Diablo 2: Resurrected – The Best Paladin Class Build

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In Diablo 2: Resurrected, players have seven classes to choose from, and the Paladin is a great melee choice. He wears heavy armor and can wade into the thick of combat, taking on a multitude of monsters and coming out of it alive thanks to his abilities.

With so many skills to choose from and a variety of gear to collect, it can be confusing how everything works together to form the most effective build for a Paladin. However, there is a problem with this: there is no single “best build” for the Paladin class in Diablo 2: Resurrected.

Builds will vary depending on what players want to do within the game. A build based around magic won’t be as useful in PvP, for instance. Even builds of the same type will vary due to the equipment players get from random loot drops. Still, there are certain popular build themes, and it helps to know what the desired build is ahead of time.

Popular Paladin Builds in Diablo 2: Resurrected

Zealot build

This build is also known as Zealadin, or Zealer. It is a build that centers around maxing out three main skills. The main attack players will use is Zeal, which attacks enemies quickly. They also use the Fanaticism aura, which increases attack speed and damage, making the Paladin attack quickly. This works great in multiplayer because the aura affects other players too. The third (optional) skill is Holy Shield for the added defense. This only works if the player is using a shield, however. If they have a two-handed weapon, they can skip putting points in Holy Shield.

Players have a good amount of choice when it comes to equipment, but since the Zealot build centers around attacking fast, getting gear that grants the Cannot be Frozen buff is incredibly useful. As they get into higher difficulties, Paladins will also need to stack resistances, and for that, the Herald of Zakarum shield is a great option.

When distributing stat points, players will want to put enough points in Strength and Dexterity to satisfy equipment requirements, but most of their points will be put in Vitality. Zealots works best when surrounded by enemies, so it’s important that they stay alive to deal damage. Most of the time, players can rely on their equipment to provide mana, so they won’t need to put points into Energy.

Fist of the Heavens Build

Also known as FoHer or Fistadin, this is a powerful PvP Paladin build. The build centers around using Fist of the Heavens. Lightning strikes down upon enemy players and even creates bolts along the ground.

Players will max out Fist of the Heavens but will also need to put 20 points each into Holy Shock and Holy Bolt for synergy. Conviction is a good aura to run because it decreases enemy defense and resistance. This is also useful when playing PvE because players will run into monsters that are immune to lightning. Any equipment that increases lightning damage or adds to skills is useful for this build.

Like before, most stat points will go into Vitality, with some added to Strength and Dexterity as necessary. Some players may want more points in Dexterity to get the max block, but the Fist of the Heavens Build is a ranged build, so that’s optional.

Hammerdin Build

This build uses spinning hammers to deal death to all enemies surrounding the Paladin. This may be the most popular Paladin Build in Diablo 2: Resurrected, as it is incredibly powerful. Players will put 20 points into Blessed Hammer and its two synergies, Vigor and Blessed Aim. They will also use the Concentration aura, which increases the damage that Blessed Hammer does. Finally, if they are using a shield, points should be spent on Holy Shield.

Like the other Paladin builds, players should spend points on Strength/Dexterity as necessary, put most stat points into Vitality, and spend none on Energy. Players have many options for gear, including using magic find. Also, it is recommended that players look for rings with Faster Cast Rate to get more hammers out.

Cleric Build

If players are journeying together in Diablo 2: Resurrected co-op, it might be nice to have some healing. The Cleric is a Paladin build dedicated to keeping others alive. This build is popular when playing with parties that include several newcomers to the series. Unfortunately, it’s not much use anywhere else.

Players will use a combination of Holy Bolt, Prayer, and one of three auras: Cleansing, Meditation, or Salvation. They will switch between the three depending on the situation. This is not the easiest build to play, so it is not recommended for newer players.

Once again, players will put some points into Strength and Dexterity but will put the most into Vitality. The Meditation aura should give players enough mana to cast their skills.

Auradin Build

This is the build of choice for those who like passively dealing damage. This version of the Paladin uses offensive auras to deal damage to enemies. There are a few different versions of this build. The two main ones use either the Holy Fire or Holy Shock auras.

Players using this build should max out the points for those, as well as the synergies. For Holy Fire, the synergies are Resist Fire and Salvation. For Holy Shock, Resist Lightning and Salvation synergize well. Like the other builds, the Auradin should put the most points into Vitality and none into Energy, filling Strength/Dexterity as needed.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

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