Masteries
In Grim Dawn, you can select from several different classes, known as Masteries. Masteries represent various archetypes from the world of Grim Dawn which you can combine to create your own customized play style. At level 2, you can select your first Mastery. At level 10, you will have the option of selecting a second Mastery to complement your initial choice, creating a Dual-Class character.
Dual Class Names
Choosing your Masteries is the most important step of creating a new character in Grim Dawn. The game currently features the following Masteries:
Arcanist
To Arcanists, the manifestation of magic is not some unexplainable mystery or the will of the gods, but a science meant to be unraveled. This pursuit of knowledge drives all Arcanists, always eager to discover a new technique to make their namesake. Arcanists warp Aetherial and elemental energy to their will, creating devastating demonstrations of power that rival small armies. However, such raw force leaves little in terms of defense.
Demolitionist
Pyrotechnic masters of the imperial army; Demolitionists are part engineer; part sorcerer. They were used to break enemy ranks and breach fortifications with their devastating array of explosives and destructive magic. They usually prefer to fight at range; engaging enemies with guns, traps and explosives but they can also be proficient with melee weapons.
Nightblade
Nightblades were clandestine warriors that sold their services to the great houses of the empire. Nightblades excel with all manner of martial weapons but are most feared for the deadly blade magic that is the secret of their trade. Nightblades are not suited to go toe to toe with tougher enemies and rely on illusion to close for quick, devastating attacks or fight from a distance with phantasmal blades.
Occultist
Once hunted by imperial forces in an effort to control eldritch power, the Occultist’s craft focuses heavily on summoning and borrowed powers granted by the three witch gods Bysmiel, Solael and Dreeg. Their diverse arts include abhorrent curses and spells that inflict damage with poison, acid, and entropic energy. Excelling with neither sword nor gun, they can use either to augment their offense.
Shaman
Hailing from the untamed northlands, Shamans were the spiritual leaders and guardians of their people. Claiming an astounding attunement to the wilds and their patron deity Mogdrogen, Shamans are capable of wielding the terrible forces of nature against their foes or even calling upon savage beasts to come to their aid. Shamans excel in the use of brutal two-handed melee weapons, but can easily adapt to other tools of war when conjuring their primal powers.
Soldier
Soldiers of the imperial army were trained to survive in the most hellish conditions and hold the line against the deadliest enemies of the empire. Soldiers prefer the use of close combat weaponry, such as a sword and shield, but can also prove formidable with firearms. What a Soldier may lack in outright damage output is made up for in fortitude and leadership.
Inquisitor
As members of the esteemed Luminari Order, Inquisitors were responsible for protecting the Erulan Empire from the dangers of the arcane and the occult. Over the centuries, the Inquisitors gathered countless relics of unimaginable power, but duty sometimes overcomes safety, and some of these relics were studied and in turn replicated for use by the inquisition. While they excel with ranged weapons, Inquisitors are armed with an arsenal of relics and arcane runes that allow them to be more than capable in close-quarters combat.
(Requires the Ashes of Malmouth Expansion)
Necromancer
Though most modern Necromancers hail from the Order of Death’s Vigil and the training of the mysterious Uroboruuk, not all choose the secluded life. While their profession naturally inspires fear and revulsion, the Necromancers of Cairn seek balance through research and mastery over the ultimate fate that awaits all mortals: death. Necromancers make heavy use of conjuring forth skeletal minions and sapping the very vitality from their unwary foes, though entering the fray themselves with martial weapons is not unheard of.
(Requires the Ashes of Malmouth Expansion)
Oathkeeper
Whether they hail from the Temple of Menhir, or offer their souls to the Witch Gods, all Oathkeepers have two things in common: unflinching loyalty and zealous fury. Oathkeepers are the guardians of sacred tombs, keepers of the faithful and ardent enforcers of celestial will. They do not merely hide behind a shield or their divine powers; to Oathkeepers, these are weapons upon which they shall spill the blood of the unworthy and exact their righteous wrath.
(Requires the Forgotten Gods Expansion)
Berserker
Berserkers are the brutal unflinching defenders of Asterkarn that have embraced the beast god Mogdrogen’s gifts to shapeshift into ferocious beastlike forms. They harness the bitter unforgiving winds of Asterkarn to infuse their weapons and shatter their foes. When they are not assuming their wereforms, Berserkers bring down their prey in savage dual weapon combat, but any weapon can prove deadly in their capable hands, or talons.
(Requires the Fangs of Asterkarn Expansion)
Resetting Skill Points
If you find that a particular skill you have invested in is not working out for you, you can visit a Spirit Guide that will unlearn skill points for a fee. You cannot unlearn a skill point invested in an active skill without first unlearning all points from passive skills which affect it. You also cannot remove points from the Mastery bar.
To learn more about the Spirit Guide, visit the Service NPCs page.
Mastery Calculator
Our fans have been busy creating tools to assist in the creation of your characters. One such example is GrimTools, created by Dammitt, which allows you to plan out your builds.
You can visit the GrimTools website here.