03-07-2003, 07:08 PM
Let's consider Your Weapon II slot. One hand, big damage. King's Grace Ancient's Sword or Divine Scepter might me a good choice. I think you will be boosting Energy a bit, but if you choose to rely on items and a point or two in Redemption or Meditation from a scepter, then the strength for the three socketed item looks very do able. Your shield for that needs to be a high resistance paladin shield. I would go for 4PD 4 socketed shield that comes with some resists already. They are pretty findable in NM Diff. I like the round shields, but that is a style rather than functional issue.
back to Slot 1: this should include either Sigon's Shield, or a Paladin Shield, that is +1 or +2 to paladin shills, or Steelclash at lower levels. Best of luck in your item hunting.
Weapon ought to be any sort of scepter with +2 or 3 to BH and conc, preferably both. A point in Meditate or Rememption will make it perfect. Shop till you drop, I suppose, or hope to get lucky. If you fall into the Atlantean Sword with +2 Paladin Skills, good for you, that is an awesome Weapon 2 or Weapon 1. The Uber Uniques are of course subject to availability. :)
Circlet of +3 combat skills or +3 offensive auras, gambling is your friend, min clvl 45, not that hard to come across. If you find a stone of Jordan, bully for you, how about any +mana and or +mana regen rings, like the Manald Heal, if you can find it. Manald helps with Weapon II as well.
Suggest an alternate belt: Night smoke, if you can find it, for mana regen, but the string is nice for when you use skill and weapon set up II. Caster Crafts also can help.
We so far have a shot at 20 +3+3+1(2)+1or 28/29 BH and conc if you varied the gear between auras and skills in circlets and got bloody lucky with the secpter.
That is nice if not uber.
Skill 2.
Charge is a good choice, but Physical Immunes may give you trouble there, even though the Magic Damage in BH should overcome some of that. See Merc comments below.
Vengeance might be a better choice. Holy Shock is an alternative as it does not eat mana, but since you need mana for BH, why not go for Vengeance? This is what the high damage weapon II is for. Consider one point in Conviciton and let your +skills do the rest until you have points to add there once BH and Conc are done.
20 to Vengeance
20 BH
20 Conc
1 to more Conviction
If you pump auras over BH, and get it to 32, that at least marginally reduces your mana cost for Vengeance and BH, though for Bh the cost between 11.1 and 12 does not seem all that significant. Same with the diff between 10 and 11 for Vengeance.
And your prerequisites leave you with quite a few other options, including maxing Conviciton, which will help your Vengeance considerably.
Don't mess with Fanaticism. Concentration flashed with Conviction can help restore Mana (see Your Manald Heal) as will Mana Regen. If you get the luck on items that I outline, your Concentration is a +480 % at 29, which is nice I think.
Mercs. What is your pleasure?
Since you are doing the elemental/magic damage, you could opt for Strength Act II, or HF act II to keep the targets in one place longer in order to BH them more efficiently. I would suggest Holy Freeze if going Hardcore, for safety, and Might for Soft Core.
Alternately, you could get a Cold Arrow Rogue, and socket her bow, armor, and helm
(up to 6/4/3 in time) with either jewels, or 6 ORT Runes, which gives 6-600 lightning damage. Alternately, 3 ral and 3 Ort, or 3 ort and 3 tal to deal with immunes. If it is lightning Immune, you will probably knock it our with BH anyway, so why not max Rogue Lightning? Combine with Conviciton, and :) . . . What's not to like!
As I don't do a lot of Act III mercs these days, others may have better ideas on how to exploit their talents.
back to Slot 1: this should include either Sigon's Shield, or a Paladin Shield, that is +1 or +2 to paladin shills, or Steelclash at lower levels. Best of luck in your item hunting.
Weapon ought to be any sort of scepter with +2 or 3 to BH and conc, preferably both. A point in Meditate or Rememption will make it perfect. Shop till you drop, I suppose, or hope to get lucky. If you fall into the Atlantean Sword with +2 Paladin Skills, good for you, that is an awesome Weapon 2 or Weapon 1. The Uber Uniques are of course subject to availability. :)
Circlet of +3 combat skills or +3 offensive auras, gambling is your friend, min clvl 45, not that hard to come across. If you find a stone of Jordan, bully for you, how about any +mana and or +mana regen rings, like the Manald Heal, if you can find it. Manald helps with Weapon II as well.
Suggest an alternate belt: Night smoke, if you can find it, for mana regen, but the string is nice for when you use skill and weapon set up II. Caster Crafts also can help.
We so far have a shot at 20 +3+3+1(2)+1or 28/29 BH and conc if you varied the gear between auras and skills in circlets and got bloody lucky with the secpter.
That is nice if not uber.
Skill 2.
Charge is a good choice, but Physical Immunes may give you trouble there, even though the Magic Damage in BH should overcome some of that. See Merc comments below.
Vengeance might be a better choice. Holy Shock is an alternative as it does not eat mana, but since you need mana for BH, why not go for Vengeance? This is what the high damage weapon II is for. Consider one point in Conviciton and let your +skills do the rest until you have points to add there once BH and Conc are done.
20 to Vengeance
20 BH
20 Conc
1 to more Conviction
If you pump auras over BH, and get it to 32, that at least marginally reduces your mana cost for Vengeance and BH, though for Bh the cost between 11.1 and 12 does not seem all that significant. Same with the diff between 10 and 11 for Vengeance.
And your prerequisites leave you with quite a few other options, including maxing Conviciton, which will help your Vengeance considerably.
Don't mess with Fanaticism. Concentration flashed with Conviction can help restore Mana (see Your Manald Heal) as will Mana Regen. If you get the luck on items that I outline, your Concentration is a +480 % at 29, which is nice I think.
Mercs. What is your pleasure?
Since you are doing the elemental/magic damage, you could opt for Strength Act II, or HF act II to keep the targets in one place longer in order to BH them more efficiently. I would suggest Holy Freeze if going Hardcore, for safety, and Might for Soft Core.
Alternately, you could get a Cold Arrow Rogue, and socket her bow, armor, and helm
(up to 6/4/3 in time) with either jewels, or 6 ORT Runes, which gives 6-600 lightning damage. Alternately, 3 ral and 3 Ort, or 3 ort and 3 tal to deal with immunes. If it is lightning Immune, you will probably knock it our with BH anyway, so why not max Rogue Lightning? Combine with Conviciton, and :) . . . What's not to like!
As I don't do a lot of Act III mercs these days, others may have better ideas on how to exploit their talents.
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete