Patriarch Dante : The by-the-book Tesla

[smokeeblade]

Greetings SPF'ers, I come in cheese

Well Dante lived up to expectations; he could definitely hold his own, though there is definitely room for improvement.

Character

Name : Dante (from DMC <3)
Class : Paladin
Level : 80

Strength : 100 (156)
Dexterity : 120 (144)
Vitality : 230 (250)
Energy : 15
Unused : 30

Life : 888 (1527)
Mana : 133 (362)

Fire Resist : 75
Cold Resist : 75
Lightning Resist : 85
Poison Resist : 10

Zeal : 20 (29)
Holy Shock : 20 (25)
Resist Lightning : 20 (24)
Salvation : 18 (22)
Holy Shield : 1 (10)
Pre-reqs : 11 ()

Equipment

Spoiler

Guillaume's Face
Winged Helm
Defense: 217
Durability: 37 of 40
Required Strength: 115
Required Level: 37
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0xebd0e876
+15 to Strength
+120% Enhanced Defense
+7% Enhanced Damage
+13 to Minimum Damage
Cold Resist +28%
30% Faster Hit Recovery
35% Chance of Crushing Blow
15% Deadly Strike
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Shaftstop
Mesh Armor
Defense: 656
Durability: 39 of 45
Required Strength: 92
Required Level: 38
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0x9782fb99
+60 to Life
+207% Enhanced Defense
+250 Defense vs. Missile
Damage Reduced by 30%

Crescent Moon
Phase Blade
'ShaelUmTir'
One-Hand Damage: 96 to 108
Required Dexterity: 136
Required Strength: 25
Required Level: 54
Sword Class - Fastest Attack Speed
Indestructible
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 81
Fingerprint: 0xfd47fcbf
+211% Enhanced Damage
20% Increased Attack Speed
Ignore Target Defense
25% Chance of Open Wounds
+2 to Mana After Each Kill
+9 Magic Absorb
10% Chance to cast Level 17 Chain Lightning on striking
7% Chance to cast Level 13 Static Field on striking
Level 18 Summon Spirit Wolf (30/30 Charges)
-35% to Enemy Lightning Resistance
Socketed (3: 3 used)

Herald of Zakarum
Gilded Shield
Defense: 507
Chance to Block:  82%
Smite Damage: 20 to 28
Durability: 45 of 50
(Paladin Only)
Required Strength: 89
Required Level: 42
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0xf20b8222
+20 to Strength
+20 to Vitality
+200% Enhanced Defense
+30% Increased Chance of Blocking
All Resistances +69
+2 to Paladin Skill Levels
30% Faster Block Rate
20% Bonus to Attack Rating
+2 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only)
Socketed (1: 1 used)

Laying of Hands
Bramble Mitts
Defense: 85
Durability: 7 of 12
Required Strength: 50
Required Level: 63
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0x26cf29e7
+25 Defense
Fire Resist +50%
20% Increased Attack Speed
350% Damage to Demons
10% Chance to cast Level 3 Holy Bolt on striking

String of Ears
Demonhide Sash
Defense: 109
Durability: 16 of 22
Required Strength: 20
Required Level: 29
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0xb72fa9f6
+169% Enhanced Defense
+15 Defense
Magic Damage Reduced by 11
Damage Reduced by 15%
8% Life stolen per hit
+10 Maximum Durability

Gore Rider
War Boots
Defense: 157
Durability: 33 of 34
Required Strength: 94
Required Level: 47
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0xa5efebe2
+20 to Maximum Stamina
+192% Enhanced Defense
+10 Maximum Durability
Requirements -25%
30% Faster Run/Walk
10% Chance of Open Wounds
15% Chance of Crushing Blow
15% Deadly Strike

Raven Frost
Ring
Required Level: 45
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0xa5a709c1
+20 to Dexterity
+40 to Mana
+222 to Attack Rating
Adds 15-45 cold damage over 4 seconds
20% Cold Absorb
Cannot Be Frozen

Storm Turn
Ring
Required Level: 66
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0x2e6e55d
+17 to Strength
+64 to Mana
+32 to Attack Rating
+9 to Minimum Damage
Cold Resist +9%

Highlord's Wrath
Amulet
Required Level: 65
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0x46898714
Lightning Resist +35%
Adds 1-30 lightning damage
20% Increased Attack Speed
+1 to All Skill Levels
Attacker Takes Lightning Damage of 15
30% Deadly Strike (Based on Character Level)

Spoiler

Call to Arms
Crystal Sword
'AmnRalMalIstOhm'
One-Hand Damage: 17 to 53
Durability: 20 of 20
Required Strength: 43
Required Level: 57
Sword Class - Very Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 76
Fingerprint: 0x596b812a
+256% Enhanced Damage
Adds 5-30 fire damage
7% Life stolen per hit
Replenish Life +12
30% Better Chance of Getting Magic Items
40% Increased Attack Speed
+4 to Battle Orders
+3 to Battle Cry
+4 to Battle Command
Prevent Monster Heal
+1 to All Skill Levels
Socketed (5: 5 used)

Herald of Zakarum
Gilded Shield
Defense: 432
Chance to Block:  82%
Smite Damage: 20 to 28
Durability: 50 of 50
(Paladin Only)
Required Strength: 89
Required Level: 42
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 88
Fingerprint: 0x3cb80ffe
+20 to Strength
+20 to Vitality
+156% Enhanced Defense
+30% Increased Chance of Blocking
All Resistances +50
+2 to Paladin Skill Levels
30% Faster Block Rate
20% Bonus to Attack Rating
+2 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only)

Borrowed the CtA from my BlizzSorc. Got quite frustrated with the slow cast rate of BO/BC so didn't end up using it much

Charms

Combat Skillers : 3
Offensive Skillers : 1
Fire Resist : 31
Cold Resist : 50
Lightning Resist : 64
Poison Resist : 11

I really had to dig through my stash to get this Dante's resistances up. AR of course isn't an issue thanks to ITD, and maximum damage charms wouldn't help all that much. It did seem very silly though seeing all my "good" resistance charms thrown onto him.

