Storm Totem Tank Help?

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
1

Hey all,

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Update:

This has become a progression log to get ideas and share where it’s going.

The idea is `zero to hero’ or basically, you start from scratch, you use what you find, and see if the build concept will hold up without a bunch of ideal gear, etc. The whole game should be doable at least through Elite. The goal is to make it through Ultimate without some serious problems and get all points/devotions along the way.

Tank to survive, so hard core friendly.
Storm Totems & Maelstrom to apply lightning damage.
Pretty simple and straight forward setup. But again, the goal being to start from scratch with nothing and just go all the way. Hence, zero to hero.

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I’m thinking of trying out a Shaman with a focus on the Storm Totem and the rest focusing on Survivability.

Was wondering if anyone had something similar in Ultimate and working well. It doesn’t have to be super fast clearing. But at least deals with it all. Of course, we’re talking about current state of patch and DLC, etc, for context.

I don’t have top gear for this yet, so I don’t have anything specific in mind. I know that it can completely change how the devotions and which skills are used depending on resistances and everything. There are some potent %lighting damage devotions (spear of heavens; tempest; blind sage). But, that’s late game to get to spear of heavens or blind sage, and I can get 100%+ gear for lightning damage early in the game, like I have now. So I can probably go with the resistances and survival devotions at first, to support survival, and then as gear comes up and the resistances come up (gear, components, augments), then I can take back the devotions and move to damage devotions and see about redoing some survival skills maybe.

Or, I can convert to vitality damage and see what devotions work there that are earlier. ** Update, skipping vitality build, that’s really a totally different way to go for a build. **

Playing around with ideas, here’s some current ideas:

3/4 into Physique
1/4 into Spirit (for gear) (approx; basically 400ish spirit towards the end as a goal to be able to use most things you’d want, which is mainly jewelry).

50 into Shaman mastery
1/12 Mog’s Pact, 10/10 Heart of Wild
12/12 Vines, 12/12 Entangling (** Update, dropped Entangling )
12/12 Wendigo, 12/12 Blood Pact ( Update, dropped Blood Pact )
16/16 Storm Totem
12/12 Maelstrom ( Update, added )
12/12 Stormcaller Pact ( Update, added **)
Devotions applied to these mostly (Vines & Totem)

40 points (potentially) Soldier Mastery
16/16 Menhir’s Will
10/10 Military Coniditiong
10/10 Shield Mastery
12/12 Overguard
1/12 Field Command, 12/12 Squad Tactics (** Update, 12/12 Field Command, no Tactics perhaps **)

Will go from there to see what we can do after that (between Decorated Soldier, Battle Scars, Warcry, etc).

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Currently leveling as a Shaman. Max Briarthorn, Max Storm Totem, Max Vines. Tsunami devotion on Vines (triggers all the time at 35% it seems). The vines melt everything themselves with Tsunami so far, and the Storm Totem pops the rest (will have Tempest on Storm Totem soon). Briarthorn tanks and deals some decent damage. This is normal veteran though so far. I will progress to Elite around 45~50. The plan is to re-spec as needed.

** Update, Briarthorn and vines took me to level 40 no problem basically without even worrying about other skills, with Tsunami devotion on Vines for most proc chance. Wendigo just seals the survival deal.

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Very best,

Attachment: 219990_20170803185456_1.jpg

2

I’ve made a similar post and as i remember Drizzito lead me to a version from Chinese forums, i switched my Devil/Totem/Shard Warder to that and boy it works amazingly.
I was using the more direct CDR stacked version.

Havent attempted Gladiator yet since my character is in hardcore (another testament that build is tanky) but easily finished Challanger couple times already and will do Gladiator soon.
It is pretty gear dependant so it might take some time for a new player to gather all the BiS.

http://www.grimtools.com/calc/nZoB4lVA

Dont worry about some resistances not maxed, my items had a bit higher than average rolls and capped all resistances easily.

3

Thanks,

Interesting. Kind of similar, I’ll have to look through it all. The devotions seem to be more for the procs than anything, but I’ll have to review them to see all the benefits of the full constellations there. Definitely requires a lot of gear, that’s for sure. I expect as much. Something I can work towards.

Thanks for the ideas!

Very best,

4

Ok managed to beat HC Gladiator and that build is a beast. There were some close moments like Gladiator should have but still it was quite the smooth run.

Even forgot to use banners until 140 and didnt have enough tributes left for Blessing of Ulo yet it was definitely my easiest run with any build ever.

5

Thanks, very interesting.

Currently level 38. Took a little time with some other toons and came back to this one after thinking more about it. I still have not taken a 2nd mastery yet, so far just leveling in Shaman to see if I even enjoy the concept of play with it.

Currently (leveling build) doing:

12/12 Windengo (dropped pact)
16/16 Storm totem
12/12 Vines (dropped entangling)
16/16 Briarthorn (he takes advantage of Pact & Windengo)
1/12 Mod Pact, 10/10 Heart
Rest into mastery currently (going towards stormcallers)

Gear, just what I find along the way, but basically just high armor, shield, any stacking resists, and any lighting damage % that I can find (but I’m favoring resists and armor over pure damage).

