Grim Dawn Grim Misadventures #55-#57

A total of three new “Grim Misadventures” features have been published to the official Grim Dawn forums since the last time I checked in, with entry #55 covering caster scepters and daggers, entry #56 focusing on the additions and enhancements made in Build 22, and entry #57 detailing the Black Legion faction. A couple of excerpts:

Caster implements originally started as physical damage-based weapons that dealt lower damage per second (DPS) than their standard counterparts, but had some base spirit and offensive ability to make up for the difference. This presented some immediate flaws, mainly because the base spirit attribute conflicted with the attribute requirements, but also because they were just not that compelling for a caster to wear.

The current iteration has caster weapons dealing pure magical damage, one of the seven possible types. This allows for hybrid builds that can deal some heavy magic-based damage, which will bypass the defenses of most enemies, but it also comes at the cost of being in melee range. In addition, we have revised the affix tables for caster weapons so that they will favor %-based bonus rolls, while completely removing the possibility of some less desirable bonuses. We realize that getting the correct bonus on your equipment as a caster can sometimes be challenging. These alterations will make caster weapons a more reliable source of your ideal stats.

All of this does not mean that non-caster weapons will be unviable for caster builds though. There are still many interesting options available on other weapon types that can complement your builds. We do not expect caster weapons to become a must-have part of every caster build, but they should definitely provide compelling new options for those of you who favor magic damage over the brute force of physical attacks.

…

Founded over four centuries ago by decree of the emperor, the Black Legion was to be a resolution for the empire’s increasingly overcrowded prisons. Hundreds of convicted criminals were given two options: the executioner’s axe or service in the emperor’s army. This group formed the backbone of a new imperial legion deployed to the forefront of some of the empire’s most brutal conflicts.

Many of the hardened criminals met a gruesome death at the vanguard, but those that survived battle after battle became some of the empire’s most effective soldiers. Over generations, the Black Legion was tempered through the fires of war into a force few would even dare meet in open combat.

Most famous of such events was the rebellion in the City of Venmar, 215 years before the Grim Dawn, where, upon hearing of the Black Legion’s imminent arrival at the gates, the rebels laid down their arms and begged for mercy before their deposed magistrate. Ironically, the insurgents were then sentenced to serve in the Legion, where most perished under the harsh conditions the troops were often exposed to during campaigns.