Build Diary Normal difficulty
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Note: The GrimTools (GT) Build Calculator always shows Ultimate difficulty by default automatically. You have to switch that yourself if you wanna investigate the GT-links.
Level 1-10
Go berserker first. We start with fooling around as a werewolf until we can get wereraven instead. Use feral claws for hitting and rip and tear for big kaboom/movement. Very simple gameplay.
Level 10 for me: Berserker, Level 10 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 11-20
Now we have the skill points to go wereraven, so visit the spirit guide and make char skills look like this instead at level 12 Berserker, Level 12 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Blast cold snap for many mobs otherwise use ice talons. Energy cost will go up, so use your skills wisely. We do not have to kill every single little monster on the map, just heroes and bosses. Most of our experience comes from completing quests and devotion shrines.
Because wereraven skills does use flat weapon damage, we can use a caster off-hand with energy regen (main weapon only needs to have +% cold dmg). Rings and amulet with energy regen and resistances, and caster chest armor. Now, because raven does not use weapon damage we can not use flat energy leech.
Remember to cast Rallying cry frequently so it is always up and running.
Attributes: we will mostly spend them in physique for now and a few into spirit. Keep about 10 unspent in case you need them to equip stuff. Later on, we will get attribute respec potions.
Ring to get: Slith Primal ring from quest
Slith Primal Ring - Rare Ring - Grim Dawn Item Database
good resistances early on and some minor energy regen.
More ways to manage energy:
- caster offhand with reduced energy cost
- “of insight” suffix on green items
- polished emeralds in gear (increases spirit and thus energy regen)
- Ectoplasm components in gear (will start to drop in act 2)
We picked up Bonechilling cry. It has low radius now so we won’t be using it much.
Once we hit level 20, we can craft two coldstones at the Blacksmith (hopefully you have found Angrim yet… or took Duncan doughnuts)
https://grimdawn.fandom.com/wiki/Coldstone
Level 20 for me: Berserker, Level 20 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 21-30
After killing Warden Kreig you are invited by the Emissary outside Devils Crossing to go to the Forgotten Gods expansion area. We have no items “waiting for us” there so we will just progress in base game campaign.
For this part of the game, getting bleed, pierce and fire resistance will be important.
The goal now is therefore just to progress and getting a relic. This one is very good for starters “Bone talisman”, I would say it is mandatory
Bone Talisman - Empowered Relic - Grim Dawn Item Database
it is from the quest “The lost elder” select the option “no I did not find a talisman” and you’ll keep it for yourself.
It can provide a small dmg and energy regen boost in combat.
Put the skill “mana infusion” into your skillbar so you can use it when you need. Like this:
without it, we will run out of energy quite often unless we have “of insight” suffix on gear.
Level 30 for me: Berserker, Level 30 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 31-40
Just keep blasting, making sure we put point in mastery-bar, upgrading our armor, keeping resistances decent, crafting some components here and there and following the devotion plan.
For “act 3” we need to up our poison and aether res. We can get poison res as Berserker via “Icebound”, modifier to Amatok’s pact. Even with 80% poison res the mini-boss Ravna’s first phase can take you down in 2 seconds 
Aether res, use temporary gear, we need this for the Amalgmation mini-boss. Try to buy stuff from vendors and put it on. After the Ravna-fight we do not need as much poison res anymore. We can also craft some components like this one Aether Soul - Component - Grim Dawn Item Database (check Devils Crossing faction vendor for the blueprint) and/or this Runestone - Component - Grim Dawn Item Database (check Rovers faction vendor for the blueprint).
When you are in Homestead and did not kill Isaiah make sure to check out his shop now and then to see if he sells resistance potions. They can be handy to use in certain situations.
When we are done in Homestead and heading north-east we will have to worry about chaos resistance… this is because we can encounter the mini-bosses Bolvar and Zaria. They can one-shot you if you do not peak chaos res.
Isaiah saves the day!
