Any good Paladin Builds out there?

[kandrathe]

I too am eschewing the Buriza for this char, although I have three of them now.

Now, over time, I would keep a pretty minimal strength, say 80 or even less, just whatever I would need to use a decent quick bow.

You may want to keep open the option of equiping a devil star (153) or a legendary mallet (189) at some point, as your non-bow weapon. This game, and especially Hell difficulty, offers so (too) many advantages for shield use. The paladin has sooooo many reasons to use a shield, and many one handed weapons have "Paladin" written all over them.

You can make up some difference with +strength mods on charms or equipment, but not too much. For me, I would want my high level (80) character to be at ~ 140 str. and for mid-level (40) maybe ~80 str. I concur with Tommi for Dex, 140 is all you will need with mods, so ~ 80 dex at mid level (40). I pretty much follow a +2 Str, +2 Dex, +1 Life per level until my Str and Dex are at their target levels, after that everything toward Life. If you play hardcore then you will want less, and devote extra points to life more like +1 str, +1 dex, +3 life per level (or +3 str, +3 dex, +4 life for each 2 levels).

Fanaticism will aid your bow damage (at lvl 20 375% dmg, +35%IAS, +135% AR), and the damage of your converts (even when they turn on you!). I belive this is total damage, so used in conjunction with a bow like Kuko Shakaku(55avg + 120 avg fire x 3) you may do more damage with Fanaticism than Holy Shock, but that is your choice and it sounds liek a cool idea. I am also a dedicated believer in Conviction for Hell difficulty.

I have also always wanted to make a dagger paladin and I have always wanted to make a Conversion + Thorns paladin.

Hmmm, interesting. Finally a use for the "Diggler Dirk"!!! :P

[RogueMage]

I'm currently leveling a Smite Ranger through NM, and just got to lvl-42, when you can first use an HoZ Shield and +skill tab charms. This guy uses Smite/Holy Shield to protect himself while he tags the pack with Conviction or Holy Freeze, then flashes in Fanat to attack with Zeal or his bow. He's currently using a Coldsteel Eye Cutlass and a Kuko. In Hell, I'm planning on replacing the Cutlass with a Lightsabre, and will put one point +skills in Vengeance to handle PI's.

The main purpose of the build, however, is to create the perfect Pally for a Lightning Hose merc. If you hire one in A1 NM, she'll be at lvl-28, just high enough to use a Skystrike bow, Lore Helm, and Spirit Shroud armor. This combo gives her +3 skills for the Lightning Hose, as well as 1-250 Lightning damage on the bow, 40% Lightning Resist on the helm, and Cannot be Frozen on the armor.

Both Fanat and Convict increase her bow's damage, and Fanat accelerates Lightning Hose as well as the bow's attack speed. I use Smite to stun anything that comes close to her, and she hasn't died yet. :)

In Hell, I'm planning on upgrading the Skystrike with Magewrath, and replacing her helm with a +2 skills circlet. This will allow me to give her a 4-socket armor with 4 IAS jewels. At 60% IAS, she should have an 11-frame attack rate even without Fanat, and 10-frames with it. An Atma's Scarab on my Pally will provide Amg Dmg to increase her Physical damage as well. Since she's a Fire merc, half the Magewrath's physical damage will be converted to Fire damage from her Fire Arrows. With Lightning, Fire, and Physical damage, she should be effective against all types of monsters in Hell.

[the Langolier]

I would say that for a melee paladin a single point in vengance is crucial and can go a very long way. Even at skill level 1 it (and I'm not too certain on the mechanics) it adds your physical damage as three different elemental attacks. This makes any ememy that is immune to physical no problem at all, even if you lack effective elemental damage modifiers. Of course, most paladins are likely to have this as a prerequisite anyways. Just don't forget that it can be a very usefull skill.