Source
r/Grimdawn•
crycrywolf

Lets talk the two popular paths of the warder.

The two paths are this, go with primal strike and the healing totem. Or go with savagery and the heal is feral hunger.

This is my question. I play exclusively with my squishy friend who is gun using elementalist. I am the warder. We are on normal so darkvale gate.

The for a half of the game I was savagery and I feel like I was face tanking which I like for the teams sake.

I respecced points recently as a primal striker and healing totem and learned how to work with it to stay alive with it. I'm doing good damage to hoards but is it normal to not face tank with this build as easily? I alternate potions and totem and it's a little intense every fight.

Possibly the game is getting harder and it's not the build.

My question, does it appear that savagery and feral hunger makes me a stronger face tanker for the teams sake? I like to go toe to toe with bosses while he can do aoe moves. I never play alone so what I'm asking for the teams sake. We are both squishy with this primal strike.

Any opinions for the the good of coop synergy?

I'm more concerned with living and survivability, he can worry about glass cannon.

Posted Mar 8, 2016, 2:00 PM UTC

933
riidiii•

If you are squishy with Primal Strike then maybe you are squishy in general, it's just the good healing from the one set up that's letting you keep going? (I don't know, it's just a thought. I've recently taken a couple of squishy characters through Elite relying on good healing rather than rounded defences).

Have you put many points in defensive skills? Got decent resists? Taken some strong defensive Devotions? Are some of your items really old - nice stats but low armor value? Is your Defensive Ability high enough that you aren't getting crit a lot? Do you have 0 chaos resist, and that's been the main problem in late A3?

The game does get harder, though. Your defences will rarely take care of themselves, they take some work.

5
crycrywolfOP•

I switched to primal strike for act 3, you may be right. It threw me off.

1
FBMWhite•

Use Savagery, Feral Hunger, and the Totem and just face tank everything you don't have 0% resistance to.

3
xaradevir•

It takes a bit for the totem to get up to snuff. Going from 2% + a little to 5% + a lot more makes a huge difference, as does adding in blood pact.

That said you will have more survivability using savagery I would think since it comes with feral hunger which also heals you.

It depends on what your friend does. If he has great single target damage you could probably stick with primal strike since the AOE and chains clear out trash quickly. If he is the AOE'er then you can focus on locking down the tough ones.

Also I would get the charge skill from Soldier asap. Just one point is a game-changer. When your health dips low you can charge at a ranged mob to get yourself out of all the melee ones. It's also great for knocking down some hero mobs.

2
crycrywolfOP•

Oh I'm a Blitzer for sure. That's my 2nd move.

1
sohksy•

I recently did the exact same - was Savagery, loving the Feral Hunger heals, then to Primal Strike loving the AOE but not enjoying my health getting so low. I was thinking putting points into Military Conditioning and Heart of the Wild to help this so maybe you can look at that?

Also do you have energy issues with Primal Strike? I seem to be popping Energy Tonic's like it's no ones business and I'm not sure what to do about it.

2
crycrywolfOP•

Make a mistborn talison (as your first relic slot item). It seems to be a rite of passage for warders. That could help in the right direction at least.

Yep, primal strike makes you into a energy consumer. I miss all the random dice throw percentage chance moves with the savage build myself, that was kinda neat.

Maybe we are waiting for that 2 handed lightning weapon (and armor) before we can judge primal strike vs savage? I dont have one yet.

1
sohksy•

I actually got Windcallers Decapitator and have been using that, it's amazing for damage but as I said I'm burning through tonics.

EDIT: I also made a mistborn talisman and was very underwhelmed by Troll Rage, now use it on my Blademaster though.

2
xaradevir•

Some ectoplasms on rings (and ammy?) if you aren't already using them can really help. 20% max energy boost + 2 regen each. Pretty common drop, I have like 20 just from one character.

1
sohksy•

I didn't realise there was a component that helped so much, thanks man.

