Patch Notes Build 29 (Dec 23, 2015)

Build 29 is an update that was released on December 23, 2015. This update made the game feature and content complete, and included the game's finale with the Necropolis and the final boss, Elite and Ultimate difficulties, and the Bastion of Chaos. The level cap was raised to 85, and hundreds of new unique items were added for the new levels.

Major new features

 * The finale of Grim Dawn is now available! Venture into the Necropolis and thwart the vile plans of the Cult of Ch'thon as they seek to resurrect the Herald of Ch'thon and usher in the end times.
 * With the defeat of the final boss, you can now restart the game on Elite and Ultimate difficulty. Expect grave challenges as you engage Grim Dawn at its most difficult.
 * The Bastion of Chaos, Grim Dawn 's second challenge dungeon, is now available for you to explore. Delve into the depths of the Void and face off against some of its most cruel denizens.
 * With the release of all of the game's content, the level cap has been increased to 85. Note that the level ranges on Normal have been adjusted to match the release of additional difficulties.
 * Legendary items are now available and will begin dropping above level 50. Over 240 Legendaries are available for you to find.
 * 246 low-level Epic items have been recreated as Empowered high-level versions to provide more loot variety above level 50 and to bring back your favorites from the lower levels.

Art

 * New species of flora and fungi have blossomed in Cairn's dark underground caves.
 * Updated FX on Ancient Shambler attacks.

Tech

 * Camera zoom setting is now saved per character.
 * The devotion shrine window will automatically use offerings from the player's inventory.
 * Fixed a bug where it was possible to collect duplicates of some formulas.
 * Fixed a bug where augments would work incorrectly when stacked.
 * Fixed hand hit damage being included in character sheet calculations.
 * Auto-cast skills now try to search around a dead target's location for potential enemies, instead of around the player.
 * Fixed a bug where loot was invisible in instanced loot mode for some players if they died or left the area of a loot drop.
 * Optimized and improved the quality of all enemy ragdolls (physics).
 * Fixed a bug where Treasure Troves would become locked to the player if the player was frozen by a monster.
 * Fixed weapon damage showing (0-0) for item skills.
 * Fixed "Chance of" attributes not being properly calculated on skill tooltips.
 * Devotion skills will now show their max rank.
 * Fixed secondary skill attacks (e. g. Nightfall) not trigging devotion skills.
 * Fixed certain passive devotion skills not contributing conversion.
 * Item skills in the devotion window will now show the gear slot associated with that skill.
 * Fixed a bug where Targo's Hammer and other similar skills would only hit targets once.
 * Desired network adapter can now be chosen from the Options->Network tab, fixing MP for some people with multiple adapters.
 * Attached devotion skills now show on all skills on the hotslot bar.
 * Fixed devotion skills not being properly removed from their parent skills in multiplayer.
 * Fixed items disappearing from the cursor with the transfer stash open when using the character window close button.
 * All pet skills will now take into account their parent's passive skills for tooltip calculations.
 * Fixed pet bonuses showing up as activated on item tooltips for sets with no pieces equipped.

Game

 * PvP is now disabled within safe zones (Devil's Crossing, Homestead and the Fort Ikon NPC area).
 * Completed quests are now recorded within the quest log.
 * Devotion shrines claimed are now recorded within the quest log.
 * Reduced bleed resistance and bleed duration reduction on ghosts and skeletons to 100% and 50%, respectively, making it possible to overcome their immunity with resistance reduction effects. The same has been applied to all monsters that previously had 500% immunity to any damage type.
 * Cunning damage bonus to flat physical and pierce damage reduced by about 9%, indirectly giving spirit a little more relative value as a damage attribute.
 * Magical duration damage (burn, poison, decay, etc) bonus from spirit increased by about 10%.
 * Crit thresholds lowered for bottom crit bonus tiers but raised for top tiers. Respectively, lower tier crit multipliers have also been lowered but scale more steeply in higher tiers to the same max bonus. It will be easier to crit now but only a very focused crit build will be able to achieve top tier crits.
 * OA and DA forumulas have been adjusted. Each character level provides 12 points, up from 10, while each 10 points of Cunning / Physique now provide 4 points, down from 5. Most characters will end up with a slight to moderate bump in OA / DA. Characters that have stacked a lot of cunning may see a decrease.
 * The Rhowari Legacy quest now awards a devotion point rather than the shrine itself to prevent issues in multiplayer.
 * Duncan now teleports to Devil's Crossing immediately if you cross the prison gates after giving him the Malleum Menhir.
 * Player warning sounds (e. g. "This skill is not ready yet") are now set on the Dialog sound layer and can be adjusted along with other dialog sounds (e. g. vendors)

