_Zayne Aetherbane.zip (2.1 MB)
However, I feel like it’s a bit outdated and I would do it like this nowadays:
(bit different devos and different relic bonus)
At the time of the testing it just wasn’t good enough. Damage was too low and tank didn’t feel that exceptional anymore. Maybe nowadays after Devastation rework and several rounds of buffs to Blade Arc it would be considered for a spot in honorable mentions. Hard to say.
“i notice You bug report” 
Quick question, how is the War Cry automated? Tried finding out myself but with no luck
It doesn’t have casting animation anymore, so works like pressing Blood of Dreeg or Pneumatic Burst but instead your char does War Cry while never interrupting whatever it’s doing.
@mad_lee , here I am again seeking to learn more from you: I have absolutely loved and I do still play the Cold N&O Saboteur because it is just that good!
But, as it was so well described, the allure of clean steely feel that Pierce damage provides is something quite powerful, and I also gave a shot at the Belgothian Infiltrator (tried the Belgo BM at first, but as you said it’s not the best choice for now at least).
I’d like to see your comparison between these two - Cold N&O Saboteur and Belgothian Infiltrator - enlighten me, please!
Edit: As far as I could try out these days, there is a big difference in survivability
between them, right? I confess to be more inclined to pursue your Aether Reaper - do you have an updated save of it available to download?
Hey, was on vacation thus late answer.
Sabo has better clear overall but they are pretty close. I guess Sabo has a better group tank meaning it’s more resilient against packs and big crowds of mobs. Mostly due it excellent crowd control but also due to very solid passive leech from all the procs.
_Aether DW Reaper Lee v2.zip (1.1 MB)
But also try the steeliest of them melees - Pierce Dervish, my personal favourite. It lacks in aoe department but everything else is superb.
Pierce Dervish.zip (1.4 MB)
Thank you very much one more time, @mad_lee , and about the Pierce Dervish… I LOVE IT! You have saved my hopes of playing a powerful steely DW melee build!
Though I wish it could be a bit more tanky…I shall blame it on the Cold N&O Sabo and its excellent survivability: at this stage I can say that I grew accustomed to it 
In the meantime, while waiting for your feedback I also gave a shot at the Fire N&O Sabo - gotta say, I enjoyed its attack speed and stuff, but I was expecting a bit more of its survivability - It felt quite fragile at various moments during my gameplay.
Do you have this version of that Dervish I gave you? Dervish, Level 100 (GD 1.2.1.3) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
Also Fire Sabo felt good to me against crowds because of the set supporting VF heavily, but less so against big bosses. Felt safe in SR 30-31 to me. Which Shards are you pushing with it.
That Grimtools link is of the Dervish you gave me, yes, that’s the one I’ve used and got that first impression - dunno if you wanted to send a link of a variant to the build. I’m still playing it, and loving it - I am blaming my comment on the excellent Cold Sabo!
About the fire Sabo, I felt its fragility during a SR 32-34 run in general - you know when you’re doing it, but not quite feeling safe enough?
I sure know this feeling but maybe those shards are just a tad high for it for like comfy run (and in general it’s already beyond the farming grounds)
I sure am not versed in SR matters - which would be the farming interval within SR, out of curiosity?
ex 75-76 or 30-31 now - this is where it’s kinda as efficient as it can be I think when you have the best builds
As I said, I really am nowhere near an avid SR farmer or anything of the sort - can I take this knowledge as “If a build can do SR 30-31 comfortably, then it is all I need for my gameplay; anything above that is not really necessary to be pursued, except if you want a build to fight Callagadra”?
It really depends, some prefer to push deeper shards, a lot would like that checkmark of killing all Celestials, as gimmicky as those fights are.
mad_lee I just want to say one huge thank you for this list to you and everyone involved.
My endgame consists of creating every single mastery combination char to be capable of farming SR 30-31 comfy. ( I dont do celestials) Since Im not good enough to come up with my own builds and I use pre made ones, currently Im working on the builds form this list. Even though the MIs rarely drop with the same stats ( apart from some easily obtainable ones) with small amaount of MI farming ( 5h per MI to be precise) Im managing to made very fun and powerful end game characters.
I know that a lot of work and care was invested here from everyone involved and I sincerely wish to say one big Thank you.
I hope we see a similar list for FOA and if possible the best build for every possible class combo, it will be absolutly amazing.( I know probably wont happen because of how much work have to be put in).
Thanks for the list, you guys are great!
This is probably not the best place to ask about this, but this curiosity has been here for quite some time as of now.
Can any kind soul help me understand the meaning of this entry? The way I read it the upcoming 1.2.1.6 build will be nicer to melee players, am I right?
“Monster Physical damage has been further reduced to compensate for additional player % Physical Resist tuning. Monster Internal Trauma damage has received additional penalties, previously had none.”
And, @mad_lee , I reiterate this, man: I am frickin’ loving the Pierce Dervish!
it’s about reducing the build disparity there is in certain stats vs tankiness
There used to be a huge “win” bonus in a build easily or freely getting a bunch of phys res, because a ton of enemy dmg is physical (not melee exclusive)
best direct comparison would be you have 2 caster builds using 2 different caster sets, where there is 10 phys res on one, 0 on the other and perhaps one features occultist bonuses too so you get blood of dreeg there too, voila 25 phys res vs 0, huge tank difference
Disparity further widened by heavy armour sets with phys res vs caster armour/low armour rating without phys res. 1400 armour and 10 phys res vs 3-4k armour and 50 phys res is just huge defensively difference on basic stat inclusion, where the lower end spectrum might not necessarily always have equal or different means to make up for that difference.
Reducing phys res needs on the wider scale means narrowing the gap and widening the playing field for former squish builds vs “tanky” builds (while still having tanky builds have some slight chonk advantage)
Also means less “meta”/one dimensional stat focus where you always took pants/boots with phys res or phys res prefix etc, now other items might be get more utility not having that same mandatory singular stat consideration (tho formidable prefix is still popular post change ofc 
)
*example of non melee high dmg physical dmg skills could be Grava balls and Benji bombs and aleks meteor
It seems several sources of physical resist have been removed, replaced with +armor, or moved to constellations/gear that you wouldn’t normally pick up on a tanky melee character. Since this makes melee characters less tanky, they also lowered enemy physical damage by [AMOUNT_NOT_FOUND] to try to offset it a bit. In general, I’m gonna trust that they know what they’re doing and that this is a positive change that will leave melee mostly untouched while making squishies less squishy.
I don’t think this will be a net “nicer to melee players,” though.
Hi, whats the most updated top1 korba trickster? im kinda confused, there’s two of em.
is it the one with kaisan’s ammi or the heart of the mountain amulet? thanks! grimdawn#1 
2nd post by Lee is the one updated for 1.2++ ⭐ Top 20 Softcore builds, ft. HC approved section from RektbyProtoss! [1.2.0.5] (An Onion) - #2 by mad_lee
although you’d need to ask for additionally direct updated versions, if changes was made later after that post in the last 1-2 incremental patches