Giga's 1.11 Ladder Hammerdin Guide!

**HammerzManz** · 25-10-2009, 18:19

thanks for the guide it helped me build my Hdin

**Chicken** · 07-11-2009, 10:09

Great guide. I Have a level 88 Hamerdin with Anni, Torch, Hoto, Eni, Zaka, Shako, 2x SoJ, Maras, Magefists and Sandstorms. I don't plan on buying any skillers for it so, with the exception of a couple of fhr small charms, my build is complete.

I have a problem though. Up until level 80 every attribute point I have gained has gone into Vitality and every skill point since 80 (so 8 points for now) has been saved. How do I figure out how many points I should put into Holy shield and dexterity to achieve max block? I don't want to overspend on dexterity especially.

Another question - Is it viable to keep it a max Vita build? Or is doing so just a waste of the Holy shield skill?

**Ragnarod** · 07-11-2009, 13:49

This is the formula for block:

Total Block = (Block * (Dexterity - 15)) / (Character Level * 2)

Where Block is (Shield Block + Holy Shield bonus) if you are using Holy Shield. Notice that even if you won’t be shown more than 75% blocking in your shield, its base chance to block might be higher (for example, Stormshield has 77% chance to block, and Herald of Zakarum has 82% chance to block for paladins, those are the numbers that you have to use).

Is it viable to keep it a max vita build? I think it would be, but you'd be much better off going with a little less life and getting enough dex for max block in my opinion.

**nulio** · 07-11-2009, 15:47

You can also cast holy shield and use the mouse pointer and the character screen to see your % block. Just hover your defense after casting HS in town and it'll show it. Add dex points till you have 75%.

In battle the same thing shows the chance a monster has to hit you I think.

(I don't have D2 here to confirm all this info)

**Slyk** · 01-12-2009, 06:05

so i got all the gear except the sheild

shako mara hoto enig 2 sojs magefists arach and travs.

my question is what sheild should i get a good pally spirt or a hoz? wich one will lead to faster killing? i have a spirit that is 28 fcr will that work or do i need a perf one?

**mr.dines** · 01-12-2009, 08:44

I like the fcr of spirit, but depends on what fcr you want to hit, if 75 is good enough for you, then go Hoz:

125 fcr: hoto (40), arach (20), magefist (20), spirit (35) and one fcr ring/amu (10)

125 fcr: -//- spirit (25+), two fcr rings/amu (20)

75 fcr: hoto, arach, mage, hoz, mara, sojs

**UllaV** · 11-12-2009, 14:02

Any thoughts on nerfing the hammer in 1.13?

Ulla

**Rawness** · 15-12-2009, 10:31

Originally Posted by UllaV

Any thoughts on nerfing the hammer in 1.13?

Ulla

Merc. And smite. The nerf isn't gonna make any real difference.

**Swamigoon** · 15-12-2009, 20:51

Originally Posted by UllaV

Any thoughts on nerfing the hammer in 1.13?

Since BH greatly synergizes Holy Bolt, there might be a few hammer players that put more points in HB as a magic-immune undead solution.

**emaster** · 23-12-2009, 21:05

Something I noticed about plus skills...

synergies dont work at very high levels. My +2 combat skills ammy has same damage as maras for +2 to all skills.

meaning synergies only work for points you put into them, not + skills.

which is why tearhaunch doensn't add hammer damage and and such.

I'm not sure if this is known but I've been looked through tons of guides and hours searching through forums and this has not been anywhere. Because of this I must say that Pally spirit > HOZ any day because FCR based on my experience.

And if you got the resist from charms or what not to get away from maras than you are going to want a +3 combat ammy with FCR/whatev you need based on other gear.

With a hoto and magefist I find this easily gets 125% fcr breakpoint and sacrifices almost no damage. Also using the spirit makes the ammy with +3comb/fcr more possible due to increase resist of the pally spirit.

so basically one less skill point than hoz/maras using spirit/magic or crafted ammy and almost = resist but 45 more FCR

also based using that knowledge magic circlets start to look better because no synergies means that + all skillz isn;t super useful except for concentration bonus.

the same might go for hoto but I've heard you can get white scepters with +3bh +3 concentrate and +2 holy shield. I assume you can make a hoto out of that and keep the plus skills cuz you can with pally spirit but thats just an untried assumption (and expensive experiment!)

bottom line magic ammy/spirit > than maras/hoz and tearhaunch does not help damage (cuz I've seen people misguided by that.)