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 . There’s also this sketch for cold DW Drain Essence by tqFan GT> DW DE Reaper. Or, you can 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, but with vitality. Still, you can use Messenger’s Repeater or Viper Hemorrhager for weapon slot, for a pierce caster. You can also check this Infiltrator guide. For vitality, check the posted below 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. Another option is to use this guide for aether Skeletons Ritualist.
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
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Beginner compendium for additional guides: Beginner build guides Compendium (for AoM + FG expansions) - Classes, Skills and Builds - Crate Entertainment Forum
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My collection of beginner builds and sketches:
Nery’s beginner builds collection - Grim Dawn / Classes, Skills and Builds - Crate Entertainment Forum -
Carnival of animals, Maya’s extensive guide about pets: The Carnival - A Guide to Pets - Grim Dawn / Classes, Skills and Builds - Crate Entertainment Forum
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previous ‘‘how to level top 20’’ thread https://forums.crateentertainment.com/t/how-to-level-top-20-an-onion-builds-in-grim-dawn-1-2-0-5/136214
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Baseline stats for your end game character. Should help you for what to aim after you reach max level. Guide: Recommended stats for end game - Grim Dawn / Guides and Tutorials - Crate Entertainment Forum
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A few YouTube channels with detailed leveling videos, I am sure there are more, https://www.youtube.com/@rektbyprotoss/videos https://www.youtube.com/@RSnoomak/videos
https://www.youtube.com/@Paikis/videos -
The end is never…
useful guide.
and the perfect choice for this I think.