I’m about 2 hours into GD and have a few questions I hope you can help me with please.
I’m playing a shaman/occultist following a vitality build (although I don’t really know what a “vitality build” is yet, I liked the idea of the class combo). Currently I am using a 2-handed rifle and levelling caster skills - wendigo totem, some summons (tree-thing and raven, with the lightning ele thing - sorry, don’t know all the skill names!).
First question is do you continue to use weapons as a main attack on this kinda build or do you become sufficient on spells alone? If the latter, about what level would I begin to see that happen?
Next, I find several crafting components to combine in threes to add to my gear. Should I save these for end-game gear or use them as I level?
Is it possible to miss devotion shrines? Do I need to google their locations at some point?
Is there a way of showing quest locations on the map, or do you need to explore/find everything?
Do you repeat acts a la path of exile? I understand some decisions affect NPC options in the game. If I make a decision in one act, can I make a different decision in the next run-through?
What would be really helpful to know for a noob (outside of build tips, which I’m ok with)?
You need to augment your attacks either through something like Primal Strike (My suggestion) or Savagery or Brute Force (not my suggestion).
Use the crafting components as you find them, as they will help you kill faster. But be aware that some shrines require them to be unlocked and they need the complete component, not the smaller pieces.
Quest spots/mobs are marked with a star, but that is only when you get relatively close. (as in close enough to show up on mini map, same goes for shrines and rift gates, but those have a longer range IIRC)
When you increase difficulty you redo the entire game over, but you keep your previous faction gains. You can change your decisions game to game.
There’s a little icon on the bottom right of your UI bar that lets you select what color of gear to see (white, yellow, green, ect.) I highly suggest setting it to yellow once you have gear in most of your slots.
Grim Calc, Graceful Dusk and Grim Dawn Wiki are very useful.
A “vitality build” is based all around weapons, gear and devotions boosting mainly vitality-damage.
Congratulations! You’ve chosen one of the most versatile class-combos in GD.
You can have a look in “Class and Builds discussion” section in this forum, where you can find builds like “the lazy pokemon master” (based around all pets), caster-builds based on Conjurer or can make up your own, like me (a “vitality-puncher”).
As already said: Use them as you see fit to improve your build.
Yes and no. As long as you really “clear” the whole map every difficulty, you will never miss any shrine.
You can’t avoid “farming for things” at several points in the game!
Being it scrolls you need/want for Relics to craft for your build or materials you need to craft specific things, etc…
So, forget “rushing through to next difficulty” with your very first char!
Another very important tip, I think: As long as you don’t play “Hardcore Mode” don’t be afraid to test out different devotion-combos, single-handed with an “off-hand”/shield, two-handed melee/gun, 1-5 pets, etc. If you die, all you will loose is a few points of EXP. And this only as long as you are not going back to grab the “gravestone” placed for you on the map.
Item filter is also on the lefthand side of the UI.
Exploring everywhere on Normal at least is my recommendation because Normal difficulty is where you’re going to gain the most levels so grab every scrap of XP (experience point) that you can along the way.
There are also areas which are more secret so look for those too to gain extra XP and loot. One or two are tied to side quests, but the rest are standalone. There’s a thread here with most of them.
You can “repeat” an act by exiting the game and then starting that act over again - but the quests won’t be available as you’ve already done them so basically it’s just more XP/loot. You can do the same with bosses if you want to for farming purposes.
Edit: Just saw this so it may give you some ideas of how to develop your own vitality toon.
