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Zealot: Phoenix or Hoz?

Excalibur

Excalibur

Well-known member
Guide Author
Jul 3, 2012
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Hi guys,

I have a 93 level Paladin. I've asked two times your help in the past to improve him. I finally concluded on all the final gear I want to use for him except.. the shield. At first I was using an exile, I had a really awesome roll but I was convinced to replace it mostly because equipping the hireling with a Reaper's and Desecripfing enemies was a superior choice to life tap caused by the exile.

Code: 
Exile
Excalibur's Sacred Targe
'VexOhmIstDol'
Defense: 1181
Chance to Block:  60%
Smite Damage: 22 to 70
Durability: 23 of 23
(Paladin Only)
Required Strength: 76
Required Level: 57
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0xe3ccb622
+258% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +43%
+5% to Maximum Fire Resist
Lightning Resist +43%
Cold Resist +43%
+5% to Maximum Cold Resist
Poison Resist +43%
Replenish Life +7
25% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
30% Faster Block Rate
Freezes Target +1
Level 16 Defiance Aura When Equipped
+2 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
15% Chance to cast Level 5 Life Tap on striking
Repairs 1 durability in 4 seconds
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (4: 4 used)

So, I had two recommendations about the shield. Hoz and Phoenix. I was so addicted with that %enchanced damage granted by phoenix that I created it with the very first chance I got. I made the runeword on a +45 resist Palashield and I was perfectly satisfied.

Code: 
Phoenix
Protector Shield
'VexVexLoJah'
Defense: 146
Chance to Block:  50%
Smite Damage: 18 to 24
Durability: 40 of 40
(Paladin Only)
Required Strength: 69
Required Level: 65
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 80
Fingerprint: 0xba36a0d
+50 to Life
+371% Enhanced Damage
+364 Defense vs. Missile
Fire Resist +45%
+10% to Maximum Fire Resist
Lightning Resist +45%
+5% to Maximum Lightning Resist
Cold Resist +45%
Poison Resist +45%
+18 Fire Absorb
Level 14 Redemption Aura When Equipped
40% Chance to cast Level 22 Firestorm on striking
100% Chance to cast Level 40 Blaze When You Level Up
-28% to Enemy Fire Resistance
Socketed (4: 4 used)

My character has no problems at all anywhere. Kills everything really fast even on players8 with slim chances of a death. However there's one little thing that is eating me. Shield Block! Phoenix has no increased chance of blocking and my shield block dropped to 62%.
Which shield would you use? What do you suggest me to do? Respec and add the extra dexeterity it needs to stick with phoenix? I am pretty sure it will need many more dexeterity points and I am not quite sure... or simply switching to an Umed Hoz which will help me also free some resistances charms..? Help!


Stats with Phoenix:


Stats with Hoz:
 
With respecs it's really easy to just try and see what works better for you.

If you were asking if you should make a Phoenix shield, it would be a different thing, but you already have it so... just get some essences/tokens and test all different setups :)
 
IMO Phoenix is too expensive in comparison to a HoZ, just like LW in comparison to Grief, but if that's a LW PB on your paladin, you already paid most of the price, and then Phoenix looks more appealing to me.

If it's Grief, I would use a HoZ, together with replacing the gloves with Dracul's (looks like LoH on your char) and using T-god's instead of what looks like a String of Ears.
 
I am just curious how many Dexterity will it need to reach max block without the shield offering any extra. I guess I'll have to use some tokens to find out...

I am using a Grief right now. I don't really need Dracul's. The damage dealt to mobs is immense that even with low Life steal the health is restored in a single hit but the main reason is that the hireling is carrying a Reaper's so life tap would cancel Decrepify and via versa.

But I think I didn't use a good base for the Phoenix. I should have used a Sacred Targe for the extra block. :/ Damn..
 
if you kill things mostly very fast then life tap is useless and constant leech (SoE) is better.

Besides, CtC for your source of leech is sketchy and best, and you'd probably rather decrep be constantly proc'd on tougher enemies like PI or bosses.

