šŸ”° Beginner Build Compendium - 92 guides for AoM & FG expansions

Ulvar1 is the original author of this compendium.
He stopped using the forum unexpectedly.


ā–§ Beginner guides (with detailed leveling)

Link to thread damage type class author game version

sorted by classes and masteries

Soldier + X
HC Beginner tri-elemental arcane tank tactician Elemental Tactician S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
SSF HC Fire War Cry Warlord Fire Warlord Cripptid 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginnerā€™s DW ranged physical Warlord Physical Warlord Nery 1.1.9.8
Budget Physical Blade Arc S&B Warder - SR80, Ravager Physical Warder The_Coyote 1.1.9.8
Budget Physical Ranged Dual-Wield Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
SSF Physical Eye of Reckoning Warlord Physical Warlord tqFan 1.1.9.7
The Fakeuisher - Physical Skater Warlord Physical Warlord MysteryMeat 1.1.9.3
Beginnerā€™s Forgotten Blademaster Pierce Blademaster Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Pure Soldier Beginner Forcewave 1-75 Leveling Guide Physical Soldier sp00ky 1.1.9.0
Budget Physical AAR Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s 2H melee Lucius Battlemage Aether Battlemage Nery
Budget S&B Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote
Budget Alkamosā€™ Scythe Cold Cadence Blademaster Cold Blademaster The_Coyote
Beginnerā€™s Fire Blade Arc Commando Fire Commando teppieteptep
Beginnerā€™s Apex Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s pre-Krieg Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Apostle Death Knight Pets Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
[Tactician] Serving the Light Aether Tactician Evil_Baka 1.1.9.2
Voldrakian Cadence Warder ā€“ SSF journal and guide Physical Warder Ulvar1
Beginnerā€™s Lightning Warder Lightning Warder Stupid_Dragon
Budget Physical Forcewave Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.8.0
Blitz Krieg - A SSF, HC-Viable, New-Player-Friendly Warlord Physical Warlord Ceno
Budget Physical Cadence S&B Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote
Beginnerā€™s Physical Two-Hand Blade Arc Witchblade Physical Witchblade Nery
Budget Physical Cadence-Blitz S&B Witchblade Physical Witchblade The_Coyote
Demolitionist + X
Stun Jacks + Storm Totems Elementalist, SR 65 & Lokarr Lightning Elementalist HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
SSF HC Beginner Chaos FoI Purifier Chaos Purifier Cripptid 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner Fire Pyromancer Fire Pyromancer teppieteptep 1.2.1.2
Beginner Shieldbreaker Skater / speedy farmer, Lokarr, Ravager Fire Shieldbreaker HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Mortar Trap Shieldbreaker Fire Shieldbreaker modal 1.2.1.2
Beginnerā€™s Fire Gunslinger Purifier Fire Purifier Paikis 1.2.0.5
Beginner Dark Oneā€™s Elementalist Vitality Elementalist S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner RoK+Grenado Purifier Fire Purifier S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Fire BwC+Grenado Sorcerer Fire Sorcerer S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Budget Physical Righteous Fervor S&B Shieldbreaker Physical Shieldbreaker The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s Pre-Gargabolā€™s Defiler Vitality Defiler thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.5
Beginnerā€™s Sparky Elementalist Lightning Elementalist Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Beginner Storm Box + Stun Jacks Purifier from scratch Lightning Purifier teppieteptep 1.1.9.0
Budget cold DW melee Saboteur - the journey! Cold Saboteur Nery 1.1.8.1
Spin2win Shieldbreaker from A to Z Fire Shieldbreaker Nery & Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Ruinous Apostle - chaos caster Chaos Pyromancer Evil_Baka 1.1.7.1
Beginnerā€™s Fire S&B Shieldbreaker - First char, SR50 Fire Shieldbreaker idontwannaknow0
Beginnerā€™s Fire Blade Arc Commando Fire Commando teppieteptep
Budget Lightning DW Ranged Purifier Lightning Purifier Nery
Budget 2-handed ranged ā€œThe Desolatorā€ Fire Strike Fire Purifier Fire Purifier The_Coyote
Occultist + X
HC Beginner Fire Pyromancer Fire Pyromancer teppieteptep 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner Acid AoM+DEE Sentinel Acid Sentinel S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Red Wisp - Walking Simulator Budget Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Maya 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s Fire Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Paikis 1.1.9.8
Dark Rose - Lazy Dark Oneā€™s Set Budget Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Maya 1.1.9.8
Acid Aegis Sentinel - Leveling Journal Acid Sentinel Brewshock84 1.1.9.7
Budget Chaos Melee Dual-Wield Witch Hunter (with a Sigil) Chaos Witch Hunter The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
How to play Sigil of Consumption - HC - Ravager Vitality Sentinel mostmost 1.1.9.4
Dreegā€™s Evil Eye Sentinel - leveling and beginner build Acid Sentinel tqFan 1.1.9.3
Trozanā€™s Ice Shards - A cold Warlock Beginner Guide Cold Warlock Monceaux 1.1.9.2
Beginnerā€™s Shield Caster Sentinel - SSF Vitality Sentinel thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.1
Ruinous Apostle - chaos caster Chaos Pyromancer Evil_Baka 1.1.7.1
Beginnerā€™s/budget vitality RE Oppressor + Cabalist Vitality Oppressor/Cabalist Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s vitality caster Conjurer guide Vitality Conjurer Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget acid Sentinel Acid Sentinel Nery 1.1.2.5
Budget Fire Pet Conjurer - 75-76 Farmer, easy main game Pets Conjurer Skelemental
Petwalker - Walking Simulator Budget Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Maya
SSF Budget Bleed & Chaos Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Ulvar1
Beginnerā€™s Vitality Ignaffar Deceiver Vitality Deceiver Salvor 1.1.8.1
The Rookie Bloodsworn - A chaos Warlock Beginner Guide Chaos Warlock Monceaux 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Acid Shadow Strike Witch Hunter Guide Acid Witch Hunter Silent_N
