Grim Dawn – Starting Guide

Grim Dawn starting guide for new players.

How to Start the Grim Dawn

Note: Credit goes to PinkJbm

Class

Create a character.

You spawn in devils crossing with a fresh character who has no class selected yet. You’re able to pick one class atm.

Press ‘S’ for the skills window and choose one of the following classes:

• Soldier.
• Demolitionist.
• Occultist.
• Nightblade.
• Arcanist.
• Shaman.
• Inqusitor. – DLC
• Necromancer. – DLC
• Oathkeeper. – DLC

Read

I heavily suggest you read the class descriptions before picking one as each class does differnt things.

Level 10 – Second Mastery

In Grim Dawn you’re able to select two classes to use on one character once you reach level 10.

So combination is very possible.

Devils Crossing

Pretty much the hub town world similar to the likes of the one from Diablo III.

You spawn here when you first make a character.

Devils Crossing Map

• Chest – Storage npc.
• Bags – Either merchant or seller.
• Book – Spirit guide that allows respecs.
• Cog – Inventor.

Hud

What you see on the screen.

Hotbar

• Health is in red.
• Mana is in green.
• Unlocked skills can be set with right click in a number.
• Character level is in the middle.
• Rift travel – L
• Character window – C
• Skills window – S
• Codex – Q
• Factions – J
• Map – M
• Group window – P
• Achievements – V
• Settings – G

Compass

Shows the map in a short circle.

Can be enlarged with a key on the hotbar.

Equip / Inventory

The equipment tab and inventory is opened with the ‘I’ key.

Drag and drop

If your stats match with the equipment you can just drag and drop it into the slots on the screen.

• Helm slot.
• Weapon slot 1.
• Weapons slot 2.
• Ring slot 1.
• Ring slot 2.
• Amulet slot.
• Chest slot.
• Pants slot.
• Boots slot.
• Gloves slot.
• Shoudlers slot.
• Belt slot.

Inventory

Open with the ‘I’ key.

Where all your junk and materials are stored that you find during you playthrough.

Also money tab here.

Tonics

Tonic of mending

Is on the hotbar by default but can be activated to restore a portion of health over time.

Cool down on this item.

Tonic of spirit or energy elixir

Is on the hotbar by default but can be activated to restore a portion of energy over time.

Cool down on this item.

Constitution

The yellowish tone on your health bar that decreases when your life regens is the Constitution. This system is put in place basically to not be constantly using potions during battle.

Constitution restoration

Find food around the world and rations.

Rations can be dropped by enemies or found on plates.

Attributes

Every time you level up in Grim Dawn you gain a attribute point that is located with the ‘I’ key menu.

• Physique – Bonus health and regen stat with more weight for heavy gear.
• Cunning – Extra damage with pierce, hit land ratio increases.
• Spirit – Increases magic damage and the ability to channel higher magic gear.

Skill Tree

Mastery bar

The bar at the bottom of a class skill tree.

This feature requires the player to invest skill points into the bar to increase it’s reach.

The further it reaches the more advanced skills and buffs you can invest into.

Skills

Each class has many skills and passive buffs you can invest into depending on your chosen build.

Find what works for your play style.

Devotion

Found in the skills menu. Has it’s own tab.

Restored shrine

Similar to the likes of Skyrim finding these shrines around the map will allow you to earn a devotion point that will go towards your chosen path for certain bonuses.

Constellation

When you invest in certain constellations they provide bonuses towards stats.

Getting a full constellation done will give a special ability towards one move.

For example Tsunami and Aetherfire on both my skills.

Shrine power

These can be levelled up for more damage and effective rate.

Rift

Pressing L will open a personal rift which allows you to travel anywhere and return to the last spot it was used at on the map.

Very hand for going to town to sell your gear.

Act I & II

The beginner type of acts in Grim dawn.

Not the hardest but doesn’t hold your hand.

Act I

Start from Devils crossing and head up towards the Foggy bank and later towards the burrwitch estates. The enemy types are the low level pretty basic enemies.

Act II

Things start to heat up and you must fix the bridge north west of Devils crossing. Once fixed you can walk over and start Act II. The enemy types are upgraded and are more capable.

Lore Bonus

Finding books around the world and reading them in your inventory will grant a lore bonus.These can range from a little to alot of xp.

Right click on the note in the inventory.

Xp & Respawn

Xp scaling

Xp scales to the level that you’re currently at, meaning you can’t keep farming low level enemies and expect to level up fast. You must kill mobs around 1-3 areas that you’re currently around in the story.

Enemy respawn

Overtime enemies will respawn on the map.

So you can keep farming xp if you would like.

Map

The map colour will inform you of the respawn by changing colour when you explore an area.

Enemy Bosses

Enemy bosses respawn just like regular enemies so you can keep killing them for xp and loot.

The star

They’re shown by a star near the health bar.

Quests

The quest menu can be accessed by pressing ‘Q’ for the codex window.

In here it’ll tell you details about quests you have chosen to do from NPCS. For example:

Right side

Active quests are also shown on the right side of the screen but can be turned off with the key icon.

Co-op

If you play with a friend the enemy levels are increased for difficulty. So keep that in mind for when your farming.

Factions

This one gets abit complicated but there are multiple factions in Grim Dawn and doing certain quests and killing certain enemy types increases or lowers a factions trust in you.

Gear

Leveling up a factions trust will allow you to partake in more activities in the areas and have access to better equipment from the merchants.

Loot Filter

Note: I wouldn’t recommend turning this on at the start.

Loot filter

The left of the health bar is a ring icon.

This is the loot filter system in Grim dawn so you can choose what appears on the screen if you don’t like certain items.

Note: Read it before you click anything as it’s confusing.

Black Smith

Enchanting

You can use materials you find in the world to craft a weapon that responds to your current level at the blacksmith but has a chance for random stats and effects.

Scrolls

You can find/buy scrolls that allow you to craft certain items at a blacksmith.

You can try and craft really any type of item from armour to 2 handed great axe.