Anyone have tips for 'beginner' Hardcore players?

[Tahu!]

Played Grimdawn a ton, I love getting into build guides and following through with them to see what I like, and now I'm wanting to tackle some of the white whale achievements for me, being the hardcore ones.

I've gotten most of the way to the end of the base game on my current Hardcore character (currently pure demolitionist, transitioning into Oathkeeper+Demo skater), and want advice on places in the game to avoid till later, boss encounters that are super important to be careful around, and which parts of the game I should straight up avoid doing until I am geared or 'comfortable' with the character's build and gear.

I've got the gist of how to gear myself up as I go, and haven't had much trouble outside of one encounter that was added in a more recent patch (the new cronley miniboss near Pine Barrens).

[SADevil]

I would suggest completing roguelike dungeons on normal. But it's hard to say how easy it is for anyone other than pet build (I have hardcore pet Ritualist). After this I haven't visited them.

Try to stay away from:
- Cronley's arena with Boris and others
- Loxmere in Plains of Strife

Don't visit:
- Rashalga, the Mad Queen
- Kra'Vall

Putrid Den and Festering Lair in Act I can be dangerous too.

The Sentinel on Ultimate is very dangerous. He almost killed my beefy Ritualist.

So a general suggestion is to avoid any much higher level optional bosses, if you aren't sure you can beat them without much of the risk.

My first hardcore character, Warlord (Soldier+Oathkeeper), was one-shoted by Zaria on normal, so there's that. Resistances wouldn't hurt even on normal.

But pet builds can allow themselves more, so it's hard to advice for other hardcore builds. But what's dangerous for pet build, should be for others too.

[Tahu!]

Originally posted by SADevil:

I would suggest completing roguelike dungeons on normal. But it's hard to say how easy it is for anyone other than pet build (I have hardcore pet Ritualist). After this I haven't visited them.

Try to stay away from:
- Cronley's arena with Boris and others
- Loxmere in Plains of Strife

Don't visit:
- Rashalga, the Mad Queen
- Kra'Vall

Putrid Den and Festering Lair in Act I can be dangerous too.

The Sentinel on Ultimate is very dangerous. He almost killed my beefy Ritualist.

So a general suggestion is to avoid any much higher level optional bosses, if you aren't sure you can beat them without much of the risk.

My first hardcore character, Warlord (Soldier+Oathkeeper) was one-shoted by Zaria on normal, so there's that. Resistances wouldn't hurt even on normal.

But pet builds can allow themselves more, so it's hard for advice for other hardcore builds. But what's dangerous for pet build, should be for others too.

Ahh all very very good advice! I've finished base game and malmouth, but haven't done too many side areas for fear of exactly that-- getting instantly killed. Working through devotion shrines in final DLC now, then doing the optional dungeons on normal for the hardcore achievs and hoping I can survive them.

I'm currently not doing a pet build, just a Vire's Might skating build so I can zoom fast through the game.

[@Ixxmantisxxl]

Originally posted by Tahu!:

Originally posted by SADevil:

I would suggest completing roguelike dungeons on normal. But it's hard to say how easy it is for anyone other than pet build (I have hardcore pet Ritualist). After this I haven't visited them.

Try to stay away from:
- Cronley's arena with Boris and others
- Loxmere in Plains of Strife

Don't visit:
- Rashalga, the Mad Queen
- Kra'Vall

Putrid Den and Festering Lair in Act I can be dangerous too.

The Sentinel on Ultimate is very dangerous. He almost killed my beefy Ritualist.

So a general suggestion is to avoid any much higher level optional bosses, if you aren't sure you can beat them without much of the risk.

My first hardcore character, Warlord (Soldier+Oathkeeper) was one-shoted by Zaria on normal, so there's that. Resistances wouldn't hurt even on normal.

But pet builds can allow themselves more, so it's hard for advice for other hardcore builds. But what's dangerous for pet build, should be for others too.

Ahh all very very good advice! I've finished base game and malmouth, but haven't done too many side areas for fear of exactly that-- getting instantly killed. Working through devotion shrines in final DLC now, then doing the optional dungeons on normal for the hardcore achievs and hoping I can survive them.

I'm currently not doing a pet build, just a Vire's Might skating build so I can zoom fast through the game.

Something else, don't take the boat near the prison.. :) Also try to stay out of Deadly Domains,

Get resistances up asap, early grinding some levels should help you long term, don't try to bite off more than you can chew,
Just take it easy and slow til you get some decent gear going for yourself,

[OldManJB]

Don't be tempted to take on the celestial totems in the Colosseum/East Marsh. These can get dicey as well esp as they're in dangerous domains. SADevil is absolutely right about the pit bosses. Basically, under no circumstances should you do them while levelling HC. Even when you've hit 100 you still have be careful of those guys esp Acedian in his 'caster' form (stun jacks)

[suejak]

My friend and I just cleared everything pre-DLC (AFAIK) except roguelite dungeons and Rashalga, the Mad Queen on Hardcore Veteran. I was totally new to the game about two weeks ago.

Rashalga one-shot killed another character at lvl 50, so we avoided her this time.

It's hard to give advice per se, but 1) multiplayer makes things a lot safer; 2) emphasize resistances and sources of HP/regen/life on hit; 3) take the Turtle Shell devotion, which is very easy to take as your first devotion.