[Feedback] Dreadscorcher sorc is pretty bad

Grim Dawn Ideas and Feedback
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Despite buffs from 1.1.8.x and 1.1.9.x, this weapon - or archetype I guess - still kinda sucks. Don’t know where Purifier or Defiler stand, but Sorc definitely has issues.

Build itself: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/Q2zjMPd2

Was built around Krieg set, but what else is new. Was also considering non-set version, but it requires extra greens which I can’t be bothered farming.

Now let’s talk stats. Ingame DPS shows something around 190k, which is not too shabby number-wise. Build also has 99 aether RR. But for some unknown reason you can’t feel that damage while actually playing. Chthonians die quickly alright, but that’s the whole idea of “opposing forces” thing.

AoE damage almost doesn’t exist despite fully converted Brimstone and 12/12 Explosive Strike. I was trying to somewhat fix this by picking Imp constellation, but unfortunatelly it doesn’t do much as it is bound to Thermite Mines (we need Arcane Bomb on Fire Strike itself). Procs from gear are weak and barely scratch even the trashiest of mobs.

Ok, if AoE sucks, maybe it does great single target damage? Nope. For a 2h build with lots of flat damage and pretty high %WD (164% to be exact) single target damage is very modest. Biggest issues are Aleksander and that damned Slathsaar Fumblegaze or whatever his name. If Alex can be pretty dangerous if not careful, that snake is just plain annoing to deal with. Half the shots get fumbled away which sends all survivability down the pipe.

Well, if damage department is underwhelming, maybe it’s tanky then? No, not that either. Health is rather low (around 12k). DA is complete trash. CC resists are pretty good though. The only reason this build is able to survive is because I went more defensive in devotions. For defences it has DR from Empyrion, Flashbang, % damage absorb, Blast Shield and Serenity. In video I made for dmeonstration you can see Serenity procced two times I believe.

One SR 65-66 took me 14 minutes, and that’s with decent mutators!

To be honest, I’m not too sure how Sorc part can be improved. For better AoE I was thinking about changing +4 to Static Strike to +4 to Brimstone. By my calculations it should improve fragment’s damage by approx. 30%, and it will add 1 extra fragment. Also maybe add proc from non-mythical version.

OA on the gun could be improved as well. Most of 2h rifles have it at ~100 mark, and even Witching Hour, a pet item, has higher OA - I mean, c’mon.

But maybe I just had high expectations? It’s not like Arcanist bring much to the table for ranged builds except for damage and stuff like Mirror and Nullify…

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I got a few suggestions for the build
At least 1-point the IEE line, it’s flat, OA and crit. can even hardcap IEE itself and Flame Touched for more flat.
I’m really not convinced by the devotions, if you want aoe on a 2H build, take Korvaak (it even has very good CC if the aoe remains poor). Your call if you want to pair it with Spear or keep LoE

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I see you don’t want to raise the dead…


@Monceaux Did you see the glorious Acid PRM Warlock we’ve been cooking in some other thread? 'Missing Builds?'

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I saw the author and immediately closed the tab so no

pretty neat FX change and draft

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OA and crit from IEE - fair enough I guess. But does EVERY build should use IEE? Like, I have a Spellbinder that doesn’t use it either, but somehow has 3.1k OA? Flat doesn’t impress me much: rank 7 will give ~14 damage, while we already get hundreds of flat from multiple sources already. I get more flat from rings alone.

I was also invested in Flame Touched, but then decided to put points in Static Strike because weapon puts emphasis on it. Doesn’t seem like it’s worth it at rank 10, though.

Regarding constellations I already told I went more defensive on them. If more offensive route will be taken, build will have even less DA, armor and resists. Spear I don’t lilke much on aether builds. Korvaak won’t help much with AoE, besides, there’s no reliable way of proccing it. Using Aether Corruption will add clunkiness to already frustrating experience.

Uh, I’m not sure what you mean by that link. Should I copy someone’s build to be successfull or…?

Honestly, I don’t care much for Dreadscorcher at this point. I tried it, didn’t enjoy it, so here’s my feedback about that. If it’s built “not the intended way”, I also don’t really care. Will rework it to AAR I guess.

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No, I just wrote it to Monc because his suggestions were the same as in Duchy’s build.
Here on forum you often don’t see to whom message is directed.

Duchy’s shares some of your complaints anyway. And honestly without video proof hard to compare builds that reach the same SR levels.

:face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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Nearly no experience here with this set up but have you tried dropping one veil wardens ring for the -rr aether legendary ring and tried both necrosis and/or haunt as a relic? You could get another -20 rr

Not sure if it would be a loss or a gain but I usually try all routes gear wise even if they are suboptimal/unorthodox on paper just so I can get a clear idea of things.

For devotions, have you tried other routes, like the suggested above or tried using partially converted attack seru? Again don’t know how those would pan out. Tried fiend? Not sure how that would compare to imp.

I haven’t played a range build since before AoM and that was 2h lightning vindicator. My builds are all odd anyways.

Don’t know if this helps.

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No I did not. First reason is I don’t like this “use this and that or die” mentality. Secondly, I don’t have time to test all possible variations. For constellations you need to level them first, and that takes quite a bit of time. And I don’t think there’s a way to get both Attak Seru and Empyrion. Losing DR is not something I would look forward to.

To put this into perspective, I’ve also made a vitality Defiler that deals great damage, but is a bit squishy, and physical Tactician whose damage is rather mediocre, but he’s quite durable even without Inq. Seal and Ghoul.

This Sorc, on the other hand, doesn’t excell in any area. It’s not the most terrible build in existence, but main question is: why play sorc if Defiler or Purifier will do a better job? At least from what I’ve seen in “Ranged discussion” topic.

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Defiler version isn’t super fun either fwiw. Thought the last buff would push it over but AoE isn’t great and single target still isn’t enough to balance that out

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It’s not about the “use this or die” mentality but more like “I want the build to work and such will do what is necessary to make it so.” Also, unless all routes are visited, making a suggestion to improve something without vital testing will, in all likelyhood, fall on deaf ears. This is of course me saying this in a vacuum as I have not read the ranged balance discussion thread.

Why sorc over purifier or defiler? Cause you can? Not everything will be equal. I have a lot of builds that struggle in Sr 50 but I like them and they haven’t been tested to the upmost ends to come and request changes.

Again I am NOT saying you are wrong. Just try those things. Try using IEE and convert the flat elemental, try a combination of those relics. They won’t change your build minus adding one button push. Also for dmg reduction, BWC demon fire is it?

In the end 65-66 is pretty darn good for a gun wielding magician.

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Of course it’s going to end up being bad, Sorcerer has no WPS’s. How many AA builds do you see that do well without it? Without WPS, the damage is going to be comparable to Primal Strike without the massive AOE, insignificant DOT damage and no Crit damage bonuses from Stormcaller’s pact.

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