possible, I haven’t played there for a while.

Thanks! :slightly_smiling_face:

Excellent, it just so happens I have a Lucius arm of shattered reality, now I know what to do with it :blush:

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Oh yes, it’s fine build.

You can do Sorc or Binder as well. Or Blade Arc Battlemage, whatever skill you prefer.

It is too hard for me to ignore +1 to Soldier skills, a bunch of points to Cadence line, resistances and defensive proc of Serenity. And yes, I am a huge fan of Serenity :smile:. About 60% of my finished builds are using its potential. Conversions are another nice bonus for devotions.

For 2H version binder (with my devotion route, maybe it’s other with another) I had better single target damage with just Tawrot ring + eternal hunt, tested it multiple times on Ravager and had better times in Crucible. Imo it’s more worth, we can convert more WPS, Soul Harvest and Reaping Arc so there is more aoe damage combined with additonal RR + more survivality if someone wish to use devotions with Scales, Bat or Wendigo.

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At last I have got Lucius Arm with Shattered Reality suffix! :partying_face: RNG was generous indeed. Now my Battlemage is even more powerful https://www.grimtools.com/calc/w26bwkb2. Time to smite and stomp!

3 Likes

I have similar build(devo path and items) but with aether savagery druid, good single target damage as well as aoe with feral hunger and upheaval

Update 1.1.9.0

GRIM TOOLS :arrow_right: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/62aa9oD2

New Crucible video of 5:05:

SR 85:

2 Likes

Nice Nery! :smiley:

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Which one of these will be best for this build?

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If you haven’t got attack speed capped, I’d take the aetherfire of alacrity. If you already capped attack speed, aetherfire of the aether would be best . But this under circumstances you have skill points enough to cap fabric of reality

2 Likes

I would agree with @WhiteWalker if you have enough AS the third one gives so massive % aether damage boost. Two aether affixes are so nice.

I made a similar character with similar gear but with blade arc. I should respec and see how it feels with cadence :wink:

Hurry up, because as of 1.1.9.2 the damage bonus will be on Word of Renewal instead

Lmao these ass-for-brains devs are ruining this game so hard