1h+shield Shaman Necro - build suggestions?

[jerel]

I'm playing this suggested build, but feel that I can get better survivability out of 1h+shield, vs the 2h suggested here, without really giving up too much dps - https://www.grimtools.com/calc/xZydY0kV

I am absolutely loving the fact that the build does massive vit dmg / vit decay + bleed + health absorb + health regen, and that it can almost stand in one spot and attack, with some smart moves to avoid goo and/or mob damage, and still crush most maps. I've wanted to try this type of play for a while now, and this is bad-ass. But I know it will get much harder.

Basically I have found that as long as I keep all of my non-elemental res at 65+ I end up taking very little damage, or even none, unless I'm fighting a real boss or mob, or something(s) that make me stand on damaging goo time and time again. Or freeze, because I still lack some ele res - but that's easy to make up with components.

I'm now well into my Elite run with this char, and to be honest and not bragging at all, I feel that it is still too easy. I didn't even finish everything in Normal mode because I felt it was not worth the time it would take me to do so, compared to the rewards.

So my question is - how do I make the jump to Ultimate and still have no deaths? Looking to possibly try HC, and this build is by far the best I've played yet for survivability, and I still really enjoy playing the build mechanics.

Suggestions for skills which could viably take the place of all the 2h skills taken in the original build would be greatly appreciated. Reasons to take them - doubly appreciated.

[Bludbonez]

LOL, I would not know. I only use character skills to supplement my pet build. My Ritualist archetype is strictly minion. As shown on my previous Ritualist https://www.grimtools.com/calc/YNnwgkd2

[madrigal]

There are not a lot of options for a melee 1H+shield Ritualist. You could play Savagery, drop the Brute Force line and go all in on the Necromancer's wps skills. There is also a relic, Uroboruk's Reaping that gives you a vitality melee skill, you can use instead of savagery. Disclaimer: these are not suggestions, just some things you could try. I've no idea how strong they might be.

Assuming vitality damage, you could farm Decree of Malmouth for the weapon. There is also a weapon available from a Solael faction blueprint, no idea if it's any good. For a vitality late game shield, there's one I think drops from celestial totems, Nightshard I think, that looks very interesting. It better be good, because those blue totems are scary. There are a couple others that could be made to work, but I think you are mostly in uncharted territory.

Trying to go vitality and bleed damage devotions is unusual, but if you are enjoying it, that's what matters. Usually we do one or the other for the most difficult bosses, but you can do most of the game with this. Imo the build has too many caster skills for a melee build. This is a grand piano build

The other option is to drop melee and focus on the caster skills. There are lots of things you can do with that.

Have fun!

[krickerd]

If you are not playing HC, try ultimate. Got nothing to lose. You will get a feel for how merciless it can be. Besides the severe resistance penalties, monsters tend to be more resistant to damage and require a LOT of resistance lowering to your primary damage types to really stay on top. Try it out, you'll know if your build is working. When you are ready for HC, your first character will go slow obviously and will pioneer your blueprints etc. Once you have a HC character that reaches revered with Malmouth, I would buy a lot of Potions of Clarity and a few merits from the Conclave vendor, then follow a fast leveling guide for your next build. I find in Ultimate you either need level 70 armor augments, or if you are lower level, quite a few devotion points (35 or more preferably). If you have some time to kill, go on YouTube and watch some vids by Arcadelife. He has great tips on all things Grim Dawn.

[jerel]

Cool, I appreciate the responses and suggestions. Thanks.

[KillingYouGuy]

Although the update may have altered the list, this is one of my favorite sites in seeing what the elitists are doing: https://forums.crateentertainment.com/t/top-20-softcore-builds-ft-hc-approved-section-from-rektbyprotoss-1-2-0-5-an-onion/136117

[KillingYouGuy]

If you don't know Rektbyprotoss, check out his work on YouTube, he is a fantastic blogger with many many builds showcased.

[jerel]

Interesting, thanks, I will have to check that out, although I usually don't youtube.

Honestly the thing that is bugging me the most with this build is trying to figure out what to do with my 20 (so far) unused devotion points. Skill points bug me a bit too, but I haven't run out of uses for those yet.

Not that I need the devotions at all currently. I've still been in no danger of ever dying, and still can face tank and melt/leech most mobs with a bit of smart play. But I really want to plan out a good build for those devotions. I'm just not sure how to go about doing that. I don't quite know how to effectively decide what devotions to pick and what skills to bind to their specials. A lot of choices that I've seen suggested just didn't seem very powerful or useful until I tried them and saw the effect.

I'm sure the latest update changed things enough so that there are new potentials, and that's pretty cool. But I never was a GD expert by any means, and so that leaves me quite a bit lost.

[jerel]

Still loving this build. Now running Ultimate, still 0 deaths.
Still have a long way to go before ending the Ultimate run with 0 deaths, but I still feel it has the potential to do so.
Current build - https://www.grimtools.com/calc/lNk97AQV
Toggle permanent buffs on to see approx where I'm standing most of the time without other buffs/procs.

There is much to improve upon, I'm sure.
I have a Mythical Meat Shield in storage and will equip that at 84.
That one gives me an extra +25% base HP on top of what I already have, + other stats.
I basically built this char around that shield, and have not been disappointed.
I did always want to play a char that leeched life, vit, and did bleed, vit damage, so this is quite the build I wanted.

Skill points remaining on the build link are way over-stated, not sure how that happened, it shows 40 more than I actually have remaining.
Attribute points remaining is correct.
But I think this is a nice base to build upon.
Certainly my favorite build so far.
Not sure where to place my remaining Dev points.

Thanks to the original build suggestion here https://www.grimtools.com/calc/xZydY0kV for the inspiration for mine.
Guide link to that build here - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=921953506 - Based off of the 2h Wendigo Ritualist.