Finding the right build in Grim Dawn means matching your class combination, devotion constellation path, and gear to a single focused damage type. Builds that try to do everything end up doing nothing well, especially on Ultimate difficulty where resistance reduction stacking separates viable builds from dead characters. These 8 builds are tested through Shattered Realm 75-76 and Ultimate Campaign, ranked by clearing speed, survivability, and gear accessibility.
Build Rankings
| Build | Class | Damage Type | SR 75 Clear | Survivability | Gear Barrier | |-------|-------|------------|-------------|---------------|-------------| | Retal Warlord | Soldier + Oathkeeper | Physical (Retaliation) | S | S | Medium | | Pet Conjurer | Shaman + Occultist | Multiple (Pets) | A+ | S | Low | | Vitality Cabalist | Necromancer + Occultist | Vitality | A+ | A+ | Low | | Fire Strike Purifier | Demolitionist + Inquisitor | Fire + Lightning | S | A | Medium | | Aether Death Knight | Soldier + Necromancer | Aether | A | A+ | High | | Cold Infiltrator | Nightblade + Inquisitor | Cold | A+ | B+ | Medium | | Bleeding Warder | Soldier + Shaman | Bleeding | A | A | Medium | | Chaos Sentinel | Oathkeeper + Occultist | Chaos | A | A | High |
1. Retaliation Warlord (S-Tier)
The Warlord (Soldier + Oathkeeper) retaliation build is the tankiest character in Grim Dawn. You stack retaliation damage on gear, activate toggle skills, walk into enemies, and they die from hitting you. It sounds absurd and it works at the highest content levels.
Core Skills:
- Counter Strike (Soldier): 100% of retaliation added to attack
- Presence of Virtue (Oathkeeper): Flat retaliation damage + party aura
- Overguard (Soldier): +120% retaliation damage when shield is up
- Aegis of Menhir (Oathkeeper): Shield throw that deals retaliation damage
Devotion Path: Obelisk of Menhir (defensive), Targo the Builder (retaliation boost), Messenger of War (flat Physical retaliation). Bind Targo's proc to Counter Strike for automatic healing on retaliation hits.
Stat Priority: Retaliation damage > Physique (for health and DA) > Shield block chance. Aim for 25,000+ Physical retaliation damage with buffs active. With proper gear, you'll reflect 15,000+ damage per enemy hit, which kills trash mobs instantly and shreds bosses that attack quickly.
This build's weakness is anything that doesn't attack you. Certain bosses with slow, telegraphed attacks deal less total hits, making the fight take longer. Supplement with Aegis of Menhir (which applies your retaliation as direct damage on a cooldown) for these encounters.
2. Pet Conjurer (A+ Tier)
The Conjurer (Shaman + Occultist) pet build lets your summoned creatures do all the fighting. You run around collecting loot while a Briarthorn, Primal Spirit, Familiar, and Hellhound tear through enemies. This build clears Ultimate campaign on budget gear and scales well into Shattered Realm.
Core Skills:
- Briarthorn (Shaman): Tanky melee pet, max Ground Slam for AoE
- Primal Spirit (Shaman): Temporary summon with massive burst damage
- Familiar (Occultist): Ranged pet, Lightning Bolt for screen-wide damage
- Hellhound (Occultist): Fire-damage melee pet, self-heals with Ember Claw
Devotion Path: Shepherd's Call (pet OA boost), Mogdrogen the Wolf (pet damage proc), Ishtak (pet survivability). Bind Shepherd's Call to Familiar for consistent uptime.
Gear Priority: +% All Pet Damage, +Pet Health, +Pet OA. The Beastcaller's set (farmable from totems and Shattered Realm) transforms this build from good to dominant. Each piece grants massive pet bonuses that stack multiplicatively.
Pet builds are the most new-player-friendly option in Grim Dawn because your survivability doesn't depend on having perfect gear. Pets face-tank for you, deal damage for you, and draw aggro away from your squishy caster body. Read our Grim Dawn Beginner's Guide for leveling tips with this build.