Itemization

 * After extensive deliberation and observation of the community, we have decided that the best course of action for the longterm health and balance of the game is to remove completion bonuses from components. The ramifications of this change are significant: components now stack up to 1000, freeing up storage space previously taken up by countless variations of the same components; crafting no longer requires you to place items in the UI. Crafting materials are now automatically grabbed from your inventory, personal stash and transfer stash, in that order; with the discrepancy of completion bonuses removed, we can more accurately account for player power and balance the game accordingly. We can add more components in future content without feeling like they are going to take up obscene amounts of player storage. Many components have been buffed in light of this change.
 * Reduced Cunning requirements on 1h and 2h ranged weapons, particularly at higher levels.
 * Reduced Physique requirements on all armor, belts, 1h axes, 1h maces and shields, particularly at higher levels.
 * Slightly reduced requirements on scepters and daggers, particularly at higher levels.
 * Increased damage on the first 3 tiers of 1h and 2h ranged weapons.
 * Increased resistance values on all level 50+ equipment by about 50-70%, based on item level. This change is retroactive for Rare+ quality items.
 * Increased resistance values on faction augments by about 50%.
 * Epics - increased base damage on all level 1-24 Epic weapons to extend their longevity when you first find them.
 * Epic - Apothecary's Touch: added a granted skill that allows you to heal nearby allies.
 * Epic - Desecrator Treads: stats updated to be more offensively oriented, favoring a Vitality build.
 * Epic - Gutwrench Eviscerator: increased Attack Speed to 10% and Cunning to 5%.
 * Epic - Sharpshooter's Mark: stats and set bonuses updated to favor 2h ranged builds rather than being universally useful.
 * Epic - Redemption set: renamed to Perdition, flavor text updated.
 * Rares: added new Rare suffixes. 3 for feet, 3 for legs and 6 for hands with a primary focus on attack, cast and move speed.
 * Rare prefix - Stormheart: renamed to Stormcharged.
 * Relic - Arbiter: the skill now also works with 2h ranged weapons, increased chance of elemental resist to 20%, but reduced the bonus to 60%.
 * Relic - Belgothian's Carnage: increased activation rate of the skill to 20%, up from 5%.
 * Relic - Equilibrium: increased the chance of elemental resist to 25%, but reduced the bonus to 60%.
 * Relic - Mistborn Talisman: skill no longer has a weapon requirement, slightly reduced damage and increased energy cost on the skill.
 * Relic - Nemesis - slightly reduced damage on the Nemesis summon.
 * Relic - Ulzuin's Pyroclasm: skill updated to three flames that erupt from you in a cone. Damage updated to a combination of fire and lightning to match up with the bonuses on the relic.
 * Factions: new high-level versions of faction equipment are now available at Revered status.

