PvP Blessed Hammer Paladin (Hammerdin) Guide

PvP Blessed Hammer Paladin Guide

PvP Rank: S Class / PvM Rank: S Class

Introduction

The PvP Blessed Hammer Paladin (Hammerdin) is one of the highest damage builds in the game. It's popularity has, however, increased the cost of gearing them with high prices for Paladin Torches and Paladin Combat Skills grand charms with life. Some consider PvP Hammerdins to be so powerful that it's sometimes considered bad manners in PvP for Blessed Hammer Paladins to use the Concentration Aura. However, it's still fine to use the Concentration aura in public games unless the game is using strict rules. Hammerdins deal very high damage and you only need about two Blessed Hammers to kill most players. Blessed Hammer Paladins are S Class for PvP against almost every build and it's difficult to effectively absorb magic damage in PvP.

Blessed Hammer Paladin Skills

The top spot for a PvP Paladin goes to the Blessed Hammer Paladin which is excellent at both survival and damage.

Recommendation: Blessed Hammer Paladin (Hammerdin)

Stats: Enough Strength for gear, enough dexterity for maximum block, all remaining points in Vitality, and 0 Energy.

Skill Points:

20 Blessed Hammer

20 Vigor (Blessed Hammer synergy)

20 Blessed Aim (Blessed Hammer synergy)

20 Concentrate

All remaining points in Holy Shield for increased block chance and increased defense.

PvP Blessed Hammer Paladin Gear

Main Weapons

Heart of the Oak (Ko Vex Pul Thul) - Gives +3 to skills, 40% faster cast rate, 40% to all resistances, 10 dexterity, and level 4 Oak Sage.

Shield

Herald of Zakarum (Ber'd or Um'd) - Gives up to +2 to Paladin Skills, +2 to Paladin Combat Skills, 30% faster block rate, 30% increased chance to block, 20 Strength, 20 Vitality, and 50% to all resistances. You can also Up the Herald of Zakarum shield for much higher defense using a Lem rune, Ko rune, and Perfect Diamond in the Horadric Cube.

Weapon Switch

Call To Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Gives +1 to all skills, up to +6 to Battle Orders, and up to +6 to Battle Command. Battle Orders and Battle Command are important because they give increased life and mana and +1 to all skills for a long duration. You should use a Paladin Spirit Shield (Tal Thul Ort Amn) with it for +2 to all skills which increases the level of your Battle Orders.

Helmet

Harlequin Crest (aka: Shako) - Gives +2 to all skills, 10% reduced physical damage taken, life and mana per level, and 50% magic find. It should be socketed with a Protector's Light jewel which gives increases you magic damage and it comes with more magic find.

Helmet (Optional Vs Physical Damage Builds)

Crown of Ages - This helmet can be switched to for physical damage reduction. It gives +1 to all skills, 30% faster hit recovery, 30 to all resistances, and 15% reduced physical damage taken. You should socket it with two Bers for more physical damage reduction.

Helmet (Resistance)

Kira's Guardian (Um'd) - Kira's Guardian gives up to 70 to all resistances (85 with an Um rune), cannot be frozen, and 20% faster hit recovery. This helmet should be used against builds that greatly lower your resistances like Cold Sorceresses, Nova Sorceresses, Conviction Paladins, and Poison Nova Necromancers because they all can majorly lower your resistances.

Body

Enigma Dusk Shroud (Jah Ith Ber) - Gives the Teleport skill (important), +2 to all skills, high strength per level, magic find per level, 5% increased life, 8% reduced physical damage taken, high added defense, 15% damage taken goes to mana, and life on kill.

Gloves

Trang'Oul's Gloves - Gives 20% faster cast rate and 30% increased cold resistance.

Belt (Default)

Gheed's Wager - Gheed's Wager needs to have at least 15% faster cast rate to reach the 75% faster cast rate breakpoint and also comes with faster hit recovery, reduced enemy magic resistances, faster run/walk, and all resistances.

Belt Vs. Physical Damage Builds

Verdungos Hearty Cord - Gives 15% reduced physical damage taken, 40 Vitality, 10% faster hit recovery, and +10 to replenish life. If you use this belt you'll need to switch Mara's Kaleidoscope amulet with a crafted Caster Amulet with at least 15% faster cast rate.

Belt Vs. Lightning Builds

Thundergod's Vigor - Gives 10% to maximum lightning resistance, 20 lightning absorb, 20 Strength, 20 Vitality, 1-50 lightning damage, and a 5% chance to cast level 7 Fist of the Heavens when struck. Use a Paladin Caster Amulet with this belt.

Feet (Default)

Waterwalk - Gives 20% faster run walk, 15 dexterity, 65 life, 5% to maximum fire resistance, and 100 defense vs. missiles.

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 - Gives 15% to maximum fire resistance and 45% increased fire resistance. Hotspur can be Up'd twice to Wyrmhide Boots in the Horadric Cube using a Shael Tal and Perfect Diamond to Up it to exceptional and a Lem Ko Perfect Diamond to Up it to elite.

Amulet (High End)

Caster Amulet - Can have +2 Paladin Skills, all resistances, an over stacked resistance, dexterity, and should have at least 15% faster cast rate which allows you to use the Verdungo's Hearty Cord or Thundergod's Vigor belts instead of Gheed's Wager.

Amulet (Budget)

Mara's Kaleidoscope - Gives +2 to all skills, 5 to all attributes, and up to all resistances +30%.

Rings

Bul-Kathos's Wedding Band x2 - Gives +1 to all skills, up to 5% life steal, and added life per level.

Rings (Absorb)

Two Raven Frosts can be used against cold damage builds for 20% cold absorb, one Dwarf Star can be used against fire builds with Hotspur boots for 15% fire absorb and 15% to maximum fire resistance, and one Wisp Projector can be used with the Thundergod's Vigor belt against lightning damage builds for up to 20% lightning absorb and 10% to maximum lightning resistance.

Charms

Hellfire Torch for +3 Paladin Skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, and an inventory full of +1 Combat Skills grand charms with life. For small charms look for 20 life resistance small charms which allows you to use a Protector's Light jewel for more damage.

Mercenary Type

Act 2 Might Mercenary

Mercenary Weapon

Ethereal Insight Thresher (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation aura which greatly increases your mana regeneration.

Mercenary Armor

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

Mercenary Helm

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

Budget Mercenary Armor

Duriel's Shell - Gives all resistances +20%, 50% cold resistances, 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.

Blessed Hammer Paladin Leveling Items

You can start off using a melee attack with Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you are level 3 for defense and attack rating from the Hsarus' set bonus. Bane's Garments set should be switched to at level 8 for high damage, attack rating, and great set modifiers. You can also use Angelics Amulet and Ring once you reach level 12 for life and more attack rating. Skin of the Viper Magi can also be equipped at level 29 for +1 to all skills, up to 35% all resistances, 30% faster cast rate, and reduced magic damage taken.

That's all for the PvP Hammerdin Guide. You can check out more guides in the menu at the top of this page. Good luck!