[v1.0.5.1] DW Chaos Cadence Witchblade

Hi all, I’d like to share one build of mine, not particularly original but certainly good. It’s pretty similar to other builds I’ve seen posted here, but I couldn’t find anything exactly identical, so I decided to try and post it :stuck_out_tongue:

What this build is

  • An Hardcore AoM certified build;
  • Certain to take down every nemesis currently in the game;
  • Safe and powerful;
  • Relatively easy to gear;
  • An awesome chaos firestarter.

What this build isn’t

  • A Crucible 150-170 farmer;
  • A DA wall;
  • A CDR caster;
  • A Lokarr farmer;
  • A Superboss killer.

This said, here’s my build

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2EjKAbV

About the devotions
I’m sure somebody will notice that I didn’t get Hungering Void despite going for the Dying God and having 24% lifesteal and 320+ health regen per sec. I initially had it, but then I realized I could reach 200% attack speed without it (thus losing a good part of that buff’s strength), and on top of that it was actually leaving me much more vulnerable to DoT effects. After I found myself almost dead at Malmouth’s docks when that buff procced, I decided to remove it altogether.
Also, I didn’t go for the Manticore, which I realize isn’t such a wise choice, but in my opinion it wasn’t all that necessary, given how this build can kill even Benn’Jahr (highest chaos res nemesis) without it.

About the items
The medal and relic can certainly be changed without too much of a hassle. I balanced this build after the Direwolf Crest (which lets me use the Eldritch Pact relic, which Imho is the best choice), but the Mythical Black Star of Deceit is an absolute beast, the only (huge) downside being that you would then have to use the Blademaster’s Talisman. Also consider a 100% pierce to chaos conversion (with good rolls on the Fangs) which makes the Direwolf Crest all the better.
As for the MIs, they’re in no way absolutely necessary, I simply went for what I needed and what I thought to be best; Gollus’ ring will also work, and the best affixes certainly are the ones your character needs, but the prefix “of Oleron’s Wrath” gives +2 to Cadence which is pretty great. Same goes for the shoulders; while the Iron Maiden’s Shoulderguard certainly is the best item, the Fleshwarped Pauldrons are certainly easier to farm and pretty damn close in terms of stats.

About the skills
I picked Blitz instead of the Riftstone because I had the skill points, and because the Seal of the Void is all around better as a component, and the Symbol of Solael gives us a -10% chaos RR skill. Threw in Blindside coz extra targets, but I realize it’s a waste of a skill point, if you need it elsewhere.
I also didn’t get CoF coz meh, the OA is already pretty high and none of those RRs really help this build (it’s almost only chaos damage).

Videos
Mad Queen fight (popped an Aether Cluster to not stop hitting her during the red aura :p)
Benn’Jahr fight (94% chaos resist nemesis)
Grava’Thul fight (coz he’s always a pain on every build)

And I guess that’s it :slight_smile:

Gratz on Grava kill :good: . I avoid him in current patch cause he can potentially one-shot anyone with invisible projectile of mana-burn. Heck, i find 150+ more faire that this piece of stellar balance :smiley:

Ty :slight_smile: usually I try to kill enemies, as I hate to leave stuff behind, but he’s certainly the most annoying of the nemesises, and a few times I had to skip him. Just recently I lost my vitality dualwield Death Knight to him (got sandwiched by other mobs); it’s kinda funny tho how he’s still quite more powerful than all the other nemesises (except the Reaper of Lost Souls, I never faced that one so I can’t say).

Nice build! But the DA reductions from the amulet and CoF do stack. They are also compatible with DA reduction from the helm.

Interesting/original use of the direwolf crest on a chaos-cadence-WB. Mad props.

I searched a bit, and you’re right. Thank you for the insight, I thought DA worked like resistances and thus -# sources didn’t stack, but that’s not the case. Great to know :slight_smile:
Still doubt that CoF would be a worthy investment in this build tho - all I get from it is -DA, and Imho this build doesn’t really have troubles to crit.

Makes me happy to see this kind of playstyle get some attention. I’ve rolled this character as my first ever following a template set in this thread some time before AoM: http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52406

I’ve been tinkering around it and trying to improve it since it never got really updated, and recently decided to do the jump and swap from blademaster talisman + badge of mastery to a new relic + direwolf crest. My current build is:

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/RZRny3OZ

Very effective and satisfying to play, altho farming the greens can be a deterrent for many people