Build recommendation for ultimate (tanky, aoe, damage over time, no soldier skill)

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
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Hi. New to the forum, need some recommendations. I have so far left behind me almost 500 of playtime for Grim Dawn over the years. I got two characters who reached level 100 on ultimate who both had soldier skills, but I want to try something new. No soldier skills. I love aoe damage and its a bonus if I can have either retaliation or life leech/damage over time or something to that effect. Someone who has good offense and defense and can be tanky and not squishy, to make it to level 100 on ultimate difficulty. Any suggestions?

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tanky and aoe could easily be Elementalist, funnily enough can also squeeze some retaliation in there tho i don’t think it would be my first choice
Elementalist can get pretty crazy regen, similar like Soldiers.

If you’re fine with casting stuff like bwc/totems/stun jacks you could make a lightning elementalist with either Light’s Defender style approach or some jank rata until endgame items (lightning/retal blackwater cocktail stuff is lvl 94)

You can also make a Conjurer pretty tanky with regen and passives like Possession

Warlock can get this neat semi/pseudo tankiness from mix of defensive layers comboed with various procs/healing and active lifesavers(mirror/nulli)
Purifier/magehunter/Deceiver can sorta do the same with mix of inquis seal and other absorbs etc

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Thanks for the suggestions, this gave me a few options to consider :slight_smile: Does not have to be retaliation, as long as there is good aoe and regen you should be very set. I`m not the best with totems/stun jacks and such things, but at this point, I am open to anything and willing to try something new.

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Primal Strike spam elementalist is nice AoE and can get high regen and life steal

Here is a leveling build guide for Warder [1.2.1.6] Hardcore Beginner Lightning Cooldown Primal Strike Warder SR26

But you can easily adjust it to elementalist instead, here is a template level 100 build you can aim for. Use another helm, shoulders and medal, and no savagery stuff just spam primal strike. That’s it. Elementalist, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator

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reason i mention stun jacks on the elementalist side, aside from endgame set ofc, there is MI items adding lifesteal to stunjacks, so it becomes this “easy” combo of regen+lifesteal build with potential for extra AoE depending on adding in one thing or the other/with wind devils already as RR at minimum giving some extra aoe there Elementalist, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.6) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Since end set also supports totems that might then be an aoe option ofc, but technically not the only one. Since there’s BWC/Lightning Canister or Grenado as options too for actives on demo side
sadly i think Lightning vines was a GrimLeague thing tho :sweat_smile:

otherwise it’s stuff like that/item with leech modifiers to watch out for on XY class skills, or weapon dmg skill like ex primal strilke to look out for to get global leech via %WD with(regardless of regen mechancis ofc)

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You could start with Demolitionist + Shaman, using 2x Gollus' Ring - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database and maybe even adding Mythical Thread of Mortality - Items - Grim Dawn Item Database on top. From there you probably can do some aoe tanks without sacrifice too much for tankiness on the other equip slots.

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7

even more options :stuck_out_tongue: đź”° Beginner Build Compendium - 108 guides for AoM & FG expansions

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Thank you all for suggestions :slight_smile: There are so many options for builds in this game and I can never seem to agree with myself what to try, lol. Hence the asking for suggestions from others in what direction I should take it next :slight_smile:

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Neither ultimate or reaching level 100 is “hard”. You should aim higher than so.

Does any of your current chars have revered reputation with factions? This is important because once you are revered you can buy mandates to speed up reptutation grind for future chars. And, one faction sells experience gain potions which will also speed up the process. Once you are revered with factions, they sell you armor and weapon augments which grants extra resistances and damage.

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Thanks for the tip. Yes, I have focused on getting those faction mandates and have them all of them :slight_smile:

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Death Knight and Warder is what I have with my other two characters. Both fun classes to play.

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if you want something radically different from that i’d probably suggest the warlock/pyro/sorc caster stuff
Spamming doom bolts or lazoring with AAR or hurling molotovs/grenades instead of big chonk bonk is pretty contrasting or “refreshing” character levelling/play sometimes, potentially, (imo)

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Sounds like fun! This one I will keep in mind :slight_smile:

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I thought about some Fire Bomber too, here are a few from Beginner Compendium:
:link: Fire Grenado & Canister Bomb Pyromancer HC 1.2.1.5 Cripptid
:link: Fire Blackwater Cocktail & Doom Bolt Pyromancer HC 1.2.1.2 teppieteptep
:link: Fire Rune of Kalastor & Grenado Purifier HC 1.2.0.3 S.E.P_Ralf
:link: Fire Grenado & Blackwater Cocktail Sorcerer HC 1.1.9.8 S.E.P_Ralf
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