The 1pt smiter guide to Uber Tristram v 1.0.

[Bladewind]

I suggest save the points and carry another PI solution.

I use Vengeance and conviction for the hardest of PI with Azurewrath. Aside from Vengeance, nothing else can allow a pally to kill immune except Sanctuary which only helps vs undead immunes.

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Aside from this, I found out my A2 Defiance merc can survive quite well in Uber Tristram. He was not using anything special, Insight CV + Duriel's Shell and Ral Andy Helm. I believe the Duriel's Shell helps a TON, because the CBF prevents the pure bugger from getting chilled then hammered by Meph's cold mages and Baal ice skill. The key is to keep the boss entertained, while he wanders around and hammer the minions.

Best part is, no worries about mana burners ! Durga attracts everything around you and baal's mana burn has hardly any effect. In 1 second I am smiting again or in fact I did not stop for anything at all. Mana regen still continues even when you are eating TWO Baals mana burning you. I did not even pause. Against Diablo, Big D was a joke. Those fat venom lords all will swarm Durga but nothing that lifetap can't handle. So no more problems about your smiters getting trapped !

Only time I did hit the rejuv pot was when I forgot to turn on Salvation aura against Meph and pot 1 for Durga when he was hammered by undead physical immune ghosts. So that is 2 pots. If I was careful, 1 would do. Some can probably do with no rejuv pots but I like my runs this way, not least I not spamming that mana pot.

So I retract my statement. A merc can survive for pally smiters and not just for necromancers or Wind druids with fat summons.

Both of us were lvl87 btw. And my new found faith in Durga netted me a 20/13 pala torch on his virgin run. And no Durga did not die even once. That's it he is in with me.

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

Concentration is the only aura which improves BH damage, Fanat does not. If you are serious about using hammers as your PI solution, dig up the thread which figures out the best way to gain the most damage out of hammers(either from adding points into hammers, or points into Conc). On my melee characters(Dtalon kicker/zealer/Fury wolf) I always just tossed on a Reapers. Once the PI is gone they get cut down fast, there shouldn't be a huge problem with you being able to stay alive in general pvm for a few secs without Life Tap.

Bladewind
How many runs have you used Durga on? When I was trying different gear set ups for my act 2 merc awhile ago he was wildly inconsistent with staying alive during the runs, one run he would stay alive and not get in the way, second run he would get murdered, third run he would pull the big 3 out before getting demolished.

 

[Jungle Boy]

It would be nice if a merc was viable. I'm thinking the defiance merc would be the best able to survive, plus the defense added to you would be nice. Might have to switch to defiance instead of my HF merc.

What do you guys think of "Obedience" vs "Insight" for merc weapons. Seems like obedience would give you a lot more damage but perhaps the meditation aura is worth it?

 

[Bladewind]

Concentration is the only aura which improves BH damage, Fanat does not. If you are serious about using hammers as your PI solution, dig up the thread which figures out the best way to gain the most damage out of hammers(either from adding points into hammers, or points into Conc). On my melee characters(Dtalon kicker/zealer/Fury wolf) I always just tossed on a Reapers. Once the PI is gone they get cut down fast, there shouldn't be a huge problem with you being able to stay alive in general pvm for a few secs without Life Tap.

Bladewind
How many runs have you used Durga on? When I was trying different gear set ups for my act 2 merc awhile ago he was wildly inconsistent with staying alive during the runs, one run he would stay alive and not get in the way, second run he would get murdered, third run he would pull the big 3 out before getting demolished.

Done about 3 with Durga. So far it is quite good. Partly because due to my strategy as well.

Personally I will vigor charge (with durga still far away) close enough for the Uber to get his attention first, then cast life tap on him. This is the key because in my several play through, the boss will always target the person who curses him first. If done quickly, the uber will probably over you even before Durga reaches you.

Then usually will Durga wanders off and hits something else instead of the main guys.

Again I smite without treachery prebuff so I use Salvation aura and I ALWAYS cast lifetap with my wand first before smiting. So that helps Durga (and of course myself) a lot as well.


But I need more Organ Sets for testing soon... :crazyeyes:

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

I could see a merc surviving and allowing you some breathing room from the minions, I never did attempt to use charge to get distance between me and the merc usually waited for the merc to get his attention on some minions/surrounded then dealt with the big 3. What are your run times like with and without merc? I'm not really sure it would even be worth keeping a merc around for even a distraction if he really slows down your run.

 

[Bladewind]

My build has no mana leech so the merc is a nice convienience i use for normal things.

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

Enough mana leech to keep your bulb up isn't hard with a zealer or smiter. 1 point Redemption works wonders in regular PvM and pots are good enough in trist. I really like an Act 1 merc with and Ice bow for regular pvm play the Frost Novas going off are nice, and she isn't effected by IM.

