PvP Dragondin/Holy Fire Zeal Paladin

Dragondin Zeal Paladin Guide for PvP and PvM

PvP Rank: B Class / PvM Rank: A Class

Introduction

Dragon Paladins are capable of dealing much higher damage with aura ticks than Tesladins (a lightning damage aura variation) and are better in PvP any time you don't need the Teleport skill which comes from the Enigma runeword. Tesladins typically use Enigma in the place of the Dragon runeword armor which is required for this build. Once geared you will have level 44 Holy Fire which is the highest damage aura in the game for damage ticks. Dragon Paladins also received a major buff in a previous patch and are now an S Tier PvM build. Enemies typically take about 2 ticks of the Holy Fire aura damage in one player before being defeated.

Dragondin Zealot Skills

Dragondin Zeal Paladins deal very high fire damage and greatly lower the elemental resistances of their enemies.

Recommendation: Dragondin Paladin

Stats: Enough Strength for equipment, enough Dexterity for max block (with two Raven Frost rings and 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 option should be used for +16 to Holy Fire aura, 33% increased attack speed which meets the final attack speed breakpoint with the recommended gear, and lowers the fire resistances of enemies by 20%.

Shield

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

Weapon Switch

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

High End Helmet Option

Crown of Ages - Gives up to all resistances +30%, 2 sockets, 15% physical damage taken reduction, +1 to all skills, 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 a pair of Blood Gloves with 20% increased attack speed.

Helmet

Dream Helmet (Io Jah Pul) - This helmet can be used before you can afford an excellent Crown of Ages and gives 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 a Perfect Ruby, Nef rune, magic jewel, and Leather, Sharkskin, or Vampirebone Gloves but they don't always roll with 20% increased attack speed and 10% crushing blows so you can also trade for them.

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, 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 bad manners when dueling.

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 other Dragondins, Fire Sorceresses, 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 which helps you reach the 56% faster hit recovery breakpoint or 86% faster hit recovery breakpoint when using Bloodfist.

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 as close to 40% cold resistance and 40% Lightning Resistance as you can get optionally with fire resistance and/or 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. 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 35% all resistances, 450 attack rating, 350 defense, and level 22 Iron Golem which is important on this build for attack rating, defense, and all resistances.

Rings

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

Rings (Absorb)

You should switch one Raven Frost for a Dwarf Star which gives 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 life regeneration, one 8% faster hit recovery large charm with high lightning damage to meet the 48% faster hit recovery breakpoint, and the rest should 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.

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 to counter the -30% fire resistance on this helmet but you can also use a 30% fire resistance jewel with other modifiers.

Budget Mercenary Weapon

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

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 they will typically have more than -150% to their fire resistances. This character is also capable of high single target damage with Zeal and a very fast run speed when using the Charge skill. Charge can quickly close the distance with casters and ranged attackers. Charge also allows you to stun ranged attackers and casters like Sorceresses so that you can quickly finish them off with Zeal. It can however sometimes be difficult to get a lock on a player with Charge if they teleport effectively. Make sure not to chase Whirlwind Barbarians and Whirlwind Assassins that are whirlwinding away from you or you will lose. You should win with your high damage Holy Fire aura ticks if they run away instead of chasing you to Whirlwind which means it's usually okay to fight defensively.

Dragondin Paladin Leveling Items

Civerb's Cudgel is a great starter weapon that increases in damage as you level and only requires level 9. 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. You can add in Angelic Amulet and Ring once you are level 12 for high attack rating and life and you can use a Manald Heal ring for up to 7% mana stolen per hit as early as level 15. Aldur's weapon socketed with three Shaels can also be switched to at level 42 for a better low level weapon. Smoke (Nef Lum) runeword is a body armor that only requires level 37 and is an excellent inexpensive starter runeword that can be used early on for 20% faster hit recovery and an easy all resistances +50%.

And that's all for the Dragondin Zeal Paladin Guide. You can also check out the most popular crafted items here Crafting Guide.