1. Energy- None
2. Diablo 2 Paladin Build
3. D2 Skill Tree
4. Vitality- Any And All The Points You Can Spare
5. Diablo 2 Paladin Stats

The Paladin is one of the five original classes in Diablo II, along with the Amazon, Barbarian, Necromancer and Sorceress. He is a melee-oriented character, with any auras and abilites to augment his own abilities and stats or crippling his enemies. The Paladin is however not limited to close-range combat, as one of the most successful builds in the game, the Hammerdin, utilizes the skill Blessed Hammer for damage.

The Paladin is originally a warrior of the Zakarum faith, protecting the believers in a dangerous world and working to convert unbelievers. As of the events in Diablo II however, there has been a split in the Church, with the Paladins rejecting the now corrupted leadership in Kurast. The player belongs to a Paladin of this faction.

• 4In-game Speech

The best place for auras in Diablo 2, a Paladin has utility. He keeps buffing himself and his party, he has high resistances to damage and is filling the screen with thrown hammers. A favorite in PvM and PvP. Paladin boasts arguably the strongest of PvP builds, but since he lacks gap closing, specialized runes and items are a must. Diablo II edit edit source The Druid's Shape Shifting skill tree. In Diablo II, it has three tabs at the right side. Clicking on the tab will take player to the corresponding skill tree. The tree consists of rows of skills. The row indicates the level requirement to acquire the skill.

Attributes

Skills

Energy- None

Lore

During the mid-twelfth century, after the Church of Zakarum had gained prominence in the East, the Church decreed that the visions of Akarat would be spread throughout the known world in order to redeem the masses. Thus, the Church selected a group of its most charismatic and devoted priests and sent them on a mission to proselytize the people of the West.

Unfortunately, the Church had not prepared these men for the rigors of travel nor the hazards of the world. The priests who survived their missions recounted tales of harsh weather, inadequate supplies, attacks from bandits and even encounters with horrible monsters. To ensure the success of future missions, the Church set about training holy warriors, Paladins, to accompany and safeguard their missionaries. In practice, these 'Protectors of the Word' proved to be more successful at converting the native peoples than the Priests that they were assigned to defend. Impressing the locals with daring deeds, powerful weapons, and martial prowess was far more convincing than the condemnations of a soft-spoken monk. However, once the Word had been spread to every major city of the West, the 'Protectors of the Word' faded from public view.

Some decades later, Paladins were again called into service. During the height of the Time of Troubles, the Church commenced a second campaign of conversion. This time, however, the inconvincible were deemed evil. The Zakarum Inquisition spread through the lands like a tempest, laying waste to all suspected of demonic possession or corruption. Leading this crusade was a new generation of Paladins, known as the 'Hand of Zakarum.' These cavaliers of righteousness swept through the lands, expunging the taint of demonic contamination wherever they found it.

In the midst of this bloody crusade, a rebellion arose within the ranks of the Paladins of Zakarum. The rebels condemned the methods of the Inquisition, proclaiming that the new Order of Paladins should protect the innocent, and that the evil corruption was rooted in their forebear's failure. They resolved to fight the true source of corruption, the Three Prime Evils - Diablo, Baal and Mephisto. And so, these rebellious Paladins left their Zakarum brethren and ventured west.

In-game Speech

Act I

(upon entering the Blood Moor):'I will cleanse this wilderness.'

(upon entering the Den of Evil):'Evil dwells within this cave.'

(upon clearing the Den of Evil):'My duty here is done.'

(upon entering the Burial Grounds):'This holy place has been desecrated.'

(upon killing Blood Raven):'Sisters, there was no other way.'

(upon touching the Cairn Stones):'Maybe Akara could dispel the mystery of these stones.'

(upon touching the Tree of Inifuss):'This tree bristles with magic.'

(upon reaching Tristram):'What a tragic end to Tristram.'

(upon freeing Deckard Cain):'Deckard Cain, leave quickly!

(upon entering the Forgotten Tower:'This tower shall be cleansed of evil.'

(upon killing The Countess):'I've earned the right to this abandoned trove.'

(upon entering the Monastery Gate):'Even the Light cannot pierce this gloom.'

(upon reclaiming the Horadric Malus):'This will help the Sisters turn the tide against evil.'

(upon entering the Jail):'This is no place for a warrior to die.'

(upon entering the Catacombs):'There is great evil here.'

(upon defeating Andariel):'My work here is finished.'

Act II

(upon entering the Lut Gholein Sewers):'The foul stench of evil assails me.'