Components

 * Component - Aether Soul: increased Aether Resist to 12%, but reduced Aether Damage to 10%.
 * Component - Ancient Armor Plate: increased % Armor to 8%.
 * Component - Antivenom Salve: increased Poison Resist to 20%.
 * Component - Arcane Lens: added 3% Spirit bonus.
 * Component - Arcane Spark: increased Offensive Ability to 36.
 * Component - Attuned Lodestone: increased Lightning Damage to 20% and Lightning Retaliation to 1-154.
 * Component - Ballistic Plating: increased Defensive Ability to 22.
 * Component - Black Tallow: increased Chaos Resist to 12%, but reduced Chaos Damage to 10%.
 * Component - Chains of Oleron: added 2% Offensive Ability bonus.
 * Component - Corpse Dust: added 6% Vitality Resist.
 * Component - Dense Fur: increased Cold Resist to 20% and Health to 90.
 * Component - Devil-Touched Ammo: increased Fire and Chaos Damage to 30%.
 * Component - Dread Skull: increased Bleed Damage to 30% and added 15% increased Bleed duration bonus.
 * Component - Ectoplasm: increased Energy Regeneration to 1.8.
 * Component - Frozen Heart: added 10% Cold Resist.
 * Component - Hallowed Ground: added 2% Defensive Ability bonus.
 * Component - Haunted Steel: increased Vitality Damage to 25%.
 * Component - Leathery Hide: increased % Health to 5%.
 * Component - Mark of Dreeg: increased Acid and Poison Damage to 30%.
 * Component - Mark of Illusions: added 12 Spirit bonus.
 * Component - Mark of Mogdrogen: added 10% Health Regeneration.
 * Component - Mark of the Traveler: increased Health Regeneration to 10.
 * Component - Molten Skin: increased Fire Resist to 20%.
 * Component - Mutated Scales: added 3% Health bonus, but reduced flat Health to 180. Can now also be applied to leg and hand armor.
 * Component - Oleron's Blood: increased Trauma Damage to 40%.
 * Component - Prismatic Diamond: added 7% Elemental Resistance bonus, this component is now crafted completed instead of in parts. Crafting materials increased, but the net result is a reduction in materials required.
 * Component - Radiant Gem: added 10% of Physical Damage dealt as Elemental.
 * Component - Resilient Plating: increased Pierce Resist to 10%.
 * Component - Rigid Shell: increased Lightning Resist to 20%.
 * Component - Rotten Heart: increased Chaos and Poison damage to 25% and increased Acid Retaliation to 75.
 * Component - Runestone: reduced Elemental Resist to 10%.
 * Component - Sanctified Bone: increased Chaos Resist to 15%.
 * Component - Scaled Hide: increased Armor Absorption to 20%.
 * Component - Serrated Shell: increased Pierce Retaliation to 112.
 * Component - Shard of Beronath: increased Total Damage to 18% and added 10% of Physical Damage dealt as Elemental, slightly reduced damage and increased energy cost on the skill. This component is now crafted completed instead of in parts. Crafting materials increased, but the net result is a reduction in materials required.
 * Component - Silk Swatch: increased Pierce and Bleed Resist to 18%.
 * Component - Silvercore Bolts: increased Total Damage to 18%.
 * Component - Spellwoven Threads: increased Cast Speed to 7% and added 3% Offensive Ability bonus.
 * Component - Spined Carapace: increased % Total Retaliation bonus to 12%.
 * Component - Symbol of Solael: increased Chaos Damage to 35%.
 * Component - Unholy Inscription: increased Vitality Damage to 15%, Bleed Resist to 15% and Vitality Resist to 10%.
 * Component - Vengeful Wraith: increased Frostburn Damage to 25% and Cold Retaliation to 60, added 15% increased Frostburn duration bonus.
 * Component - Vicious Jawbone: added 12 Cunning bonus.
 * Component - Vitriolic Gallstone: added 4 Poison Damage / 5 s, but reduced Acid Damage to 4.
 * Component - Wardstone: reduced Elemental Resist to 7%.

Devotion

 * Fixed an issue that caused cooldowns, projectile numbers and other values on certain celestial powers to not update with rank as intended (e. g. Dryad's Blessing, Bysmiel's Command, etc.)
 * Removed melee weapon requirement from Blind Fury, Bull Rush, and Maul. This will mainly impact pets assigned to these powers, but if you want to charge into melee with a gun, power to you.
 * Added new skill options to various celestial powers (e. g. Forcewave can now be assigned to Bull Rush)
 * Castable damage debuffs (e. g. Bloody Pox and Devouring Swarm) can now be assigned to various celestial powers.
 * Offensive and Defensive ability bonuses have been increased across most constellations, with some new bonuses added to stars that previously had none.
 * Slightly increased Resistance bonuses on various tier 2 constellations.
 * Pet bonuses have been added to various constellations that previously had none to provide more options for pet builds,
 * Chariot of the Dead: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 3% + 12 Offensive Ability, from 6%.
 * Hawk: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 3%, from 5%.
 * Huntress: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 3%, from 5%.
 * Hydra: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 4%, from 6%.
 * Solemn Watcher: reduced % Defensive Ability bonus to 5%, from 8%.
 * Spear of the Heavens: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 5%, from 8%.
 * Spider: updated bonuses to be more generally useful rather than favoring Acid builds.
 * Ulzuin's Torch: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 5%, from 8%.
 * Viper: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus to 4%, from 5%.
 * Wolverine: reduced % Defensive Ability bonus to 3%, from 5%.
 * Acid Spray: now activates with a 15% chance off of attacks rather than on crit.
 * Blizzard: increased chance to activate and cooldown.
 * Howl of Mogdrogen: now activates with a 20% chance off of attacks rather than on kill.
 * Mark of the Wendigo: increased damage.
 * Meteor Shower: increased chance to activate and cooldown.
 * Tsunami: increased the chance to activate to 35%, but increased cooldown to 1.5 s. Increased the damage scaling with rank, the % Weapon Damage and the speed of the wave.
 * Vile Eruption: renamed to Tainted Eruption to distinguish it from the Occultist modifier for Dreeg's Evil Eye.

Soldier

 * Squad Tactics: % Total Damage increased and Run Speed added, while Attack Speed has been moved to Oleron's Rage.
 * Oleron's Rage: now gives % Attack Speed, and the Enemy Speed reduction has been removed.
 * Overguard: % Damage Blocked By Shields bonus increased.
 * Menhir's Bulwark: Health Regeneration increased.