1
crycrywolfOP•

Troll rage is useless. It's about the first choice of relic for the stat increase.

1
Hrimnir•

How would mistborn work with a primal strike build as primal strike replaces your mainhand auto attack?

1
crycrywolfOP•

What you are referring to is the Troll Rage move that is attached to the relic. Do not use the Troll Rage move, but enjoy the stats of the relic. It is the first relic I believe should be obtained for the stats.

1
Hrimnir•

Ah ok. I gotcha.

1
bibbidybobbidyboobs•

I use both, savagery for left mouse button and primal strike for the right.

1
crycrywolfOP•

Not a good idea warder. Pick a main attack tree, don't spread so thin. Pick one. Do blitz as your 2nd active, it's good.

1
DefinitelyNotCeno•

Not necessarily. A value point in Primal Strike is pretty solid for the AoE stun. If you're 2H Warder, it's worth picking up!

2
metaphorm•

I disagree. A 1-2 second stun on a 3 second cooldown, small AoE, melee attack with low damage (as it would be with only 1 point in it) is not even worth putting on your action bar.

1
PM_ME_ROMANCEWORRIES•

A two second stun on a three second cooldown=enemies stunned for 2/3 of the time you're fighting them. If that's not worth putting on an action bar then I'm not really sure what skills are worth running.

2
DefinitelyNotCeno•

I disagree with your disagreement. Even if it stunned for half a second I'd take it. You can use stuns/CC to break enemy skill animations, which can prove incredibly valuable when it comes to surviving in Ultimate or improving your clearspeeds.

2
CatAstrophy11•

rofl 66% stun uptime isn't worth putting on your action bar?

1
bibbidybobbidyboobs•

I disagree, it's a very powerful build, handles the bosses quite capably, and it's fun. I use the Thunderous Strike transmuter which let's it serve as punctuation to the Savagery hits.

1
Bomantheman•

I play as a retaliation warder. It can be boring, but death is never an option. I have a 2h blade arc warder whos dps is far less that my ret warder. I just sit infront of nemesis and they die in 15 - 20 sec on ultimate. The biggest downside is not being able to deal much dmg to ranged mobs.

1
crycrywolfOP•

Here is how I imagine your character on the way to the boss.

http://cdn0.dailydot.com/uploaded/images/original/2013/3/26/dance.gif

4
Bomantheman•

100%

1
Travellerr1010•

could you link a grimcalc? or point me to a guide? this sounds hilarious

2
Bomantheman•

Ya bro! http://www.grimdawn.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32466

This is where I got most of the advice from. I havent been online for a few weeks but as of right now my Ret warder is 81 i think? With all BiS gear too. The health regen is roughly 800/s unbuffed with 20k hp and maxed resistances. No need for offensive ability. Just retaliation damage and %. Ive gotten to the point where Fabius has hit me for 140k dmg per strike.

1
Hrimnir•

So, I actually have a 55 warder I've been leveling and have gone with the primal strike style of build. So far my AOE damage is through the roof. Single target isn't complete crap buts its not good.

So is savagery then the single target vs AOE variation? If you pick savagery should you get something like wind devil or storm totem for AOE damage?

Also, I've noticed the only level 70 mythical relic that has +all shaman skills seems to be pet oriented. So my thinking is we're stuck with a level 60 one?

1
Zarkus•

As a non-tank melee char things can get pretty dicey sometimes. First thing to check is resistances, what are you getting whacked with the most and is the % res at a decent level. After that it's armor values, make sure things have armor #s for your level. Then it's build. I feel like feral hunger gives more survivability. A couple points into Menhir's Will work wonders. The Ghoul constellation is also amazing, has saved me many times.

1
scytheavatar•

Have you tried a Blade Arc warden? It's better than both Primal Strike and Savagery. Primal Strike to me is overrated, IMHO it's better as a ranged 2H build than a Melee build.

1