Beginnerā€™s Physical Two-Hand Blade Arc Witchblade Physical Witchblade Nery
Budget Physical Cadence-Blitz S&B Witchblade Physical Witchblade The_Coyote
Nightblade + X
HC SSF Beginner Cold Ring of Steel Spellbreaker Cold Spellbreaker S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Beginner Dual-Wield Acid Dervish, SR65+/Lokarr viable Acid Dervish HonorabruSudoku 1.2.0.3
Cold DW Caster Infiltrator | Beginner guide + Endgame Cold Infiltrator tqFan 1.1.9.7
Budget Chaos Melee Dual-Wield Witch Hunter (with a Sigil) Chaos Witch Hunter The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s Forgotten Blademaster Pierce Blademaster Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Budget cold DW melee Saboteur - the journey! Cold Saboteur Nery 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Virulent Dervish Acid Dervish Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget DW cold melee Trickster Cold Trickster Nery 1.1.3.0
Budget Alkamosā€™ Scythe Cold Cadence Blademaster Cold Blademaster The_Coyote
Beginnerā€™s Phantom Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Phantasmal Blades Reaper Vitality Reaper Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.1
Ultimate Hardcore Spellbreaker- Ice Cold Scoundrel Cold Spellbreaker JY_626
Beginnerā€™s Acid Shadow Strike Witch Hunter Guide Acid Witch Hunter Silent_N
Arcanist + X
HC SSF Beginner Cold Ring of Steel Spellbreaker Cold Spellbreaker S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar Lightning Templar S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Primal Strike Druid Lightning Druid S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
HC Beginner Fire BwC+Grenado Sorcerer Fire Sorcerer S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Trozanā€™s Ice Shards - A cold Warlock Beginner Guide Cold Warlock Monceaux 1.1.9.2
Beginnerā€™s Nephrite Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.1
Beginnerā€™s/budget PRM Mage Hunter Elemental Mage Hunter Nery 1.1.3.0
Budget Physical AAR Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s 2H melee Lucius Battlemage Aether Battlemage Nery
Budget S&B Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote
Beginnerā€™s Albrechtā€™s Aether Ray Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Nery 1.1.9.3
Ultimate Hardcore Spellbreaker- Ice Cold Scoundrel Cold Spellbreaker JY_626
Beginnerā€™s Scorching Ray Templar Fire Templar Stupid_Dragon 1.1.7.2
The Rookie Bloodsworn - A chaos Warlock Beginner Guide Chaos Warlock Monceaux 1.1.8.1
Shaman + X
Stun Jacks + Storm Totems Elementalist, SR 65 & Lokarr Lightning Elementalist HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Fire 2H melee Vindicator Fire Vindicator S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC Vitality Primal Strike Archon Vitality Archon S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginner Dark Oneā€™s Elementalist Vitality Elementalist S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Dark Rose - Lazy Dark Oneā€™s Set Budget Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Maya 1.1.9.8
HC Beginner Primal Strike Druid Lightning Druid S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Budget Physical Blade Arc S&B Warder - SR80, Ravager Physical Warder The_Coyote 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s 2H Ranged Lightning Savagery Vindicator (pre-Evoker) Lightning Vindicator Nery 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s Ravenous Earth Ritualist Vitality Ritualist Nery 1.1.9.6
Beginnerā€™s/budget lightning Vindicator (caster version) Lightning Vindicator Nery 1.1.9.1
Beginnerā€™s Sparky Elementalist Lightning Elementalist Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Beginnerā€™s vitality caster Conjurer guide Vitality Conjurer Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget DW cold melee Trickster Cold Trickster Nery 1.1.3.0
Budget Physical Two-Handed Melee Savagery Archon Physical Archon The_Coyote
Budget Fire Pet Conjurer - 75-76 Farmer, easy main game Pets Conjurer Skelemental
Petwalker - Walking Simulator Budget Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Maya
SSF Budget Bleed & Chaos Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Ulvar1
The Budget Brigade: Ritualist Aether Pets starter build Pets Ritualist Uncle_Mac
Hecate - Lazy Dark Oneā€™s Set Budget Pet Ritualist Pets Ritualist Maya
Beginnerā€™s/budget lightning Vindicator (2H ranged version) Lightning Vindicator Nery
Voldrakian Cadence Warder ā€“ SSF journal and guide Physical Warder Ulvar1
Beginnerā€™s Lightning Warder Lightning Warder Stupid_Dragon
Inquisitor + X
SSF HC Beginner Chaos FoI Purifier Chaos Purifier Cripptid 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner tri-elemental arcane tank tactician Elemental Tactician S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Beginner Fire 2H melee Vindicator Fire Vindicator S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Beginnerā€™s Fire Gunslinger Purifier Fire Purifier Paikis 1.2.0.5
Beginner Lightning Rune of Kalastor Paladin Lightning Paladin Crab_Turtle_2112 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner RoK+Grenado Purifier Fire Purifier S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Cold DW Caster Infiltrator | Beginner guide + Endgame Cold Infiltrator tqFan 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s 2H Ranged Lightning Savagery Vindicator (pre-Evoker) Lightning Vindicator Nery 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s/budget lightning Vindicator (caster version) Lightning Vindicator Nery 1.1.9.1
Beginner Storm Box + Stun Jacks Purifier from scratch Lightning Purifier teppieteptep 1.1.9.0
Fire Shield Throw Paladin build from scratch Fire Paladin Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s/budget PRM Mage Hunter Elemental Mage Hunter Nery 1.1.3.0
Drain Essense Apostate ā€“ SSF journal and guide Aether Apostate Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Vitality Ignaffar Deceiver Vitality Deceiver Salvor 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Phantom Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator Stupid_Dragon