(upon killing Radament):'I pray that Atma will rest easy now.'

(upon finding the Maggot Lair):'Hmm... just a large mound. There is nothing to fear here.'

(upon opening the final chest in the Maggot Lair):'Light willing, this treasure will help put an end to this stifling evil.'

(upon starting The Tainted Sun quest):'What evil taints the light of the Sun?'

(upon entering the Claw Viper Temple):'Light, guide my way in this accursed place.'

(upon shattering The Tainted Sun Altar):'The Light can never be extinguished by evil.'

(upon entering the Arcane Sanctuary):'This surely is the product of a twisted mind.'

(upon finding The Summoner):'Surely the evil here has driven you mad.'

(upon killing The Summoner):'Rest in peace, tortured soul.'

(upon entering a false tomb):'Is this the tomb I seek?'

(upon entering the true Tal Rasha's Tomb):'Here at last is a fitting testament in stone to Tal Rasha's sacrifice.'

(after talking with Tyrael):'I shall honor Tal Rasha's sacrifice by destroying all the Prime Evils'

(unused, labeled as trigger field in d2data.mpq):'By the Light! What prevents my approach?'

Act III

(upon obtaining the Jade Figurine):'Perhaps I could trade this for something more valuable.'

(upon obtaining the Golden Bird:'Immortal huh? If this Kuy'leh was so powerful, then why is he interred within this receptable?'

(upon obtaining the Gidbinn):'This blade shall pierce the heart of evil.'

(upon entering the Kurast Sewers):'The smell of death, or worse, surrounds me.'

(upon finding the lever in the Kurast Sewers):'This appears to control the ancient valves.'

(upon opening the chest in the Kurast Sewers):'This trove will help lift the curse from Kurast.'

(upon obtaining Lam Esen's Tome):'The Black Book. It's heresy to the Zakarum Council.'

(upon completing the Lam Esen's Tome quest):'May the Black Book deliver us from evil.'

(upon finding the High Council of Zakarum):'This corrupted temple was once the shining heart of my religion.'

(after defeating the High Council of Zakarum):'The temple shall shine anew with the Light.'

(upon entering the Durance of Hate):'This must be where the Horadrim imprisoned Mephisto.'

(after defeating Mephisto):'The Lord of Hatred shall darken the world no longer.'

Act IV

(after defeating Izual):'How can one who was once so holy, fall so far from righteousness?'

(after defeating Diablo):'Let Diablo's death end the reign of the Three.'

Act V

(upon entering the Bloody Foothills):'Baal, I'm coming for you.'

(after defeating Shenk the Overseer):'Harrogath is free of your kind, demon.'

(upon freeing the last soldiers in the Frigid Highlands):'Follow me.'

(upon entering Nihlathak's Temple):'By the Light, what is this place?'

(after defeating Nihlathak):'Nihlathak, what led you to this end?'

(upon reaching the Arreat Summit):'The Summit, the barbarian holy ground.'

(upon entering The Worldstone Chamber):'The Worldstone. Praise the Light.'

(after defeating Baal):'Baal, you shall no longer taint this mortal realm.'

Diablo 2 Paladin Build

Of the mighty seven playable characters in Diablo 2, there’s a bunch of ways you can smite the three Prime Evils. Even by 2018 standards this game, made almost 20 years ago, has enough classes that it’s hard to pick the one to focus on:

Are you brutally unstoppable as the Barbarian or do you shrug off man-felling blows while buffing your teammates as the Paladin?

Bear-ly control your rage as the Druid or summon a lagtastical Army of Darkness with the Necromancer?

If choosing from the 7 classes wasn’t enough, there are multiple ways to build your character as well. This guide will walk you through each character’s skill progression and includes a few of the most popular builds as well!

Scroll down and find the path that’s right for you!

The Amazon

Hailing from a tropical island, these warrior women commonly travel beyond their isolated homeland to walk the plains as nomads. Trained to defend their rainforest to the death, these master strategists meet any would be invader with a barrage of projectiles. Amazons come from a matriarchal society, where women are regarded as better suited to the dense jungle fighting so common to their island. Duty is engrained into them at a young age, everyone on the island must “play their part” to maintain order.

A sense of duty can take an Amazon far across the world, where her skills in hand-to-hand combat, javelin, and bow are in high demand.

Her loyalty and independence however, aren’t for sale.

Skill Progression:

The Amazon’s play style is truly dependent on her focus, from volleys of electrical bolts to multiple stabs with a javelin. A mobile kit built for kiting monsters, bosses, or even other players in PvP.

