PDR (Physical Damage Reduction) Builds?

[Earl Grey]

Would a dedicated PDR build work well in Hell? Any thoughts on how to build it, from what equipment to get the PDR and most importantly: how much PDR is enough?
I've read that 100 pdr would be enough for all except a small minority of hell monsters. The question that arises is how safe would a pdr build be when encountering those few monsters, like Extra Strong Frenzytaurs or something like that.

(Edit: Note that this is physical damage reduction by points and not by percentage!)

[kingdryland]

How about listing the items you plan to use? Keep in mind that nihlathak's corpse explotion and stygian dolls will cut through 100pdr like hot knife in butter.

[gunske]

DR is capped on 50% m8

[kingdryland]

DR is capped on 50% m8


% dr is capped ,straight dr isn't.

[Earl Grey]

3x SOL helm (21 pdr)
4x SOL armor (28 pdr)
4x SOL shield (28 pdr)
These can all have a "pdr suffix": helm (max 25), armor (max 15) and shield (max 15).
Amulet: "pdr suffix" (max 25).
Total max pdr from above items: 157

Free slots: Weapon, Belt, Gloves, Boots and Rings.

Actually I'd like to build a shieldless paladin using a big 2H weapon, so that means no pdr from a shield.

[kingdryland]

3x SOL helm (21 pdr)
4x SOL armor (28 pdr)
4x SOL shield (28 pdr)
These can all have a "pdr suffix": helm (max 25), armor (max 15) and shield (max 15).
Amulet: "pdr suffix" (max 25).
Total max pdr from above items: 157

Free slots: Weapon, Belt, Gloves, Boots and Rings.

Actually I'd like to build a shieldless paladin using a big 2H weapon, so that means no pdr from a shield.

Well that doesn't sound viable to me,especially 2h. Your resists will probably be problematic and elements are much bigger threat than physical after 1.10 was introduced. You could get a sol gerke's shield (up to 23 pdr) and decent block/resists. Then use a gladiator's bane ,with sol again, and a vamp gaze. This way you can have a 20% damage reduction, 50 straight on top of that (57 with sol in gaze) and magic damage reduction too (up to 53) with weapon/amy/rings/belt/boots/gloves slot open.

[Earl Grey]

The build I'm considering is called the "Angel" and is a paladin with Salvation as main aura and Vengeance as attack skill (also Res Fire/Cold/Lightning). This is a party build, not really intended for soloing. With Salvation the resistance problem goes away for everyone in the party.

I'd like to equip him with an Obedience (Hel + Ko + Thul + Eth + Fal) polearm:
30% Chance To Cast Level 21 Enchant When You Kill An Enemy
40% Faster Hit Recovery
+370% Enhanced Damage
-25% Target Defense
Adds 3-14 Cold Damage 3 Second Duration (Normal)
-25% To Enemy Fire Resistance
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
+200-300 Defense (varies)
+10 To Strength
+10 To Dexterity
All Resistances +20-30 (varies)
Requirements -20%

The idea with pdr & Salvation is that you should not need res from a shield and blocking becomes irrelevant since high pdr means the hits don't hurt you anyway. That's the theory. :rolleyes:

[kingdryland]

I have seen that "Angel" build in the amazon basin I think,and I'm not really a fan I admit.I would leave polearms to barbs,spears to amazons and staves to druids. With a static and mana consuming skill like vengeance I'd like both my shield and weapon slot to hold separate items.

[PsychoNight]

with no ias, obedience is gona be slow like hell

[Earl Grey]

I have seen that "Angel" build in the amazon basin I think...
That's right.

with no ias, obedience is gona be slow like hell
Well, yes. Unless there is a fana zealot also in the party. :grin:
Even so I agree that Obedience might be a bad idea for this build.

Feel free to continue the criticism of my idea of Obedience and Angel, but try not to get sidetracked too much from the subject which is PDR builds for a paladin. *Any* paladin pdr build and not only the Angel build.

[gunske]

so if i wear gear for 50% DR i just can add sol's for dr ?
is it viable in pvp ?

[kingdryland]

so if i wear gear for 50% DR i just can add sol's for dr ?
is it viable in pvp ?

Well let's say that you face a very strong zealot that deals 10k physical per swing. That after pvp penalty is 1.7k. 50% further reduces that to 850. As you can see it is practically pointless to try reduce damage even further with straight pdr gear. Usually it makes more sense getting extra hitpoints/ar/damage instead.

[Vang]

Well let's say that you face a very strong zealot that deals 10k physical per swing. That after pvp penalty is 1.7k. 50% further reduces that to 850. As you can see it is practically pointless to try reduce damage even further with straight pdr gear. Usually it makes more sense getting extra hitpoints/ar/damage instead.


Actually PDR is reduced before the pvp damage reduction. That is why it is not used in pvp, compared to PDR%.

Venomlords in hell deal the most damage and iirc their max is 160ish. As for resistances, you can also get a fair amount of MRD as well, I've heard are 60-70 is good enough for just about everything.

[BildBenny]

String of Ears and 2 Dwarf Stars would add 45 MDR.

[Earl Grey]

Actually PDR is reduced before the pvp damage reduction. That is why it is not used in pvp, compared to PDR%.
...
For low level dueling it's different and as I understand it it's considered bad manners to have too much pdr there, presumably because it's too good.

[DoWatThouWilt]

I think that before we start throwing out how much damage reduce every item has, we should know exactly how much we woud need. What is the most powerful monster in Hell, and how much physical/magic damage does it do?

Then, how would such a build beat bosses?

[nex]

Venomlords in hell deal the most damage and iirc their max is 160ish.

you sure about that? because my chars take all the time hits that do much more dmg. maybe 160 is just base dmg that gets mutipled somehow?

and I always thought frenzytaurs deal more dmg then venom lords, maybe that's just my impression because they are faster.

[kingdryland]

you sure about that? because my chars take all the time hits that do much more dmg. maybe 160 is just base dmg that gets mutipled somehow?

and I always thought frenzytaurs deal more dmg then venom lords, maybe that's just my impression because they are faster.

Speed is an issue,then again frenzytaurs frequently spawn in fanatic boss packs. Not to mention that when we are under amp damage,physical attacks hurt more. Anyway,the most damaging physical threats must be dolls and nihlathak. Minions of destruction can be ugly too.

[DoWatThouWilt]

So is it even possible to stand a chance with a PDR build? A single Amp Damage can kill you, there are areas in almost every act you can't handle, and bosses would be impossible. Is it possible to get enough PDR to handle all that?

[Vang]

Yes that damage is base damage, not including extra strong, auras, etc. Frenzytaurs are killer for that reason, their damage starts high to begin with, but dramatically increased.

As for amplify damage, it doesn't exactly work like that. Amplify damage multiples damage dealt. So its the last effect added to the damage ratio, 0x2 is still zero. So amplify isn't a problem unless its from said above boss packs.

http://forums.diabloii.net/showthread.php?t=246211

[KiLLJOi]

I have recently come across a game titled “Kill me for a soj”...seems kind of pointless but I was extremely bored at the time. In game there was my lvl 90 smiter, a zealot and a conc barb. We all went hostile towards the host player, and when all 3 of us went at it, he simply stood on the battlefield not losing 1 single point of hp (We were all physical attackers). He was called a cheater and accused of illegal programs. He said it was because of this “magical” 6x ist sword which was completely bs, and tried to sell it for 40x sojs. Would this type of barb (The one we all faced, and failed to kill miserably) be a PDR in which you guys are talking about? If not, does anyone have a clue as to how he pulled that off?