Auradin and Tesladin Paladin Build Guide - D2R 2.6

Build Introduction

The Holy Shock Auradin, also known as Tesladin or Dream Paladin is a very strong melee build that has huge single target damage, decent area damage in a big radius, and can easily solo the whole game. It uses the attacking skill Zeal to deliver a great deal of lightning and physical damage simultaneously, with super fast attacking speed. Party members love it due to the multiple auras it provides, but if you decide to do a Baal or Diablo run on your own you will face no difficulties. The build has average survivability, so I wouldn't suggest it for Hardcore, especially because it requires very expensive gearing (two dream runewords, meaning 2 Jah runes). You will even be able to clear Uber Tristram, as the build also has high Crushing Blow and Open Wounds damage. In the upcoming 2.14 patch the Auradin is expected to be the strongest melee build!

Related Guides

Mercenary Guide | Magic Find Guide | Charms Guide | Quest Rewards Guide | Hardcore Guide | Levelling Guide | Secret Cow Level Guide | Restating and Skilling Guide | Item Upgrade Guide | Cube Recipe Guide |

Gameplay

Attacking skills: The gameplay with this build is very simple and relaxing, if you aren't an experienced player you will still be able to play it with ease. Just use Zeal as your attacking skill, and click on monsters, that's it. Usually the supporting offensive aura should be Conviction, which is capped at level25 at -150% resistance, so if your gear provides extra skills to it, don't waste more skill points. If you face Lightning resistant monsters, you can switch to fanaticism aura in order to deliver more physical damage.

Movement: For quick movement you should use Vigor aura. Having % faster run and walk on your gear will also boost your movement speed, and can make farming runs like Mephisto and Andariel much quicker. If you decide to play the build on hardcore, walk instead of run to not lose any block chance and make yourself vulnerable. If you face any obstacles, you can use the Charge skill to get through it.

Survivability: The Tesladin's survivability is not as good as some other Paladin builds, but if you can afford the two Dream runewords, having a Call to Arms as secondary weapon to provide you with Battle Orders, and having an Annihilus and a Paladin hellfire torch, and charms with +life and +resistance should be in your budget. Always have Holy Shield up, it will immensely boost your block chance and faster block rate. Once you play on Hell, make sure to have 75% all resistances. Having a skill point on Redemption allows you to heal yourself quicker, and wearing Dracul's Grasp gloves gives a high chance to cast Life Tap and heal yourself almost immediately. You can also utilize Salvation aura to boost your and your party's resistances, which can be the most important at Uber Tristram while under the influence of Uber Mephisto's conviction aura. A raven frost ring also comes handy in order to not get frozen.

Party and Solo play: You won't have any difficulties soloing the game, as you deliver both elemental and physical damage, so no immune monsters will be able to resist your attacks. You will also cut through Bosses and Mobs with lightning speed. If you play in a party, every member will benefit from your Dream aura's added damage, and from your secondary aura which can either be Conviction, Fanaticism, Concentration or Meditation depending on party member's needs.

Magic Find: Your gear will have some magic find from the Dream runewords, but if you really want to use the tesladin for MFing you should fill up your inventory with a Gheed's fortune and 7% magic find small charms.

Stats

Strength: Put just enough points on it to be able to wear your items.

Dexterity: Put just enough points on it to have 75% chance to block with Holy Shield casted.

Vitality: Put all the rest of your available points on it.

Energy: Don't put any points on it

Skills

• 20 points on Zeal is it will be your attacking skill
• 20 point on Sacrifice - max it last
• 1 point on Smite, Holy Bolt, Charge, Blessed Hammer
• At least 1 point on Holy Shield (you can put more points on it to boost your defense)
• Enough points on Conviction to reach level 25.
• 1 point on Might, Blessed Aim, Concentration, Fanaticism, Holy Fire, Holy Freeze, Holy Shock, Thorns, and Sanctuary.
• 20 points on Resist Lightning
• 1 point on every Defensive Aura.

Breakpoints - Check out our Paladin Breakpoints guide.

Items, Gearing

The listed items are organized by slots.