Mercenary

Kasim : Act II Nightmare Might

Spoiler

Vampire Gaze
Grim Helm
Defense: 252
Durability: 23 of 40
Required Strength: 58
Required Level: 41
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 87
Fingerprint: 0x1fede1d9
+100% Enhanced Defense
Magic Damage Reduced by 11
Damage Reduced by 15%
Adds 6-22 cold damage over 4 seconds
8% Life stolen per hit
6% Mana stolen per hit
15% Slower Stamina Drain

Duriel's Shell
Great Hauberk
Defense: 1890
Durability: 42 of 150
Required Strength: 108
Required Level: 63
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 75
Fingerprint: 0xbac6d75a
+15 to Strength
+170% Enhanced Defense
Fire Resist +20%
Lightning Resist +20%
Cold Resist +50%
Poison Resist +20%
+100 Maximum Durability
Required Level +7
Cannot Be Frozen
+100 to Defense (Based on Character Level)
+80 to Life (Based on Character Level)
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired)

Obedience
Thresher
'HelKoThulEthFal'
Two-Hand Damage: 84 to 991
Durability: 33 of 33
Required Dexterity: 84
Required Strength: 112
Required Level: 53
Polearm Class - Fast Attack Speed
Item Version: 1.10+ Expansion
Item Level: 85
Fingerprint: 0xf550e2e3
+10 to Strength
+10 to Dexterity
+370% Enhanced Damage
+200 Defense
All Resistances +26
Adds 3-14 cold damage over 3 seconds
Requirements -20%
40% Faster Hit Recovery
-25% Target Defense
40% Chance of Crushing Blow
30% Chance to cast Level 21 Enchant When You Kill an Enemy
-25% to Enemy Fire Resistance
Ethereal (Cannot be Repaired), Socketed (5: 5 used)

I never did end up pushing through with the Crescent Moon duet, the -ELR would have just gone to waste on Kasim. All in all he only really helped with the LI since he could dish out more physical damage than myself.

Story

Well as usual I started out untwinked. Hit the gas when I got to level 6 with Holy Fire. Slowed down. Second wind with Holy Freeze at 18. Slowed down. Hit a roadblock somewhere near the Jails and threw on Sigons (I don't really know how to twink properly ). Finally go to 24 where things really got easy. Breezed through most of Normal and Nightmare on /p8 or /p3 with the occasional changing of weapons. Stuck with a Coldsteel Eye for a while to stack the Slow Target with my merc's Woestave.

Very quiet in Hell, the LI and PI fell much quicker than I expected. First encounter with the combined LI/PI was a boss pack of Urdars in Durance. Threw in a few hits, of course to no avail, and fittingly ran for it. No less than two frames later, behold! Another boss pack of Urdars, and what's that? You're LI/PI as well! Oh joy. The point in Vigor was well worth it.

Had a total of 4 deaths IIRC. One was from those angry Wraiths down in the Jails in Normal (), two from IM in Nightmare and one more from running headlong into a crowd full of Extra Strong/Might/Fanatacism something. I punched my screen before I could get a good look.

Notable Finds

NM HF : Sol
Hell HF : Lem

Not much else, he had next to no MF on him, it wasn't his purpose anyways.

Future?

Well I had said before that I was looking to turn Dante into a fully fledged Baal runner, though I'm thinking his gear needs serious optimisation since a /p3 Baal run took three times as long as my BlizzSorc. If I ever find myself with a Lo in hand, I'll definitely make a 'Fortitude' and bring him out again.

Conclusion

My first Mat/Pat write-up, and what a long one. Thanks to TRM, essojay, BFMV, Grisu, Pyrohemia, Jeff and DarkChaos for the helpful tips on his gear options . And of course thanks all for reading, looking forward to writing up more often .

[Megalomania]

Nice Going grats

My complements to your writeup, nice to divide it so you can read the parts seperate. Keep this up in future writeups!

/mega

[Ragnarod]

Well done (even if you managed to die in act1 normal somehow ) and a nice writeup! Have you decided what your next project is going to be already, then?

[San]

Good job on the Pat, just next time get a Spirit to go with that CtA, since HoZ only offers +paladin skills which do nothing to aid the BO and BC levels.

[TheReadMenace]

...I vaguely remember recently writing something about hating Zeal and maybe a tidbit about -ELR, but that's all that I can recall. I'm glad I was able to help, even if I have practically zero memory of it. I'm gonna have to look back for it. edit: Turns out all I said was, "I dislike Zeal, here's info about -ELR." So I guess my memory's better than I thought.

Congratulations with your Patriatch! Comprehensive write-up!

There's something to be said for your PI/LI Urdar encounters and your use of Vigor. ..."Run away!!" a la Monty Python & the Holy Grail.

[smokeeblade]

Thanks for the kind words fellas, though the write-up format was pretty much ripped straight off other Mat/Pat threads

Ahh of course HoZ doesn't help BO/BC. Now that I think about it, I recall saying to myself I didn't have enough Strength for a 'Spirit' Monarch, so I'll use HoZ instead. Shot myself in both feet there

Next project won't be for a while, though I'm interested in building a Barb of some sort, hopefully I'll be able to break away from my current cheese addiction.

[Johnnymc]

Paladins can use spirit in pally shields. Way lower str than a monarch, and easier to find a 4os one too.

[sunkenfaith]

looks great - congrats mate!