Zealot Dilemma

[Nolomite]

I've got an interesting dilemma - my Zealot kicks so much butt I am at a loss for what to do with the 22 unused skill points I've collected. I'm currently questing, in Act II of Hell. Typically I'm set on players = 4 as I cruise, which I drop to players 2. Sounds like I'm all set, right?

I thought so with my last pally, an Avenger - but I hadn't built him exactly right. I was 'finished' early on, and I was wasting skillpoints in the utility auras: big mistake. It took forever for me to 'fix' the mistakes and finish Hell. I don't want to come up short again when I reach the Ancients.

In a nutshell, here's what I've got:

Level 78 Zealot
Maxxed Zeal, Might (synergy) and Fanaticsm

Crushing Blow from Guillaume's Face
Open Wounds from an Upped Toothrow
Lightning and Magic damage from a Lightsabre
Fire damage from Hellmouth gauntlets

Stacking 4 auras between me & my merc: Fanaticsm, Might, Defiance, and Thorns

Frequent Life Tap (Exile Shield) and Bone Spear (merc's Bonehew)

I don't have any Vengeance, but I already do a bunch of non-physical damage so I'm ok on the PI's I've never used Holy Shield, but I've already got defense of 8800 without it.

My question is, where do I start putting skill points? It feels kind of silly to keep hoarding them. I could max out Holy Shield - that's the only thing that sounds remotely useful. Or, I could max Vengeance, and turn into a Fanatic Avenger when I hit a PI. Or I could max Conviction - I'd do this if 'flashing' were still availible.

Any ideas or guidance would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

[GenXCub]

My question is how you got all the runes to make the high end runewords in Single Player? Those should be unheard of.

How do you handle oblivion knights? It seems to me that one IM and you're toast.

[Nolomite]

My question is how you got all the runes to make the high end runewords in Single Player? Those should be unheard of.

How do you handle oblivion knights? It seems to me that one IM and you're toast.


Runes - I've got lots of characters, and save all my runes. When I learned that runes can be 'upped' I immediately thought 'That makes things way too easy!". I also do lots & lots of Pit runs - runes are plentiful there. The Exile shield is easily my best item. The Bramble armor is easy to make.


The only time I've died (twice) were when the OK's tossed out an IM curse right while I atacked. I will try to plug them from a distance next time I'm in the Chaos Sancuary, but I may not have the patience for that.

[Terrorwind]

In a nutshell, here's what I've got:

Level 78 Zealot
Maxxed Zeal, Might (synergy) and Fanaticsm
Did you mean Sacrifice and not Might? Since Might isn't a synergy, I assume that's what you mean.

I usually make sure Holy Shield is around 11. That's where the block % gives serious diminishing returns. If the defense is important beyond that, you can keep pumping it.

If it's offensive power you want, I would think your choices would be either Vengeance or Holy Shock. Since you already have the Lightsabre and Zeal, Holy Shock would land quite frequently. At 20, you'd get an additional ~450 damage with each hit.

Vengeance damage is based on your weapon. You could probably do a lot better than Lightsabre if that's the way you wanted to go.

Just my thoughts.

[Nolomite]

Did you mean Sacrifice and not Might? Since Might isn't a synergy, I assume that's what you mean.

I usually make sure Holy Shield is around 11. That's where the block % gives serious diminishing returns. If the defense is important beyond that, you can keep pumping it.

If it's offensive power you want, I would think your choices would be either Vengeance or Holy Shock. Since you already have the Lightsabre and Zeal, Holy Shock would land quite frequently. At 20, you'd get an additional ~450 damage with each hit.

Vengeance damage is based on your weapon. You could probably do a lot better than Lightsabre if that's the way you wanted to go.

Just my thoughts.


Yes, I meant Sacrifice - it's maxxed to synergize with Zeal.

The Holy Shock idea is a good one, but what if I did Holy Freeze instead (I've already got decent lightning damage)? That would freeze the monsters for me, which would help even if they aren't PI's. Obviously I'd set it up on weapons switch, so I could freeze them then Zeal them outta town.

I could dump 10 points into Holy Shield immediately, and drop a dozen more in Holy Freeze. I'm planning to have a bow/xbow on my weapon switch (I always forget the Demon Machine I've got there now!) - does the HF cold damage bonus translate to ranged weapons?

I've got a high-level Avenger (with a big-damage weapon :thumbsup: ), so I'm not really interested in making this guy a hybrid Zealot-Avenger.



Thanks for the ideas, Terrorwind - you've set me on the right path!

[Nolomite]

Holy Freeze - level 12 - didn't accomplish much. The beasties unfroze a second or two after switching back to Fanaticism. Holy Shield rocked, however. At level 5 it added almost 3000 to my def.


I put the points in, cruised around, and then shut down my PC so it didn't save - I've still got 22 skill points looking for a home.

[Omikron8]

Every zealot needs maxed holy shield for the defense and block. Once that and zeal and fanat are maxed dump the rest in conviction to have an anti physical immune backup with an elemental damage weapon.

Edit - All auras translate onto ranged weapons but vengeance does not work with non melee weapons

[Elgar]

im gonna suggest to go with the masses and say max holy shield, and then work on vengence as a PI killer 2nd attack.