Budget dw ranged pierce Paladin Pierce Paladin The_Coyote
Budget Lightning DW Ranged Purifier Lightning Purifier Nery
Budget 2-handed ranged ā€œThe Desolatorā€ Fire Strike Fire Purifier Fire Purifier The_Coyote
[Tactician] Serving the Light Aether Tactician Evil_Baka 1.1.9.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget lightning Vindicator (2H ranged version) Lightning Vindicator Nery
Necromancer + X
Red Wisp - Walking Simulator Budget Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Maya 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s Fire Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Paikis 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s Ravenous Earth Ritualist Vitality Ritualist Nery 1.1.9.6
Beginnerā€™s Pre-Gargabolā€™s Defiler Vitality Defiler thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.5
Budget Physical Melee DW Righteous Fervor Oppressor Physical Oppressor The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s/budget vitality RE Oppressor + Cabalist Vitality Oppressor/Cabalist Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s Nephrite Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.1
Drain Essense Apostate ā€“ SSF journal and guide Aether Apostate Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Apex Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s pre-Krieg Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Apostle Death Knight Pets Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Phantasmal Blades Reaper Vitality Reaper Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.1
Hecate - Lazy Dark Oneā€™s Set Budget Pet Ritualist Pets Ritualist Maya
The Budget Brigade: Ritualist Aether Pets starter build Pets Ritualist Uncle_Mac
Beginnerā€™s Albrechtā€™s Aether Ray Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Nery 1.1.9.3
Oathkeeper + X
Beginner Shieldbreaker Skater / speedy farmer, Lokarr, Ravager Fire Shieldbreaker HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Mortar Trap Shieldbreaker Fire Shieldbreaker modal 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar Lightning Templar S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
SSF HC Fire War Cry Warlord Fire Warlord Cripptid 1.2.1.2
HC Vitality Primal Strike Archon Vitality Archon S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginner Dual-Wield Acid Dervish, SR65+/Lokarr viable Acid Dervish HonorabruSudoku 1.2.0.3
Beginner Lightning Rune of Kalastor Paladin Lightning Paladin Crab_Turtle_2112 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Acid AoM+DEE Sentinel Acid Sentinel S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginnerā€™s DW ranged physical Warlord Physical Warlord Nery 1.1.9.8
Acid Aegis Sentinel - Leveling Journal Acid Sentinel Brewshock84 1.1.9.7
Budget Physical Righteous Fervor S&B Shieldbreaker Physical Shieldbreaker The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Budget Physical Ranged Dual-Wield Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
SSF Physical Eye of Reckoning Warlord Physical Warlord tqFan 1.1.9.7
Budget Physical Melee DW Righteous Fervor Oppressor Physical Oppressor The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
How to play Sigil of Consumption - HC - Ravager Vitality Sentinel mostmost 1.1.9.4
Dreegā€™s Evil Eye Sentinel - leveling and beginner build Acid Sentinel tqFan 1.1.9.3
The Fakeuisher - Physical Skater Warlord Physical Warlord MysteryMeat 1.1.9.3
Beginnerā€™s Shield Caster Sentinel - SSF Vitality Sentinel thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.1
Fire Shield Throw Paladin build from scratch Fire Paladin Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Spin2win Shieldbreaker from A to Z Fire Shieldbreaker Nery & Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s/budget vitality RE Oppressor + Cabalist Vitality Oppressor/Cabalist Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s Virulent Dervish Acid Dervish Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget acid Sentinel Acid Sentinel Nery 1.1.2.5
Beginnerā€™s Fire S&B Shieldbreaker - First char, SR50 Fire Shieldbreaker idontwannaknow0
Budget Physical Two-Handed Melee Savagery Archon Physical Archon The_Coyote
Budget dw ranged pierce Paladin Pierce Paladin The_Coyote
Beginnerā€™s Scorching Ray Templar Fire Templar Stupid_Dragon 1.1.7.2
Budget Physical Forcewave Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.8.0
Blitz Krieg - A SSF, HC-Viable, New-Player-Friendly Warlord Physical Warlord Ceno
Budget Physical Cadence S&B Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote
Apostate (Inquisitor + Necromancer)
Archon (Oathkeeper + Shaman)
HC Vitality Primal Strike Archon Vitality Archon S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Budget Physical Two-Handed Melee Savagery Archon Physical Archon The_Coyote
Battlemage (Arcanist + Soldier)
HC Beginner Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Budget Physical AAR Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s 2H melee Lucius Battlemage Aether Battlemage Nery
Budget S&B Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote
Blademaster (Nightblade + Soldier)
Beginnerā€™s Forgotten Blademaster Pierce Blademaster Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Budget Alkamosā€™ Scythe Cold Cadence Blademaster Cold Blademaster The_Coyote
Cabalist (Necromancer + Occultist)
Red Wisp - Walking Simulator Budget Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Maya 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s Fire Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Paikis 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s/budget vitality RE Oppressor + Cabalist Vitality Oppressor/Cabalist Nery 1.1.6.2
Commando (Demolitionist + Soldier)
Beginnerā€™s Fire Blade Arc Commando Fire Commando teppieteptep
Conjurer (Occultist + Shaman)
Death Knight (Necromancer + Soldier)
Beginnerā€™s Apex Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s pre-Krieg Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Apostle Death Knight Pets Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Deceiver (Inquisitor + Occultist)