 

[Bladewind]

Well I am lazy to train up a brand new merc so I just leave him as it is. Besides 17k defence is quite fun for normal pvm and I don't use exile. Besides, all his gear cost at most an UM or even Pul + Lem (cheap arse andy, Duriel shell, Insight NON ETH CV). No issue to me. :crazyeyes:

In comparison even a bow merc with similar eq and harmony will cost higher !

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

I wasn't suggesting you switch out mercs or anything, sorry for the confusion. I was just simply stating that tossing on a little +mana per kill/mana leech goes along way

 

[Bladewind]

Grief and carrion does give mana per kill and DTM. But the best anti mana burner is still Meditiation.

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

Meditation is nice for that lol

 

[degini]

Crescent moon war spike. Now the choices are usually berserker axe or phase blade to make this. But since we have fanaticism we might as well rule out the phase blade and choose something with higher average damage. A war spike is that exactly,and you still hit max zeal speed with highlords only. This weapon provides itd so you won't be needing much attack rating,open wounds and the very nice effect called static field. Great option if you can't afford a stormlash.
.

Can anyone else confirm that crescent moon war spike is worth making. I have a limited suppy of um's.

Thanks

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

Well it really depends on what your other options are, and your gear. Crescent Moon is a great lower runeword weapon. That quote pretty much sums up the pros of the War Spike, a pb could be used if you do not want repair cost, or if you can add some IAS then the BA is a great choice.

 

[XMastermineX]

It would be nice if a merc was viable. I'm thinking the defiance merc would be the best able to survive, plus the defense added to you would be nice. Might have to switch to defiance instead of my HF merc.

What do you guys think of "Obedience" vs "Insight" for merc weapons. Seems like obedience would give you a lot more damage but perhaps the meditation aura is worth it?

This is what i use on my 1 point smiter's merc he has on CoH and Obedience in an eth GPA and Andys he does quite well against ubers!! ... but the lack of insight makes me have a row of mana pots just for the mana burners i may chug 1-4 in a session but usually not more than that ... but i partner with a summon necro sometimes for uber runs and that helps a bunch to keep burners off of me and his merc has insight too so its not a case study but my merc has done well alone and with help!

 

[leichsenring]

Hi guys!

I would like to know which are the best gear setup to make this pala 1pt smite. I have highlord´s wrath, guilaumes, coh, 2xraven frost, draculs, dungo´s, cta, spirit and hoz bered upped.

Thanks!

Marcelo Leichsenring

 

[erzk]

Hi guys!

I would like to know which are the best gear setup to make this pala 1pt smite. I have highlord´s wrath, guilaumes, coh, 2xraven frost, draculs, dungo´s, cta, spirit and hoz bered upped.

Thanks!

Marcelo Leichsenring

I would recommend this:

+ Damage- This is my favorite set up.

Weapon: Grief phase blade. The absolute king of melee. Sick damage both for zeal and smite. Stats are irrelevant, all grief phase blades hit max speed and even the lowest roll will be devastating.

Guillaume’s face helm,
gore rider boots,
dracul’s grasp gloves.

Armor: Fortitude. Damage, defense, life, resists. All the wanted mods in one item.
Belt could be t-gods/credendum/ik etc.
Shield. Sanctuary , a good roll here, 100+ all res, in a nice elite paladin shield.
Amulet. Metalgrid (or rare with resists,or mara’s)
Ravenfrost+ a rare with resists/leech etc.

I tried it out and he kills bosses sooooooooo fast. You have 50% CB, some DS and enourmous damage!

The only difference from my setup was that I used 3xUm Griswold shield (116 resist). I also put Um in Guillaumes face for extra resist and a 34@ metalgrid.

I still used salvation vs über mephisto and fana for the rest.

 

[ancalagon]

I would recommend this:



I tried it out and he kills bosses sooooooooo fast. You have 50% CB, some DS and enourmous damage!

The only difference from my setup was that I used 3xUm Griswold shield (116 resist). I also put Um in Guillaumes face for extra resist and a 34@ metalgrid.

I still used salvation vs über mephisto and fana for the rest.

Vouch. Mines exact same too except 31@ Metalgrid, Hoz or sometimes Stormshield, and 7fhr 40fire res jewel'd guillaumes face! Kills normal monsters faaaaaaaast, even ones with high physical resist like vampires and minotaurs!!! I wonder how quick ubers would go down if Grief had 50CB .... that would be insane!

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

I think Grief is stacked enough without adding in any CB on it.

 

[ancalagon]

I think Grief is stacked enough without adding in any CB on it.

Grief + more CB >>> Grief alone

Max CB (Guillaume + Gores + hypothetical extra 50 on Grief) will reduce Ubers HP down to a little real fast, which Griefs damage will then take care of .... thats when Grief really kicks in and shines vs Ubers. OOOOH add in some static field and then youve really got a killer!

 

[BAMFSpecialOps]

I really hope your joking. The Uber's are already incredibly easy with Grief+Guils why are you wanting to make one of the most powerful runewords in the game even more powerful? Why stop at CB/Static, why not add in level 99 Fanat/Conc/Might/Salvation?