Some Lightning damage itemization issues

Grim Dawn Ideas and Feedback
1

I think Lightning is generally considered one of the stronger damage types, but that’s mostly when you go 2h melee.
But a lot of other builds such as 2h ranged or 1h/dw have some severe item gaps.

To list some:

1) Lack of a Lightning damage Mythical medal
I looked and looked but couldn’t find a Mythical medal fitting Lightning builds like most other damage types have.
Surprisingly, the only one with Lightning % damage on it is Mythical Pyroclasm Mark and that’s not even really a Lightning-focused item—it’s a Fire item with some Lightning tacked on.
Most damage types have like 3 or 4 medals with their type on it, so usually you can find something that somewhat works for you.

But for Lightning that’s missing, and you have to go back to the blue Mythical Tempest Sigil and then you don’t get the new skill modifiers.
Can we get a Lightning medal with the usual ~20 flat damage, 100% Light/Electrocute, some OA or DA and resists and then either useful skill modifiers to Savagery/PS or a good proc?

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]2) No Shaman Lightning damage belt[/COLOR]
I was surprised to see that another +1 Shaman belt was added, but it’s also Bleed damage based like the original Mythical Guthook Belt.
Lightning is arguably Shaman’s main damage type but neither belt supports it while they both are for Bleed.
One of them should be changed to Lightning at least to prevent the overlap and to add diversity.

3) Components are limited
The “good” offensive option for Lightning builds used to be Hell’s Bane Ammo but that’s for ranged/caster offhands only since it’s an ammo type component.
This locks out all melee builds which especially hurts 1h/dw builds, but sure. On the flip side, Coldstones can’t be used by ranged so it gives them a unique trait. I can get behind that.

With the new Seal components, I was hoping for something that fixes the above and would be an upgrade, but especially the Lightning Seal is super limited in its usability.
The reason is that the cast speed is only useful to spam caster builds, while many other seals have a more universal bonus such as health, crit or OA.

The above factor also limits Seals of Shadow and the Void where the granted skills on all 3 tend to only be used in niche builds, which doesn’t really make them upgrades compared to the old toggle components despite their huge crafting costs.

So I hope that these weaker Seals can be reworked to have more universally applicable bonuses/skills.

Seal of Skies
“The seal, first emblazoned by the arcane master Trozan, calls forth power from the celestial skies themselves.”
(Used in all weapons, shields and caster off-hands)
Magic Component
3-18 Lightning Damage
+50% Cold Damage
+50% Lightning Damage
+50% Frostburn Damage
+50% Electrocute Damage
10% Physical Damage converted to Lightning Damage
+4% Casting Speed

2

So you’re saying Lightning is great for 2h melee, and then ask for more melee support?)
It’s Lightning casters who tend to suffer from such itemization more, as Ultos set does not fit them that well.
Please don’t touch the Seal of Skies, at least the granted skill. It’s great for casters

3

Seal of Resonance and Seal of Corruption are both great for lightning builds unless you desperately want your 10% Physical to Lighting bonus. For caster builds the granted skill on Seal of Corruption scales well with Lightning builds and you get the bonus 3% OA bonus from the component itself.

I wouldn’t mind them adding more options for belts/medals that have lightning bonuses. Though on my non-soldier builds I usually slap on a Mark of Fierce Resolve.

4

Medals are in a weird place with lightning builds - both caster and melee. At least kymons badge can be really goid for them.

Btw anyone know of a good (not offhand) source of +electrocute duration?

5

Ultos’ Cuirass and/or stormreaver. The other 2 items are made for Elementalists that use firestrike. Electrocute duration is difficult to increase much like Frostburn that has a grand 2 items that increases it.

6

K, I was hoping I was just missing something but I guess not. Thank you!

7

Nope, I’m saying that Lightning itemization has some gaps, nothing more nothing less.
Things like adding a Lightning medal or Lightning damage on a Shaman belt would improve options for caster builds as well.
Naturally Ultos doesn’t fit caster builds because it’s a melee Primal Strike based set with some Savagery bonuses.
The Lightning caster set is Light’s Defender one, which is awesome.

As for the Seal component, right now it has an identity crisis. It gives flat damage and conversion which makes you think that it’s for attack builds. But then it also gives cast speed and a castable spell, which doesn’t benefit those builds at all but works for another type.

The above means you really don’t want to spend the ~20 Ugdenbloom and all the other stuff to make it unless you really want the granted ability.
That’s why I suggested for that specific bonus to get changed to something more universal.

As for the ability, maybe it’s an idea to separate the Seals and create 2 versions: one for attack builds and one for caster builds.