Getting Killed Too Often on Normal (Easy)

[SilverHawk]

Dying is a big deal in this game. It means that (barring a stupid mistake like not dodging a DOT under your feet) the dozens of hours you've spent tailoring your character have been somehow incorrect or misguided. But even if the ugly "# of deaths" stat in Menu III doesn't bother you, wasting 30 mins getting to a certain spot in Steps of Torment only to die in .3 seconds, might. Especially if it meant you wasted a key and there's no way to restart or try again without restarting the game.
When you've invested hundreds of hours over the course of several years into Grim Dawn, dying on the easiest setting shouldn't happen as frequently as the first couple weeks of initially playing the game. On the easiest setting, it should be fun to try new builds, instead of getting punished for not having resistances set to 80 across the board.
I'm trying to get excited about the new expansion, but if it means prioritizing max resistances to avoid death...ON EASY... then I'm out.

[stony02]

While not willing to quit until I have played the third expansion on softcore. I tend to agree with SilverHawk that the elemental damage can be a problem. I have three characters between 50 and 60 but loot drops don't seem to be promoting elemental resistance. I tend to reach a plateau of best (most efficient) in slot at about level 40 and only minor incremental loot gains after. Moving from basic to moderate my gear has insufficient elemental, poison etc resists and with weaker builds even mobs become a challenge

[gNuff!~©~gNom3™]

you don't need max res, but you're right you do need some res, and to pay attention to your stats in general
Early game got a bump in difficulty to even out more for later game (regardless if you're on Normal or Vet or Elite), late game Ultimate actually became overall easier if we ignore the Sunder mechanic.
If you're dying in 0.3 seconds it would suggest some really basic stat attendances might have been ignored, enough to a point you might also have died before update1.2(0.3secs is pretty fast)
And i'd assume if you're spending dozen of hours tailoring your build this *should* include basic stat attendance, like resist, armour rating etc, otherwise i'm not really sure what you're trying to tailor ?
(i'm not gonna nitpick calling Normal "easy" since that's what it's generally been considered for years ) - and you're not the only one that's noticed the early game difficulty bump/"change from Easy to Normal"

[gNuff!~©~gNom3™]

Originally posted by stony02:

I have three characters between 50 and 60 but loot drops don't seem to be promoting elemental resistance.

i can assure you elemental resist items drop, quite a lot even, it's probably the most abundant resist stat on items.
Remember however, you're also supposed to supplement your items with components and later on augments.
If you feel elemental resist is not dropping, or in general struggle to balance resist it can be from either totally missing the component aspect(blacksmith can craft some aside from the drops), or have a restricted loot filter, and or prioritizing the "wrong" stats on item drops for your actual needs, ex focusing more on dmg/+skills than strictly resist.
*it's technically possible to get 80 all res already in act 1(not that i recommend it nor claim it's simple), but from around end of act 3 it should be relatively simple to cover all res, even as so far to get 80 (tho on normal-vet you can get away with like 50-60res and still feel relatively comfortable most of the time)

[SunDriedSheet]

Just now I had to stop my game and search some answers in the forum.
I am on my 1st playtrough (veteran) and have been ignoring this resist thing the whole game. Playing as demolitionist I've been wiping out mobs in just a few shots, thinking how easy the game is. Then I run into a wasp mini-boss who instantly killed my with 1 lighting. Having 1900 hp as a cunning based character I though I am ok, until now.

[MedeaFleecestealer]

Well, that's not really the way to go. Generally you want to put most/all attribute points into Physique with only any Cunning or Spirit to equip items.

[SunDriedSheet]

Originally posted by SilverHawk:

wasting 30 mins getting to a certain spot in Steps of Torment only to die in .3 seconds, might

Why don't you open up a portal nearby on a safe spot. And if you die, you may simply teleport back. Press "L"

[SunDriedSheet]

Originally posted by MedeaFleecestealer:

Well, that's not really the way to go. Generally you want to put most/all attribute points into Physique with only any Cunning or Spirit to equip items.

And how do you play the arcanist class like that? Just wondering...

[Faust Wither]

Originally posted by SunDriedSheet:

Originally posted by MedeaFleecestealer:

Well, that's not really the way to go. Generally you want to put most/all attribute points into Physique with only any Cunning or Spirit to equip items.

And how do you play the arcanist class like that? Just wondering...

more like how do you ended up in situation having low health, if you have low health should you invest more stat in something you lack, instead keep pushing your offensive.

[King Terry the Terrible]

Originally posted by SunDriedSheet:

Originally posted by SilverHawk:

wasting 30 mins getting to a certain spot in Steps of Torment only to die in .3 seconds, might

Why don't you open up a portal nearby on a safe spot. And if you die, you may simply teleport back. Press "L"

it took me forever to build up that habit but it saves alot of time

[gNuff!~©~gNom3™]

Originally posted by SunDriedSheet:

Originally posted by MedeaFleecestealer:

Well, that's not really the way to go. Generally you want to put most/all attribute points into Physique with only any Cunning or Spirit to equip items.

