PvP Dragondin/Holy Fire Zeal Paladin

Dragondin Zeal Paladin Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: B Class / PvM Rank: A Class

Introduction

Holy Fire Paladins are capable of dealing higher damage with their aura damage than Tesladins (a lightning damage aura Paladin variation) and they're also stronger in PvP on fights where Teleport isn't needed. You'll be using Dragon armor instead of Enigma. Holy Fire Paladins also received a major buff in a previous update and they're now an A Tier PvM build which would have been even higher but you can't use Teleport. Enemies typically die from about two ticks of the level 44 Holy Fire aura in one player games which also makes Holy Fire Paladins a powerful build for The Secret Cow Level and speed farming.

Dragondin Zealot Skills

Dragondin Zealot Paladins deal high fire damage with their level 44 Holy Fire aura which can quickly kill opponents without extremely high fire resistances and fire absorb. Dragondins also greatly lower enemies' fire resistances with their Conviction aura.

Recommendation: Dragondin Paladin

Stats: Enough Strength for equipment, enough Dexterity for max block (with Holy Shield), all remaining points in Vitality, 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Zeal

20 Resist Fire (Holy Fire synergy)

20 Salvation (Holy Fire synergy)

20 Conviction

All remaining points in Holy Shield to improve your defenses.

Dragondin Zealot Paladin Gear

Weapon

Hand of Justice Phase Blade (Sur Cham Amn Lo) - This weapon should be used for +16 to Holy Fire, 33% increased attack speed which meets the final attack speed breakpoint with this build, and it lowers the fire resistances of enemies by 20%.

Shield

Dragon Sacred Targe (Sur Lo Sol) - This shield is used to increase the damage of your Holy Fire aura by giving +14 to Holy Fire. The Sacred Targe shield base has the best block chance of the Paladin shields and can have up to 45% to all resistances. Dragon also gives high strength, a 20% chance to cast level 18 Venom when struck, and 5% to maximum lightning resistance.

Weapon Switch

Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Gives up to +7 to Battle Orders which should be combined with a Spirit Paladin Shield (Tal Thul Ort Amn) for +2 to all skills. A Paladin shield is recommended because it can have a much lower strength requirement than a Monarch shield. You can also optionally switch to a Demon Limb in town for level 23 Enchant which increases your attack rating.

High End Helmet Option

Crown of Ages - Gives up to all resistances +30%, +1 to all skills, 2 sockets, 15% physical damage taken reduction, and 30% faster hit recovery. You should socket this helmet with two 15% increased attack speed jewels with high attack rating to hit the fastest attack speed breakpoint when combined with gloves with 20% increased attack speed.

Helmet

Dream Helmet (Io Jah Pul) - This helmet can be used before you can afford a Crown of Ages for up to 20% to all resistance, up to 30% faster hit recovery, level 15 Confuse curse when struck, high life, and magic find.

Body

Dragon Dusk Shroud (Jah Ith Ber) - Dragon armor is used to give +14 to your Holy Fire aura, high strength, 20% chance to gain level 18 Venom when struck, chance to cast level 15 Hydra on striking, and +5% to maximum lightning resistance.

Gloves

Blood Gloves - Look for Blood Gloves with 20% increased attack speed, 10% crushing blow, life, and high resistances. Blood Gloves can be crafted in the Horadric Cube using gambled Sharkskin Gloves, a Perfect Ruby, a Nef rune, and a magic jewel.

Gloves (PvM)

Dracul's Grasp - These gloves are best in slot for PvM because they have Life Tap which recovers a large amount of life on hit. They also have 10% life stolen per hit, 25% chance of open wounds, up to 15 strength, and 10 life after each kill. These gloves shouldn't be used in PvP, however, because Life Tap is considered very bad manners in PvP.

Gloves (Vs Fire Builds)

Laying of Hands - Gives 20% increased attack speed to meet the attack speed breakpoint and 50% increased fire resistance for fighting fire builds that lower your resistances like Fire Sorceresses, Dragondins, and Fire Claws Druids.

Belt (PvP)

Verdungo's Hearty Cord - Gives up to 15% reduced physical damage taken, 40 vitality, replenish life +13, and 10% faster hit recovery.

