GRIM DAWN / GUIDE
Grim Tools: What It's For and How to Read It Safely
Grim Tools (GT) is the comprehensive fan-run Grim Dawn data site maintained by Dammitt, with data derived from the game's own databases and Japanese display provided via Matougi's translations. Its pillars are the Build Calculator, Item Database, Monster Database, and World Map - and calculator links are the de facto standard for sharing builds. The one safety rule when reading: always check the displayed version, since old shared links can encode builds from earlier patches.
Last updated: 2026-07-15
Verified: 1.2.1.6Checked: 2026-07-18Difficulty: For all players (an external-tool guide)DLC: Base Game
DO THIS FIRST
- ▸Planning a build? Dry-run attributes, skills, devotion, and gear in the Build Calculator before spending points in-game (it saves respec costs).
- ▸Looking up items? The Item Database's filters are powerful - it's also how you confirm MI droppers (see the Monster Infrequents article).
- ▸Studying an enemy? The Monster Database shows per-difficulty stats and skills.
- ▸Hunting a location? The World Map searches NPCs, chests, journals, and more (including Monster Totem candidate spots).
- ▸Opened a shared build link? Check the displayed version first - links from older patches can disagree with current numbers and layouts.
01 / WHAT-IT-IS
What Grim Tools Is
- ▸Formally Grim Dawn Tools, hosted at grimtools.com and abbreviated GT by the community.
- ▸An independent site run by Dammitt, with server costs covered by voluntary Patreon support.
- ▸Its data derives from the game's own databases, and Japanese display is available via Matougi's translations.
- ▸Sharing a build means sharing a calculator link - the de facto standard - and this site's build pages include a Grim Tools URL for each build.
02 / TOOLS
Each Tool's Job
- ▸Build Calculator: simulate attribute/skill/devotion allocation and gear/component combinations on paper before committing in-game.
- ▸Item Database: filterable search across virtually every item - faster than hunting individual pages, and the way to confirm MI droppers.
- ▸Monster Database: per-difficulty enemy stats (offense/defense) and skills - ideal prep for tough fights.
- ▸World Map: an interactive map of NPCs, key items, chests, and journals with object search - including Monster Totem candidate spots.
- ▸Extras: community build search, a pet database, and a checklist tool for quests and collectibles.
03 / SAFE-READING
Reading It Safely (Mind the Version)
- ▸The calculator has version selection between current and past patches - the first thing to check on any shared link is which version it displays.
- ▸Old build links assume that patch's skill numbers and gear stats; balance changes can put them at odds with the live game, so don't take them at face value.
- ▸The data itself derives from the game's databases, so with the right version displayed, the numbers are highly reliable.
- ▸The Grim Tools URLs on this site's build pages were checked as of each article's verifiedVersion - where patches have moved on, trust the article's updates first.
04 / WITH-THIS-SITE
Using It Alongside This Site
- ▸The MI-dropper lookup procedure lives in the Monster Infrequents article.
- ▸The World Map shines for locating shrines and totems (devotion mechanics in Devotion Basics).
- ▸The recommended flow: pick an archetype from this site's build list, then use the Grim Tools link for detailed number-checking.
- ▸Grim Tools is an external browser site - it can't be consulted in-game, so look things up and note them before farming.
SOURCES
Verification Sources
4- Grim Dawn Japanese Wiki: Glossary (Grim Tools) — Confirms Grim Dawn Tools as the comprehensive data site abbreviated GT, and build sharing via external links.
- Grim Dawn Japanese Wiki: Grim Tools Overview — Confirms Dammitt's independent operation with Patreon support, game-database-derived data, Japanese via Matougi's translations, each tool's role, and the version selection.
- Grim Tools (external site) — The external site this guide covers (a known limitation: it renders via client-side JS and cannot be verified by automated fetching; normal browser use is unaffected).
- Official Crate Forum: Grim Dawn v1.2.1.6 + Hotfix — Official patch notes for the verified version.