Beginnerā€™s Vitality Ignaffar Deceiver Vitality Deceiver Salvor 1.1.8.1
Defiler (Demolitionist + Necromancer)
Beginnerā€™s Pre-Gargabolā€™s Defiler Vitality Defiler thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.5
Dervish (Nightblade + Oathkeeper)
Beginner Dual-Wield Acid Dervish, SR65+/Lokarr viable Acid Dervish HonorabruSudoku 1.2.0.3
Beginnerā€™s Virulent Dervish Acid Dervish Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.2
Druid (Arcanist + Shaman)
HC Beginner Primal Strike Druid Lightning Druid S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Elementalist (Demolitionist + Shaman)
Stun Jacks + Storm Totems Elementalist, SR 65 & Lokarr Lightning Elementalist HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Dark Oneā€™s Elementalist Vitality Elementalist S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginnerā€™s Sparky Elementalist Lightning Elementalist Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Infiltrator (Inquisitor + Nightblade)
Cold DW Caster Infiltrator | Beginner guide + Endgame Cold Infiltrator tqFan 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s Phantom Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator Stupid_Dragon
Mage Hunter (Arcanist + Inquisitor)
Beginnerā€™s/budget PRM Mage Hunter Elemental Mage Hunter Nery 1.1.3.0
Oppressor (Necromancer + Oathkeeper)
Budget Physical Melee DW Righteous Fervor Oppressor Physical Oppressor The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s/budget vitality RE Oppressor + Cabalist Vitality Oppressor/Cabalist Nery 1.1.6.2
Paladin (Inquisitor + Oathkeeper)
Beginner Lightning Rune of Kalastor Paladin Lightning Paladin Crab_Turtle_2112 1.2.0.3
Fire Shield Throw Paladin build from scratch Fire Paladin Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Budget dw ranged pierce Paladin Pierce Paladin The_Coyote
Purifier (Demolitionist + Inquisitor)
SSF HC Beginner Chaos FoI Purifier Chaos Purifier Cripptid 1.2.1.2
Beginnerā€™s Fire Gunslinger Purifier Fire Purifier Paikis 1.2.0.5
HC Beginner RoK+Grenado Purifier Fire Purifier S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginner Storm Box + Stun Jacks Purifier from scratch Lightning Purifier teppieteptep 1.1.9.0
Budget Lightning DW Ranged Purifier Lightning Purifier Nery
Budget 2-handed ranged ā€œThe Desolatorā€ Fire Strike Fire Purifier Fire Purifier The_Coyote
Pyromancer (Demolitionist + Occultist)
HC Beginner Fire Pyromancer Fire Pyromancer teppieteptep 1.2.1.2
Ruinous Apostle - chaos caster Chaos Pyromancer Evil_Baka 1.1.7.1
Reaper (Necromancer + Nightblade)
Beginnerā€™s Phantasmal Blades Reaper Vitality Reaper Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.1
Ritualist (Necromancer + Shaman)
Saboteur (Demolitionist + Nightblade)
Sentinel (Oathkeeper + Occultist)
HC Beginner Acid AoM+DEE Sentinel Acid Sentinel S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Acid Aegis Sentinel - Leveling Journal Acid Sentinel Brewshock84 1.1.9.7
How to play Sigil of Consumption - HC - Ravager Vitality Sentinel mostmost 1.1.9.4
Dreegā€™s Evil Eye Sentinel - leveling and beginner build Acid Sentinel tqFan 1.1.9.3
Beginnerā€™s Shield Caster Sentinel - SSF Vitality Sentinel thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.1
Beginnerā€™s/budget acid Sentinel Acid Sentinel Nery 1.1.2.5
Shieldbreaker (Demolitionist + Oathkeeper)
Beginner Shieldbreaker Skater / speedy farmer, Lokarr, Ravager Fire Shieldbreaker HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Mortar Trap Shieldbreaker Fire Shieldbreaker modal 1.2.1.2
Budget Physical Righteous Fervor S&B Shieldbreaker Physical Shieldbreaker The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Spin2win Shieldbreaker from A to Z Fire Shieldbreaker Nery & Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Fire S&B Shieldbreaker - First char, SR50 Fire Shieldbreaker idontwannaknow0
Sorcerer (Arcanist + Demolitionist)
HC Beginner Fire BwC+Grenado Sorcerer Fire Sorcerer S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Spellbinder (Arcanist + Necromancer)
Beginnerā€™s Nephrite Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.1
Beginnerā€™s Albrechtā€™s Aether Ray Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Nery 1.1.9.3
Spellbreaker (Arcanist + Nightblade)
HC SSF Beginner Cold Ring of Steel Spellbreaker Cold Spellbreaker S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Ultimate Hardcore Spellbreaker- Ice Cold Scoundrel Cold Spellbreaker JY_626
Tactician (Inquisitor + Soldier)
HC Beginner tri-elemental arcane tank tactician Elemental Tactician S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
[Tactician] Serving the Light Aether Tactician Evil_Baka 1.1.9.2
Templar (Arcanist + Oathkeeper)
HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar Lightning Templar S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Beginnerā€™s Scorching Ray Templar Fire Templar Stupid_Dragon 1.1.7.2
Trickster (Nightblade + Shaman)
Vindicator (Inquisitor + Shaman)
Warder (Shaman + Soldier)
Budget Physical Blade Arc S&B Warder - SR80, Ravager Physical Warder The_Coyote 1.1.9.8
Voldrakian Cadence Warder ā€“ SSF journal and guide Physical Warder Ulvar1
Beginnerā€™s Lightning Warder Lightning Warder Stupid_Dragon
Warlock (Arcanist + Occultist)
Warlord (Oathkeeper + Soldier)
SSF HC Fire War Cry Warlord Fire Warlord Cripptid 1.2.1.2
Beginnerā€™s DW ranged physical Warlord Physical Warlord Nery 1.1.9.8
Budget Physical Ranged Dual-Wield Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
SSF Physical Eye of Reckoning Warlord Physical Warlord tqFan 1.1.9.7
The Fakeuisher - Physical Skater Warlord Physical Warlord MysteryMeat 1.1.9.3
Budget Physical Forcewave Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.8.0
Blitz Krieg - A SSF, HC-Viable, New-Player-Friendly Warlord Physical Warlord Ceno
Budget Physical Cadence S&B Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote
Witchblade (Occultist + Soldier)
Witch Hunter (Nightblade + Occultist)

