Viable in HC?

[scwormy]

I'm planning to make a Telsadin with Conviction (Avenger) as my back-up spell when I encounter LI's. If utilized with a HF Merc, does this sound viable for HC?

I like to go untwinked, but I'll probably stick with the Sept rules so 1 item in Normal, 2 in NM and 3 in Hell. That would allow me to use a Cresent moon rune word in a Phase blade as my weapon.

Skills: 20 HolyShock
20 Lightning Resist
20 Conviction
Standard 1 point wonders, enough Zeal for 4 hits
rest: Holy Shield

I figured with Holy Shield and a HF Merc, it would slow down most monsters enough and let my merc tank when encountering dangerous LI's with assisting with a conviction aura.

[roninDOG]

Im not sure if conviction would break immunes. If you go twinked a bit you will be able to deal enough physical damage for most LI monsters between you and your merc and would probably have to park any LI/PI monsters. You would definately be HC viable in that case. If you went soley untwinked Id say you need to cover at least 3 damage types. I played a HC untwinked frost zealot/tesladin to deal with LI to keep my bases covered.

20 HF
20 HS
20 RL
20 RC
1 pt wonders

-roninDOG

[Morathi]

take a look at this thread. If you read Hrus's comment it gives good advice which i am going to do when i make a HC untwinked pally.

i would go more for a physical path like what Hrus said(this is what he suggests and same with me)

20 Holy Shock
20 Resist Lightning
20 Zeal
20 Sacrifice
1 Fanaticism (optional)
10+ Holy Shield

it gives both good physical and good lightning damage and is a good option going Untwinked.

[crazy_bear]

Conviction will break immunes, but it won't be a good option because the vengeance will be fairly weak. As others have said either dual element or single element +physical is the best way to go. I recently guardianed a holyshock/holyfire pally in a tourney. Holy fire is the weakest of the options, but it does work well with explosive arrows if you are lucky enough to find a suitable bow/crossbow (mine found a demon-machine, Kuko also works very well.)

[scwormy]

Im not sure if conviction would break immunes. If you go twinked a bit you will be able to deal enough physical damage for most LI monsters between you and your merc and would probably have to park any LI/PI monsters. You would definately be HC viable in that case. If you went soley untwinked Id say you need to cover at least 3 damage types. I played a HC untwinked frost zealot/tesladin to deal with LI to keep my bases covered.

20 HF
20 HS
20 RL
20 RC
1 pt wonders

-roninDOG

Thanks for the input from everyone. The conviction would NOT be to break LI's. It would be to assist in lowering the resists from my HF Merc. Therefore I don't plan on playing a true avenger. I'd be an averger to the point that I'd pretty much be a walking aura for my merc for LI's.

I've played the HF/HS in SC and felt that he was lacking in Hell without CB (I had the 20 HS, 20 RL, 20 HF and 20 HS), therefore didn't have the advantage of having the synergy of RC for my HF).

I made the assumption the going relatively untwinked, I wouldn't have enough CB to assist with physical damage much and would therefore be dealing almost exclusively with elemental damage.

I indicated that according the Sept rules, I'd be able to twink up to a total of 6 items...I think another item would be Obedience for my merc. Therefore my Merc would have CB and enchant (which when facing an LI, would do additional damage with the conviction aura).

[purplelocust]

Thanks for the input from everyone. The conviction would NOT be to break LI's. It would be to assist in lowering the resists from my HF Merc. Therefore I don't plan on playing a true avenger. I'd be an averger to the point that I'd pretty much be a walking aura for my merc for LI's.

Actually, most LI's are pretty easy to break with Conviction. Certainly much easier than most FI's or certainly CI's. Once you break the LI, your Vengence would have a decent lightning component from the common Resist Lightning synergy with Holy Shock, and possibly Salvation could help too. Or you could go with a shopped wand or dagger of Lower Resist, which is also pretty good at breaking LIs.

But I would prefer more of a physical damage route, with Fanaticism as the alternate aura for LIs. Investing in Sacrifice and Zeal boosts your physical damage all the time, and improves your leech, which keeps you alive. I've had good luck with Frostalots with a cold/physical combo and I expect lighting/physical would be a good path also.

[DeathMaster]

untwink, I would use HF as backup skill to deal with LIs. The only danger is you might switch to HF as primary skill.

I recommend balanced HS/HF zealot. eg:

20 HS, 20 HF, 10 RL, 10 RC
Plus your zeal should deal some physical damage.

I have one build like this, he was planned to be primary HS, but I found myself mainly use HF in Hell.