[Feedback] The Great Ranged Balance Discussion

Grim Dawn Ideas and Feedback
#178

I’m sharing my 2 Ranged Grim Tools I don’t think I’ll be testing soon (currently playing MC).

My take on Venom Launcher, hope it’s going to be more damaging
(but maybe it’s not even worth GDStashing without any pass through)
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/eZP80kjZ

  • full Pierce conversion for all the flat
  • almost full Chaos conversion for
    • ~100 flat Chaos
    • Guardian’s Eyes for AoE and Leech
  • 18% more AS
  • 400% more Acid Damage
  • Aether Corruption (I may been thinking I got Aether to Acid conversion but I don’t)
    Changed to Seal of the Void WPS proc after checking your build

For more ACDTH Corrosive on guns can be changed to Vampiric although that seems like cheating but maybe converted Eyes of the Guardians are going to be enough.

Also ~millionth iteration of meme Korvan Wyrm https://www.grimtools.com/calc/1NXQe692
This time without any greens, average attack speed raging from 179% to 197% (Ranged Exp. not displayed for 2h properly)
Could be made stronger maybe by using Storm Totems, gathering -%30 Physical Res to Devouring Swarm with greens.
But decided on Vindicator for the Yellow Inquisitor Seal.
Only -15% Phys Res (not counting Deathstalker and Black Matriarch) from Stormbox but what can you do :slight_smile:
Afraid to GDStash, maybe better to live with a hope it’s not going to be that bad and never test it.

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#179

That’s basically the previous setup, Assassin added a lot of AoE for crucible and can shotgun bosses if the seal is properly placed, I don’t think reverting this change is for the better. I’m wondering about removing Ulzaad however

#180

Please consider adding the Soldier mod to Bloodboar. I tried it on my DW Renged Goredrinker Tactician and the skill points are pretty tight.

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#181

They are tight, but performance is surprisingly good. @romanN1 was about 5 minutes in our initial trial in CR. I don’t think +1 soldier would blow the performance out of the water though, so not complaining

#182

Yes, +1 Soldier is excessive. Maybe a +3 to any of the Cadence trees is reasonable.

#184

Going to have to hard disagree here. Havoc is a niche weapon for when you have elemental conversion as well on Inquisitor, alone it just doesn’t carry. Tried Tactician is 1.1.9 update with Havoc and while it’s tanky enough to do SR75-76, it’s slow. Was getting in upper 6 range in crucible when it finished.

Deathdealer on the other hand has strong options on either cadence or RF as warlord or oppressor (and maybe deathknight but losing smite would suck). The proc gives you a mini smite with full passthrough now, along with super powering smite, which is basically the best WPS tool pistols get.

Still need to fully test but my assumption/single nod to Havoc is on a paladin. One sandspitter giving RF and all WPS passthrough (with 2 piece octavius full for ele conversion), 1 havoc to complete pierce conversion with Unchained grasp, and you have full physical passthrough. Haven’t polished and finalized build yet but was already sub 5 in crucible and SR85 no death capable.

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#185

Disagree. Mine can do 5:30 cru easily with 100% sucess. For SR I managed to clear 95 not a single death. May achieve higher but I’m too lazy :d.
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/L2JARW0N

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#186

Unrelated, but I think it would be a great boon to GD balance if the Rutnick gun had pew pew sounds like the Thunderclap rifle.

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#187

I would like to share my opinion on the following two guns.

Mythical Korvan Wyrm
Lightning%dmg and Electrocution%dmg are a distraction. Don’t waste slots on them. Most of the time, decent builds don’t intentionally separate attributes. I suggest changing it instead to physical resistance (around 15%), reduced reflex damage, extended trauma damage duration, 50% conversion from piercing to physical, etc. Statistics, especially on the defensive side, are very important for IT Build. Also, I hope you will consider adding a skill mod for Soldier.

Oathbearer
Compared to the RF mod, the Fighting Spirit mod is almost worthless. I won’t explain it because it’s tedious.
The Renged Pierce Tactician clearly lacks support in weapon slots compared to the Paladin.
No one will probably make a piercing build in Warlord. Therefore, I don’t think changing the soldier side to something stronger will be a problem.