Devotions are currently Wraith, Tsunami (on Briarthorn or Vines, I alternate, it procs all the time and is very useful on Vines, but great on Briarthorn during hero/boss fights) and currently working into Tempest. My totems are doing over 2.5k damage right now so it melts everything with one totem (granted this is normal veteran), so I’ve yet to need anything else yet as I simply level enough to get into Elite and level 50 and start grinding up some good epics/legends.

Will re-spec as gear comes in and level up. Eventually will drop briarthorn as it will become probably useless late Elite and totally useless in Ultimate without gear/devotions/skills to support it, and I don’t want it at that point, just easy when leveling right now.

As I get enough skills, will add in Soldier and start working in the tanky skills.

Very best,

6

If you manage to get into Ultimate, and enjoy the concept of play, you should share it to us, perhaps sum it in different threads :slight_smile:

Storm Totem recently has got buffed.
I ever tried leveling a Shaman in Veteran before buffed.
It’s kinda fun. It should be more good now :slight_smile:

7

I think I should manage. I’ve played from level 1 to level 70 and entered ultimate and was able to fair well so far with a few. Getting to level 40 only takes a day basically, casually. The main thing being gear acquisition along the way unless you already have tons of legendaries laying around to pick and choose from for builds. I don’t though.

So far, I’m building the character as a Warder, very similar to my retaliation warder, focusing on survivability first, damage second. Right now, in Ultimate, I’ve been able to get good enough resists (65+ on everything) to at least manage. The problem is damage though. While my retaliation warder works, I’m really tired of the ranged/casters being the heel. So I’m thinking I will try and see how if I can work this warder into a tank, similar at least, but with more focus on being able to actually deal damage to all enemies and not just some.

I’ll update as I go, and if I make it to ultimate and stick with it, I’ll post a total build. The idea being able to do it from scratch, no twinking, no pre-found gear, all self-found and/or craftable. I prefer this anyways as it keeps it interesting.

Very best,

8

Holy Crap, the simple fact that the build doesn’t use any MI’s is impressive. Pretty sure I have the entire Light’s Defender set sitting in the banks of various characters, along with an 85 Warder I am currently not doing anything with.

Now I know what I will be doing 2nite :wink:

Thank you for the suggestion.

Cheers!

Verdict

9

Nice, also if you make notes/logs about the progress with grimtools/grimcalc for every 10, 15, or 20 levels it would be a great addition for your total build post later.
It sure a great help for other people too, since you use all self-found and/or craftable gear :slight_smile:

10

Yeap, been keeping notes, I know progression is a big part it. Thanks!

Very best,

11

Entered Elite today at level 52.

Surprisingly, Vines + Tsunami is still wrecking the trash mobs at this level (Tsunami is 15/20). Storm Totem is doing about 3k. Working on Soldier skills for survivability. Briarthorn is starting to show its limitations without skills/devotions/gear to support pets, so it serves as little more than an interference tank at this point (but he was very useful through the Bastion of Chaos to simply take a lot of the brunt of ugly attacks and spread out multi-hero mobs).

Resists are decent. Mostly in the 60’s and 70’s.

Health is 7k right now.

I never see my energy go below 2/3rds full, everything costs very little to spam without anything special, the spirit investment is strictly for late game jewelry and weapons that have higher spirit requirements.

Armor is around 800 at this level with current stuff that I found playing up to this point with the character. Takes damage pretty nicely. The only fights that hurt are the ones with the chaos pools, acid pools, etc, the DOT stuff late game. Physical mobs, ranged mobs, casters, don’t do anything so far.

Going to plow through Elite quest lines and get to Revered on the factions for the augments and push to level 70 and continue to look for gear and get all the devotions.

Going to re-spec the briarthorn out and flesh out soldier skills.
Going to re-think some devotions (late game I really would like to see if I can fit in Spear of the Heavens instead of some other ones once I have enough gear to give up the resistance devotions).

Very best,

12

Level 60 in Elite now, just entered Homestead.

Re-spec’d to remove Briarthorn completed. Briarthorn only swings for around 750 damage at this point in the game, which is not enough to matter on a single target every half second or so. He tanks ok still, but I no longer need his tanking as I’ve found enough stuff just playing to get my armor and resists up. Pushed more soldier skills for survival and resistances and health. Armor around 850 with 63% block chance and removing around 800 with shield. Physical attacks at this point in the game do very little if anything even without the Wendigo totem up. With the totem active, I’m able to face tank several mobs in Steps of Torment without any worry.

Storm Totems (procing Reckless Tempest) and Vines (procing Tsunami) are melting mobs in a single cast still. Bosses take a few more casts. The only enemies so far that have put up a “long” fight as the ones that are very resistant to lightning damage such as Storm Revs and various Matriarchs, basically anything that does lightning damage to clue us in.