sorted by authors

Nery (16)
The_Coyote (14)
Budget Physical Blade Arc S&B Warder - SR80, Ravager Physical Warder The_Coyote 1.1.9.8
Budget Physical Righteous Fervor S&B Shieldbreaker Physical Shieldbreaker The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Budget Physical Ranged Dual-Wield Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Budget Chaos Melee Dual-Wield Witch Hunter (with a Sigil) Chaos Witch Hunter The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Budget Physical Melee DW Righteous Fervor Oppressor Physical Oppressor The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Budget Physical Two-Handed Melee Savagery Archon Physical Archon The_Coyote
Budget Physical Forcewave Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.8.0
Budget Physical AAR Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Budget dw ranged pierce Paladin Pierce Paladin The_Coyote
Budget 2-handed ranged ā€œThe Desolatorā€ Fire Strike Fire Purifier Fire Purifier The_Coyote
Budget S&B Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote
Budget Physical Cadence S&B Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote
Budget Physical Cadence-Blitz S&B Witchblade Physical Witchblade The_Coyote
Budget Alkamosā€™ Scythe Cold Cadence Blademaster Cold Blademaster The_Coyote
S.E.P_Ralf (11)
HC Beginner tri-elemental arcane tank tactician Elemental Tactician S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC SSF Beginner Cold Ring of Steel Spellbreaker Cold Spellbreaker S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar Lightning Templar S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Beginner Fire 2H melee Vindicator Fire Vindicator S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC Vitality Primal Strike Archon Vitality Archon S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Beginner Dark Oneā€™s Elementalist Vitality Elementalist S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner RoK+Grenado Purifier Fire Purifier S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Acid AoM+DEE Sentinel Acid Sentinel S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Primal Strike Druid Lightning Druid S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
HC Beginner Fire BwC+Grenado Sorcerer Fire Sorcerer S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Stupid_Dragon (11)
Beginnerā€™s Forgotten Blademaster Pierce Blademaster Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Beginnerā€™s Sparky Elementalist Lightning Elementalist Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Beginnerā€™s Virulent Dervish Acid Dervish Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.2
Beginnerā€™s Nephrite Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.1
Beginnerā€™s Phantasmal Blades Reaper Vitality Reaper Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.1
Beginnerā€™s Scorching Ray Templar Fire Templar Stupid_Dragon 1.1.7.2
Beginnerā€™s Phantom Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Apex Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Apostle Death Knight Pets Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s pre-Krieg Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Lightning Warder Lightning Warder Stupid_Dragon
Ulvar1 (5)
Fire Shield Throw Paladin build from scratch Fire Paladin Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Spin2win Shieldbreaker from A to Z Fire Shieldbreaker Nery & Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Drain Essense Apostate ā€“ SSF journal and guide Aether Apostate Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Voldrakian Cadence Warder ā€“ SSF journal and guide Physical Warder Ulvar1
SSF Budget Bleed & Chaos Pet Conjurer Pets Conjurer Ulvar1
Maya (4)
HonorabruSudoku (3)
Stun Jacks + Storm Totems Elementalist, SR 65 & Lokarr Lightning Elementalist HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Shieldbreaker Skater / speedy farmer, Lokarr, Ravager Fire Shieldbreaker HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Beginner Dual-Wield Acid Dervish, SR65+/Lokarr viable Acid Dervish HonorabruSudoku 1.2.0.3
teppieteptep (3)
HC Beginner Fire Pyromancer Fire Pyromancer teppieteptep 1.2.1.2
Beginner Storm Box + Stun Jacks Purifier from scratch Lightning Purifier teppieteptep 1.1.9.0
Beginnerā€™s Fire Blade Arc Commando Fire Commando teppieteptep
tqFan (3)
Cripptid (2)
SSF HC Beginner Chaos FoI Purifier Chaos Purifier Cripptid 1.2.1.2
SSF HC Fire War Cry Warlord Fire Warlord Cripptid 1.2.1.2
Evil_Baka (2)
Ruinous Apostle - chaos caster Chaos Pyromancer Evil_Baka 1.1.7.1
[Tactician] Serving the Light Aether Tactician Evil_Baka 1.1.9.2
Monceaux (2)
Paikis (2)
Beginnerā€™s Fire Gunslinger Purifier Fire Purifier Paikis 1.2.0.5
Beginnerā€™s Fire Pet Cabalist Pets Cabalist Paikis 1.1.9.8
thepowerofmediocrity (2)
Beginnerā€™s Pre-Gargabolā€™s Defiler Vitality Defiler thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.5
Beginnerā€™s Shield Caster Sentinel - SSF Vitality Sentinel thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.1
Brewshock84 (1)
Acid Aegis Sentinel - Leveling Journal Acid Sentinel Brewshock84 1.1.9.7
Ceno (1)
Crab_Turtle_2112 (1)
Beginner Lightning Rune of Kalastor Paladin Lightning Paladin Crab_Turtle_2112 1.2.0.3
idontwannaknow0 (1)
JY_626 (1)
modal (1)
Beginner Mortar Trap Shieldbreaker Fire Shieldbreaker modal 1.2.1.2
MysteryMeat (1)
The Fakeuisher - Physical Skater Warlord Physical Warlord MysteryMeat 1.1.9.3
Salvor (1)
Beginnerā€™s Vitality Ignaffar Deceiver Vitality Deceiver Salvor 1.1.8.1
Silent_N (1)
Skelemental (1)
sp00ky (1)
Pure Soldier Beginner Forcewave 1-75 Leveling Guide Physical Soldier sp00ky 1.1.9.0
Uncle_Mac (1)

sorted by playstyles

Casters (40)

Cooldown Caster (24)
(main spell has cooldown)

Off-hand
HC Beginner Fire Pyromancer Fire Pyromancer teppieteptep 1.2.1.2
Beginner Mortar Trap Shieldbreaker Fire Shieldbreaker modal 1.2.1.2
Beginner Dark Oneā€™s Elementalist Vitality Elementalist S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Fire BwC+Grenado Sorcerer Fire Sorcerer S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s Ravenous Earth Ritualist Vitality Ritualist Nery 1.1.9.6
Trozanā€™s Ice Shards - A cold Warlock Beginner Guide Cold Warlock Monceaux 1.1.9.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget lightning Vindicator (caster version) Lightning Vindicator Nery 1.1.9.1
Beginnerā€™s Sparky Elementalist Lightning Elementalist Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Beginner Storm Box + Stun Jacks Purifier from scratch Lightning Purifier teppieteptep 1.1.9.0
Beginnerā€™s/budget vitality RE Oppressor + Cabalist Vitality Oppressor/Cabalist Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s vitality caster Conjurer guide Vitality Conjurer Nery 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget acid Sentinel Acid Sentinel Nery 1.1.2.5
Shield
Beginner Lightning Rune of Kalastor Paladin Lightning Paladin Crab_Turtle_2112 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner RoK+Grenado Purifier Fire Purifier S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Acid AoM+DEE Sentinel Acid Sentinel S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Acid Aegis Sentinel - Leveling Journal Acid Sentinel Brewshock84 1.1.9.7
How to play Sigil of Consumption - HC - Ravager Vitality Sentinel mostmost 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s Shield Caster Sentinel - SSF Vitality Sentinel thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.1
Fire Shield Throw Paladin build from scratch Fire Paladin Ulvar1 1.1.8.1
Ruinous Apostle - chaos caster Chaos Pyromancer Evil_Baka 1.1.7.1
Dual Wield
HC SSF Beginner Cold Ring of Steel Spellbreaker Cold Spellbreaker S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Cold DW Caster Infiltrator | Beginner guide + Endgame Cold Infiltrator tqFan 1.1.9.7
2H Weapon
SSF HC Fire War Cry Warlord Fire Warlord Cripptid 1.2.1.2
Beginnerā€™s Pre-Gargabolā€™s Defiler Vitality Defiler thepowerofmediocrity 1.1.9.5

Channeler (9)
(main spell is continuous)

