(u) Massive dps Fire/Aether AoE Warlock

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
1

GLASS CANNON. Great fun kiting dps build; don’t try to facetank.

Hi guys my name is Orion and I’ve been playing Grim Dawn for over 250 hours. I have 2 level 85’s and am enjoying some fun other builds on other lower level characters. I’m not a total expert at the game yet but getting there so please ask me any questions; I’ll be sure to ask you if I don’t understand something. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the guide!

GrimCalc Build-- http://grimcalc.com/build/1007-lEARkS

Videos

Beating a nemesis boss exactly a minute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDNzDbljBqw

Crucible Gladiator Using Panetti’s Replicating Missle to proc Magi’s Fissure (no music)-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBS-gmfHe7Q

Crucible Gladiator extra spawn waves 1-150 14.5m score (multiplayer)-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INcRhHU-mwo&t=4s

Crucible Gladiator carrying low levels 10 waves-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-uetnFE4AI

Port Valbury Ultimate solo in 25 mins-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyWNGRFxl-c&t=119s

Pros

Insane AoE and single target dps. I have about +1400% fire damage modifier and +1100% aether damage modifier.

Nice CC with flash freeze and nice invulnerability for 3 secs with Mirror of Erections–oops–I mean Ereoctes.

Cons

Squishballs, unless u have max resistances; even then low health, so squishballs.

Runs out of energy at times with aether ray.

Need to spend all augments on resistances or you die.

End Gear

Full Iskandra’s set for helm, shoulders, chest armor, off-hand, and amulet

Iskandra’s mythical relic or sacred talisman (free act 2 relic) for energy regeneration

Sash of the immortal sage for belt

Footpads of the grey magi for boots

Mark of Anathema for medal

Wraithborne legwraps for pants

Aethereach for gloves

Time-flux band and Entropic Coil for rings

Warpfire or a better fire dmg legendary for weapon

-Fun skills with FIVE fun devotion actives that proc off them:

Panetti’s Replicating Missile (on left click) to Proc Magi’s Fissure.

Curse of Frailty to lower all enemies’ fire resist by 30%.

Devastation–kill large groups or do single target dps to a boss, use as much as possible.

Albrecht’s Aether Ray–use all the time except when out of energy.

Olexra’s Flash Freeze when needed.

Trozan Sky Shard not so much for its damage but 2 second freeze and for a devotion skill proc.

-Defensive Skills:

Blood of Dreeg when you need instant health.

Mirror of Ereoctes when you might die if not invincible for 3 seconds.

Auras and Passives

-I got aether-ward aura and fire aura from components.

Devotions

-Refer to grimcalc but here’s the order I got them:

Crossroads (Chaos)

Fiend

Scholar’s Light

Hawk

Magi

Imp

Ulzuin’s Torch

Viper

Widow

Sailor’s Guide

Ghoul

Leveling Guide

-Max out devastation first, destroy everything. Arcanist is overpowered. You can get 1 point in all the 1 point skills while getting devastation. Next, max aether ray and Curse of Frailty to lower enemy resistances to fire. Then get Maiven’s sphere of protection or Flash freeze for crowd control. At level 70 you need armor augments to play on ultimate and not die all the time. Just get augments for your lowest resistances, usually poison and pierce.

Conclusion

-I love this build but if you don’t like the challenge of a squishy hero I wouldn’t play it. I play this a lot on twitch – http://www.twitch.tv/parashara

-Also, there are many twitch archived videos of this build if you want to check them out.

Thanks for reading!

–Orion

2

Interesting build. It has no skills except OFF until it gets devotions, so levelling must be a challenge!?

I’m surprised it doesn’t take DEE (that was what I was expecting before I looked at the grimcalc), but perhaps DEE is a good way to level (with OFF for CC and Bod/MoE for survivability)?

3

Most likely he leveled using fireblast/greater fireblast

4

Good thinking - that plus the maxed OFF to freeze and reduce their resists could be a pretty decent way to level.

5

What skills do you use for the devotion skills?

6

Why not go Nightblade instead of Occultist? Flash Freeze and Arcane bomb already gives the build plenty of RR and the 51pts in Occultist can pick up some yummy stuff like Arcane Will, Elemental Balance, Nullification (for the big boss fights) along with replacing the lost Occultist support skills with PB and VoS along with maybe picking up Shadow Dance and Phantasmal Armor.

I realize BoD is great for groups but if one plays mostly solo I would think a Spellbreaker might be a better fit. Thoughts?

7

Just a quick glance through the build, it seems to be a mix of Aether and Fire/Burn.

…Flash Freeze and Arcane bomb already gives the build plenty of RR…

Flash freeze’s RR is only good for groups and most heroes. As far as i can tell, a big thing is he’s lacking any form of flat RR. I’de actually consider going Demolitionist for BWC and Agonizing Flames to cover both Aether/Fire in this case.

…the 51pts in Occultist can pick up some yummy stuff like Arcane Will, Elemental Balance, Nullification (for the big boss fights)…

Another thing to consider with those points in Occultist is they’re still mastery points, they’re still adding health/energy/etc., going more into Arcanist would make you squishier. Some people have no problems with that like parashara but it’s worth pointing out. Personally, i wouldn’t go so Arcanist heavy on a build so i have access to more options and am all around healthier stat-wise.

…replacing the lost Occultist support skills with PB and VoS along with maybe picking up Shadow Dance and Phantasmal Armor.

VoS and Shadow Dance would help with DA but most of parashara’s points have already gone into spirit anyway when i’de say he wouldn’t need them so he seems pretty intent on going glass cannon.

The main difference between Pneumatic Burst and Blood of Dreeg in this circumstance to me is that one gives Total speed and DA, the other gives OA.

One of the things i find odd is the need for so many devotion procs and in the case he’s taken them, why he 1 pointed the entire line of skills they’re attached to instead of just the skill. PRM’s modifiers arn’t really doing anything for the skill, at least he’s taken Frozen Core on TSS for the freeze but Shattered Star is again, not doing anything.

Last thing i’de mention is if i were doing a build like this, i wouldn’t split myself between Aether and Fire. I’de pick one of the two and focus on it with the other adding some support damage.

8

Some advise

  1. you need at least 3k OA to do reasonable dmg with AAR. 3500OA is adversable.
  2. drop Reckless power if you dont need castspeed. And with Arcanist mastery you whouldnt need cast speed.If geared right you should reach 200% cap.
  3. Crit dmg is multiplicative, so always max Disintegration . Elemental balance should be 12/12 or even higher.

And final advise - you loose dps when you run away =)

9

Very good points and I did decide to go Occultist with this build since I do play with a friend sometimes and the BoD & CoF fit nicely with group play and I love a strong heal that adds OA. Plus I might want to try a Doom Bolt + Devastation build someday.

You and I had the same thought on the devotions and a few days ago I even then decided to make some of my own changes in this regard. I dropped Imp, Fiend and Sailor’s Guide in favor of Jackal, Raven, Lion and Lantern. I could even change out Lantern with the Tortoise if need be.

Along with the loss in the two procs and a few other minor things I do lose 78% fire & 39% Aether dmg but gain 95% to all dmg and 67 OA along with 5% crit dmg, 11% cast speed and some nice energy and health buffs.

So in the end I’ll have a more focused Arcanist skill tree and with Flash Freeze & CoF I don’t see a need for more CC. I’m only level 58 atm so there is still a lot more needed to finish this build but so far so fun.:smiley: