Patriarch Echinus - Sadomasochist Martyr
forge quests (nightmare and hell each produced the same rune):
one elite unique, pulled from Duriel quest:
Started: 19 Aug 2024
Finished: 27 Nov 2024
Focused skills: 20 Thorns, 20 Sacrifice, 20 Redemption, 20 Conviction, 6 Vengeance
One-pointer prerequisites: Prayer, Defiance, Cleansing, Vigor, Might, Holy Fire, Holy Freeze, Sanctuary, Zeal. (Of these, only Cleansing, Vigor, and Sanctuary were occasionally activated.)
Zero-pointer: Life Tap curses (proc from gloves), Holy Bolt (provided by switch weapon)
Equipment:
Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest (set) death mask
Duriel's Shell (unique) cuirass (socketed with PTopaz)
Dracul's Grasp (unique) vampirebone gloves
String of Ears (unique) demonhide sash
Goblin Toe (unique) light plated boots
"Ghoul Necklace" (rare) amulet (life/mana steal, reists)
Dwarf Star (unique) ring
"Doom Hold" (rare) ring (life steal, strenght, energy, mana, fire/lightning resists)
Lightsabre (unique) phase blade
Herald of Zakarum (unique) gilded shield
The Redeemer (unique) mighty scepter (socketed with Shael)
"Death Shield" (rare) sacred targe (+2 offensive auras, life, resists)
assorted charms: dexterity, elemental/poison damage, life, max damage, resists, one "Preserver's" defensive aura skiller, one "Captain's" offensive aura skiller, and a 20%MF Gheed's Fortune
Zanarhi the Prayer-aura mercenary's gear:
Andariel's Visage (unique) demonhead
Skin of the Flayed One (unique) scarab husk (socketed with PTopaz)
Tomb Reaver (unique) cryptic axe (socketed with Amn)
Thoughts:
Another fun and interesting adventurer! I had never before played a build focused on Sacrifice. I was able to outfit Echinus with 34% life stolen per hit, so as long as an enemy was "leechable," he recovered more life than he spent with each strike. He used the Lightsabre sword from late nightmare difficulty throughout hell. The best feature of that weapon is its very rapid attack speed. For this build, another feature is its moderate physical damage. Even with a Sacrifice synergy adding over 800% damage, the amount life Echinus sacrificed per swing was still managable when fighting against skeletons, insect swarms, and other non-leechables. Successful hits never drained more than about 1/8 of his total health, so I just needed to monitor his red bulb during those fights, and make sure he chugged some potions or redeemed some corpses when necessary. Against physical immunes, Sacrifice with a Lightsabre is fantastic, because no phyiscal damage is inflicted (and thus no sacrifice damage is suffered), but the extra attack rating means blows still land pretty often and deliver enough lightning and magic damage to bring the monster down reasonably quickly.
"Echinus" means "urchin," and his namesake Thorns aura had some effective moments. Reflecting 1,130% damage, there were actually a handful of times in hell when I clearly noticed that a melee enemy had inflicted its own killing blow! As with Dizzard's Iron Maiden curse, it felt to me as if melee monsters usually hurt themselves for somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of their own health, with Echinus and Zanarhi inflicting the rest of the hurt and generally delivering the vast majority of the fatal strikes. Zanarhi fought wiht an Husoldal-Evo polearm and some rare elite spears for most of the game, but he was finally able to use a Tomb Reaver not long after reaching the last waypoint in the Worldstone Keep.
Redemption is one of my favorite auras - corpse disposal and quick healing! But it only heals the paladin, not the mercenary, so there were a few battles for which Echinus used The Redeemer scepter to spray a volley of holy bolts at Zanarhi to help restore his health a little faster. After maxing the Redemption synergy, I considered also maxing the other synergy (Fanaticism), but those 20 points would only have increased Sacrifice's damage by another 100%, which I thought wouldn't be very significant, so instead I put 20 points into the Conviction aura. Conviction helped to reduce enemy defense (increase chances to hit without having to pump dexterity) and also magnify the LightSabre's lightning damage a bit. Leftover points went into Vengeance, but that alternate attack skill was still seldom as effective as Sacrifice, except against various physical immunes in acts 4 and 5. The ancients and Baal were easily bested by Sacrificing with Conviction.
With new 20-point investments in paladin skills Thorns, Redemption, and Conviction, 28/30 paladin skills have been maxed.
forge quests (nightmare and hell each produced the same rune):
one elite unique, pulled from Duriel quest:
Finished: 27 Nov 2024
Code:
Name: Echinus
Class: Paladin
Experience: 979580861
Level: 84
Naked/Gear
Strength: 105/167
Dexterity: 135/136
Vitality: 260/280
Energy: 15/18
HP: 986/1231
Mana: 139/178
Stamina: 407/447
Defense: 33/1657
AR: 660/13965
Fire: 169/129/69
Cold: 171/131/71
Lightning: 169/129/69
Poison: 162/122/62
MF: 44 Block: 59
GF: 183 FR/W: 3
FHR: 0 IAS: 20
FCR: 0
Sacrifice: 20/24
Smite: 0/0
Holy Bolt: 0/0
Zeal: 1/5
Charge: 0/0
Vengeance: 6/10
Blessed Hammer: 0/0
Conversion: 0/0
Holy Shield: 0/0
Fist of the Heavens: 0/0
Might: 1/4
Holy Fire: 1/4
Thorns: 20/23
Blessed Aim: 0/0
Concentration: 0/0
Holy Freeze: 1/4
Holy Shock: 0/0
Sanctuary: 1/4
Fanaticism: 0/0
Conviction: 20/23
Prayer: 1/4
Resist Fire: 0/0
Defiance: 1/4
Resist Cold: 0/0
Cleansing: 1/4
Resist Lightning: 0/0
Vigor: 1/4
Meditation: 0/0
Redemption: 20/23
Salvation: 0/0
Key
Fingerprint: 0x70e338c1
Item Level: 1
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Septic Small Charm of the Icicle
Small Charm
Required Level: 15
Fingerprint: 0xa777c196
Item Level: 45
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 2 - 3 Cold Damage Over 1 Secs (25 Frames)
Adds 15 Poison Damage Over 3 Secs (75 Frames)
Preserver's Grand Charm of Sustenance
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0xdc45e2b4
Item Level: 78
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Defensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+28 to Life
Tome of Identify
Fingerprint: 0xfa9cca5b
Item Level: 6
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Lapis Small Charm of Shock
Small Charm
Required Level: 10
Fingerprint: 0x614cd511
Item Level: 74
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 1 - 4 Lightning Damage
Cold Resist +7%
Captain's Grand Charm of Lightning
Grand Charm
Required Level: 42
Fingerprint: 0x5add2628
Item Level: 50
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+1 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
Adds 1 - 6 Lightning Damage
Gheed's Fortune
Grand Charm
Required Level: 62
Fingerprint: 0x17795f6e
Item Level: 82
Version: Expansion 1.10+
83% Extra Gold from Monsters
Reduces all Vendor Prices 14%
20% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Tome of Town Portal
Fingerprint: 0xd5bd3ce9
Item Level: 6
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest
Death Mask
Defense: 130
Durability: 20 of 20
Required Level: 66
Required Strength: 55
Fingerprint: 0x40d0b08
Item Level: 78
Version: Expansion 1.10+
10% Mana stolen per hit
10% Life stolen per hit
+45 Defense
+60 to Life
+30 to Mana
All Resistances +15
Ghoul Necklace
Amulet
Required Level: 45
Fingerprint: 0xe0baad2f
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
5% Mana stolen per hit
4% Life stolen per hit
Lightning Resist +13%
Fire Resist +9%
Poison Resist +24%
Duriel's Shell
Cuirass
Defense: 642
Durability: 150 of 150
Required Level: 41
Required Strength: 65
Fingerprint: 0xefdc1317
Item Level: 69
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+165% Enhanced Defense
+105 Defense (Based on Character Level)
+15 to Strength
+84 to Life (Based on Character Level)
Cold Resist +30%
All Resistances +20
Cannot Be Frozen
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+100 Maximum Durability
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Dwarf Star
Ring
Required Level: 45
Fingerprint: 0x5051b59d
Item Level: 86
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+40 to Life
+40 Maximum Stamina
Heal Stamina Plus 15%
Fire Absorb 15%
Magic Damage Reduced by 13
100% Extra Gold from Monsters
Doom Hold
Ring
Required Level: 65
Fingerprint: 0x2b0c0eb5
Item Level: 82
Version: Expansion 1.10+
7% Life stolen per hit
+14 to Strength
+3 to Energy
+9 to Mana
Lightning Resist +11%
Fire Resist +26%
String of Ears
Demonhide Sash
Defense: 109
Durability: 22 of 22
Required Level: 29
Required Strength: 20
Fingerprint: 0xd8450bc5
Item Level: 81
Version: Expansion 1.10+
8% Life stolen per hit
+170% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
Damage Reduced by 12%
Magic Damage Reduced by 14
+10 Maximum Durability
Goblin Toe
Light Plated Boots
Defense: 33
Durability: 18 of 18
Required Level: 22
Required Strength: 50
Fingerprint: 0x3c0f112
Item Level: 49
Version: Expansion 1.10+
25% Chance of Crushing Blow
+51% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
Damage Reduced by 1
Magic Damage Reduced by 1
-1 to Light Radius
Dracul's Grasp
Vampirebone Gloves
Defense: 127
Durability: 14 of 14
Required Level: 76
Required Strength: 50
Fingerprint: 0xf999f5ee
Item Level: 84
Version: Expansion 1.10+
5% Chance to cast level 10 Life Tap on striking
9% Life stolen per hit
25% Chance of Open Wounds
+93% Enhanced Defense
+13 to Strength
+10 Life after each Kill
The Redeemer
Mighty Scepter
One Hand Damage: 159 - 207
Durability: 50 of 50
Required Level: 72
Required Strength: 50
Required Dexterity: 26
Fingerprint: 0x3203525b
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Paladin Skill Levels
+20% Increased Attack Speed
299% Enhanced Damage
Damage +67
-33% Target Defense
+246% Damage to Demons
+150% Damage to Undead
+2 to Redemption (Paladin Only)
+4 to Holy Bolt (Paladin Only)
+3 to Light Radius
Requirements -60%
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Shael Rune
Shael Rune
Required Level: 29
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: +20% Increased Attack Speed
Armor: +20% Faster Hit Recovery
Shields: +20% Faster Block Rate
Death Shield
Sacred Targe
Defense: 153
Chance to Block: 50
Durability: 45 of 45
Required Level: 47
Required Strength: 86
Fingerprint: 0x6a1d77c1
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Offensive Aura Skills (Paladin Only)
+30% Faster Block Rate
20% Increased Chance of Blocking
+4 to Life
All Resistances +29
Lightning Resist +19%
Poison Resist +25%
Static Small Charm of Dexterity
Small Charm
Required Level: 17
Fingerprint: 0x47f8adc6
Item Level: 48
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 1 - 9 Lightning Damage
+1 to Dexterity
Amber Small Charm of Blight
Small Charm
Required Level: 32
Fingerprint: 0x5be6e4d9
Item Level: 56
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Adds 6 Poison Damage Over 3 Secs (75 Frames)
Lightning Resist +11%
Horadric Cube
Fingerprint: 0x221dfd4d
Item Level: 13
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Serrated Grand Charm of Sustenance
Grand Charm
Required Level: 59
Fingerprint: 0x88a4902e
Item Level: 83
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3 to Maximum Damage
+33 to Life
Full Rejuvenation Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 100%
Replenishes Health 100%
Super Mana Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 250%
Beryl Small Charm
Small Charm
Required Level: 1
Fingerprint: 0x931427f4
Item Level: 22
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Poison Resist +4%
Static Small Charm of Inertia
Small Charm
Required Level: 27
Fingerprint: 0x3629d7b0
Item Level: 57
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+3% Faster Run/Walk
Adds 1 - 6 Lightning Damage
Super Mana Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 250%
Super Mana Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 250%
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Full Rejuvenation Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 100%
Replenishes Health 100%
Super Mana Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 250%
Echinus's Shadow Pelt
Splint Mail
Defense: 128
Durability: 30 of 30
Required Level: 13
Required Strength: 51
Fingerprint: 0xa47a1ad5
Item Level: 85
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+24% Faster Hit Recovery
+17 to Attack Rating
+34% Enhanced Defense
+4 to Strength
Lightning Resist +21%
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Nickel Jewel of Virility
Nickel Jewel of Virility
Jewel
Required Level: 13
Fingerprint: 0x787a359c
Item Level: 80
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+17 to Attack Rating
+4 to Strength
Echinus's Raven Ward
Crown Shield
Defense: 58
Chance to Block: 0
Durability: 60 of 60
Required Level: 18
Required Strength: 65
Fingerprint: 0x372bac9b
Item Level: 37
Version: Expansion 1.10+
12% Chance to cast level 4 Charged Bolt when struck
+17% Faster Hit Recovery
+43% Enhanced Defense
All Resistances +16
Magic Damage Reduced by 2
Echinus's Beast Lock
Battle Belt
Defense: 58
Durability: 10 of 10
Required Level: 63
Required Strength: 78
Fingerprint: 0xcff0f892
Item Level: 87
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+26 to Strength
+10 to Life
Repairs 1 Durability in 33 Seconds
Ethereal
Full Rejuvenation Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 100%
Replenishes Health 100%
Full Rejuvenation Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 100%
Replenishes Health 100%
Full Rejuvenation Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 100%
Replenishes Health 100%
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Full Rejuvenation Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenishes Mana 100%
Replenishes Health 100%
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Super Healing Potion
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Replenish Life +320
Lightsabre
Phase Blade
One Hand Damage: 95 - 126
Indestructible
Required Level: 58
Required Strength: 25
Required Dexterity: 136
Fingerprint: 0xf0cfa432
Item Level: 99
Version: Expansion 1.10+
5% Chance to cast level 20 Chain Lightning on attack
+20% Increased Attack Speed
176% Enhanced Damage
Adds 10 - 30 Damage
Ignore Target's Defense
Adds 60 - 120 Magic Damage
Adds 1 - 200 Lightning Damage
7% Mana stolen per hit
Lightning Absorb 25%
+7 to Light Radius
Herald of Zakarum
Gilded Shield
Defense: 429
Chance to Block: 52
Durability: 50 of 50
Required Level: 42
Required Strength: 89
Fingerprint: 0x25154b84
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+2 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only)
+2 to Paladin Skill Levels
+30% Faster Block Rate
30% Increased Chance of Blocking
20% Bonus to Attack Rating
+154% Enhanced Defense
+20 to Strength
+20 to Vitality
All Resistances +69
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Perfect Diamond
Perfect Diamond
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: +68% Damage to Undead
Armor: +100 to Attack Rating
Shields: Cold Resist +19%
Lightning Resist +19%
Fire Resist +19%
Poison Resist +19%
Mercenary:
Name: Zanarhi
Race: Desert Mercenary
Type: Comb-Normal
Experience: 65995676
Level: 84
Dead?: false
Naked/Gear
Strength: 188/215
Dexterity: 152/152
HP: 1790/1790
Defense: 1317/2688
AR: 1961/1961
Fire: 155/115/55
Cold: 185/145/85
Lightning: 185/145/85
Poison: 255/215/155
Skin of the Flayed One
Scarab Husk
Defense: 1034
Durability: 58 of 58
Required Level: 58
Required Strength: 95
Fingerprint: 0xcfd481ef
Item Level: 72
Version: Expansion 1.10+
7% Life stolen per hit
+168% Enhanced Defense
Replenish Life +25
Attacker Takes Damage of 15
24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Repairs 1 Durability in 10 Seconds
Required Level +7
+30 Maximum Durability
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Perfect Topaz
Perfect Topaz
Required Level: 18
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: Adds 1 - 40 Lightning Damage
Armor: 24% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
Shields: Lightning Resist +40%
Andariel's Visage
Demonhead
Defense: 337
Durability: 20 of 20
Required Level: 83
Required Strength: 102
Fingerprint: 0x4e785dab
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
15% Chance to cast level 15 Poison Nova when struck
+2 to All Skills
+20% Increased Attack Speed
10% Life stolen per hit
+118% Enhanced Defense
+27 to Strength
+10% to Maximum Poison Resist
Fire Resist -30%
Poison Resist +70%
Level 3 Venom (20/20 Charges)
Tomb Reaver
Cryptic Axe
Two Hand Damage: 114 - 522
Durability: 65 of 65
Required Level: 84
Required Strength: 165
Required Dexterity: 103
Fingerprint: 0x2a07e8de
Item Level: 88
Version: Expansion 1.10+
+60% Increased Attack Speed
248% Enhanced Damage
+166% Damage to Undead
+296 to Attack Rating against Undead
7% Life stolen per hit
All Resistances +34
10% Reanimate as: Returned
+14 Life after each Kill
65% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
+4 to Light Radius
1 Sockets (1 used)
Socketed: Amn Rune
Amn Rune
Required Level: 25
Version: Expansion 1.10+
Weapons: 7% Life stolen per hit
Armor: Attacker Takes Damage of 14
Shields: Attacker Takes Damage of 14One-pointer prerequisites: Prayer, Defiance, Cleansing, Vigor, Might, Holy Fire, Holy Freeze, Sanctuary, Zeal. (Of these, only Cleansing, Vigor, and Sanctuary were occasionally activated.)
Zero-pointer: Life Tap curses (proc from gloves), Holy Bolt (provided by switch weapon)
Equipment:
Tal Rasha's Horadric Crest (set) death mask
Duriel's Shell (unique) cuirass (socketed with PTopaz)
Dracul's Grasp (unique) vampirebone gloves
String of Ears (unique) demonhide sash
Goblin Toe (unique) light plated boots
"Ghoul Necklace" (rare) amulet (life/mana steal, reists)
Dwarf Star (unique) ring
"Doom Hold" (rare) ring (life steal, strenght, energy, mana, fire/lightning resists)
Lightsabre (unique) phase blade
Herald of Zakarum (unique) gilded shield
The Redeemer (unique) mighty scepter (socketed with Shael)
"Death Shield" (rare) sacred targe (+2 offensive auras, life, resists)
assorted charms: dexterity, elemental/poison damage, life, max damage, resists, one "Preserver's" defensive aura skiller, one "Captain's" offensive aura skiller, and a 20%MF Gheed's Fortune
Zanarhi the Prayer-aura mercenary's gear:
Andariel's Visage (unique) demonhead
Skin of the Flayed One (unique) scarab husk (socketed with PTopaz)
Tomb Reaver (unique) cryptic axe (socketed with Amn)
Thoughts:
Another fun and interesting adventurer! I had never before played a build focused on Sacrifice. I was able to outfit Echinus with 34% life stolen per hit, so as long as an enemy was "leechable," he recovered more life than he spent with each strike. He used the Lightsabre sword from late nightmare difficulty throughout hell. The best feature of that weapon is its very rapid attack speed. For this build, another feature is its moderate physical damage. Even with a Sacrifice synergy adding over 800% damage, the amount life Echinus sacrificed per swing was still managable when fighting against skeletons, insect swarms, and other non-leechables. Successful hits never drained more than about 1/8 of his total health, so I just needed to monitor his red bulb during those fights, and make sure he chugged some potions or redeemed some corpses when necessary. Against physical immunes, Sacrifice with a Lightsabre is fantastic, because no phyiscal damage is inflicted (and thus no sacrifice damage is suffered), but the extra attack rating means blows still land pretty often and deliver enough lightning and magic damage to bring the monster down reasonably quickly.
"Echinus" means "urchin," and his namesake Thorns aura had some effective moments. Reflecting 1,130% damage, there were actually a handful of times in hell when I clearly noticed that a melee enemy had inflicted its own killing blow! As with Dizzard's Iron Maiden curse, it felt to me as if melee monsters usually hurt themselves for somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of their own health, with Echinus and Zanarhi inflicting the rest of the hurt and generally delivering the vast majority of the fatal strikes. Zanarhi fought wiht an Husoldal-Evo polearm and some rare elite spears for most of the game, but he was finally able to use a Tomb Reaver not long after reaching the last waypoint in the Worldstone Keep.
Redemption is one of my favorite auras - corpse disposal and quick healing! But it only heals the paladin, not the mercenary, so there were a few battles for which Echinus used The Redeemer scepter to spray a volley of holy bolts at Zanarhi to help restore his health a little faster. After maxing the Redemption synergy, I considered also maxing the other synergy (Fanaticism), but those 20 points would only have increased Sacrifice's damage by another 100%, which I thought wouldn't be very significant, so instead I put 20 points into the Conviction aura. Conviction helped to reduce enemy defense (increase chances to hit without having to pump dexterity) and also magnify the LightSabre's lightning damage a bit. Leftover points went into Vengeance, but that alternate attack skill was still seldom as effective as Sacrifice, except against various physical immunes in acts 4 and 5. The ancients and Baal were easily bested by Sacrificing with Conviction.
With new 20-point investments in paladin skills Thorns, Redemption, and Conviction, 28/30 paladin skills have been maxed.
