What is a meleemancer?

[Chaoswarrior]

I heard a guy on diablo 2 boast about being the best meleemancer. How do u become one and why do some necromancers choose swords rather than wands?

[adeyke]

A mêléemancer is a necromancer who engages in mêlée. Wands aren't exactly known for having high damage, so other weapons would generally be preferable for a mêléemancer.

[Chaoswarrior]

Such as a dagger or crystal sword?

[ogot]

Most likely he uses skills like Poison Dagger... Isn't that the only Necro Skill that adds to your weapon's damage?

[adeyke]

Poison dagger is, indeed, the only necro attack skill. However, there's also the possibility of using a Passion or Kingslayer runeword (for example) for the oskill. And it's possible to just use normal attack.

[Caaroid]

I still believe that oskill Zeal is bugged. My Enchantress found that she swung just as slowly as with normal attack, thus mainly gaining zeal-lock.

Kingslayer, however, given the necromancer's ability to curse, can be an awesome meleemancer weapon.

[ShadowHM]

Kingslayer, however, given the necromancer's ability to curse, can be an awesome meleemancer weapon.

I have eyed this rune word with great interest (despite not having the runes to make it :P ).

It looks as if it would be absolutely wonderful for my Avenger Paladin. What would be the most useful base weapon to make it from?

I had thought a phase blade, because of the speed of delivery and the probable costs of repair on it, but I have not seen a four socket phase blade yet, despite picking up every grey one I have seen drop.

[Baajikiil]

It looks as if it would be absolutely wonderful for my Avenger Paladin. What would be the most useful base weapon to make it from?

I've looked at that one myself. It seems that if you have too much difficulty finding a 4 socket phase, try looking for a white cryptic sword in hell. Larzuk will always give it 4 sockets(its max is 4). A cryptic has a good blend of speed and damage. The 60% IAS breakpoint for a 9 frame attack is easily reachable(though the next at 109% is rough). Of course, if your avenger is running fanat, the numbers arte different.

I was really looking at it for a zealot though; zeal would take greater advantage of the crushing blow than vengeance. My frost zealot would work well with it.

[Caaroid]

It looks as if it would be absolutely wonderful for my Avenger Paladin.

Weeell, I am not too sure about that. I mean, for the price of those runes, you can find weapons a lot more powerful than a kingslayer (we're talking Ladder here, aren't we?)

Kingslayer is a deadly meleemancer weapon because of vengeance. And even in that case I have no idea what would be the "ideal" base weapon, seeing how vengeance needs big damage, but you'd also need speed. IMHO Phase Blades are just not beefy enough for that purpose, maybe Cryptic swords are a better choice.