tl;dr: How can I tweak this build by changing the skills to give me some more damage?
In an attempt to unlock all of the hardcore achievements I created a super safe retaliation warlord. It was a fun first hardcore char but had a very slow killing speed.
I’ve been trying to get my last HC achievement, SR25, and I can’t get through the last few levels. I just can’t kill fast enough… Is there anything I can change with the skills or devotions that will make me a little more squishy but a bit more damage? It’s my only HC char so I don’t really have many other items so ideally the changes are just skills/devotions.
Why push HC if you don’t really understand the mechanics yet? It’s a waste of fun. Second, why push SR (and on HC…) without endgame gear? SR is an endgame challange. You’re just gonna die. At this point, farm rogues or do Crucible 130-150 to get better gear and blueprints. You won’t get much gear at low SR. Farm that Ugdenbog rouguelike with Ugdenblooms on the way, you’ll need a shitton of them for big-boy components soon. Or do higher SR at lower difficulties. Need to gear up. What you have is not really a build.
First, max dmg skills if anything. Use Fervor and Aegis on a retal build? Why only one-point Reprisal and Retribution (and not invest in Avenging Shield for AoE)? These nodes must be maxed or put at a nice point break. Then, you got 3.4k defensive ability on a retal build. DA affects enemies’ chance to hit you. If you don’t get hit, how can you retaliate? Then, you don’t have Assassin Mark devotion on a physical build which is a criminal offense in Cairn.
In short, find a guide where to farm what in main campain and grind it. You got no business doing SR yet.
Hi @ya1, thanks for your response - albeit a judgmental and condescending one. Some people enjoy the theory-crafting side of GD, but some don’t - that doesn’t mean they are a complete noob.
I’ve got over 400 hours in GD and have completed almost all of the end-game content but I’m not interested in theory-crafting, so sure, maybe I don’t understand how it all works under the hood. I prefer piloting, grinding for specific items, pushing end-game bosses, but always in softcore.
As I said in my OP, I’m trying to reach SR25 to unlock the last hardcore achievement - I’m not trying to push SR75/76 or anything. I got to SR23 with this crappy made up build so I just need a few tweaks to get to SR25.
Thanks for giving some specific tips for the build but leave your ‘you got no business doing SR’ gatekeeping attitude at home.
ya1 already said pretty much all of the things. Also you are asking people opinions to improve but you keep being a jerk like that and no one will help.
@asiantallguy Keep being a jerk? I’m just defending my position after being attacked. I am thankful for all the help, it could have been delivered in a more respectful manner.
The author clearly stated what he was trying to do and got a lecture about not playing the game in accordance to how someone else enjoys it, he defended himself and you make him the jerk.
The two of you are the jerks trying to gatekeep someone from completing the achievements just because he tried to do it by himself in a manner you don’t approve of.
@ahfodder I can’t help you sadly, I don’t know nearly enough about the game but I do hope you will manage to complete your current task. Good luck.
Imo you both read to much into this. I don’t see anything rude / offensive about ya1’s post, quite the contrary. He didn’t call you a noob.
By no ‘business doing SR20’ he suggested it’s not efficient to do endgame with an unfinished build. Which is true and often a good advice for new players to focus on it unnecessarily. For example 50 lev players with uncapped resists trying to beat Mogdrogen. No need it get triggered about it if you want to do it anyway (for achievements and then forget about HC). I don’t see the ‘gatekeeping’ you mention either.
Dunno, maybe it’s nationality which I share with ya1 / not being native speaker because I also was accused of ‘attitude’ talking in the same manner and also didn’t see anything rude about it. Or maybe it’s just a text way of communication - without gesture / voice it’s easy to misinterpret things.
Imo the way ya1 writes, I mean jokes for example, clearly shows it’s not his intention to offend you:
Have you carefully read what ya1 told you to do ?
He give you infor:
why push SR (and on HC…) without endgame gear?
SR is an endgame challange. You’re just gonna dieBlockquote
He give suggestion to improve the build:
farm rogues or do Crucible 130-150 to get better gear and blueprints
First, max dmg skills if anything. Use Fervor and Aegis on a retal build? Why only one-point Reprisal and Retribution (and not invest in Avenging Shield for AoE)? These nodes must be maxed or put at a nice point break.
I agree with his conclusion is little bit harsh but you stated that he is attacking you is completely wrong. And i might be a little bit overreact and I’m sorry, but telling people that trying to help you even a little bit to back off is not cool man.
You came asking strangers to advise you on a video game mechanics and ended up leading a discussion on my personal style of communication and… decorum? Whatever…
Anyways, here’s fixed build as much as the lvl 50 gear allows. Warlord, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.1) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator. Feel free to ask why this or that. Oh, build has no sustain so you’ll die as soon as you start taking real dmg. Switch some devotion to Dryad or Behemoth once you feel like you start taking hits.
@ahfodder Ignoring the way ya1 phrased his feedback, all of what he said is good advice if you want to start improving your character. Retaliation by endgame is heavily dependent on getting good gear for the bulk of your damage bonuses as Stupid_Dragon wrote a guide on.
Like tqFan said, I doubt his advice was meant to be offensive as you’re asking experts for help and received some hints. If you take issue with it, all I can say is to try grow a thicker skin while you’re on internet forums, at the least he didn’t outright insult you
IMO just farm totems for a couple of hours to get better gear. If it has phys retal on it, wear it. Farm ugdenblooms. Max out any skill that has retal bonuses. You want to get hit as a retal build. Get your DA much lower.
As a new user I was a little taken aback by the lack of decorum here!