From mobs of monsters to 1v1, the Amazon has multiple different builds to tackle any challenge:

Trivia

Jessica Straus, the voice actor for the Amazon in Diablo II and LOD, also has lent her voice to other Blizzard Entertainment projects like: Warcraft III and World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.

The Assassin

(LOD Only)

Eschewing magic, Assassins come from an order known as the Viz-Jaq’taar: The Order of the Mage Slayers. Operating from the shadows, the Order believes that by avoiding the use of magic, except magical weapons and armor, an Assassin is free from the risk of corruption. Armed only with her wits and physical prowess, she deftly manoeuvres, avoiding blows until the moment comes for the perfect strike. This is the culmination of years of training, to keep her mind focused and spirit pure, drawing from within to fuel a killing blow with every swing.

The return of the Three Prime Evils has forced these silent professionals from clandestine operator to death incarnate. Scything through her foes she’ll maintain peace; root out corruption across the world of Sanctuary instead of only within the mage clans.

Skill Progression:

A PvP machine, she is best played avoiding a toe-to-toe fight, weaving in and out of combat like a dancer. From psychic abilities to trapping, lock picking to devastating kicks the Assassin kites you around the battlefield, wearing you down, before landing a killing blow.

Builds

Because of the precise nature of the Assassin’s skills, there are three main builds and loads of sub-builds that Assassins in Diablo II fall into. The main three are Trap Assassins (‘Trapsin’), Martial Artist, or Hybrid with small variations within each build:

Trivia

The first Assassin featured in Diablo II is Natalya. She only plays a minor role and has no real in-game function, but many believe her to be a preview for the introduction of the Assassin class in Diablo II: Lord of Destruction.

The Barbarian

Northern Steppe warriors spoken of in legend, the Barbarian tribe known as the ‘Children of Bul-Kathos’, guard the power within Mount Arreat. Though curious and brutal to their city dwelling far-off neighbours, Barbarians are tasked with guarding a power that is tied to the fate of all humanity. They patrol the frigid Northern Steppes in roving bands, a vigilant and dutiful nomad culture that isn’t anything like the savages they’re portrayed to be.

Moving with an innate sense of direction, a Barbarian is an overwhelming force in melee combat. Like the Assassin clan, Barbarians distrust magic but still use magical weapons and armor. A Barbarian has no equal in combat, they’re sung of in legend as merciless on the battlefield. Known for their bond with nature, a Barbarian frequently channels an animal’s spirit in battle, fighting with ferocity never before seen by their southern cousins.

With the return of the Prime Evils the world has seen more and more Barbarians venturing south, seeking information about the coming threat.

Skill Progression:

Equivalent to the Juggernaut in terms of brutal force, the Barbarian is unmatched one vs one. Spinning in circles with Whirlwind (WW) like a tanky tornado or leaping at you, he’s definitely one thing: He will always be belligerently in your face. You can’t ignore a Barbarian’s damage, nor their ability to stay glued to their enemy.

Builds

Though the most popular builds for Barbarian are either WW Barbarian or BvC (Barbarian vs. Caster), these are a few other common builds:

Trivia

The Barbarian is the only class that features in all three Diablo games. While he is a main class in Diablo II and Diablo III, he is only a test class in the Diablo: Hellfire expansion, available by editing game files.

The Druid

(LOD Only)

Kin to the Barbarian tribes, these graduates of the Druid Colleges are masters of Sanctuary’s elements and creatures alike. Tracing back into the ancient times, their founder was the trusted advisor to the legendary Barbarian king Bul-Kathos.

Together they founded the first Druid College in Scosglen, teaching the ways of shape shifting, command of animals, and mastery of the elements.

D2 Skill Tree

A Druid’s spiritual connection to the land affords them great power: shredding enemies with blades of wind or melting them in a molten firestorm. The Druid commands nature itself, in the form of choking vines and other creatures. Druids can shape shift into either Werewolf or Werebear, to maul any foolish Mage who dares to venture into their forest.

Skill Progression:

All around the most balanced tool kit of any of the classes. With equal helpings of both the Sorceress’ DPS, the Necro’s summoning, and the Barbarian’s staying power the Druid is a force of nature.

Tanky and reliable, the Druid can either destroy enemies from a distance or viciously maul them in close combat.