3. Vitality Cabalist (A+ Tier)
The Cabalist (Necromancer + Occultist) stacks vitality damage and lifesteal to become nearly unkillable. Every skill heals you through Attack Damage Converted to Health (ADCtH), and the combined resistance reduction from both masteries strips -130% Vitality resistance from enemies.
Core Skills:
- Ravenous Earth (Necromancer): AoE ground effect dealing Vitality damage
- Siphon Souls (Necromancer): Large AoE lifesteal nuke
- Bloody Pox (Occultist): Spreading DoT that reduces enemy damage
- Curse of Frailty (Occultist): -32% Vitality resistance reduction
Devotion Path: Rattosh the Veilwarden (-25% Vitality RR proc), Scales of Ulcama (healing proc), Dying God (massive damage boost with health cost). Bind Rattosh to Ravenous Earth for automatic RR application.
The total Vitality RR from skills + devotions hits -130% against most enemies. This means even enemies with 80% Vitality resistance take damage as if they had -50%, resulting in 1.5x damage multiplier. Stack this with 18-22% ADCtH and every attack heals you for thousands of HP.
4. Fire Strike Purifier (S-Tier Clear Speed)
The Purifier (Demolitionist + Inquisitor) Fire Strike build is a ranged glass cannon that clears screens of enemies in seconds. Dual-wielding pistols or using a two-handed rifle, you convert everything to Fire damage and watch the screen melt.
Core Skills:
- Fire Strike (Demolitionist): Your main attack replacer, adds Fire + Lightning
- Inquisitor Seal (Inquisitor): Stand in the circle for 18% damage absorption
- Storm Box of Elgoloth (Inquisitor): Chain Lightning for off-screen pulls
- Thermite Mines (Demolitionist): -35% Fire resistance reduction
Devotion Path: Solael's Witchblade (-35% Fire RR), Ulzuin's Torch (Fire proc), Magi (Fire proc). Bind Solael's proc to Fire Strike for constant RR application.
This build has the fastest clear speed in the game but lower survivability than tankier options. Inquisitor Seal provides your main defense: standing in the seal grants 18% damage absorption that stacks with other sources. The playstyle is "plant seal, shoot everything, move seal, repeat."
5. Aether Death Knight (A-Tier)
The Death Knight (Soldier + Necromancer) converts Physical damage to Aether using the Krieg set, then stacks Aether RR through Spectral Wrath and devotion. Soldier provides the tankiness while Necromancer provides the damage conversion.
Core Skills:
- Cadence (Soldier): Main attack replacer, every 3rd hit for big damage
- Spectral Wrath (Necromancer): -30% Aether resistance reduction
- War Cry (Soldier): AoE debuff reducing enemy damage
- Mark of Torment (Necromancer): 70% damage absorption for 4 seconds
Gear Requirement: The Krieg set (4-piece) is mandatory. It converts Cadence's Physical damage to Aether and provides massive Aether damage bonuses. Without it, this build doesn't function. Farm the set from specific dungeon bosses (Steps of Torment, Bastion of Chaos).
6-8: Other Strong Options
The Cold Infiltrator (Nightblade + Inquisitor) stacks Cold damage with Shadow Strike for teleport-burst gameplay. High skill ceiling but extremely satisfying. Our Grim Dawn Tier List ranks all 36 class combinations.
The Bleeding Warder (Soldier + Shaman) applies massive Bleeding DoTs through Savagery and Blade Arc. Budget-friendly with great survivability from Soldier's passives.
The Chaos Sentinel (Oathkeeper + Occultist) converts Eye of Reckoning to Chaos damage for a spin-to-win playstyle. Requires specific gear but is one of the most fun builds in the game.
For devotion and leveling details on all these builds, check the Grim Dawn Walkthrough and Grim Dawn Tips and Tricks.
