Anyone played a Frost Zealot?

[TheKingofKewl]

http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=542

thanks

Anyone played it through Hell mode?

[Taem]

http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=542

thanks

Anyone played it through Hell mode?

Are you kidding me? I put a guide up here ages ago, but no matter how thorough it was at the time, people were still biased towards me in the beginning because of my DR-Sorcie guide (now a mute point in v1.1). Here is a link to one of my most favorite classes. Sorry the document looks a little funny, but I had to print it with PrimoPDF because at the time, many Lurkers were complaining about not being able to read my MS-Word document. And yes, for the record, I have played one of these paladins into hell in version 1.1, but died in hardcore due to Iron Maiden in World Stone levels; if it wasn't for IM, I wouldn't have died, let me just put it that way.

[TheKingofKewl]

Holy worldstones Meat, I guess I came to the right place. Beautiful presentation by the way. I'll use your guide for my build, and let you know if I have any questions.

I have a few regrets playing DII last time, because I never took the characters through hell mode, and feel my time spend there was unproductive. I want that to change this time around and want to make sure I'm prepared. I gave Diablo to a new player, so I will be buying a new copy on Monday, just enough time for the ladder reset, so I may as well start playing right away.

Sorry your character died. I know the frustration of IM in CS, but not on Hardcore, I'm not so brave as you.

I was thinking of playing four characters, and maybe the other three classes on next ladder. This will keep me more focused on things I think.

I'm wondering what ones though to put in each pool. So far:

1st Pool:

Frost Crusander Paladin
Poison/Lit Amazon
Skelly Necro
Assassin (Mind blind?)

2nd Pool

I deffinitly want to eventually build the Immortal King set for my barbarian.
Cold/Lit Sorceress
and the druid. (I havn't heard of any good beast builds for hell mode, so I may go elemental)


I want a balance between warriors/mage weilders, play speed.

I play at my own pace. Sometimes I play a lot, I don't race on the ladder though. I'm striving for special items and don't want my character becoming non-ladder before that happens.

Are you kidding me? I put a guide up here ages ago, but no matter how thorough it was at the time, people were still biased towards me in the beginning because of my DR-Sorcie guide (now a mute point in v1.1). Here is a link to one of my most favorite classes. Sorry the document looks a little funny, but I had to print it with PrimoPDF because at the time, many Lurkers were complaining about not being able to read my MS-Word document. And yes, for the record, I have played one of these paladins into hell in version 1.1, but died in hardcore due to Iron Maiden in World Stone levels; if it wasn't for IM, I wouldn't have died, let me just put it that way.

[Hammerskjold]

My first chars when 1.10 came out for real was also Frost Zealots. (They were also the first few who killed Hell\Baal on 8 no problem. Can be a bit long if you don't have a harder hitting weapon, but very safe, the Ancients were the real danger for me. Baal vs Frost zealots, no real contest. Calamari on ice! Served fresh! Get yer Calamari here!)

I do have to say though, unless I misunderstand the way you rate some of the sub-categories of builds, my experience came out completely different from yours.

For me in 1.10+, martyrs, and avengers are not very beginner and novice friendly at all, especially if going no twink. In 1.09, I built martyrs who soloed all of normal and nightmare full 8, with 'Strength' as his best weapon. It wasn't until up to Hell Act 2 and onwards that I needed a harder hitting weapon. In 1.10 however, that specific build is imo comatose, if not dead. I'm not saying martyrs in general are not possible in 1.10, but I personally found that it became a noticeably different animal. And definitely not as beginner or budget friendly as it was in previous patches.

I also had the opposite experience for Shock Zealots. I found him to be one of the more easier paladin builds for a solo\sp, full 8. I pretty much cruised through normal nightmare 8 with just a bunch of 'Steel' runeword weapons, with my end game weapon being a Lawbringer. Not cheap, but not ridicilously expensive either. (End game shield for both, a 'Rhyme' in whatever nice paladin shield that drops if luck would have it.)

So I found HShock zealots to be one the most beginner friendly paladin builds. And even though I built a fully synergized Shock Zealot test char just to see how it plays, I found that after my play testing, I would probably never build a fully synergized one for real play, for the exact reason you mentioned in your link, monster immunity. Most single trick ponies are simply put to pasture in 1.10, in my personal experience. Even my Hammerdins have one point in smite in case they have to go mano a mano.

On the plus side, since I usually just max Resist Lightning as a synergy after maxing HShock, it frees up more skill points. Same concept for Frost, I usually just max out Resist Cold as the synergy. So for me at least, I found Frost and Shock paladins are actually one of the lesser points intensive paladin builds. As far as their core skills are concerned anyway. (edited for clarification)

Of course, most of this is most likely just differences in playing style (and yes, I've played both hard\softcore, but not what I'm talking about here). Eg: My skelemancers would always put one point in Decrepify, simply because I find that lets me be a lot more flexible and adaptable. Since I don't twink\trade and plan gear selection to an exact -T-, that works for me. It might not for others.

In anycase, interesting read, and I mostly agree with your rating on the Fist of Heaven\undead hunter. It's one of the most fun chars I've ever played, even if it's not exactly the easiest to play or most powerful.

[Traemus]

http://strategy.diabloii.net/news.php?id=542

thanks

Anyone played it through Hell mode?

I have to great effect, very viable. doesnt kill as fast as some might hope (ie hammerdin fans) but almost never dies if played safely (meaning dont run into middle of 30 Pit Lords). Can rush Decent in NM but not hell, as the armor is necessary there for Chaos. Give it a try though, very fun Char to play. Im on my 3rd one right now.:)