Builds

If you want to be lazy and have minions do the fighting for you there’s a Druid for that. If you want to be in their face, swiping in rage, there’s a Druid for that. If you want to rain fire and use the elements as weapons, there’s also a Druid for that. A Jack-of-all-trades that needs to be specialized, a Druid shouldn’t be too hybridized or he risks losing potential DPS.

Trivia

Thanks to his prowess in battle and spell casting abilities, the Druid has the most well rounded skill set. He is effectively a combination of the Barbarian, Necromancer and Sorceress classes.

The Necromancer

Students of the ‘Great Cycle of Being’, these specialized mages are from what many believe to be the oldest Mage Clan, the Priests of Rathma. Necromancers are trained in an underground city beneath the Eastern Jungles, training for years to master an understanding in the balance of all things, or ‘Great Cycle of Being’.

Welcoming death like an old friend, a Necromancer is a pragmatist who uses every tool at his disposal. Cold and calculating, many see a Necromancer’s logic as their main defense against the inherent corruption using this ‘dark’ magic. Controlling the dead and living alike with Prime Magic, the Priests of Rathma seek only to maintain harmony and balance in Sanctuary.

The imbalance caused by the resurgence of the Prime Evils has set many a Necromancer on a quest to rid the world of any non-mortal interloper, divine or infernal.

The Necromancer is the enemy of any power that would use mortals as pawns in their eternal war.

Skill Progression:

Armed with some of the best auras in Diablo 2, summons, and damage that most enemies have no resistance for a Necromancer is an easy choice to play. Fun, with a unique play style, the possibilities to dominate as the Necromancer are numerous.

Builds

Mage skeletons or Bone Spears, the Necromancer is definitely one of the most versatile classes in Diablo 2. With better class resistances than the Druid and buffs/debuffs, a Necromancer should still be specialized or risk the same downfalls as the Druid.

Trivia

The Necromancer was originally a sub-class during development.

The Paladin

Undertrained and underprepared, the very first missionaries who left on pilgrimage from the Church of Zakarum found a brutal, dangerous world. After tragedy struck, the Church began their indoctrination and training of a holy sect of warriors named ‘Protectors of the Word’. Commonly known as Paladins, these knightly priests defend their charges gallantly against whatever horror Sanctuary has to offer.

A civil war has broken splintered the order into two ways of thought: Loyalists who believe those who are declared evil are the enemy and those who believe the Prime Evils are the source for the world’s corruption.

As a member of the rebellious faction, the Paladin has travelled far west in search of the source of darkness in his world. Honorable and battle ready, he’s trained his mind and body to never succumb to corruption. He can cast protective auras over his allies while at the forefront of fight, sword and shield in hand.

Skill Progression:

The best place for auras in Diablo 2, a Paladin has utility. He keeps buffing himself and his party, he has high resistances to damage and is filling the screen with thrown hammers. A favorite in PvM and PvP.

Builds

Paladin boasts arguably the strongest of PvP builds, but since he lacks gap closing, specialized runes and items are a must.

Trivia

The Paladin in Diablo II is voiced by Larry B. Scott, an actor who has also appeared on Seinfeld.

Sorceress

The most secretive of the Mage Clans, the Zann Esu are the result of a merging of a Mage Clan with the powerful witch covens of Esu. After disappearing into the eastern jungles to study magic, the Sorceress has emerged to fight against the three Prime Evils.

Like the Druids, the Zann Esu believe elemental magic won’t corrupt its user: It’s ‘perfect’ magic.

The sect refuses to use any other school of magic, as it’s corruptible and dangerous, and views melee combat as vulgar, preferring to sling spells from afar.

The ‘Time of Emergence’ is now; as Sorceresses appear across Sanctuary, ready to destroy any monster that would upset the peace.

Skill Progression:

DPS DPS DPS, there is no easier way to one shot-ing most bad guys than specializing in Fire Ball. The Sorceress has great cast times on most of her spells and is the fastest to maximise Magic Find due to her passive skill.

Also the most mobile of classes because of her natural access to the Teleport, she won’t have to grind to a rune word to be viable in PvP.

Builds

Named normally for spell she specializes in, most Sorceress builds are fairly straightforward.

Word to the wise: It is rare for a Sorceress to specialize in Lightning spells due to long cast times.

No matter what style you want to play, Diablo 2 has a class and build made just for you. Just be ready with quick reflexes or you might have to start all over again in town or even permanently!

Are you having trouble choosing a build?

Did I not mention one you were looking for?

Vitality- Any And All The Points You Can Spare

Do you have any suggestions for new or returning players?

Diablo 2 Paladin Stats

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