Advice on tanky caster, Arcanist +?

Hi Grim Dawn community.

I’ve been playing this game for such a long time, but never really dug the Arcanist mastery, as I prefer melee characters. It’s probably the last mastery I’ve not really explored into higher levels and, to be honest, I’m pretty clueless about how it best works / the current meta.

I’m looking to make a tanky / melee caster that I can gear relatively easily and build towards a decent end-game character, i.e. SR 65+(I’ve got a spellbinder but have yet to get the right gear for him yet, and I’m finding the class a bit of a one-trick pony with aether).

At the moment I’m looking at Druid or Templar. I’m nearly level 50 so far with a single-mastery Arcanist on elite, using cold skills and it’s pretty cool. What have others found works for someone pretty new to the mastery and is fun to play? I’m not really into the idea of an Inquisitor as I find the seals a PITA and like to move around (storm totems - yes, seals - no).

Thanks in advance if anyone has any thoughts.

  1. +Necromancer

  2. +Necromancer

  3. +Necromancer

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Hi Ford, yes as I said I’ve got a Spellbinder. I’m just not feeling it, maybe I will when I’ve got some better gear.

Was joking a bit, since you asked for tanky arcanist combination. I don’t know much about casters but

Aether> Spellbinder
Cold/Lightning/maybe fire> Druid or Warlock
Physical/Fire> Templar

Not sure how chaos/vitality/acid Arcanist casters does these days.

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I would certainly recommend Sorcerer. You can go lightning, fire, both… arcane will+mirror+blastshield+nulli and hourglass devotion makes it very tanky. And u get free damage absorption with Maivens Sphere as well :slight_smile:

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Spellbinder, immortal if you play it right. Key is mirror and mark of torment and time dilation and/or eternity relic

Also apostate and deceiver, I recommend salvors deceiver for beginners [1.1.8.1] Beginner's Vitality Ignaffar Deceiver

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Other than Binder, I suggest going for lightning AAR Mage Hunter. Ray will disintegrate enemies, it will be very strong once you reach the skill and get some skill mods. For defense you have Seal, Renewal, Mirror, Maiven, Censure, etc.

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Having done a bit of research based on your suggestions, I’m kind of angling towards Sorcerer, even though I thought I’d go Druid (as i’ve never really built a cold-based damage character before), the Sorcerer looks more flexible though.

Thanks as ever for all of your input.

I liked caster Sorc more than caster Druid bit thats a personal opinion ofc. Sorc is more ‘forgiving’ in case of changes etc when Druid is less, but said earlier its a personal opinion both can be great. Have fun!! :smiley:

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