Belt (PvM)

String of Ears - This belt is the best option for PvM for up to 8% life leech (life leech has full effect in PvM but only partial effect in PvP), 15% reduced physical damage taken, and magic damage taken reduced by 15.

Feet

Gore Riders - These boots give 30% faster run walk, 15% deadly strike, 15% crushing blow, and 10% chance of open wounds.

Feet Vs. Lightning & Cold Builds That Lower Your Resistances

Tri-Resist Faster Run Walk Boots - Look for rare 30% faster run walk boots with up to 40% cold resistance, 40% lightning resistance, and 40% poison resistance optionally with faster hit recovery. As a budget option you can also use Natalya's Boots for 40% faster run walk, up to 25% lightning resistance, and up to 25% cold resistance.

Feet Vs. Magic Builds

Horazon's Legacy - Gives 30% faster run walk, strength, dexterity, cannot be frozen, and up to 30% magic resistance.

Feet Vs. Fire Builds

Hotspur - These boots should be used when fighting fire builds for 45% fire resistance, 15 life, and +15% to maximum fire resistance. Hotspur boots can be Up'd to Demonhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Shael rune, and Tal rune. Hotspur can also be Up'd a second time to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Perfect Diamond, Lem rune, and Ko rune.

Amulet

Metalgrid - Gives up to 450 attack rating, 350 defense, and 35% to all resistances which helps over stack your resistances.

Rings

Raven Frosts - When you don't need fire absorb or lightning absorb you should use two Raven Frosts for up to 20 dexterity, 250 attack rating, cannot be frozen, and 20% cold absorb.

Rings (Absorb)

You should switch one Raven Frost for a Dwarf Star for 15% fire absorb and 40 life when fighting fire damage builds and you should switch one Raven Frost for a Wisp Projector for up to 20% lightning absorb when fighting lightning damage builds.

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 Paladin Skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, one poison damage small charm to cancel enemies' life regeneration, one 8% faster hit recovery large charm with lightning damage to meet the 48% faster hit recovery breakpoint, and the rest of your inventory should be filled with max damage/attack rating/life charms or resistance/life charms to over stack your resistances.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Might Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Reaper's Toll - Gives 15% life leech and a 33% chance to cast the Decrepify curse on striking.

Mercenary Armor

Ethereal Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) - Gives 300% enhanced damage, up to all resistances +30%, life per level, 5% to maximum lightning resistance, and a 20% chance to cast level 15 Chilling Armor when struck which greatly increases your defense.

Mercenary Helmet

Ethereal Andariel's Visage (Ral'd) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% life leech, -30% fire resistance, and 30 strength. Ral rune gives 30% fire resistance but you can also eventually upgrade to a 30% fire resistance jewel with 15% increased attack speed.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which provides very high mana regeneration.

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives all resistances +20%, 50% cold resistance, life per level, 15 strength, and cannot be frozen.

Budget Mercenary Helmet

Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life stolen per hit, all resistances +15%, and 60 life.

Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability on mercenaries.

Dragondin Paladin Strategy

Players that you can catch with Charge that don't have very high over stacked fire resistance will go down quickly because opponents will have more than -150% to their fire resistance with this build. This build is also capable of high single target damage with Zeal and an extremely fast run speed with Charge. Charge can be used to stun ranged attackers like Sorceresses so that you can finish them off with Zeal. You can win duels with your high damage level 44 Holy Fire aura ticks if the opponent runs away just by being near them so it's also okay to fight opponents defensively in PvP.

Dragondin Paladin Leveling Items

You can start using Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you are level 3 and have 30 strength for high defense and more importantly increased attack rating from its set bonus. Bane's Garments set should be switched to at level 8 for +1 to all skills, high damage, attack rating, and great set modifiers. You can add Angelics Amulet and Ring once you reach level 12 for life and attack rating and you can use a Manald Heal ring for up to 7% mana stolen per hit once you reach level 15. Aldur's weapon socketed with three Shael runes can be switched to at level 42 for a strong low level weapon. The Smoke (Nef Lum) runeword body armor only requires level 37 and it's an excellent inexpensive starter runeword that can be used early on an easy all resistances +50%.

And that's all for the Dragondin Zeal Paladin Guide. You can check out more guides in the menu at the top of this page. Good luck!