Albrechtā€™s Aether Ray
HC Beginner lightning AAR Templar Lightning Templar S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Budget Physical AAR Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s Albrechtā€™s Aether Ray Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Nery 1.1.9.3
The Rookie Bloodsworn - A chaos Warlock Beginner Guide Chaos Warlock Monceaux 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Scorching Ray Templar Fire Templar Stupid_Dragon 1.1.7.2
Flames of Ignaffar
SSF HC Beginner Chaos FoI Purifier Chaos Purifier Cripptid 1.2.1.2
[Tactician] Serving the Light Aether Tactician Evil_Baka 1.1.9.2
Beginnerā€™s Vitality Ignaffar Deceiver Vitality Deceiver Salvor 1.1.8.1
Drain Essence
Drain Essense Apostate ā€“ SSF journal and guide Aether Apostate Ulvar1 1.1.8.1

Spam Caster (7)
(main spell has no cooldown)

1H & Off-hand
Stun Jacks + Storm Totems Elementalist, SR 65 & Lokarr Lightning Elementalist HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
Dreegā€™s Evil Eye Sentinel - leveling and beginner build Acid Sentinel tqFan 1.1.9.3
Beginnerā€™s Nephrite Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.1
Beginnerā€™s/budget PRM Mage Hunter Elemental Mage Hunter Nery 1.1.3.0
2H Weapon
Beginnerā€™s Phantasmal Blades Reaper Vitality Reaper Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.1
Pure Soldier Beginner Forcewave 1-75 Leveling Guide Physical Soldier sp00ky 1.1.9.0
Budget Physical Forcewave Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote 1.1.8.0

Melee (33)

2H Melee (12)

HC Beginner tri-elemental arcane tank tactician Elemental Tactician S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
Beginner Fire 2H melee Vindicator Fire Vindicator S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.1.2
HC Vitality Primal Strike Archon Vitality Archon S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
HC Beginner Primal Strike Druid Lightning Druid S.E.P_Ralf 1.1.9.8
Beginnerā€™s Apex Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Physical Two-Hand Blade Arc Witchblade Physical Witchblade Nery
Beginnerā€™s 2H melee Lucius Battlemage Aether Battlemage Nery
Beginnerā€™s Lightning Warder Lightning Warder Stupid_Dragon
Beginnerā€™s Fire Blade Arc Commando Fire Commando teppieteptep
Default Attacker
Budget Physical Two-Handed Melee Savagery Archon Physical Archon The_Coyote
Voldrakian Cadence Warder ā€“ SSF journal and guide Physical Warder Ulvar1
Budget Alkamosā€™ Scythe Cold Cadence Blademaster Cold Blademaster The_Coyote

DW Melee (10)

Default Attacker
Beginner Dual-Wield Acid Dervish, SR65+/Lokarr viable Acid Dervish HonorabruSudoku 1.2.0.3
Budget Chaos Melee Dual-Wield Witch Hunter (with a Sigil) Chaos Witch Hunter The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Budget Physical Melee DW Righteous Fervor Oppressor Physical Oppressor The_Coyote 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s Forgotten Blademaster Pierce Blademaster Stupid_Dragon 1.1.9.0
Budget cold DW melee Saboteur - the journey! Cold Saboteur Nery 1.1.8.1
Beginnerā€™s Virulent Dervish Acid Dervish Stupid_Dragon 1.1.5.2
Beginnerā€™s/budget DW cold melee Trickster Cold Trickster Nery 1.1.3.0
Shadow Striker
Beginnerā€™s Acid Shadow Strike Witch Hunter Guide Acid Witch Hunter Silent_N
Beginnerā€™s Phantom Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator Stupid_Dragon
Ultimate Hardcore Spellbreaker- Ice Cold Scoundrel Cold Spellbreaker JY_626

Shield Melee (9)

Blitz + Default Attack
HC Beginner Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage S.E.P_Ralf 1.2.0.3
Blitz Krieg - A SSF, HC-Viable, New-Player-Friendly Warlord Physical Warlord Ceno
Budget S&B Physical Battlemage Physical Battlemage The_Coyote
Budget Physical Cadence-Blitz S&B Witchblade Physical Witchblade The_Coyote
Default Attack
Budget Physical Righteous Fervor S&B Shieldbreaker Physical Shieldbreaker The_Coyote 1.1.9.7
Beginnerā€™s Fire S&B Shieldbreaker - First char, SR50 Fire Shieldbreaker idontwannaknow0
Beginnerā€™s pre-Krieg Death Knight Physical Death Knight Stupid_Dragon
Budget Physical Cadence S&B Warlord Physical Warlord The_Coyote
Other
Budget Physical Blade Arc S&B Warder - SR80, Ravager Physical Warder The_Coyote 1.1.9.8

Spin2Win (2)

SSF Physical Eye of Reckoning Warlord Physical Warlord tqFan 1.1.9.7
Spin2win Shieldbreaker from A to Z Fire Shieldbreaker Nery & Ulvar1 1.1.8.1

Pets (9)

Ranged (8)

Skater (2)

Beginner Shieldbreaker Skater / speedy farmer, Lokarr, Ravager Fire Shieldbreaker HonorabruSudoku 1.2.1.2
The Fakeuisher - Physical Skater Warlord Physical Warlord MysteryMeat 1.1.9.3

ā–§ Beginner setups (w/o detailed leveling)

56 Likes

ā–§ Beginner setups (w/o detailed leveling)

