Grim Misadventure #53: Arcanist Mastery Pt. 2

We return with our continuation of the Arcanist mastery revea (Part 1 available here)l! But first, in case you missed some big news last Friday, we would like to point everyone to the release notes of a teeny tiny update that just might spark your interest. Multiplayer is now available for Grim Dawn!

Significant progress is being made on the Arcanist and we expect B21 to enter closed testing as soon as we are satisfied with the stability of B20 (you may have also noticed that we released two hotfixes over the weekend which resolved several problems some users were experiencing with the game).

With our last update, we covered some of the early-game skills you can look forward to with the Arcanist mastery, so now let us delve into the supreme power available to dedicated masters of the aether.

Another look at the Arcanist Mastery

Albrecht’s Aether Ray
“A powerful arcane technique perfected by Master Albrecht in the years just preceding the Grim Dawn that channels raw arcane energies into a concentrated beam of destruction.”

Aether Ray focused intense quantities of arcane energies into your target in the form of a destructive beam. The skill is the first example in Grim Dawn of a channeled ability, which must be maintained in order to use it to its full potential. Aether Ray requires significant focus and study into the arcane, and as such requires a caster off-hand to be used. The modifier for this skill causes the beam to disintegrate all it touches with bonus vitality damage and a penalty to the target’s damage. This skill also has a transmuter, which corrupts the beam with the raging powers of the chaotic void and causes it to deal chaos damage instead of aether damage.

Reckless Power
“Turn your body into a conduit of the aether, manifesting terrifying arcane energies while sacrificing some of your humanity and lifeforce.”

Reckless Power does exactly what the name implies, grants you access to incredible energies at the cost of your own survivability. While under the effect of this buff, you will have a bonus to various spell damage types, but your maximum health will be decreased by a percentage. It is a very risky playstyle, but the pay-off is equally satisfying. The modifier for this skill extends some of your new-found power to nearby allies. This skill also has a transmuter, which allows the power hungry to further sacrifice their defenses in the interest of more raw energy.

Devastation
“Hailed as the ultimate force of destruction known to Arcanists, this technique tears a rift in reality through which fall embers of raw arcane energy. This dangerous spell is extremely draining and should not be used lightly.”

Devastation is the pinnacle of destructive magic that rains raw aether energy upon your foes. In case one display of such power proves insufficient, standing still beyond the initial cast can release up to two additional waves of projectiles. As with Aether Ray, this skill requires a caster off-hand.

Fabric of Reality
“Unravel the secrets of the very fabric of reality. The raw powers of the aether and the void become as playthings to you.”

Fabric of Reality is a passive which unlocks the maximum potential of your mastery over the powers of the universe. You will wield the aether and the void with ease, as if they were mere flame and ice. This passive also enhances your ability to draw energy from other sources, increasing your energy leech.

There is still more to be discovered within the Arcanist mastery, but you will have to find that out for yourself when it is released with Build 21! In the meantime, check back on 09/15/14 for our next development update.

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Well done, can’t wait to play a magic character:D

Cant wait to play this class!!

Thanks for your hard work Crate.

So Albrects Ray + Occultist mastery = all the chaos damage? Yes?

:slight_smile:

Magic characters are my favorite and these skills sound epic.

what do you think of a livestream showcase??? :slight_smile:

Not sure what I’m more excited about: Warlock caster or Pyromancer with higher max level so that I can have the ultimate pet build available.

Great update :slight_smile:

Thanks for the update and looking forward to try out the Arcranist.

love the update, really want to try the new Aether ray with the chaos dmg, maybe the aether ray will also change color :open_mouth: pure chaotic purple/red beam!!!

Is Callidor’s Tempest on the Arcanists skill list anywhere?

I hope Aether Ray changes color with the transmuter. Was really hoping for info on the skill at the top that’s available at level 1, but oh well them’s the breaks.

Did Chaos damage really need even more support? Occultist, Nightblade, even Soldier now, while only Arcanist has Aether, and all the skills that do that type of damage have some type of elemental damage added in as well.

Now that’s an interesting mechanic. Looking forward to trying it out.

(I hope the other four masteries don’t get left behind.)

OOOOOOO la la… Looking good! Can’t wait for Arcanist :slight_smile:

Is it just me, or is that “Devotion” tab new?

It was shown in the last Grim Misadventure 2 weeks ago too, so it’s fairly new.

Zantai’s said nil about what devotion is, im curious about what it’s for

Damn right it is and a mechanic like that excites me for it brings sharply to mind top-down shooters such as Crimsonland/Nation Red that are derivatives of SmashTV and have many mechanics like this.

All I have to say to Crate is, if you haven’t played these games before, get em, play em. There are so many awesome skill ideas and implementations in those games that would fit very snug in an arpg and you just hit on one concept.

applauds

The Occultist only has like 2 active chaos damaging skills and 1 buff. Not counting pets in which case the HH has 2 but… that’s buffed by pet % damage and isn’t really under your control as much - don’t think that counts.

Arcanist has more as the mastery is more of a caster while the Occultist is both caster and pet mastery.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the future pet mastery that is planned (necromancer of some sort) would also have aether based attacks. We’ll have to see.

Seems to contain passive skills like “+10 spirit” “+50 life”