What do you plan to use the char for?
 
I never really build characters for a specific reason, I just like them being good in general but the main area I use this one is for Travincal and Durance of Hate Lvl3.

In case it helps my rest gear is.
Helm: Umed Guillaume's face
Weapon: Grief
Armor: Fortitude
Shield: Phoenix
Boots: GoreRiders
Gloves: Laying of Hands
Belt: String of Ears
Ring: Raven + Rare (dual leach, resists)
Amulet: Highlord's Wrath

Thanks!
 
I think there's only two LW in the history of Single Player krischan :p

Excalibur, there's many block calculators in the web, here's one: http://diablo2.ingame.de/tips/calcs/block.php


And yes, one should use a good base when spending Vex, Vex, Lo and Jah. You picked poorly unfortunately.
 
Personally, I think that if you want zealot for general areas, you shouldn't get either. Why? Cause they don't help you solve zealot's two main problems: No good way to kill non-undead PIs, and lack of crowd control.

Dream(s) solve both. Max resist lightning and some points in conviction and you got a great alternate attack plus confuse procs. Sure you don't have as much phys damage as if you had G-face and phoenix in those slots, but that's the price you pay for versatility.

But otherwise for trav and suchlike phoenix is fine, two handed is excellent as well. Hoz... Well, lets say that I built 7 paladins, and I didn't use it in any one of them. So that should tell you my opinion of that thing..
 
"My character has no problems at all anywhere. Kills everything really fast even on players8 with slim chances of a death"


Then maximize kill speed, and for that I would choose Phoenix over HoZ. Respeccing and adding dex would add attack rating, which is probably more valuable than the excess life you have if your chance of dying is slim for the places you visit, and would get your block rate up.
 
Thanks for the link nulio but I don't understand anything. :D I was so glad that I managed to get the runes and even more that I had a base with 45@ resist that I couldn't resist making it.

Basically, I don't have a single problem with my current build. It just quite annoys me that my resist and my block are not maxed and Hoz just maxes both and allow me to free some space with the resist charms. Before I feel like I have a "complete" character I like to at least max those things, it just makes me feel better.. :p

Physical immunities never really bothered me with any melee character. There are even quite rare I would say. Anyway, if I happen to encounter some, I would either just ignore them or kill them along with the Hireling's Reapers. Sotimes, mostly on Durance of Hate 3, I face those counclis and they are Immune to Physical and always stoned skin too but they are still going down really fast on P8.

Hmm, Dream doesn't really appeal me at all. :D I guess I'll stick to the phoenix until one day I make another on a better base. I love my phoenix after all. :)
 
It's not hard.

First box: Chance to block from items (base of shield plus all bonus in shield/wtv)
Second: HS level
Third: Dexterity
Fourth: Character level

Even without a translator it was easy-ish to understand :)
 
Without a shield (and max blocking), a character suffers 4 times as much damage versus most melee and missile attacks, so no shield is not a good idea for a paladin.

Excalibur said:
I am using a Grief right now. I don't really need Dracul's. The damage dealt to mobs is immense that even with low Life steal the health is restored in a single hit but the main reason is that the hireling is carrying a Reaper's so life tap would cancel Decrepify and via versa.
Click to expand...

Well, my affection for Dracul's may come from my bnet times where it's essential versus Ãœbers, although I'm not sure about the survival rate versus e.g. a p8 Lister pack.
 
Just wondering, why you are not using exile for the ubers? LoH also grabt 350% damage to demons so that would be a huge bonus. My bnet experience is limited and I have never been on Uber runs so I am just asking.

Without a shield (and max blocking), a character suffers 4 times as much damage versus most melee and missile attacks
Click to expand...

That's a lot. :O
 
Last edited:
Without shield he might take more damage, but he will kill faster, so I wouldn't say he will take 4x times more damage. And if he doesn't put himself in impossible situations, charge allows him to retreat fast if needed, redemption/rejuvs will heal him fast, etc.

In the end it's all about playing style. For me a 1hand zealot gives almost no challenge.
 
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