We can also craft this component Sanctified Bone - Component - Grim Dawn Item Database check Homestead faction vendor for the blueprint.
After killing the Amalgamation, it is time to side with Kymons chosen via this quest offered by Ulgrim https://grimdawn.fandom.com/wiki/Allies_Among_the_Ashes
If you fail to select Kymons chosen (i.e. you took Death’s vigil instead, you have a chance to remake this choice in a later difficulty, but then you have to start over Kymons chosen reputation again…). TLDR: SIDE WITH KYMONS CHOSEN it is MANDATORY!!!
You wanna seek out the sanctum of Kymons chosen in Sorrow’s bastion and do their quest until you come to this one https://grimdawn.fandom.com/wiki/Master_Ravok,_the_Death’s_Whisper this mini-boss will drop the helmet needed for transitioning into Winds of Asterkarn skill. This quest can be handed to you after completing the quest where you kill Bolvar (good luck with that).
Also, good luck with Zaria… watch out for her crystal spawns.
Get this sword Spectral Longsword - Rare One-Handed Sword - Grim Dawn Item Database
from this “secret” vendor https://grimdawn.fandom.com/wiki/Benevald_-_Strange_Wares
preferably with +% cold damage.
It will make our raven abilities deal more cold damage by converting some of its pierce damage into cold damage (which we scale up).
Once we get to Fort Ikon, speak to Scout Avins to start the Fangs of Asterkarn expansion! Inquisitor Creeds stupid missions can wait… we wanna farm some items for our build! Specifically, we wanna farm this caster off-hand Groble Frost Effigy - Rare Off-Hand - Grim Dawn Item Database which together with the helmet from Master Ravok (you did side with Kymons chosen right? And killed him? It is ok if it did not had great rolls, we can and will farm a better version later). Anyway, that caster off-hand can drop in the area just before we get to the Kurnhold. So put on your mittens, it is gonna get cold!
High cold resist and freeze duration reduction is quite important in the first part of FoA. Hint: use the hoarfrost potions you will be given 
Also frozen heart in ring/amulet and a dense fur component (craft) can be good!
Level 40 for me (before transitioning to Winds of Asterkarn skill)
Berserker, Level 40 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 40 for me (after transitioning to Winds of Asterkarn skill) (we had to put many points into spirit for this)
Berserker, Level 40 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
We really need Arcanist asap to get more spirit and energy
Level 41-50
Next up is to grab Arcanist as our secondary mastery, making us an Evoker! Arcanist has some good stuff early in the tree, like a passive skill that increases our spirit, and the panic button Mirror of Ereoctes.
We will now go back to the “base game” and continue with Inquisitor Dreegs quests. Once we have finished Ashes of Malmouth and Forgotten Gods campaign in normal, we can progress some more FoA content. But the goal was to get a Groble Frost Effigy caster off-hand, and we did.
Item upgrade: Spectral Bludgeon - Rare One-Handed Scepter - Grim Dawn Item Database
can drop in the undead caves in act 2, like spined cove and arkovian undercity. So we will go back and farm one with as high +% cold damage as possible. This is not really needed, but we do not need the pierce to cold conversion from the sword anymore. Skip this if you want for now.
New amulet, can be farmed from Sylvarria in ugdenbog forest Sylvarria's Root - Rare Amulet - Grim Dawn Item Database
Also this ring can also drop in ugdenbog forest can be useful if it rolls with god mods! Living Ring - Rare Ring - Grim Dawn Item Database
We managed to finish Bard’s harp devotion! It will help a lot with energy regen.
Level 50 for me Evoker, Level 50 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 51-60
With our damage skill Winds of Asterkarn maxed out, in order to deal more damage we are gonna dump points in icebound and bonechilling cry. Also bloodfrenzy for casting speed. Later on we will switch that skill to mental alacrity. For survivability we’ll grab points in Mavens sphere of protection.