• The usefulness rating of an item is based on how good it is for farming.
• The price rating reflects the cost of the item (cheaper ones are available after ladder starts as budget options) higher price ratings reflect exponentially higher cost for an item.
• Magic Find ratings are added to items that are good options for MFing.

Adding sockets and improving your items

• If you complete the act5 quest Siege on Harrogath, Larzuk will grant extra socket/sockets to your items. Use the quest to add sockets to your gear and put useful jewels, runes or gems in your item sockets.
• You can also upgrade your unique items from normal to exceptional quality and from exceptional to elite by using Horadric Cube recipes. After upgrading, your armor pieces will have more defense, and your weapon pieces will have more damage. The downside of upgrading is the increased strength/dexterity requirements.

Helm

• Dream Bone Visage -usefulness 10/10, price 9/10

Amulet

• Mara's Kaleidoscope unique amulet - usefulness 8/10, price 7/10
• Highlord's Wrath unique amulet - usefulness 10/10, price 6/10

Weapon

• Oath runeword - usefulness 6/10, price 5/10
• Grief Phase Blade - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10
• Last Wish runeword - usefulness 10/10, price 10/10

Shield

• Dream Sacred Targe, preferably with @allresist paladin shield -usefulness 10/10, price 7/10

Switch Weapon

• Magic wand with Life Tap curse charges - usefulness 5/10, price - 1/10
• Call to Arms Crystal Sword - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10

Switch Shield

• Spirit Monarch -usefulness 10/10, price 2/10

Body Armor

• Guardian Angel unique armor - usefulness 5/10, price 4/10
• Duress Archon Plate -usefulness 9/10, price 5/10
• Fortitude Archon Plate - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10

Belt

• String of Ears unique belt - usefulness 10/10, price 4/10

Rings

• Bul Katho's Wedding Band unique ring - usefulness 9/10, price 6/10
• Raven Frost unique ring - usefulness 9/10, price 4/10

Gloves

• Dracul's Grasp unique gloves - usefulness 10/10, price 5/10

Boots

• Gore Rider unique oots - usefulness 10/10, price 5/10

Charms

• Any charm with +skill, life, faster hit recovery or faster run and walk - usefulness 4/10, price 1/10
• Annihilus unique small charm - usefulness 10/10, price 8/10
• Hellfire Torch unique large charm - usefulness 10/10, price 6/10
• Magic grand charms with +1 to paladin combat skills - usefulness 7/10, price 5/10
• Magic grand charms with +1 to paladin combat skills and +life, +faster hit recovery or +faster run and walk - usefulness 8 to 10/10, price 6 to 10/10
• Magic small charms with resistances and life - usefulness 8 to 10/10, price 6 to 9/10
• 7% to magic find magic small charms - magic find 10/10, price 3/10
• Gheed's fortune unique grand charm - magic find 10/10, price 4/10

Mercenary

Have a Nightmare Act2 Offensive Mercenary to provide you with Might aura, or an Act1 Cold Arrow merc.

Ethereal items don't lose durability if your mercenary wears them, so having ethereal item bases for each gear slot is preferred due to their increased defense on armor items and increased damage on weapons. In many instances ethereal items that are great for mercenaries will be much more expensive than non-ethereal ones.

Act 2 Mercenary gear:

Helm -

• Guillame's face set helm - usefulness 8/10, price 4/10
• Andariel's Visage unique helm - usefulness 10/10, price 5/10

Weapon -

• Ethereal The Reaper's Toll unique weapon - usefulness 9/10, price 6/10
• Pride runeword in elite base - usefulness 10/10, price 8/10

Body Armor-

• Treachery Archon Plate - usefulness 9/10, price 4/10
• Fortitude Ethereal Archon Plate - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10

Act1 Mercenary gear:

• Andariel's Visage unique helm - usefulness 10/10, price 5/10

Weapon -

• Faith runeword bow - usefulness 10/10, price 8/10

Body Armor-

• Treachery Archon Plate - usefulness 9/10, price 4/10
• Fortitude Ethereal Archon Plate - usefulness 10/10, price 7/10

Rpgstash.com will have D2R items in its Ladder selection already on day 1. We will be doing our best to let you buy 2.4 ladder items right at the beginning of the season including the new runewords, so you can climb the ladder rankings as fast as possible!