Diablo 2: Resurrected
Guides
Tesladin Zeal Paladin Guide for PvP and PvM
PvP Rank: C Class / PvM Rank: A Class
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Introduction
Tesladin Zealot Paladins are stronger than physical Zealots against PvP opponents that don't have a very high amount of lightning resistances. Opponents will have -150% to all resistances and -92% to their defense once you reach level 25 Conviction. Tesladins are ranked A Class in PvM because they can quickly clear 8 player Chaos Sanctuary once they're well geared. They also have Enigma for Teleport without being locked in to Fortitude (El Sol Dol Lo) or Dragon (Sur Lo Sol) like physical Zealots and Dragondins. ​
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Hybrid Zealadin Skills
Tesladins deal high lightning damage and can use Enigma for Teleport without sacrificing a high amount of damage.
Recommendation: Tesladin 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 Sacrifice (Zeal synergy)
20 Conviction
20 Resist Lightning (Holy Shock synergy)
20 Salvation (Holy Shock synergy)
Enough in Holy Shield to reach level 14 Holy Shield with plus skills.
All remaining points in Sacrifice which is a Zeal synergy.​
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Tesladin Zealot Paladin Gear
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Weapon
Beast Berserker Axe (Ber Tir Um Mal Lum) - This weapon is range 3 which is important and reaches the final attack speed breakpoint with 20% increased attack speed on your gloves and 20% increased attack speed on your amulet. Not using Hand of Justice and Dragon armor for a half strength Holy Fire gives a much faster attack speed and allows you to use Enigma for Teleport.
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Budget Weapon
Crescent Moon Phase Blade (Shael Um Tir) - The budget weapon is a strong alternative and gives 20% increased attack speed, a chance to cast Static on hit, ignores target defense, and -35 to enemy lightning resistance. It requires the Treachery runeword armor (Shael Thul Lem) to reach the final attack speed breakpoint which is a much cheaper alternative to Enigma.
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Shield
Dream Sacred Targe (Io Jah Pul) - When this shield is combined with a Dream helmet it gives a level 30 Holy Shock aura. The Sacred Targe shield base has the highest block chance of the Paladin shields and can have up to 45% to all resistances. Dream also gives all resistances, up to 30% faster hit recovery, level 15 Confuse curse when struck, and magic find.​
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Weapon Switch
Call to Arms (Amn Ral Mal Ist Ohm) - Used for up to +7 to Battle Orders with a Spirit Paly Shield (Tal Thul Ort Amn) for +2 to all skills with a lower strength requirement than a Monarch shield. You can also optionally switch to a Demon Limb in town for level 23 Enchant for PvP and then switch back to Call To Arms.​
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Helmet
Dream Helmet (Io Jah Pul) - When this helmet is combined with a Dream shield it gives a level 30 Holy Shock aura. Dream also gives up to 20% to all resistance, up to 30% faster hit recovery, level 15 Confuse curse when struck, high life, and magic find.​
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Body
Enigma Dusk Shroud (Jah Ith Ber) - Gives +2 to all skills, 45% faster run walk, high strength per level, 8% physical damage taken reduction, 5% increased life, 15% of damage taken goes to mana, high magic find per level, and Teleport.​
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Budget Body
Treachery (Shael Thul Lem) - The budget armor allows you to reach the final attack speed breakpoint with the budget Crescent Moon Phase Blade and gives 45% increased attack speed, a 25% chance to cast level 15 Venom on striking, a 5% chance to cast level 15 Fade when struck (gives 15% physical damage taken reduction and resists), 20% faster hit recovery, and 30% cold resistance.
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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 a pair of Leather/Sharkskin/Vampirebone Gloves but they don't always roll with 20% increased attack speed so it can sometimes take a while to craft great Blood Gloves.​​
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Budget Gloves
Bloodfist - Bloodfist gloves are recommended as the budget gloves so that you can reach the 86% faster hit recovery breakpoint and the fastest attack speed breakpoint with a Crescent Moon Phase Blade when combined with the budget Treachery armor. Bloodfist gives 10% increased attack speed, 30% faster hit recovery, +5 minimum damage, and 40 life.
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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 and 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 in PvP.
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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.​​​
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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.
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Feet
Gore Riders - These boots give 30% faster run walk, 15% deadly strike, 15% crushing blow, and 10% chance of open wounds.​
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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 and up to 25% lightning resistance and 25% cold resistance.
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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.
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Amulet
Highlord's Wrath - Gives +1 to all skills, 20% increased attack speed, 1-30 lightning damage, deadly strike per level, and 35% lightning resistance. You need 20% increased attack speed from your amulet and 20% increased attack speed from your gloves for the final attack speed breakpoint with a Beast Berserker Axe which is the high end weapon recommendation. You won't need the Angelic Amulet/Ring combo for attack rating with this build because the Conviction aura lowers enemies defense by more than 90%.​
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Budget Amulet
Metalgrid - The budget option gives up to 35% all resistances, 450 attack rating, 350 defense, and level 22 Iron Golem. This amulet is the budget option because it gives resistances before you can afford high resistance charms with life.
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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.
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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.​
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Charms
Hellfire Torch for +3 Paladin skills, Annihilus for +1 to all skills, 1 Poison Damage Small Charm to cancel life regeneration, enough faster hit recovery charms to hit the 56% faster hit recovery breakpoint or 86% faster hit recovery breakpoint if you are using Bloodfist (two Dream runewords give 40-60% faster hit recovery and the Verdungo's Hearty Cord belt gives 10% faster hit recovery), and the rest of your inventory should be filled with maximum damage/attack rating/life charms and resistance life charms. You can switch your resistance life charms to maximum damage/attack rating/life when fighting against physical damage builds.
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Mercenary Type
Act 2 Might Mercenary
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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.​
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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.
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Budget Mercenary Weapon
Insight (Ral Tir Tal Sol) - Gives up to level 17 Meditation which provides high mana regeneration and deals high damage.​
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Budget Mercenary Armor
Duriel's Shell - Gives all resistances +20%, 50% cold resistance, life per level, 15 strength, and cannot be frozen.
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Budget Mercenary Helmet
Tal Rasha's Helmet - Gives 10% life stolen per hit, all resistances +15%, and 60 life.
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Note: Ethereal items don't lose durability on mercenaries.
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Tesladin Paladin Strategy
Players that you can catch with Charge and Teleport that don't have very high over stacked lightning resistance will go down quickly when fighting a Tesladin. This character is capable of high single target damage 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. You will be strong against players that don't use Enigma because it can sometimes be difficult to get a lock on a player with Charge if they Teleport effectively. Try not to chase Whirlwind Barbarians and Whirlwind Assassins that are whirlwinding away from you or you will lose. You should win with your Holy Shock aura ticks if they run away instead of running to you to Whirlwind which means it's okay to fight defensively.
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Tesladin Paladin Leveling Items
You can start using Hsarus' Belt and Gloves once you have 30 strength and are level 3 for added defense and more importantly attack rating per level from its set bonus. Civerb's Cudgel is a great starter weapon that increases in damage as you level and only requires level 9. You can add in Angelic Amulet and Ring once you are level 12 for high life and attack rating 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) 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%.
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And that's all for the Tesladin Paladin Guide. You can also check out the most popular crafted items here Crafting Guide.
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