Demolitionist

 * Searing Strike: damage multiplier increased from 10% to 15%.

Occultist

 * Bloody Pox: increased spread radius by 0.5 m and duration by 1 s.
 * Possession: animation sped up 30% - any further might look too silly. Cooldown set to a flat 90 s. Damage absorption now increases from 10% up to 30% at max level, 36% ultimate. Should make the skill a little more worthwhile.

Nightblade

 * Fixed an issue with the Phantasmal Blades transmuter that could cause it to deal less damage than intended.
 * Lethal Gambit: now works with 2h ranged weapons and the % Current Life Damage has been replaced with Piercing Damage. The chance for % Pierce Damage has been lowered to accommodate this. It should give the skill more reliable damage.
 * Amarasta's Blade Burst: Frostburn damage significantly increased and radius now scales with level. Previously radius was 4 m and now scales from 3.5 to 5 at max level, up to 5.8 at ultimate level.
 * Blade Spirit: now cast at target point rather than thrown with a projectile, resulting in better response time from when cast to appearing.
 * Ring of Steel: % Weapon and Pierce Damage scaling with rank increased. Cooldown reduced to 3.5 s.
 * Elemental Awakening: % Elemental Damage increased. Cold Resist added.
 * Shadow Strike +% Pierce removed in favor of higher +% Weapon Damage. This should make it work a little better for builds focused on cold or other damage types.

Arcanist

 * Inner Focus: reduced % Offensive Ability bonus at rank 12 to 12%, scaling up to 20% by maximum ultimate rank.
 * Chilling Surge and Absolute Zero: Cold and Frostburn Damage increased.

Shaman

 * Grasping Vines: increased Bleed and Physical damage scaling with rank. Duration is now fixed at 5 s while cooldown has been reduced to 2 s.
 * Entanglement: Physical and Bleed Damage modifiers now scale to +100%.
 * Primal Strike: now works with 2h ranged weapons.
 * Summon Briarthorn: increased Pierce Retaliation scaling with rank.
 * Ground Slam: updated to shoot out spines from the ground in the same target area.
 * Emboldening Roar: now also increases % Total Retaliation.
 * Wendigo Totem: slightly reduced % heal, down to 4% at rank 12, from 5%.

Tech

 * Fixed Steam host not showing up on Steam client's friend list as "In Game (Multiplayer)".
 * Fixed a potential crash that could occur when enumerating network adapters on the system.
 * Fixed a crash that could occur when using certain skills.
 * Fixed a bug where UI scrollbars would be incorrectly positioned in the quest log.

Game

 * Fixed an issue with the quest The Bane of Cairn that could result in players being unable to enter the final dungeon.
 * Fixed an issue that prevented max level affixes from rolling on equipment, whether crafted or dropped.
 * Fixed an exploit that could allow you to turn partial components into full ones.

Itemization

 * Fixed missing durations on various debuff effects applied by Legendary items.
 * Fixed Eye of the Guardian and Gaze of Dreeg summons spawning in the ground.
 * With the release of high-end gear with +Max Resist, the Resistance Potions no longer grant this bonus. Instead, their Resist bonuses have been raised and they now also reduce the duration of their respective Damage over Time effects.
 * Legendary - Agony: fixed missing skill.
 * Legendary - Butcher of Burrwitch: replaced non-functional bonus to Feral Hunger with +2 to Primal Bond.
 * Epic - Empowered Doomsaw of Gluttony: replaced non-functional bonus to Feral Hunger with +2 to Blood Pact.
 * Component - Kilrian's Shattered Soul: removed the % Weapon Damage as it was actually not functioning. To compensate, the skill's damage has been significantly increased.
 * Component - Sanctified Bone: reduced % Chaos Resist to 12% and damage to Aetherials/Chthonians to 12%, but the component can now also be applied to head armor.

v0.3.7.1 (b29 hotfix 2) changes
Following the previous hotfix, Build 29 got a second hotfix.

Tech

 * Fixed a bug where characters imported into the Steam cloud would be missing quest data.
 * Fixed a rare crash that could occur when data for pet summoning skills was loaded.
 * Fixed a bug preventing totems from being cast in certain areas.
 * Fixed a bug that prevented energy potions from appearing in merchant inventories.
 * Fixed a bug where the world map would be centered in the wrong position in certain locations.

v0.3.7.2 (b29 hotfix 3) changes
Following the previous hotfixes, Build 29 got a third hotfix.

Tech

 * Fixed an issue where the player shared stash could be wiped in multiplayer games.
 * Fixed an issue where crafting materials would be removed from the wrong player stash in multiplayer games.
 * Fixed two uncommon rendering-related crashes.