Considering adding Maelstrom to increase some more damage.

I keep re-looking at all devotions to see where I need to be later on. While I want Spear of the Heavens, I also keep looking at Shieldmaiden and Obelisk to really crank up the shield, armor and absorption. I just don’t know how useful and effective it is in Elite with those. I’ll have to balance it with damage output. Gear will be the deciding factor when I get there. That’s in about 10~15 more levels though.

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This character feels a lot like old Cleric builds from D&D days of older ARPG games. Anyone who really enjoyed the Cleric class, heavy armor, standing in the thick of it dropping Call Lightning, this is basically that build.

Very best,

13

It seems Storm Totem with Reckless Tempest is good and reliable for leveling in Elite :slight_smile:

Is it 16/16 or more level ?

14

Storm Totem is maxed out, Reckless Tempest is 12/15 right now, and Stormcaller Pact is 12/12. Currently leveling Maelstrom 7/12. It’s melting through Elite no problem. Currently in the Blood Grove chewing on some Cthonians for rep.

Attached what it looks like when Reckless Tempest procs (along with Maelstrom), it’s like a crazy storm.

Very best,

15

Hmm, so you manage to make 26/16 Storm Totem on Elite.
Great :wink:

16

Ahh I see what you’re asking; no I don’t have +10 skills items yet. This is base everything. Would love to see what it does with tons of skills, top gear, and all the devotions stacking it. But the point of this run is to just see if everything works up to and through Ultimate without pre-found top legendaries, etc. Literally a from scratch run. The only thing I’m allowing is Writs for faster faction rep.

Very best,

17

Yes, I just want to know the level.

So with 16/16 it’s good and reliable in Elite combine with Reckles Tempest.
I mean Storm Totem as one of the main source of damages.

18

Yea, currently base levels at allowable allocated points.

Currently level 66 in Elite in Fort Ikon and starting that line of the final quests. At this point I’m going to just clear areas for rep and get to level 70 and start looking at the faction revered items to see what’s workable so that anyone can get the items reliably at level 70 at this point and not rely solely on self-found perfect-for-the-build items and still have it work. The idea being zero to hero from scratch with something that can then play decently in Ultimate and start collecting the good stuff for future builds.

So far so good. I definitely feel the cap on damage currently due to lack of gear and certain devotions to scale the lightning damage higher. Right now, around 3500 damage, but against mobs with resistances, etc, it is half that commonly, but luckily it hits so often with a few totems out that they still melt. And a crit starts reckless tempest, and maelstroms are dropping similar. Overall, I think a bulk of the damage is electrocution which is a DOT technically, but since it’s a short DOT (2 seconds) it gets reapplied often and isn’t being just reset constantly like some really long DOT applications. But I’m no expert on the mechanics. Still, it’s melting the mobs, taking down heros & bosses, and I’m not dropping in the middle of 2~3 mob stacks with 2~3 heroes packed in, so the tanky side is working out (probably mostly due to shield and wendigo together currently). Ultimate will be another story. Going to need more damage for Ultimate, or it will be slow going, but the point is to survive first, kill second, and then slowly speed up the process with basically no specific gear or sets.

Working all weekend so will continue around Monday and should have a final entry point and status for when I enter Ultimate.

Very best,

19

Although i had the BiS items for the build i was using, i cleared HC Gladiator twice (left on 149 once because of bad mutators) with this build so it doesnt really lack damage when you’ll manage to gather the optimal gear for it.

20

Update:

I’ve made it to level 70 in Elite and have completed all quests and unlocked Ultimate.

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I completed the main game quests and most faction quests (for reputation).

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I even did the Immolation (Black Legion) quest. This was probably the hardest overall quest because of all the aether on the ground and aether damage in general and because the main enemy (Herald of Destruction) is very resistant to lightning and spawns Overminds which are also very resistant to lightning, the fight took a long time due to that. But, I was able to easily outlast them all due to being durable enough and not even need potions for it.

hakkdgn.jpg678×695

Preparing to enter Ultimate, I did faction quests to get to Revered with almost everyone so that I had Augments and level 70 gear access, meaning less stuff that is needed gear wise to farm, because I’m not farming, I’m trying to just use what drops along the way, and of course anything available at vendors like this so that anyone can do it. Stacking components (some required crafting), augments (required Revered status) and using a lot of Revered-Required-Rep vendor equipment (Homestead & Kymon’s Chosen mainly for gear; Outcast for Augments), I chose equipment based on being able to stack resistances mostly and manage to get some lightning damage modifiers in there to prepare for Ultimate.

Here’s current situation at level 70 as I’m about to enter Utlimate:

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Gear:

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I started Ultimate to see how my resists would hold up, and I’m still max on most of them, and only a little under max on a few after the above stacked gear (and skills/devotions). I’ll flesh all that out soon in a proper build report. Just wanted to update so far for any one interested.

Very best,