And how do you play the arcanist class like that? Just wondering...

pretty easily, when you level up you just click the attribute point into the physique tab

*i get that you might have been asking more seriously than the remark above indicates,
but there might be a misconception if it's perceived that "because arcanist = put attributes into spirit", since that's not how the game works, you can, but you don't have to or necessarily benefit that much from doing so during levelling.

[Remnant Melody]

Put skill points into your class mastery, its the big PLUS sign at the bottom of the skill window. That mastery gives you plenty of points to your required stats. And you want to do this for both your class types you choose as well as getting skill points into skills.. consider less one-point wonder and more about 3-4 points into the main skills you use the most for bare minimum.

As an example with my Arcanist/Nightblade combo that specializes in spellcasting cold - I've got my Spirit up to 25 base points and Physique somehwere around 60something? Your damage isn't suffering as a cast and high Physique is too crucial not to have. I'm crunching enemies up in Ultimate likes its nothing. OH I do die on some bosses, its just gonna happen at times, but nothing at all where I'm second guessing my setup considering I just bounce back and finish them off in 1-3 tries if that.

Its legit something you're doing wrong. If you've got a lot of weapon skills, grab some life leech Devotions. If you got a lot of spells, get stuff on attack/when struck in Devotions and FOCUS on one damage time. You like fire? Get fire increasing on gear and such. Don't forget to DODGE out of damage pools, don't let them just pile up on you. The enemies love stacking under you as much as you love stacking under them.

Resistances are important, but you can sorta get away with just focusing on that area. Fighting a lot of GREEN? Probably a good bet to increase Aether resist. Lotta red pools and red lightning? Yup, sounds like Chaos, Bleed and Vitality resistance. Arkovian Undeads? Bleed and Pierce can help a lot with those pesky grouped archers.

This is just a basic bare bones way of remembering some things that I've done for myself as I learned the game. It doesn't cost much to juggle around components and shore up your defenses. The game is pretty forgiving in that regard imho. Check the Blacksmith npcs and the last tab to find even more components you can craft - guarantee some will help you beef up what you're lacking.

[Tsel13]

I like to grind areas over again, as well as totems, looking for better gear drops.
You redo areas by exiting the game to main screen and then start again.
In doing this, once you learn what types of attacks are in what areas, you can focus on those areas for the gear drops you need.
Look for items that have two resist types or more on them.
Preferably more.
Also, try to find ones that have a higher Armor Number.
Set them aside in your storage.
Why?
Because, odds are, the drops will have better resists, but they will weaken a different resist you already have covered.
Saving the gear allows you to mix and match your resists.
Again, the Armor Number is important too.
Don't skimp on it.

As gNuff! already posted.
Components help a whole lot in getting your resists up.
However, I totally understand your pain.
If this is your first time through Grim Dawn, your component selection is going to be close to nil at the Blacksmith.
Hang in there.
You can do it. 😊

[Wafflesaurus Supreme]

How are things with faction reputation? Press J.

[phenir]

Originally posted by SilverHawk:

Dying is a big deal in this game. It means that (barring a stupid mistake like not dodging a DOT under your feet) the dozens of hours you've spent tailoring your character have been somehow incorrect or misguided. But even if the ugly "# of deaths" stat in Menu III doesn't bother you, wasting 30 mins getting to a certain spot in Steps of Torment only to die in .3 seconds, might. Especially if it meant you wasted a key and there's no way to restart or try again without restarting the game.
When you've invested hundreds of hours over the course of several years into Grim Dawn, dying on the easiest setting shouldn't happen as frequently as the first couple weeks of initially playing the game. On the easiest setting, it should be fun to try new builds, instead of getting punished for not having resistances set to 80 across the board.
I'm trying to get excited about the new expansion, but if it means prioritizing max resistances to avoid death...ON EASY... then I'm out.

So you went into one of the hardest areas of the game, and expected it to be ok without the bare minimum when it comes to survivability? Sorry but even on normal (there is no easy) it does not work that way. You've got hundreds of hours in the game, you should know how to get your resists up.

[Neit]

You should be able to handle most of the game content on Normal even with a really sub-optimal build. But I would definitely avoid Dangerous Domains, especially Skeleton Key dungeons unless you are really tinkering with components and spending time balancing your build. You obviously cannot just waltz into areas that are meant to be challenging and expect everything to die around you. In majority of the cases you are even warned it's going to be unpleasant. And no, on Normal you don't really need to have resistances capped, but having them on zero won't work either, you definitely need some resistance to deal with tougher enemies.