I’m sure there are more seasoned HC veterans still around here, and hopefully like I said I’m not the first to go through the experience of losing a level 100 HC character at Ultimate. So far I’ve built four HC characters leveled to 100 in Ultimate, although only three I think can do SR 32 reasonably safely (the lost conjurer was one of these). They could probably push into SR 35-36 but I’m not going to try that in HC. It’s definitely made me a better player, though. More situationally aware. I’m always trying to preplan exit / retreat points. I don’t underestimate the damage that a rush of even trash mobs can do if you don’t have great passive defences (which usually comes at the cost of weak offence). Kaisan, like Grava, can be particularly bad because they can really hose you if you’re in awkward terrain - if you don’t have room to dodge Grava’s neutralization orbs, or Kaisan’s green crystal totems - and / or doing so, more and more mobs agro onto you. While in SC I’d just tough it out, my advice would be to seriously consider early abort in SR if you draw some bad random mutators. Because if something can go wrong - it eventually will - and there are no second chances in HC. That said, it has breathed new life into my Grim Dawn experience - it’s kind of fun to be turning over every crappy chest for lucky finds or iron bits with your first HC character - brings back memories of when I first started playing GD. I would recommend one of @S.E.P_Ralf excellent starter builds like The Matron’s Wrath as your first character who can level rapidly and trailblaze for other builds to follow by finding decent (not perfect) MIs and blue epics. It’s kind of nice not to have an accumulated stash of years worth of SC play and a dozen builds again.
Cool. Grimarillion is the only mod I have active atm. I’ll do the Nydiamar campaign mod after I try out a bunch of class combos. Eventually I’ll try out Dawn of Masteries, but not any time soon.
I’m usually drawn to HC early on in games that have it for an option, I just haven’t for GD. Still waiting for a (fully theory crafted) character idea that I want to test/try in HC and that will get my feet wet. For SC characters, I definitely overload on offense and worry about defense later. It gives me a better idea on what I can ‘tough it’ through and what I need to really prepare for before a battle. So far, fire damage is what gets me the most. It. Packs. A. Punch! Well, that and the aether or acid damage that’s on the ground. Usually, I can just run through it and piano key my potion and heal spells, sometimes it gets me at the end. WOMP WOMP. Better in SC vs. HC.
Usually by the end of elite I have my resists in order with enough overlap to carry me through ultimate. So far, I am just leveling my characters to 100 and parking them. I want to get as familiar as I can with different class combo’s before I tackle the end game of SR and Crucible. I am playing a DW pierce damage cadence (primary damage) Blademaster. I am in the mid 90’s. It’s fun, but a bit squishy, even after sacking some offense to beef up my defense. Matter of fact, anything with Nightblade in the build is very squishy.
I guess I kind of have the start of an idea that might be HC viable. Thinking Warder (Soldier + Shaman), but I want to try out savagery (with grasping vines foe cc) in SC first. Then again, I see lots of potential for Shaman and a different class because of the damage transmutations to savagery.
I agree, HC is definitely a game extender and it keeps you on your toes/more alert to damage types and mobs with interesting spells and abilities. That’s what keeps me playing D3. I do SC and HC for the journey chapters and GR grinding if I have luck with Barb or Monk items. Also, starting fresh without a bunch of mules or tabs filled with all kinds of loot is really nice. When Fangs is ready for play, I will do a hard reset and play GD from scratch.