⬆ How to level top 20 (21) builds in Grim Dawn [1.2.1.6]

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
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Foreword

Top 20 (21) thread was posted recently (somewhat) ranking the plethora of builds we’ve managed to test. According to the established traditions, I should post a thread with information on how to play them before the endgame. The issue is, most of these builds are hybrids or require specific items to shine; then there are retal builds and pets, which are notoriously difficult to level. Compared, to our previous rankings, it’s much more difficult to play them the same way from scratch. But, let’s continue.

This topic is meant to provide some information, how to play these builds, before end game, using links to beginner’s guide posted on the forum, and crucial farmable items. Credit to all builds authors, who made the effort of writing these helpful, and detailed topics!

Top 20 builds

1. Dawnbreaker Warder

Our first build, and our first problem. Retal isn’t great for leveling, and build needs all the damage mods from full set and helmet to Counter Strike to realize it’s full potential. Earlier, you can use Dawnshard epic set, but it’s still level 72. So, I can recommend to level with either Savagery or better, Primal Strike like this this or this

2. Brutallax Dervish

Build is mixing pierce with bleeding, and it’s based on DW Brutalax weapons for the endgame. What you can do is either go for Righteous Fervor focus or use Ring of Steel. For classical DW melee playstyle, you can use DW Derma Slicers with RF, with Nightblade based weapon pool skills. Basically, this Blademaster guide, but made as a Dervish.

3. Chillwhisper Reaper

Build using the full Chillwhisper set, focusing on cold Drain Essence as the main skill, with Blade Spirit as support. Cold Drain Essence isn’t ideal for leveling, since you don’t have an abundance of early items with mods and you have to use items with global vitality to cold conversion. You can at least convert the aether portion of DE damage and use these items Ilgorr’s medal + Night’s Herald or simply use this guide for vitality DE and switch to cold, only with full Chill’s set equipped.

4. Pierce RoS Blademaster/Dervish

One of the most fun builds, and it’s easy to level it and assemble it. Core items are Servitor’s weapons Bloodbriar’s amulet and Guttworm’s medal.

There’s also the benefit of a new and up to date beginner’s guide for this specific build.

5. Hellborne Shieldbreaker

This one’s tougher. I would advise against leveling SB retal. You can go for a caster with Grenado, but this would be with off-hand and very different compared to the endgame setup. So, I would try going ranged, maybe Fire Strike+weapon pool skills. This is a guide for 2H Purifier, but the principle is the same.

6. Voidsoul Sentinel

Chaos Aegis, using the full Voidsoul set, but also the Aegis conduit. So, how to proceed? I would advise against using chaos Aegis, although you have Lagoth’Ak’s Bloodbinding medal for partial conversion. You can use fire guide instead or going for an acid build Aegis. Both damage types have dual-resistance reduction and better item support.

7. Deathguard Reaper

The build is Acid Shadow Strike + Bone Harvest. Since, you need full Deathguard set for BH support, it’s better to level with acid Shadow Strike instead. You have Rift Scourge Slicer item available early on, which is really helpful. The good news about this build is that there’s a brand-new guide posted by RSnoomak, so it’s one of the most suitable top-tier builds, you can level in a similar fashion.

8. Chaos Skeletons Cabalist

One of my favorite builds to play, but I am struggling to recommend leveling with chaos skeletons, even with the recent chaos resistance reduction being added to Occultist. If you want to level with pets, I can suggest following this fire pets guide instead.

9. Pierce/Bleed PB Witch Hunter

Build is actually fairly easy to assemble, when you are at max level. You have few target farmable items, and many crafted gear, including the weapon. The problem is, it’s all end game stuff, I wouldn’t advise trying to level with pierce PB. Check the posted below Vitality PB Reaper guide and try it as Witch Hunter, switch to pierce, when you have the necessary items equipped.

10. Rotgheist DEE Conjurer

Build using full set and level 94 target farmable weapon. The thing is, all the DEE support for leveling is for acid damage, vitality is unsupported. You can use Acid DEE guide, but the problem is Shaman don’t have - acid resistance reduction, so Conjurer is inferior, compared to Sentinel. Or, level as a vitality caster (without DEE) and include it, when you can equip full set and weapon.

11. FoI RtA Purifier

Retal FoI is strictly for end game. I can suggest to level it as fire non-retal Purifier instead. I am actually surprised, no one has actually posted a guide for it, but it should be straightforward enough. You can use these items: Flamestrife weapon, Incendiary Helmet, and Bloodsworn Sigil. There’s a guide for chaos FoI Purifier posted, you can use it instead. Chaos FoI does have some nice items for leveling.

