The Paladin Leveling Guide provides you with all the necessary information to get your favorite Character started!
Not every Skill is suitable to be used during early leveling for three reasons:
- Only a number of Skills work well without any previously farmed gear.
- A lot of builds lack damage during the leveling phase. It can become a big struggle or even straight up impossible to progress, starting with an end game build.
- Some builds have a hard time transitioning into hell due to Immunities.
We provide you with step by step Skill trees and easily accessible items that help you in your play through. Additionally, you get tips and insights on how to deal with Immunities and the more difficult fights.
At the end of this guide you'll have a Level 75 Paladin that used 1 out of the 3 respecs the game provides. You can use these to transition into your build of choice.
If you like the build at the end of this guide, check out the Blessed Hammer Paladin Guide, which continues it to the end game.
Progression
(Up to LVL 13)
(Up to LVL 19)
(Respec to LVL 35)
(Up to LVL 76)
Skill Point Allocation
Level 2: Might
Level 3: Sacrifice
Den of Evil: Resist Fire
Level 4-5: Resist Fire
Level 6-9: Holy Fire
Level 10: Smite
Level 11: Save Skill Point!
Level 12: Charge + Zeal
Level 13: Holy Fire
Attribute Allocation
Level 2-5: All into Vitality
Level 6: 1 into Dexterity, rest Vitality
Level 7-11: All into Vitality
Level 12-13: All into Energy
Playstyle & Progression
- Clear out the Den of Evil and pick up items to sell, like Rings, Amulets, Charms, etc. Start using Might at Level 2 and Sacrifice against tanky monsters at Level 3.
- Return to town, sell the items to Charsi and purchase a Scepter and equip it. Buy some Life, and Stamina Potions. Add both the Tome of Town Portal, and the Tome of Identify if possible.
- Important: Pick up every Chipped Gem you come across and put them into your Stash. You need them to re-roll Magic Scepters later. Also check all Rings and Amulets for +10% Faster Cast Rate.
- Pick up Paladin Shields and check them for 3 Sockets and Resistances.
- From this point onwards, Elite Groups are your primary focus when it comes to killing monsters. Don't waste your time with individual monsters. They grant far less Experience!
- At Level 6, equip Strangling Gas Potions into your second Weapon-Swap and throw before you engage Elite Groups. Activate Holy Fire and equip a scimitar in the main Weapon Swap.
- Fight your way to the Black Marsh. Find the Waypoint and start farming The Countess inside the Forgotten Tower for the Runes listed in Gear Checklist. Put the Runes into your Stash for storage.
Check Charsi for the 2 Socketed Body Armor, and 2 Socketed Helmet at the start of each run. Also look for a 2 Socketed Scimitar to create Steel at Level 13. This optional Runeword increases your damage output until the respec, but the el rune is fairly rare, even from The Countess. - At Level 12 you gain access to zeal and Charge. zeal becomes your primary attack while Charge is used for mobility. Be ready for the high Mana cost of Charge by filling up your inventory with Potions.
- After acquiring all Runes, make your way to the Catacombs Level 4, where you face the first Act boss, Andariel - Maiden of Anguish.
Gear Checklist
| Item | Where | Note | ||||
| Scepter | Shop at Akara after the Den of Evil | - | ||||
| 2 Socketed Scimitar | Shop at Charsi or drop from monsters | A 2 Socketed Scimitar is used for steel Make sure that it is NOT a Magic Item. | ||||
| Chipped Gems | Drop from monsters / chests | Used for re-rolling Magic Scepters later. | ||||
| Rings and Amulets | Drop from monsters / chests | Check them for +10% Faster Cast Rate. | ||||
| Strangling Gas Potions | Drop from monsters / chests | Tip: Their Quantity can be restored to maximum by selling and repurchasing them from a Vendor. | ||||
| Paladin Shields | Drop from monsters / chests | This Shield is used for Ancient's Pledge. | ||||
| 2 2 Socketed Helmet | Shop at Charsi or drop from monsters | The first Helmet is used to put Ral Runes into. The second one is used for the Runeword Lore later on. Make sure that one of them is NOT a Magic Item for the latter. | ||||
| Any 2 Socketed Body Armor | Shop at Charsi or drop from monsters | This Body Armor is used for the Runeword Stealth later on. Make sure that it is NOT a Magic Item. | ||||
| Steel Scimitar | Create from Stash / Inventory | Create Steel if you acquired the Runes. | ||||
| Mandatory: 1 Tal Rune 1 Eth Rune | Farm at The Countess | These Runes are used later for: - Stealth | ||||
| Optional: 1-2 Ral Runes 1 Tir Rune 1 El Rune | Farm at The Countess | If acquired, these Runes are used for: - Gemmed Cap - Steel | ||||
Essentials
Hardcore
Gear Options
Farming Spots at Level 75+
Video
Summary
- Use a Scimitar for its high Attack Speed while using Holy Fire.
- Cast Blessed Hammer only while you have Concentration active.
- Pick up all Paladin Shields to check them for high All Resistances, 3 Sockets (in Normal) and 4 Sockets (in Nightmare)!
- Farm The Countess in Normal and Nightmare for the key Runewords. Be careful with the item bases you buy from the vendors. Runewords do NOT work in Magic Items!
- Buy a Staff of Teleportation before Level 24.
We hope the Paladin Guide helps you to get to your endgame build of choice. As soon as you get access to Blessed Hammer, there is basically no enemy that can stay alive for long!
Good luck!
Credits
Written by Teo1904
Reviewed by MacroBioBoi
Changelog
- 3 February 2023
Updated to Patch 2.6 - Added Temper and Ground to the Gear Options - 25 September 2022
Fixed formatting issues - 19 March 2022
Overhauled and Updated to Patch 2.4