Pure Nightblade build

[Blake]

Here is me so far on another character. Playing on Veteran

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

Pierce damage I assume does not come from mace/hammers? Does it have to be daggers?
I duel weld the hammers and I get 14 pierce damage but if I remove either one I get 0.
Looking to build a pure melee high pierce damage character.

I'm shoving skill points into god knows what too though I don't know if I'll need to respec anything. Going to see how this pure build pans out.

My previous build is here

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/4NOWM8vN

I like the epic 2-handed axe that I have. I am currently on the Ashes DLC with this build although I have also restarted on Epic so I have two games on that character.
Again there may be a mismatch of points but so far it is killing most things quickly though AOM has a few tough enemies.

[Matthew]

Pierce from weapons is needlessly complicated IMO. The concept isn't difficult, just the wording is unnecessary.

When a weapon says % armor piercing, that is the portion of the physical damage converted to pierce.

So https://www.grimtools.com/db/items/12700 has 100% conversion.

https://www.grimtools.com/db/items/9472 has 45% conversion.

There are items and devotions which can boost it up to 100%.

Hammers generally don't and most axes don't. Many swords do.

[Matthew]

The pierce damage you are getting from your hammers is likely added from the base Dual Blades skill, which adds flat pierce damage when dual wielding weapons.

[Blake]

OK thanks. I only started earlier today from level 1 so will continue with the epic hammers I have until I come across suitable daggers

[KG]

Originally posted by Gray:

Here is me so far on another character. Playing on Veteran

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

Pierce damage I assume does not come from mace/hammers? Does it have to be daggers?
I duel weld the hammers and I get 14 pierce damage but if I remove either one I get 0.
Looking to build a pure melee high pierce damage character.

I'm shoving skill points into god knows what too though I don't know if I'll need to respec anything. Going to see how this pure build pans out.

Why a pure Nightblade? That's just half a Grim Dawn character. If you want pierce you should pick either Inquisitor or Soldier for your second class.

Your pierce damage comes from the Dual Blades passive. No dual wield, no pierce. If you want pierce damage you should probably focus on swords that have high % Armor Piercing (effectively physical -> pierce conversion but it is the last conversion step) and also go for the Blades of Nadaan constellation - it has a node that doubles the % armor piercing of your swords.

Be careful of things that convert physical damage to anything but piercing or that convert piercing to anything. Don't use random components like that Chilled Steel since that converts physical to cold, leaving less physical to convert into pierce. Pay attention to Nidalla's Hidden Hand: it converts your pierce damage to acid.

[andrew.thiele]

Originally posted by KG:

Why a pure Nightblade? That's just half a Grim Dawn character. If you want pierce you should pick either Inquisitor or Soldier for your second class.

Your pierce damage comes from the Dual Blades passive. No dual wield, no pierce. If you want pierce damage you should probably focus on swords that have high % Armor Piercing (effectively physical -> pierce conversion but it is the last conversion step) and also go for the Blades of Nadaan constellation - it has a node that doubles the % armor piercing of your swords.

Be careful of things that convert physical damage to anything but piercing or that convert piercing to anything. Don't use random components like that Chilled Steel since that converts physical to cold, leaving less physical to convert into pierce. Pay attention to Nidalla's Hidden Hand: it converts your pierce damage to acid.

Excellent advice here, as always from KG. Inquisitor certainly has more potential in the end, but does require the Belgothian's set for that default attack replacer to truly shine. The Aura of Conviction + Word of Pain's Death Sentence to further lower Pierce resist is some serious damage. And the obvious Word of Renewal, Inquisitor Seal, and Deadly Aim skills.

Soldier has Cadence and would likely be a better choice for new players, aside from the Soldiers full complement of survivability skills which are also very nice for new players.

And I would suggest using these weapons when you reach Homestead.

https://www.grimtools.com/db/items/8870

They can be farmed in the Rotting Croplands area, and try for a Puncturing or Superior Prefix with the Of Alacrity Suffix such as this;

https://www.grimtools.com/calc/1NXgKRgZ

At least until you find something better, two of these will offer 100% Physical to Pierce conversion (or in-game known as 100% Armour Piercing).