When you get to Malmouth Resistance faction in Swede Hideout/Steelclap district, grab a few of these potions - they will help a bit in the final part of the Ashes of Malmouth DLC.
Master of Flesh was a piece of cake, just stand and channel your wind. Evade the third phase sunder debuff (he flies up in the air and lands with a slam) and you’ll be fine. Use mirror of Ereoctes if you get hit by it.
If you are close to becoming honored with Malmouth Resistance faction, try to kill some more aetherial vanguards to become honored and can do more quests for them. Otherwise, move on to Forgotten gods DLC
In the Conclave of the three, select to side with Bysmiel. You will get reputation for the other factions too but just not as much. We really want Bysmiel augments and some other gear from them later on.
We killed Korvaak pretty easily, just beware that he becomes almost immortal when he only has a few percent health. Make sure you have Mirror skill ready to be pushed here if needed.
See if you can get some of the cults to honored and do more quests for them, otherwise go back to Fangs of Asterkarn DLC.
Do not do Riggs quest “Paying debts”, finding the Iris of eternal night, until you have gotten the quest “Righting wrongs” objective “Slay Grand Magus Morgoneth” from the Noktukari faction in Fangs of Asterkarn DLC. In this way, you will save a skeleton key, time and yeah you will kill two birds with one stone!
Continuing Fangs of Asterkarn DLC, once you get to Ulos springs, farm the crabs there for a +1 Berserker skills belt
Calcified Sash - Rare Belt - Grim Dawn Item Database
with good resistances (they always roll with pierce res). I did not manage to get a good one my first try, will rerun this place later.
Level 60 for me: Evoker, Level 60 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Level 61-70
Got 5 ashes of awaking materials from the chieftain in Kurnhold, yummy.
Item upgrade Bloodbound Vestments - Rare Caster Chest Armor - Grim Dawn Item Database you can buy these from the NPC Dulgirr in the Black Citadel.
After we the Glacial Grotto we can start looking for this medal Frostplume Crest - Rare Medal - Grim Dawn Item Database
you can rerun these areas until you get one with good resistances and other mods. The drop from the birds. Take the Aurora Peaks riftgate and then search for the birds north and east of it. Then go to Bitter wind riftgate and search for the mini-boss “Avinnia” and all the other birds in that area.
Make sure you have found Elderveil to access the second faction (Noktukari) in FoA. I will not show you how this is done here (it is a hidden area). It is very fun to find it yourself, otherwise there are other guides for this. Start at Guardian sorrow riftgate…
Preparing for ultimate:
We wanna have at least 10k health, 1000 armor rating with close to 100% absorb, max resistances with overcap on at least elemental damage and at least 100k sheet dps for winds of asterkarn skill. Finally, high stun, freeze and disruption resistance (arcane spark is good for that).
- Farmed new helmet
- Farmed reputation for Noktukari for relic “Permafrost”
- Crafted relic “Permafrost” (when replacing Bone Talisman, make sure to add points in Arcanist skill Mental Alacrity).
- Crafted a Bersker belt (blueprint from Kurn faction vendor)
- Farmed reputation for Homestead (revered), Coven (honored), Malmouth resistance (honored), Bysmiel (honored) and Black legion (revered)
- Bought augments from said factions and boots from Black legion faction and shoulders from Bysmiel.
- Did the “Hidden path” quest for skill- and attribute point.
Level 66 for me (starting Ultimate): Evoker, Level 66 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
pierce, cold and bleed resistance are way off… will be fixed at level 70 when I can use some new items and augments. It will work for the first act in ultimate. Chaos res is not needed for a while either.
Level 70 for me (with armor augments and 1 point in TSS for proccing devo):
Evoker, Level 70 (GD 1.3.0.0) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
The “target fantasy build” is waaay stronger and can deal some serious damage!
It is a cooldown skill, which you can nuke monsters with.
only have 13kp and 1.3k armour… need more of that but gonna keep going so we can use the M. Easter set!
Devotion plan 
