[Warder] Physical AoE, Wreak Havoc (1.0.0.2 / Ultimate Approved)

Grim Dawn Classes, Skills and Builds
1

Foreword
I used xyphons guide [B29] LazyMouse1 85 Warder - 17-33kDPS Savagery Template as a starting point. When i first started playing Grim Dawn 2 weeks ago, i chose warder as my first character. I didn’t know what the hell i’m doing or how should i play this class. I respeced skills and devotions dozens of time in order to find combination that fits. I couldn’t find it so i searched internet for a guide, and i found his. I used it even though it was outdated because i saw great potential in his Warder. I liked it a lot. So, after playing this class for 108 hours i think i have decent knowledge to make a guide for others to use this build as a template for their own build. This build can be adjusted to different playstyles but i’m gonna show you mine.

Intro
This build is focused on physical, bleeding and internal trauma damage. It has huge AoE potential. You will see a lot of crits flying around your screen (so you might wanna buy another screen to see whats going on). It is also focused on sustain, like life steal and HP regen. Your health will be drastically dropping and raising so this build isn’t for the faint of heart. Also bear in mind that this is an endgame build. Since i made this build after completing game you won’t be able to level up your skills in order as shown in this guide, but i’m going to make a leveling guide when i will have the time.

Pros and Cons
Pros:

  • Supper offensive
  • Crazy DMG
  • AoE
  • Fast clearing
  • Plus 83 skill points from gear

Cons:

  • It takes a few seconds to kill a Boss
  • Relying on lifesteal and HP regen

List of Thing You Can Do

  • Take on HUGE hoards of enemies at once
  • Solo SoT
  • Solo BoC
  • Kill Nemessis (work in progress)

Attributes

  • Physique (45)
  • Cunning (37)
  • Spirit (5) (You need to put 5 points in spirit so you can equip amulet)

Devotion
Crossroads -> Order

  • for HP

Crossroads -> Chaos

  • for HP

Assassin’s Blade (4/4)

  • We don’t actually need piercing damage, but we want that Assassin’s Mark.

Falcon (5/5)

  • Damage and AoE boost.

Crane (5/5)

  • Resistance and damage.

Hammer (3/3)

  • Damage.

Owl (4/4)

  • We need affinity for Oleron. It’s not so bad because we get resistance, extra spirit so we don’t spend atttributes and -5% energy skill cost which is somewhat useful in boss fights if you are going to spam Great Tide.

Hawk (3/3)

  • We want that offensive ability boost.

Empty Throne (4/4)

  • Extra resistances, plus we need affinity.

    Scales of Ulcama (4/5)
  • HP regen, damage and lifesteal. PERFECT! (skip the energy part)

Chariot of the Dead (6/7)

  • Another perfect constellation. Tons of offensive ability, plus Wayward Soul skill which we want.

Oleron (7/7)

  • TONS OF DAMAGE! (both melee and AoE)

Panther (1/4)

  • Extra offensive ability.

Devotion Skill Setup

  • Assassin’s Mark -> Savagery
  • Falcon Swoop -> Great Tide (much better proc than with Ground Smash)
  • Blind Fury -> Upheaval (both blind fury and upheaval are proced every time you crit, but blind fury has 1 sec CD)
  • Tip the Scales and Wayward soul -> Oleron’s Rage (or) Field Command (or) Mogdrogen’s Pact

The Skill Build
(85 / without gear)
http://grimcalc.com/build/gW0Qsm
(85 / with gear)
http://grimcalc.com/build/7YHeRE

SHAMAN
Savagery (16/16)
It’s a bread and butter of this build. Max it. You will also get +6 in this skill with gear.

Brute Force (1/12)
Put one point here so we can take Feral Hunger. Also small damage boost.

Might of the (Bear 3/3)
Boost to all damage. Max it.

Mogdrogens Pact (1/12)
Put one point here for Heart of the Wild.

Feral Hunger (3/10)
Also core of the build. This is a must for our survivability and AoE potential. Put only 3 points here, the gear will give you +5. After level 7 it scales bad, but we need to reach max 25% chance to use this skill.

Upheaval (6/10)
This gives you a huge AoE boost since it is used every time you critical strike, and this build is all about that. +4 from gear.

Tenacity of the boar (11/12)
Gives us offensive ability and HP regen, which we want. Gear will give you +1 for max.

Heart of the Wild (9/10)
Huge HP boost. Also some defense. Nine points in here. Gear will provide +1.

