Grim Dawn Grim Misadventure #138 – Mobility Augments and New Patch

When it comes to action-RPGs, good character mobility helps create an overall enjoyable and fast-paced experience. As such, the latest “Grim Misadventure” development update for Crate Entertainment’s action-RPG Grim Dawn that introduces mobility-focused Rune Augments is quite a welcome piece of news. These Rune Augments, a new feature of the upcoming Forgotten Gods expansion, will grant you active abilities built around getting you from point A to point B in an swift and flashy fashion. The update features a number of sample animations, but here’s a text overview:

Today’s development update brings to light something pretty moving. We’re not sure whether to call it a Quality of Life improvement or just plain Really Awesome Stuff.

What I’m referring to is our new Rune Augments!

Rune Augments? So, what makes them so special compared to the powders you’ve been slapping on all your gear? Well, for starters, this new series of Augments is applied exclusively to Medals.

However, unlike standard Faction Augments currently in the game, Rune Augments grant you active abilities. Abilities of a certain…mobile nature.

Allow us to demonstrate:

Rift Tear

For those of you a little more familiar with Grim Dawn’s engine, this is a pretty big deal; but yes, Forgotten Gods is introducing a legitimate Teleport skill that respects dynamic barriers, dynamite barricades and the pathing system. That’s not all though! Here at Crate Entertainment, we always do MOAR.

Let’s Get Moving

Here is the rundown of the six movement skill archetypes you will be able to choose from:

Charge, the bread and butter of mobility, allows you to quickly close the distance between yourself and a target, dealing damage on a relatively short cooldown. A core ability in the Soldier mastery now available to all classes, but then why not charge Twice!

Vanish, a staple of the Nightblade mastery, hides you from your enemies before reappearing next to a target to strike them on a relatively short cooldown.

Rift Tear teleports you instantly to a nearby target location. You saw an example of this ability in action above!

Disengage allows you to blind nearby foes and then jump to safety behind you.

Leap hurls you across the battlefield to smash the ground at your target destination, damaging and briefly stunning nearby foes.[…]

Rush charges to a destination, but not before you smash every enemy along the way. For those feeling pushy.[…]

Acquiring Runes of Power

The next question you may be asking is, just how exactly will you be acquiring all these sweet abilities?

Turns out, that’s a multilayered answer. With this addition, any existing mobility skills on Items or Components will find a new home on the new Rune Augments and the items in question will receive new skills. The Runes themselves will also feature several versions. The most common of these will be available for purchase from the three new friendly factions we are introducing in Forgotten Gods. As soon as you pledge your Oath to one of the Witch God cults, you will gain access to two of the six listed above!

Perhaps you seek greater power still. Legends speak of Epic quality Runes created by blacksmiths. Blueprints for these formidable Augments drop from some of Cairn’s most powerful foes. These Runes are not only more effective, whereas that means shorter cooldowns or longer travel distance, but may also introduce new effects such as different damage types or debuffs.

But wait, there’s more! Ultimate power awaits those brave enough to tackle the Forgotten Gods shattering new game mode. Survive its treacherous challenges and be rewarded with Legendary blueprints for the most powerful Runes in the game.

Just what does earning these mighty runes entail? I suppose that is a story for another time.

The update also directs us to the patch notes for the latest content update for the base game. Here are its major new features:

[Major New Features]

• A great beast stirs within the waters of Ugdenbog. Worshiped by the local Slith as a god, it yearns for fleshy sacrifices. Seek out Kra’vall the Ancient of the Waters within central Ugdenbog if you dare and earn new Monster Infrequents exclusive to this powerful foe.
• The introduction of new factions with the upcoming Forgotten Gods expansion necessitated some minor changes to the save format. As such, characters loaded in v1.0.6.0 are not compatible with earlier versions of the game.
• Three new Legendary quality sets have been added to the loot pool: Radaggan’s Folly, Rimetongue and The Blood Knight. These 4-piece sets open up new ways to build your characters. Good luck on the loot hunt!
• Item Level Requirements have been removed from the Illusionist. You may now apply illusions on an item regardless of what level the illusion is (ex. make a level 1 character’s gear look like a level 94’s gear).
• Nemesis bosses are now marked on the minimap with a skull icon when they are near.