Hey guys! I am new to the game so I don’t really know how to create builds and stuff, since I only play these types of games on hardcore, a good build is a must!
I wish to play a battle mage, I searched for a battle mage guide for begginers but couldn’t find any with helps on lvl progression/skills that levels up as a arcanist is possible
So I was wondering if anyone have any builds or suggestions!
I know asking a detailed build is to much but if anyone that is more experienced on the game could do it OR link a build that already exist but could help with the level/skill progression and what stats should I focus on itens it would really help me out!! Thank you all for the help and attention!
I won’t try to convince you out of this, but know that battlemage is generally not a class that is recommended for beginners due to lack of natural synergy between Soldier and Arcanist.
My damage type of choice would be physical, because it suffers the least from lack of stackable resistance reduction. So either a shield phys cadence or 2H forcewave build. Forcewave sounds better because it scales from cast speed which is provided by arcanist, meaning it’s a better synergy. You might also try Blade Arc. From Arcanist you’d want %OA passive, cast speed passive and Maiven Sphere with Conversion and thats pretty much it. The rest can be safely ignored.
Question is do you mind losing hardcore characters? Because you will lose them in GD going straight for HC before learning how the game works. If you’re okay with that then fine, but if you’re someone who gets their knickers in a twist when they lose a HC character then my advice is to play through the game at least once on softcore so you know where you may run into trouble. Because there’s plenty of trouble to run into in this game!
Beginner friendly builds that I’ve seen typically use Soldier or Shaman and play a tanky 2hander or 1hander+shield style. Death Knight and Warder are good choices. If you’re really set on Arcanist then you’ll have to carry it through game knowledge and good play.
Like others have, I suggest you play on softcore at least for your first character, because this game is super unforgiving. Which is compounded by the playtime you have to sink into a character.
Oh and since nobody’s mentioned it, Spellbinder (arcanist + necromancer) is easily the best class that uses arcanist. Probably not any beginner friendly builds for it though.
One could divide the “beginner friendly builds” into several categories
i) easy to gear up
ii) easy to play (very forgiving build)
iii) easy to level up
and any combination of the above
I am pretty sure one can make a Ravenous Earth Spellbinder and take it pretty far (mostly using Inner Focus for OA, Maiven for dmg abs and crowd control resists, Mirror for immortality, Elemental balance for +% crit dmg, and flash freeze here and there)
There are many easy to obtain items that supports both Callidor and Devastation
Battlemage is just as beginner friendly as any other class combination.
Forcewave can be used with any class combo and is definitely beginner friendly.
It will easily carry you up to act 4 ultimate with little to no gear.
Max Out Forcewave as soon as you can (so by level 7 you should have 1 point in soldier mastery and 16 points in forcewave, this will destroy the early game content) Then your next 4 skill points should go in mastery. Then your next point goes into the transmuter. Rush the mastery to Rending force and max it out also. Then from there you can do as you see fit (either continue working up soldier mastery and grabbing skills, or switch to your 2nd class mastery bar)
2h Cadence / Transmuted Blade Arc is also another option. Personally I find Forcewave as the much better choice for leveling.
As for Arcanist abilities you take the support/defensive skills (like Inner Focus, Mirror, Maiven’s Sphere…)
I have a Battlemage in Elite now and I’m just posting to give ideas. I’m not a Grim Dawn veteran player as this is one of my first builds in elite.
But my build concept is to be tanky with Shield protection skills from soldier and shield things from constellations. That is a safe way to play because it’s harder to get bursted down… I mean when a tank is taking damage fast you know you have to level up a bit more to fight that area.
I am a pure Soldier level 75 but I also have Arcanist Maivens and Mirror both maxed. I haven’t filled my Arcanist mastery bar just enough to get those skills. I also use the Arcanist skill that gives some % OA which also helps me get spirit to equip jewelry. Speccing physique and keeping 5 unspent in case I find a tasty jewelry that needs more spirit later.
My damage is Internal Trauma and Retaliation. For the IT Maivens and Mirror (both) can help if your own damage is reflected as %physical resist is uncommon and IT damage does not get reduced by armor.
I will try to make a Grim Calc (new tool to me) so you can see what I did but basically tanky with multiple sources of IT hitting them. One source of DoT does not stack itself but multiple sources do (I believe). By that I mean forcewave is not stacking its own IT damage but forcewave IT can work with Blitz IT and gear IT damage.
For gear I’m just using what drops. Mutant arms work good for weapons and a good shield. Some kind of Atherial helmet modifies War Cry. Unique blue and purple also good. The mutant arms modify force wave. I look for tanky items and retaliation and IT items etc…
I think it might be good plan (relative to the disclaimer that I have not tested to 100 in HC and I am newb) for HC because 1) tanky gear and constellations and skills (soldier and only defense from Arcanist) and it also uses DoTs for damage so that can be good to kite a boss that is damaging you (after using mirror and overguard)… The concept is to place the DoT and run away when your cooldowns are vulnerable. While your running whatever DoTs you stack up going too. You can find more IT sources (than forcewave and blitz) from gear that gives you abilities like Blood of Oleron as an example. Very tanky to feel out enemies with some defensive answers in mirror and overguard.
Ok hang on a second and I am going to add a Grim Calc link in about five minutes… I will edit this post and add it on…
My remaining constellation points I’m going to put 1 in order crossroads 3 in Lion that will open up Obelisk of Menhir and one remaining point will fit in the first node of Empyrion which will give elemental resistance.
My constellations give procs on shield block and shieldmaiden constellation. They also give some defense against (my own) (if it is) reflected IT damage.
I put Bull proc on War Cry and I use that to reduce enemy resistance to physical (IT is a phyical DoT so the damage is damage increase). LMB = blitz; RMB = Forcewave; 1 = mirror 2 = overguard 3 = War Cry; others = gear abilities
Because spellbinder is also not a beginner friendly class, in my opinion. He’s strong at high end but that strength comes from the pool of specific items.
If it has to be Arcanist caster then I can only recommend Trozan druid.
Wow a lot of replies and ideas! Thank you very much for all the insight guys!! Will try my best now not to die! And if that happens, I don’t really care… I just feel like these types of game, if it’s not HC I don’t get exited playing haha
