You stack cold damage here , Aether does nothing if you follow this build
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At level 30 it doesn’t really matter too much yet.
Until you reach much higher levels, your primary focus should be on resistances. An item that gives good resistances but boosts physical damage will help MUCH more than one that boosts cold damage by a few %.
In the end game it matters a lot more. (Though even my characters sometimes use items of the wrong damage type just because it provides other bonuses they really need.)
Conversion is a very complex and tricky subject in this game, you can find some tutorials on it like this one:
But the main takeaway is that % damage (like a ring that gives +50% aether damage) is not converted, so it’s always useless.
Flat damage (like a ring that gives 10 aether damage) can be converted, but it is ONLY applied to attacks that deal weapon damage and is multiplied by the % weapon damage on the skill. (Which is normal attacks, but also spells and abilities that say they include weapon damage, like Primal Strike or even Dreeg’s Evil Eye.)
Drain Essence does NOT deal % weapon damage, so a ring that gives +10 aether damage (or +10 cold damage) is useless to you. Only items that add damage to DE directly (like the Mythical Grasp of the Dead used in this build) will help you.
TLDR: Get items that give % cold damage, those are the only ones that are really helpful besides some very specific ones used in this build.
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Do I need to get exact affixes on MI early? Like before level 90 or getting full end game set.
Nope ,just use whatever compliment your build ,later after you get the set you can farm for better ones
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Can you explain how this build is still good after nerf? I just read the patch note and not sure how bad it affects the build but nerf to skill, item seems a lots.
Maybe the build should be fine in 1.3 because of:
- More hp from spirit?
- Or leech res from boss is reduced and DE is good for clearing mob packs in SR?
because it wasn’t nerfed very much, and was OP af before - people consistently misread patch notes +over-attribute “nerfs” and their impacts, but also forget take them in context to the existing. If you had a build that was 110% that got knocked down 50%, that’s alot, but if you have a build that’s 9999% that gets knocked down 10%, that’s not exactly in the same realm.
here’s a quick glance of 1.2 vs 1.3
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It’s a deserve nerf but barely noticeable, Drain Essence is ridiculously strong even in 1.3
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To be fair Blade Spirits were also nerfed.
However because of the souls rebalance DE builds are extremely good at clearing as you can evaporate huge hero packs and churn thru crowds really fast. And add to that godly mobility and qol (just one extra active button besides DE itself - Omen) that never went away.
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Is there a way to farm MI effectively? For exp I’m level 95 and wanna farm the Korvan Plating so just re-running Cairn-docks many times till I get a good one? As mine is low level (55 only)
Cairn docks is best spot for this but it’s a rare drop , since this is not endgame piece I will take the first ok roll and call it a win
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Hello, I just got back to Grim Dawn after many years of not playing. I got the DLC’s and saw this build, and thought to give it try. So now I have a question. Looking at the Devotion order, I see it lists taking a Crossroad, then a skill supported by that Crossroad, and then saying to remove the Crossroad. So an example is the first instance. Take Purple Crossroad, then Empty Throne, then Remove Purple Crossroad.
You can’t remove the Crossroad if it’s supporting another Devotion. So I am clearly missing something. Could anyone help and let me know what I should actually be doing with respect to this and devotions in general? Thanks.
Empty Throne gives 5 purple affinity so I don’t need the crossroad anymore , Empty Throne support itself , works for any other colours as well. This post have 11 k clicks if path doesn’t work someone should mention it , nobody can force you to follow my path but its the optimal path for this guide and is directly prio to the endgame setup
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Hey there, thanks for the reply. The build is great so far, and I am following it. And I do want to follow your devotion path. I just don’t see what’s not working right. I took the Purple Crossroad. Then one point into Empty Throne. Then it says to Remove the Purple Crossroad, but it won’t let me, saying there is a Constellation Dependency, Empty Throne. So I am not sure what’s wrong. I am guessing I need more points in Empty Throne first. Maybe you meant for all three points into Empty Throne before removing the Purple Crossroad? Thanks for your help.
Yes, looking more closely, and looking at the GrimTools builds for level 10 and 20, I see you do have to fill out the constellation first to get the affinity bonus. Sorry for bothering you. Just didn’t remember this stuff. Thanks again.
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No problem at all , glad to help , all devotions that are not listed under “X points” are complete devotions
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Hey, one question regarding the amulet while leveling:
isn’t it worth going for Ellen’s Necklace for +1 Nightblade?
I know Ill Omen is cold res and some cold damage, but I find it clunky to use in channeling builds. Was wondering what you think of Ellena’s.
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Deffinatelly an option I am pretty sure I mentioned it somewhere may in the videos , just that area is a bit nasty but amulet is totally viable and can be better even in some regards ,because is cold bieased amulet when Ungoliax goes more towards random affixes and vitality
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True, but this build is totally unethical.
Herald + Spectral shield = I have easier time playing with only mouse than I had with full pet occultists or necromancers. I’m shocked at how strong Drain Essence is. I think it’s way overtuned for leveling.
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Well it is , you have to see the Ritualist 160 K DPS in level 60 just with faction gear and few MIs 
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I’ll omen has damage reduction