Storm Touched (11/12)
Big boost to our DPS. Gear +1.

SOLDIER
Markovians Advantage (1/12)
This ability is totaly useless and you shouldn’t even take it but since we get +8 with gear lets take one point only. It provides small debuff to enemies defense.

Fighting Spirit (10/12)
This skill is freaking awesome. Huge damage and offensive ability boost, low cooldown, duration longer than most of the fights and will immediately activate after cooldown every single time. Even though it doesn’t scale very good after lvl 12, put ten points in here because we want some additional offensive ability. Gear will get you another +6.

Menhirs Will (1/12)
We only need 1 point here for survivability. Good thing is you will get another +4 from the gear for even better survivability.

Military Conditioning (6/10)
Without it you won’t be able to equip heavy gear. Also nice boost to our HP. Six points only because your gear will get you +4.

Blitz (1/16)
Boost to your AoE. Also good mobility skill. One point is more than enough. And of course you will get +4.

War Cry (7/12)
Very good offensive and defensive ability when upgraded with Terrify and Brake Morale. We don’t need twelve points because scaling is terrible. You will get +4 with gear.

Field Command (2/12)
We need only one point here for Squad Tactics but since we got extra put two. You will get additional +4 from gear so thats a nice boost to defense and also we get some extra offensive ability.

Terrify (3/3)
Mob control. Max it.

Decorated Soldier (4/8)
Nice resistance and damage boost. Only 4 point because we get +4 from gear.

Blindside (1/12)
Very nice AoE boost. Also +4 with gear.

Squad Tactics (8/12)
Very nice boost to our DPS. Put eight points here and let your gear max it with +4.

Break Morale (4/12)
Reduces enemies defense. Four points is enough because you get +4 from gear and also we have Assassins Mark.

Scars of Battle (6/8)
Six points here. Scaling after lvl 8 is great so you will get nice boost with +6 from gear.

Olerons Rage (3/12)
This is an absolute must. Incredible boost to our offensive ability, damage and movement speed (not that we actually need it). Only three points because we get +9 from gear.

Gear
Since this is a Two Handed warder build that focuses on physical damage and not lightning, some of the gear isn’t 100% perfect, but nevermind that. This gear is the best i could combine for maximum potential.

  • Markovian’s Fortress set is perfect for our build and best you can find to fit to our combination. HUGE amounts of damage, HP, resistances and +points to a lot of our skills. Equip helmet, shoulders, chest and amulet (obviously everything but shield).
    HEAD - Markovian’s Visor
    CHEST - Markovian’s Platemail
    SHOULDERS - Markovian’s Vanguard
    AMULET - Markovian’s Distinction

  • Leviathan There is no better weapon for this build. Tons of damage again, incredible AoE skill, bonus HP and +skills.

  • Alternatively for more DMG to bosses you can use Stonefist Rebuke with Oleron’s Blood. Don’t forget to replace Falcon Swoop.

  • Chausses of Barbaros give us incredible boost to our damage, some HP regen and +3 to Oleron

  • Grasp of Unchained Might is another part of armor that gives us boost to DPS and also some resistance and +2 to Oleron

  • Earthshatter Treads give us damage, resistance and huge boost to our AoE

  • 2x Lifegiver Signet mostly because of lifesteal. HUGE sustain boost. Also a lot of HP and incredible amount of vitality resistance.

  • Badge of Mastery for that offensive ability and +5 to savagery. Also very nice elemental resistance.

  • Zeal for ton of DPS and offesive ability.

  • Guthook Belt is all about that damage (surprise). +points to skills. Nice.

Components

  • Prismatic Diamond for your head. Damage of course.

  • Vicious Jawbone for medal and amulet. (Damage again ? Seriously ?)

  • Haunted Steel for mace. You are completely right, you don’t need that vitality damage. But you sure as hell need that lifesteal. (or you dead, bro) SPOILER ALERT!

  • Chains of Oleron for chest. NO! Not for damage. This time you need offensive ability. (but that’s the same, kinda :stuck_out_tongue: )

  • Roiling Blood for your rings ( i know what you thinking right now. You and your freaking damage.! I hope you die!) haha :slight_smile:

(OK, OK i’m stopping with the damage now, I’m sorry.)

Augments

(please don’t be mad at me. I honestly forgot this…)

Outro
This is it. I’m still going to improve this build and post what other gear and components are suitable for this build, altough you will have to switch many things around because skills in my build are specific because of my gear. We got tons of +skills in total. Thank you for reading my guide (if someone even has read it). All critics are welcome. No one is perfect and no matter how good you are theres always room for improvement. Now go out there and kick some ass with this build.

