I am not the best min-maxer, so usually refrain from making suggestions regarding end game balance. I have recently played multiple builds, so will write some stuff down.
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Noticed that there’s no way to fully convert physical to lightning on Ultos set. And yes, you need global anyway for Torrent but it’s strange that the canon Primal Strike build lacks it. On the same note physical to lightning on Stun Jacks is present only on full Light Defender set and nowhere else, making the possible itemization pretty narrow. Also no way for converting Stun Jacks while leveling, although this might be on purpose to avoid SJ being OP. Light Defender set itself have few issues. You need 1035 physique but doesn’t give any physical resistance, while blocking pieces with it. Also neither of the three classes supported or lightning maps have way to stack physical resistance. SJ is also pretty exotic skill outside of lightning and maybe cold. Both chaos and aether have low damage and can’t stack DoT’s and without LD set you have extremely small radius. So, I suggest boost of radius of the skill, move conversion from LD to other set piece and add physical res on full set bonus instead. Also Storm Totem is really outdated and need boost. Reference builds for LD Purifier and Vindicator :Purifier, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator
:Vindicator, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator -
PRM. Boy for 4 node skill boosted by one of the strong masteries isn’t that good. Single target damage is really low on every variant (I’ve played them all) and you can’t be saved by the huge crit damage. AoE is fine and defense is OK. OK isn’t that impressive given you always have tanky masteries for main PRM builds - Spellbinder for aether and MH for elemental based. There’s serious problem of defense vs burst damage of any PRM build and combined with low single target damage makes it far from great build for SR and superbosses are plain impossible (or at least hardly doable) even when packed with good gear on good classes. Most PRM builds perform somewhat similar but there’s one bad outlier in Crucible - cold (without counting meme vitality). Cold is extra sensitive against resistant nemeses. And that’s common problem for cold casters, especially with single RR and Kuba in particular is ridiculous. Without beating a dead horse there’s already nice topic HERE But for any PRM there’s the common problem. I suggest boosting WD modifier on Spellgaze and increase damage on main node and maybe increase Distortion passthrough at 100% at max rank. Reference builds: Spellbinder, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com)
Mage Hunter, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com)
Mage Hunter, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com)
Mage Hunter, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com) -
Callidor’s Termpest. I’ve recently made (somewhat) successful lightning and cold versions and struggle with fire. The problem is that the builds I’ve made worked despite CT and not because of it. Actually outside of full Agrivix set there’s one thing common for every CT build and that’s the good 2H weapon. And CT is cast and synergizes well with Devastation and off-hand, oh well. For cold I’ve used Bane and for lightning Temporal Arcblade. Arcblade version in particular is quite fun but performance is the bare minimum given weapon is quite potent. Also lightning version have 22/16 CT with no way too cap the main node, despite multiple items with +Arcanist mastery. CD version is also pretty mediocre outside of Vanquisher set. I can suggest increase target area and WD on spam version and reduce CD/increase WD on transmuter. If something is too strong, there’s always an option to increase CD via set/item mod like Vanquisher set. Cold and lightning builds mentioned:
Spellbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com)
Druid, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com) -
Virtue. I feel most of mono class 5pcs sets all have some problems being competitive in modern eco-friendly environment driven by green MI items. I want to talk about Virtue set. It have few issues. Just like many rotation casters, it have problems with sustain vs burst damage (esp Paladin for some reason) and it takes lot’s of time to actually deal damage to single target. Full set is also beaten by MI shield and there’s the problem of what skill to supplement Aegis. You don’t have CS for Stormfire (or conversion in that matter), you can’t sneak Fire Strike due to lack of skill points and no way to convert RF with standard gear. Also Aegis need lot’s of OA to use the % crit multiplier and you can’t have that even with handpicked OA affixes.I suggest adding % total speed as set bonus, add 6% OA and DA instead of just 4% DA on 3pcs set and increase damage or CDR on full set to make it worth your time. Also side note, I think game diversity can benefit from physical to fire conversion to RF on forgotten Ignaffar’s Gloves. Here’s my Virtue Sentinel and Roman’s Shieldbreaker:
Sentinel, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com)
Shieldbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.1.9.7) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator (grimtools.com) -
Sustain/devotions. Considering current end game state with lot’s of incoming damage and constant showers of debuffs not all sustain devotions have same impact. Nowadays it’s better to have lot’s of damage and skill with high WD and leech through global life steal and have ways to absorb/mitigate damage. The thing is both health regen devotions and Ghoul feel subpar options. Health regen can use (slight) buff but I want to talk about Ghoul. Experienced builders often don’t pick Ghoul on melee builds!!! Devotion proc is outdated. In current Crucible/SR your health is constantly moving up and down and you waste your precious Ghoul too often. Also it have long CD and melee builds often lack CDR, so it have very small impact on melee builds. I can suggest decrease CD on the skill and change activation point from 45% health to lower value. Ghoul is actually pretty fascinating example. Something that used to really good fall out of grace despite not being nerfed. In everchanging Grim Dawn’s biosphere and buffs to multiple stuff, just staying at same values, means lot of things aren’t competitive anymore and might need slight nudge. But that’s just my opinion…