12. Demonslayer Reaper/Dervish/Witch Hunter

All three builds are virtually identical. Full Demonslayer set with PB. For leveling, your best bet is 2H ranged weapon Spectral Arbalest instead of using off-hand. If you like PB (why wouldn’t you) you are in luck, because there’s brand new guide posted in the forum. It’s for Reaper, but you can use it for the other two classes as well.

13. Vitality Skeletons Ritualist

Same issues as chaos Skeletons. You can use the listed guide in there, or use the knowledge from Maya’s pet’s encyclopedia posted here and adapt it for Vitality Skeletons.

14. Blightlord DE Oppressor

Should be a pretty easy build for leveling, there are few MI items, which can help you Ascendant Scepter Leafmane Off-Hand and Ilgorr’s medal. You can use this up to date guide for vitality Ritualist as a Oppressor. Also, I’ve made this sketch specifically for this build - Drain Essence+Ravenous Earth. Might make a guide for it, or not. GT>DE+RE Oppressor

15. Vitality Spam Sigils Conjurer/Sentinel

Build abusing Sigil cooldown. NOTE: next patch this won’t be possible, so it’s going to be regular Sigil build, instead of a spam. Key item is Vampiric Bonewall shield and it’s mods. Also, Dark One set at level 94 is target farmable, so it should be decently cheap build to assemble. For leveling, check my old Conjurer guide

16. Uroboruuk Spellbinder

I don’t recommend leveling Spellbinder with Aether DE. Either go for a vitality DE or use different skill. If you insist still, Ascendant Scepter is suitable, while for setup without the set, Hex Launcher pistol can covery vitality to aether to DE. You can also check this guide for aether Apostate.

17. Embercalling Sentinel

Similar issues to the vitality version. DEE’s limited to acid, when it comes to leveling gear. Just go for that version.

18. Nightbringer Archon

Good news is, Nightbringer weapon is target farmable, even if it’s low drop chance. That means, it’s fairly cheap to assemble for an end game build. Bad news is, you don’t can’t really level it the same way. Level 94 weapon, and level 75 Seal of Blight component’s granted skill. You can level vitality Archon as a caster or use 2H melee weapon with Primal Strike like this guide

19. Aether PB Reaper

End game build requires some specific gear, including conduit, which means it’s not suitable candidate for leveling. You are much better going for vitality, and you already have nice fresh guide for it. If you still want to play aether early on, your best bet is to dual wield Blaze Herald weapon, which will convert pierce to aether and grant some nice Veil of Shadow mods.

20. Cold Morgoneth Reaper

Full set for the end game build, but nonetheless cold DW Reaper should be pretty easy build for leveling. Build is wielding 2x monster infrequent weapons Spectral Battle Axe and Malkadarr’s Dreadblade, so your key items are farmable. Even better, there’s new cold DW Reaper guide posted on the forum.

21. Clairvoyant Spellbinder

Fairly straightforward build for leveling. Using Pulsing Shard off-hnad makes you leech through AAR skill, which means more damage=better sustain. You can use my guide, posted on the forum. It’s pretty old, but should still provide some insights.

Additional resources

21 Likes
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Actual mvp thread!

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Really good summary will be very helpful for beginners , respect !

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Thank you!

I’ve linked few of your builds. It’s nice to see, that there are many people, making beginner’s guide and the compendium is covering so much ground.

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Amazing list, this will help a lot, especially for the newer Takens.

I myself though do like to struggle through early game, so I decided to go for leveling Dawnshard as is.
Not entirely SSF because I used merits, rep documents and XP potions, but no shared stash whatsoever. Allocating skills and devotions just as they are in the endgame build, trying to use what makes the most sense at the time. On HC by the way.

First 30-35 levels were a real slog. Used 5 / 12 Grasping Wines as my main source of damage lol. Adding 12 / 12 Entangling Wines and 1 / 16 + 12 / 12 Wend Devil / Raging Tempest helped a little, but it wasn’t much. On a good side — Mog Pact + it’s line made for quite a good sustain.
I think I facetanked pretty much everything I saw, barely even used dodge.

After 35 it became a bit better, especially once I finished Messenger of War devotion.
After that it picked up nicely. Everything that wasn’t a boss died in a reasonable time.
Somewhere between 40 to 45 it became real good. With Anvil and Targo allocated the damage went just fine.

And then I reached Counter Strike and later found Colossal Fortress MI shield with -0.3 sec CD for CS. Holy shit everything melted.

Now I entered Ultimate at lvl 65 and I’m back to slog lol.
Melee mobs are still dying fast, but everything else is slow. Especially fucking acid spitting spiders.

I’ll se how it goes further down the line.

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