2

Any reason why you dont use Wendigo?

3

I never actually even tried this skill, because i had plenty of sustain but thanks for pointing that out. I will try it and get back to you.

4

So after swapping points from War Cry to Wendigo totem ann Blood Pact my coclussion is this. This ability is actually useful in boss fight because you don’t have to run away after you have used all of your survival resources. Usually i have to run away for 2-3 sec to use my pot and then rush back in with blitz but with this i can just stand there like a fool and take up all the dmg. Good skill but i wouldn’t trade it for War Cry because you have deal even more dmg with it and you have some mob control in case you get mobbed by a huge wave of enemies.

5

So after swapping points from War Cry to Wendigo totem ann Blood Pact my coclussion is this. This ability is actually useful in boss fight because you don’t have to run away after you have used all of your survival resources. Usually i have to run away for 2-3 sec to use my pot and then rush back in with blitz but with this i can just stand there like a fool and take up all the dmg. Good skill but i wouldn’t trade it for War Cry because you deal even more dmg with it and you have some mob control in case you get swarmed by a huge wave of enemies.

6

How about the mastery points in Shaman for Wendigo, on a new char of course

7

What weapon are you using? Is it just me, or is it not listed?

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Weapon is Leviathan

9

I am so sorry i forgot to post. It is leviathan

10

Yes of course it is really good sustain ability. You can choose it, although i didnt. Depends the way you wish to play. When i started i was maxing soldier first. Now that i have experience you should definitely go shaman first and you can choose Wendigo for better sustain before you max your points in soldier. Just make sure you take Blood Pact otherwise its useless because you have Menhir Will and Wayward Soul.

11

Made small changes

12

I’m trying out this build after i re-think using “Retaliation Warden” build so i want to ask a couple of questions.

  1. Why max-out Shaman mastery if don’t use any skills past level 32(i think)?

  2. Any leveling build tips? Seeing this build is pretty much about +skill from equipment, leveling build must be pretty different. Like, f.e no reason to take just 1 point in Menhir’s Will at all before you get a lot of + from stuff. Or, on contrary, exchange Might of the Bear(10% till late game isn’t too much with Savagery) for some thing like more Menhir’s Will?.

Because right now (21 lvl, with green\blue stuff) i feel like i take too much damage because Savagery takes some time to get to its full potential (ant tips for it?) and Blitz’ing into large packs without it to take out caster\ranged is risky(not actually risky, but gulping a pot each time as Soldier\Shaman feel bad). So maybe i should get more survival skills early game or focus on getting more AOE ASAP with some excessive point before i get equipment with more + skill?

13

Primal strike + Falcon lightning is a good way to level along with the same old defensive devotions and skills

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  1. You must level shaman past lvl 32 for extra attributes, especially because of spirit, otherwise you won’t be able to equip amulets.

2.You only need 1 point in menhris will for extra sustain because you focus on lifesteal and HP regen. Since i respeced so many times during my gameplay because i was just a newbie i can only offer you my opinion in leveling. In soldier skill tree first max Military conditioning and take one point in Menhirs Will and Blitz. If you want to be a little more offensive i suggest you put few points in fighting spirit (5 would be enough). In shaman skill tree i would suggest you max savagery first and also might of the bear, put at least 6 points in heart of the wild, 1 point only in brute force and 8 in feral hunger. DO NOT touch tenacity of the boar and stormtouched at all. This are the last skills you will max. Also dont take upheaval too. In my opinion its better if you focus on single targets until very late because you dont need that much aoe in normal/veteran and elite difficulty. After you have done that put 1 point in blindside and field command then max decorated soldier and put 7 points in squad tactics. You can take 1 point in war cry only and max Terrify for some mob control, if you want. Then go for oleron and max it. After that go for the rest of shaman skill tree. If you need any other tips feel free to PM me or you can post in here.

15

Also i forgot about scars of battle…put 5 points there

16

Im new to GD so Im trying this build out and having ok success so far. I seem to be getting rekt and dying alot to some kind of bleed effect? Can I do anything to negate this ? Is there some kind of bleed resistance I need to look for on gear? Also as far as just finding weapons. Do you always equip a rare(yellows) that gives +Damage or do you equip rares(greens) that give + to savagery/etc. Im still lost and trying to find my way around this game.