build concept: Spellbreaker DoTburster

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
1

UPDATE to V2

changelog:
09 OCT DW overload DoTburster
10 OCT 2H overload DoTburster–no DW dots :frowning:
12 OCT 1H overload DoTburser–weapon damage irrelevant to DoT, off-hand gives faster recharge for weapon skills

I’m toying with a build concept and would like feedback.

I’m currently playing a spellbreaker that is a lot of fun. It’s a hit-and-run style using overload and nightblade weapon skills, and I’m always surprise at how well the DoTs work. My concept is for a build using 2-hander with flat damage DoTs to spread weapon damage multiplied AoE DoTs. Overload is a must because it’s a single skill providing three DoTs. Exploring the options, spellbreaker seems like the ideal candidate. A druid might seem like another option, but it has fewer weapon skills for spreading the DoTs, and the shaman’s RR skills are less reliable.

I’ve searched the build compendium, and didn’t see anything quite like this, I’ve also found this thread, where the main conclusion is that the game offers insufficient elemental RR to make an overload build worthwhile. I have to disagree with that conclusion. moreover, that thread offered no actual builds and I’d like to remedy that here too.

so the build, it’s pure theory, I have none of this equipment, it’s just built on grimtools.
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2EGYw7Z

I only use the points that I thought would be minimum, so extra points could be dumped into supporting skills, or to make the base skills better; suggestions are welcome. I also only obtain the devotions I thought were necessary, so the additional 9 points could be expended buffing resistances.

nightblade skills offer as much cold RR as any class offers any sort of RR, and also a little fire and elemental RR. shaman has better elemental RR in the wind devil line, but the WD is less reliable than the veil of shadow aura that ensures anything in melee range is debuffed; my hypothesis is that, from an RR perspective, druid might be better for a ranged overload build, but spellbreaker is better for melee. From devotions, rumour offers cold RR, and viper and ultos offer elemental RR. The build could have as much cold RR as anything else possible, and it does mostly frostburn damage, so that’s important. the build also does respectable poison/acid, and as it turns out a lot of cold RR comes with poison/acid RR too. In all, the primary damage is frostburn, with substantial amounts of poison, fire, and electrocute, where the RR for each damage type is about in proportion to the damage output of the build.

as for applying the DoTs, the nightblade weapon skills are perfect. a typical attack sequence starts with shadow strike to move in an proc a single target DoT, ABB to proc an AoE DoT and lethal assault, RoS to proc another AoE DoT, then run or shadow strike away to pick off ranged attackers or avoid AoE. use mirror to make good the escape, or preemptively for safety.

2

Not how weapon damage dots work.

Read the guide for dots

3

I see where in that thread it says overload can apply from main OR off, but I’d tested it and found otherwise, as shown in the screen cap (left dummy). Now that I’ve seen what you point out, I’m second guessing myself, but like I said I’ve tested it and found otherwise.

screenshot windows 7

The test in the screen cap had only sources of frostburn, and overload. I start with ABB, then hit with RoS. If what you say is true, then it would be impossible for there to be all three (frost, burn, and electrocute) simultaneously, but in the picture it’s clearly there. I wondered if maybe one of the other DoTs was taking over and the other animation fading, but having tested applying multiple overload DoTs from one hand, and seeing the fading happen, I’m fairly certain that’s not what’s happening; all three animations are there for a good second. It’s hard to tell that from the screencap (one could say, well, maybe the frost is fading away) but try it and you’ll see.

Maybe you (or someone else) can test and explain why I’m wrong, but it looks to me like there are at least one of each frostburn, burn, and electrocute on that dummy. ABB applies frostburn, but if overload can apply only from one hand or the other, then there shouldn’t also be fire and electrocute. In fact, if what you say is true, then it should be impossible for fire and electrocute to be there simultaneously, but they clearly are. I’m not one to question experts, but I test things before trying, and I had tested this and thought it would work :frowning:

4

Have you considered that you might just not understand overload at all? (Hint - you don’t)

5

So one of each overload dot can be applied from a single source. Thanks for pointing that out. Thought that wasn’t the case

6

revised to 2H as DW DoTs don’t work :frowning: On the other hand, overload can proc each elemental DoT, so for overload build 2H seems like the way to go. of course, that opens up the possibility that druid or battlemage would be better options for an overload build. Well, battlemage has no elemental RR. Druid has the RR, weapon skills, and an auto-attack replacer. However, it seems to me that nightblade has better weapon skills for the overload DoTs, better RR for fast melee style, and an auto-attack isn’t necessary or desired–they’re DoTs, it’s hit-and-run!

the build may look like soulrend breaker, but it’s rather different (soulrend didn’t use overload, and went only for cold/frostburn)

welcoming any feedback (even the cryptic and condescending kind, if it points out something I missed.)