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#188

Recently tried myself with DW ranged savagery and even through my drop luck was atrocious, result is indeed very, very uneven. 1 strong target is not a problem, but even just several heroes clustered together takes too much time. Really need at least partial chance of target penetration. Maybe would be good idea to add some sort of medal that provide like 70% chance missle penetration with savagery. Or maybe rework Ludrigan set pistol to have hidden chance of penetration . Maybe like hidden 60% chance to penetrate on attack - less then rifle, but when dual-wielded you get nice boost and unless I forgot all calculus it should end up around 90% chance of having shot penetrate on shot - less then rifles but better then none

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#189

I have mostly given up on savagery for ranged even with 2 handers, pistols are just very lackluster as you mention. I tried out a silly 2x dagallon stormserpent Vindi setup over the weekend that would be fine for campaign and maybe SR65 range at best, but wasn’t enjoyable at 75. With the buffs to RF options recently, I feel slightly better about ranged savagery being underwhelming (other than upheaval of doom with VoS), but it does put Ludrigan in an awkward spot.

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#190

I think Ludrigan need some reworking as it its skill bonuses are a bit strange in my opinion. All this chilling burst bonuses make it looks like it is supposed to be AA set, but bonuses to Storm totem and PRM works against that. I am thinking maybe it would be good idea to convert storm totem into savegery bonus. Storm totem is probably one of easiest skills to overcap to the max as it is just a single skill and there is a lot of good sets with bonuses to it while pistol savegery is non existent

#191

Ludrigan is a squish-fest. I had a DW Vindicator, it was more of a ranged-caster hybrid though. But lemme tell ya this guy was made of paper thin GLASS. I was dying horribly on SR 50 (yes, you read that correctly), specifically to hard hitters like Maiden, Fabius, Jarren, etc. It was carried only by electrocute damage which I was trying to stack as much as possible: max Maelstrom, Storm Box, Storm Totem. My tactic was “hit and run”, basically.

Eventually, I tired of dying and respecced this guy into Light’s Defender with Stormrend. This plays much better.

Here’s a spec I made a week ago or so, just because I felt bad for Ludrigan (and in all actuality I kinda like this set): https://www.grimtools.com/calc/62aaXlg2

It’s AA focused. Can’t get Savagery to 24 - not with these items at least. Terrible phys res (my previous version had 9%, OMFG). Haven’t tested it - and probably won’t for a long time.

Maybe some phys res on the set would help a bit. More health as well - 12.5k for a Vindicator is kinda low if you ask me. Could also use pierce -> lightning conversion, cuz quite a bit of damage remains pierce.

#192

My personal attempt was dropped at this state (didn’t even finish ult on this char. Might return though, didn’t have belt and no idea for other ring) though it is more of caster hybrid as it is really hard t get +savagery on DW pistols while you just drown in Storm totem bonuses…

#193

Obviously ludrigan should be reworked to support pistol primal strike instead <.<

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#194

Would be cool actually. Primal strike or savagery would work so much better of Ludrigan compared to Storm totem

#195

I thought Stormrend should’ve been a pistol instead of an axe so I wouldn’t mind this at all.

#196

Sorry, posted wrong build… and now I can not find the one I was looking for :confused:

I think it was this one… [1.1.5.2] Shauna Chalmers | Ranged Vindicator | Ludrigan's Savagery | Celestials | SR 85 | CR 170 @XandeRoot it does not use ludrigan jacket and it is not DW ranged, this is how it would be with full set: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/bVAXQW72 I might try it

would make ludrigan druids way too tanky imo, I have one such with 40% phys res already. Or that I can change some gears etc to ditch out more damage with same phys res… hmmm

#197

Watcher of Erulan makes everything better, eh? No big surprise though… But honestly I didn’t consider it for Ludrigan since for me personally bonuses to Chilling Rounds screams “DUAL WIELD!!!”. So I kinda tried to maximize the shit out of it. But I’m definitely using Erulan on Paladin.

Well, if that’s the case, it is easily solved by putting phys res on WoR or Ranged Expertise skill mod =)

#198

But then why should ludrigan set get phys res and not darkblaze? Because occult has blood of dreeg?