D2R Elemental Hybrid Paladin Build

Overview

Vengeance has always been considered a weak primary offensive build and overlooked. With Auradins remaining strong in D2R PvM tier rankings, the Vengeance variant should be considered given the inherent synergies between Vengeance, Conviction, Holy Shock and Holy Fire Auras. While an Auradins passive auras are sufficient to clear P1 difficulties without the aid of a secondary ability, higher difficulties benefit from more damage actively dealt through another damage source to improve clear speeds. While Zeal is the most popular choice, Vengeance seems more synergistic overall and a unique, rarely seen build. This guide will provide options for building both variants.

This build is party friendly, providing useful auras and immunity breaks, as well as a varied damage profile. This can be considered as a strong early ladder option given its lack of reliance on the expensive and difficult to obtain Infinity D2R Runewords, while providing Conviction free to your party. If you’re looking for something a little different, on-hit builds are extremely fun, with Volcanos, Tornados and Frozen Orbs being regularly proc’d to produce on-screen fireworks.

Breakpoints 

Ideally you want 32, 52 or 86FHR. FCR is not important on this build as teleport is not a factor. Use an IAS calculator to ensure you achieve the desired breakpoint with your weapon, for Zeal or Vengeance. If efficient breakpoints can’t be hit without substituting core items, then do not overreach to achieve them, as this build is less contingent on maintaining certain breakpoints and the focus should be on maintaining appropriate clear speeds.

Attributes
Strength - Enough for Gear
Dexterity - Enough for max block after Holy Shield (or just enough for gear)
Vitality - Remaining
Energy - None

While strength improves your physical damage, we are more concerned with the elemental components, which are unaffected. Dexterity improves the attack rating of Zeal and therefore our chance to hit. Vitality should be prioritized for survivability. Given you are only investing 1 point in Holy Shield in favor of more damage and resistances, you can consider going a full vita build with no additional block.

Skill Build: Vengeance
Conviction - Enough Points for -150 Enemy resistances (Priority)
Vengeance - Max (Your primary damage source)
Resist Lightning - (Primary Elemental Damage Source with Dual Dream) 

Resist Fire - (Secondary Elemental Damage Source with single Dragon Armor)
Resist Cold - (Ancillary Elemental Damage Source)

You may consider prioritizing Resist Cold if you are Cold Damage Heavy, for instance if you choose to wild Rift Runeword, or use the Holy Freeze Zealer variant. Remember that your Resist x passive increases your maximum resistances to provide extra safety and stacking (with a cap of 95 in D2R).

1 Pointers: Holy Shield, Vigor (optional), Prerequisites

Skill Build: Zeal
For Zeal variants, opt out of maxing Vengeance and instead, max Sacrifice as a synergy to Zeal. Sacrifice increases your Zeal damage more than leveling the Zeal skill, so should be prioritized first.

Gear

Version 1: Aura Primary, Zeal Secondary
This version is focussed on optimizing for your Aura damage, and relying on a relatively weak Zeal with Hand of Justice weapon to clean up. This can be considered one of the standard Auradin variants.

Helme & Shieldt: Dream (Level 30 Holy Shock stack)

Weapon: Hand of Justice (Level 30 Holy Fire stack)
Armor: Dragon
Belt: Arachnid
Gloves: Draculs (lifetap) or Lava Gnout (enchant) 

Amulet: Maras
Rings: Raven x1 and BK or SOJ
Boots: Sandstorm Treks, Waterwalks or Infernostride for extra damage

Charms: Anni / Torch / Lightning and Fire Sunders / Offensive Aura GCs

Version 2: Holy Shock, Zealer
This version has good physical damage, and a strong Holy Shock aura.

Helmet & Shield: Dream (Holy Shock stack)
Weapon: Grief or Breath of the Dying
Armor: Fortitude or Chains of Honor
Belt: Verdungos
Rings: Raven + Dual Leech
Amulet: Highlords or Maras
Gloves: Steelrends, Lava Gnout or Draculs
Boots: Gore Riders

Charms: Anni / Torch / Max, AR, Life charms and/or Offensive Skill GCs

Version 3: Vengeance Auradin
This version focuses on dealing pure elemental damage through auras, vengeance, and on-hit effects.

Helmet & Shield: Dream (if you are opting into a rare Cold or Holy Freeze variant, you may consider Nightwings)
Weapon: Famine or Rift (Direct elemental damage vs On-hit effects like Frozen Orb) 

Armor: Dragon 

Belt: ThunderGods (Lightning on hit buff, and huge light resistance buffs)
Boots: Infernostride (Fire on hit buff, and good fire resistance buffs)
Gloves: Lava Gnout (Enchant)
Amulet: Maras

Rings: Raven and BK or SOJ
Charms: Anni / Torch / Lightning and/or Fire Sunder / Offensive GCs

Mercenary
We have some options for Mercenary given Infinity is not required as we use our own Conviction aura. If you are using the second, half physical damage based variant, a Faith Act 1 Mercenary would be recommended for Fanaticism aura or A2 Might/Concentration Aura. The setup should look like one of these:

A1 - Cold Arrow
Weapon: Faith GMB or Matriarchal or Shadow bow (Ice is an alternative option for additional Cold Damage and CC if Fanaticism is not required)
Armor: Ethereal Fortitude 

Helmet: Ethereal Vampire Gaze or Andariel’s

A2 - Might Aura
Weapon: Pride for Concentration Aura or Doom for Holy Freeze

Armor: Ethereal Fortitude

Helmet: Ethereal Vampire Gaze or Andariel’s 

If running an Elemental first build, you should consider A2 or A5 Mercenaries. Here are some suggested setups which you can try:

A2 - Holy Freeze (CC Merc)
Weapon: Rift Polearm (if you’re not self-wielding Rift)

Armor: Ethereal Fortitude
Helmet: Ethereal Vampire Gaze or Delirium or Andariel’s