Link to thread damage type class author game version

sorted by authors

Nery (3)
Beginnerā€™s/budget DW pierce ranged Tactician Pierce Tactician Nery 1.1.9.3
Budget DW melee cold Infiltrator, Gladiator 150-170 Cold Infiltrator Nery 1.1.5.1
Budget cold DW melee Blademaster Cold Blademaster Nery 1.1.3.1
banana_peel (2)
American dream: from 0 to beating endgame Pierce Blademaster banana_peel 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s Shadow Strike Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator banana_peel 1.1.6.2
Maya (2)
Nocturne ā€“ Lazy, Budget, Player scaled Pets Vitality Conjurer & Ritualist Maya 1.2.1.2
IceCream - Budget Forcewave Soldier Physical Soldier Maya 1.1.9.8
AlexGoldFish_322 (1)
Full Faction Gear Ritualist Vitality Ritualist AlexGoldFish_322 1.1.7.1
AlkamosHater (1)
Semi-beginner target-farmable Outcast Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder AlkamosHater 1.1.8.1
Dabuwa87 (1)
SSF shieldbreaker mortar trap blackwater cocktail Fire Shieldbreaker Dabuwa87 1.1.9.4
gargabolo (1)
Beginnerā€™s Hybrid Pet Warder - The Mogdrogen Cleaver Pets / Physical Warder gargabolo 1.1.9.1
mostmost (1)
How to play Sigil of Consumption - HC - Ravager Vitality Sentinel mostmost 1.1.9.4
supertolik (1)
Beginners Phantasmal blades Spite Blademaster Pierce Blademaster supertolik 1.1.7.2
Udars (1)
Xervous (1)
BYOB (Build Your Own Breaker) Cold Spellbreaker Xervous 1.1.6.2

sorted by game version

Nocturne ā€“ Lazy, Budget, Player scaled Pets Vitality Conjurer & Ritualist Maya 1.2.1.2
IceCream - Budget Forcewave Soldier Physical Soldier Maya 1.1.9.8
SSF shieldbreaker mortar trap blackwater cocktail Fire Shieldbreaker Dabuwa87 1.1.9.4
How to play Sigil of Consumption - HC - Ravager Vitality Sentinel mostmost 1.1.9.4
Beginnerā€™s/budget DW pierce ranged Tactician Pierce Tactician Nery 1.1.9.3
Beginnerā€™s Hybrid Pet Warder - The Mogdrogen Cleaver Pets / Physical Warder gargabolo 1.1.9.1
Semi-beginner target-farmable Outcast Spellbinder Aether Spellbinder AlkamosHater 1.1.8.1
Beginners Phantasmal blades Spite Blademaster Pierce Blademaster supertolik 1.1.7.2
Full Faction Gear Ritualist Vitality Ritualist AlexGoldFish_322 1.1.7.1
American dream: from 0 to beating endgame Pierce Blademaster banana_peel 1.1.6.2
Beginnerā€™s Shadow Strike Infiltrator Cold Infiltrator banana_peel 1.1.6.2
BYOB (Build Your Own Breaker) Cold Spellbreaker Xervous 1.1.6.2
Budget DW melee cold Infiltrator, Gladiator 150-170 Cold Infiltrator Nery 1.1.5.1
Budget cold DW melee Blademaster Cold Blademaster Nery 1.1.3.1
Vanquisher Fire Sentinel, semi-beginner and farmable Fire Sentinel Udars 1.1.3.0

Beginner builds ā€“ what are they?

Items are key for making good builds in Grim Dawn (GD). As a new player, you naturally have no items, so how to make a good build that can farm items? These builds and guides can help you with that, they are kind of ā€transitionā€ builds, something you can make even with terrible RNG luck. The builds are focused around faction items, ā€œtarget farmableā€ green Monster infrequent (MI) items with not too good rolls (target farmable means you can target a monster or area and you have high chance to get them compared to random drop legendary items). Also some blue items (epic) are used since they have much higher drop chance than legendaries.

Most of these builds also contain leveling advice, some have journals to show real life examples of builds in various stages of the progress.

Some of these builds also uses the target farmable legendary sets Kriegā€™s Armament and Dark Oneā€™s Gift.

But what about this or that build guide I saw on reddit / youtube?

I have limited myself to include the build guides that are posted here on this forum. The guides included have a dedicated thread and follow the ā€œphilosophiesā€ of beginner build like focuses on faction items and easy to get monster infrequents as described above.

Patches ā€“ is the build still viable?

Patches in Grim Dawn does not work the same way as in say Path of Exile. Even if a guide is 3-4 patches old, it is still 95%-100% accurate. Given that the purpose of these build guides are to help you get a char to start doing end-game, you should not care about it being ā€oldā€ or ā€outdatedā€. You can also just ask in the thread for that particular guide if there is some important item or skill change.

What is more relevant is if the endgame - Best in Slot (BiS) geared builds that are often presented last in these guides are updated and viable. But the leveling and budget gearing part is as mentioned 95%-100% accurate and relevant.

Build uses items with variable rolls ā€“ how can I even try to replicated those?

Green items can be very powerful and drop way more often than legendaries (purples). The presented builds are just examples, never try to get exactly those rolls of affixes. Instead, try to puzzling good greens that you have found to cover resistances and stats like offensive ability (OA) and defensive ability (DA).

A particular kind of green item type is ā€œMonster Infrequentā€ (MI) which very often give very nice skill bonuses. They drop from fixed monster sources so they are pretty easy to get. Mind though, a perfect roll might take forever to get, but a perfect roll is not needed for a build to ā€œworkā€. Get around 5 or so of each MI and save them in your stash. Then you combine them together with other items that you find and faction gear to cover resistances etc.

What builds are HC viable?

For me, HC success is about your own play style and playing skills. Also, I think most people start with softcore to learn about the game and builds first. Some authors here only play HC, like Stupid_Dragon so check out his builds maybe. But again, he is an experienced and good player and builder, just because he was able to pull if off will not mean that you necessarily will. Vitality casters are also a safe bet, mostly because the amount of life steal they have. Finally soldier based builds can also provide the extra defenses for HC if you are new.

Playstyles - what are they?

Personally I think the most important thing is to figure out what playstyle fit you most, what do you enjoy playing? In this compendium builds are sorted in playstyle so it will be easier for you to pinpoint what builds looks interesting for you to try out.

You can learn more about playstyles in this guide Builds types and styles in GD

  • [Caster] - a generic tag for casters. Here are some important sub-categories:

    • [Spam caster] - have its main spell(s) as skills that scales with casting speed and have essentially no cooldown.
    • [Cooldown caster] - have its main spell(s) as skills that have cooldown and thus make it ideal for kiting/ā€œhit and runā€.
    • [Channeler] - a build that has to ā€œchannelā€ a skill to do damage. Eye of Reckoning counts as one, even though it scales with attack speed instead of casting speed.
    • [2H Caster] : for any caster that uses a two-hander weapon. No cooldown Forcewave counts as one.
    • [Shield Caster] : for any caster that uses a shield for whatever reason, builds based around Aegis of Menhir and cooldown Forcewave automatically count as one.
  • [DW Melee] - a melee autoattack build that hits enemies with two weapons;

  • [2H Melee] - a melee autoattack build that hits enemies with a two-hander;

  • [Shield Melee] - a melee autoattack build that carries a shield;

  • [DW Ranged] - a ranged autoattack build that hits enemies with two weapons;

  • [2H Ranged] - a ranged autoattack build that hits enemies with a two-hander;

  • [Pets] - summoners and the kind; There are two kinds of pets, those that scale with pet bonuses and those that scales with player bonuses (pseudo-pets) often when we talk about pets in GD we refer to pets that scales with pet bonuses.

  • [Pets / Player] - builds which have pets scaling with pet bonuses and player scaled skills both dealing significant damage

  • [Skater] ā€“ Vire might skill, you skate back and forth dealing damage and activate procs. Fast movement means you can be quite efficient farming totems and materials for crafting.

I got stuck - what should I do?

You can read the other guides linked in the bottom of this page. You can also make a forum account and ask the author in the guide you are trying to follow. Also make sure to read all the comments in the guide thread, there might be others who have asked the same question.

You can also join the official discord Grim Dawn and ask there - try to be specific and explain what guide you are following and what you are trying to do and are having problems with.

Build collections

Some authors have made a compendium of their beginner builds with additional information and tips.

More Guides etc. (click me)
7 Likes

Great collection!

You also skip making your own thread and instead made topic with all builds. :slightly_smiling_face:

Sorted by play styles is also very cool! I find the lack of ranged builds disturbing. May do some 2H Purifier. Iā€™ve left the leveling process some time ago, due to not being enjoyable but itā€™s worth trying again, I guess.

Edit, you missed my Battlemage.

2 Likes

Hi nery, not sure what you mean here?

I also thought of that, I had sketch of 2H ranged ABB dervish that looked promising, like cheap version of this [1.1.5.0] Acid Ranged Dervish - 5:50 Crucible [g5][c+][vid]

yeah I did! I had this text in draft in a word file that I made like 1 week ago and forgot to add bottlemage!

1 Like

I mean Ulvarā€™s top beginners, ultimate farming beginner builds collection. :rofl:

Also Dervish is nice idea but the class already have great DW melee guide.

2 Likes

ah yes true I need to have more hype and advertisments like those You Tube builds :slight_smile: Perhaps add some commercials ā€œthis build is sponsored by coca colaā€

Yeah that is why I thought ā€œsword and boardā€ chaos blade arc witchblade would be redundant, also sword and board warlordā€¦there is forcwave :stuck_out_tongue:

Here is a gun and shield paladin I made https://www.grimtools.com/calc/D2p9gl1V

ABB 2H ranged dervish https://www.grimtools.com/calc/gZwl5blN

And this can be fun, COMMANDO https://www.grimtools.com/calc/dVbmqJ32 (yeah I know of Ba amulet but 8% OA is nice too)

1 Like

At this point, I can conclude that people just want their stuff spoonfed to them. Beginner builds is literally one of the first sections on the compendium and people still donā€™t find it.

But more places to find stuff is never bad. And I love how you formatted it by style! Noobs usually donā€™t know classes or damage types sorting by style is a good idea.

11 Likes

I can also add more clear what damage type and also class combo. Maybe also separate spam and cooldown casters

Sometimes I wonder if I should just delete the single class builds from Compendium and use the first post for budget builds instead.

2 Likes

Now if you want you can link to this thread perhaps

Looking good brother, a few ideas :

  • This isnā€™t too necessary right now as there arenā€™t many guides, but a summary linking to each playstyle section would be handy to navigate faster

  • Inspired from the end game compendium, a tag to indicate the guide has gameplay video(s), maybe other tags like ā€œhc viableā€ (if the builder considers it is), etc

  • Where are the links to Rektā€™s channel/guide compendium ? D:
    And perhaps other youtubers that do quality stuff

  • Iā€™d remove that little jab in the green spoiler, that does not feel very professionnal :thinking:

Good job on the disclaimers at the beginning, those questions come back often and theyā€™re answered well :ok_hand:

1 Like

Thanks for feedback. I can add some more tags. HC viable is for me play skills primarily.

I wanted to limit build guides that have dedicated thread on forum like dragons compendium so no YT guides.

True, though some builds do feel safer and fool-proof (looking at you, vitality casters) and HC enthusiasts may want to begin with a safer bet so indicating those would help
Rekt does have a compendium thread and a dedicated thread for each build so I think he qualifies for the criterion, given heā€™s the largest resource for HC gameplay, he makes a fine addition to the collection

One question, if someone wanted to add his guide from an external source like, Reddit for example, is that possible and would there be a form to fill ?

2 Likes

Thanks for the proposal, but Iā€™ll have to deny it. Long ago Iā€™ve beaten certain someone to Compendium management by volunteering myself, and time proven me right. Iā€™m fine with you doing a beatiful version of budget build section of Compendium, but mine has to remain as a backup.

1 Like

Yeah maybe but I think dividing into hc viable and not can be a bit missleading too. Also most ppl start in softcore to gain knowledge of game. I know dragon play hc exclusive so his builds are of course safe bet.

To be fair, all rekts builds do not have own thread and the vast majority of them are not ssf or geared with same philosophy as these other beginner/budget builds. I have watched some of this SSF stuff, and I see whenever he drops a good legendary he just equip it which would go against this beginner/budget build philosophy. Like my warder, I dropped two avanger set items but refrained of using them just to make a point that build works even without RNG luck so to say,

Format I guess just make a dedicated thread about build guide on the forum. I think 99% of content should be written format. So no thread with a link to yt or reddit only.

2 Likes

TBH I should remove Mayas pet builds for consistancy, because not even I can find themā€¦ linking to her compendium ā€œthe carnivalā€ should be enough.

1 Like

9 posts were split to a new topic: Reddit and builds discussion

A post was merged into an existing topic: Reddit and builds discussion

I made an account here literally just to tell you how much of a beautiful bastard you are. Been wanting something like this for ages, seeing as Iā€™m both new and awful at this game. Thanks a million.

3 Likes

Hot damn @Ulvar1! This is great! Glad to have you in the community, brother. Keep this stuff coming, man!

2 Likes