Newcomer Hammer Help

I am 3 days new to Diablo II LoD. I was told to start on Nightmare, and Non-Ladder (USWest.) I have never played any of the previous Diablos, but I am really enjoying the game. I have spent many hours searching for guides to the game, and finally have somewhat of a grasp of how things work, however I do not know all the abbreviations and other such shortcuts in speech pertaining to the game.

The main purpose of this thread is to get some help setting up my charecter.

Watching my friend play, I've really come to like the Hammerdin, it's just something about the circles of hammers annihlating monsters.

This is my goal.

I started a paladin, and have messed up his skills and stats, but I'm told I can reset and fix it once I get up in level a ways. What I need help with is equipment.

I have found what my "ultimate" equipment goal is, but it seems nearly immpossible to obtain due to money and well, the rarity of the items. Here it is:

Skill Trees

Defensive Auras

1 - Prayer

1 - Cleansing

1 - Defiance

1 - Redemption

1 - Salvation

20 - Vigor

Offensive Auras

1 - Might

20 - Blessed Aim

20 - Concentration

Combat Skills

1 - Holy bolt

1 - Smite

1 - Charge

12 - Holy Shield

20 - Blessed Hammer



Stats

Strength: Enough to Equip Items (is there a way to figure this out?)

Dexterity: Enough for 75% block with Holy Shield (same with this?)

Vitality: Everything Else

Energy: None

Items (what I want eventually)

Helm: Harlequin Crest Shako

Amulet: Mara's Kaleidoscope

Rings: Stone of Jordan and/or Bul-Kathos' Wedding Band

Body Armor: Archon Plate or Dusk Shroud (3-socket) (Enigma)

Gloves: Magefists

Belt: Arachnid Mesh

Boots: Sandstorm Trek

Weapon: Flail (4-socket) (Heart of the Oak)

Shield: Herald Of Zakarum

Weapon Switch: Flail (5-socket) (Call to Arms)

Shield Switch: Scourg (4-socket) (Spirit)

[I'm not too worried about a Merc yet as I haven't even gotten to Act 2...]

Mercenary: Act 2 Desert Mercenary -- combat (prayer)

Mercenary's Items

Weapon: Giant Thrasher (Insight)

Helm: Veil of Steel

Body Armor: Archon Plate or Dusk Shroud (Chains of Honor)

For this set-up I need these runes

Jah

Ral x2

Dol

Ith

Mal

Um

Ber x2

Ist x2

Ko

Ohm

Vex

Tal x2

Pul

Ort

Thul x2

Tir

Amn x2

Sol

These charms would be nice

Paladin Hellfire Torch

Annihilus (essential to every build, right?)

20 life small charms (w/extra mods) (I don't know what those are)

20 Lion Branded grand charms (w/extra mods) (I don't know what those are either, thats just what a friend said)

----------------------------------

So, there it is...

What I need is something to start with. Some good Hammerdin worthy equipment that I can obtain myself relatively simply (i.e. using runes from the Countess)

I pretty sure fast cast rate (FCR?) is a crucial part of a hammerdin, and so is damage. Could you help me out a bit?|||A cheaper hammerdin doesnt use a 'nigma or a call to arms. Their armor is usually vipermagi or que hagans. Maras is any pally skill ammy with resistances. A heart of the oak is replaced buy a wizardspike. Rings are any with cast rate, resists, mana, etc.

Those are the most expensive pieces of equipment that a hammerdin has.

You can play with you hammerdin and still do good damage, have ok defense and resists in hell. The problem is you wont be as fast. Your cast rate will be slower and not as much damage. The enigma allows you to teleport and is the most critical piece of equipment for the build but it requires 2 high runes.

Over time and playing more, you will eventually have things to trade for the runes to make an enigma.|||Quote:




Strength: Enough to Equip Items (is there a way to figure this out?)

Dexterity: Enough for 75% block with Holy Shield (same with this?)

Vitality: Everything Else

Energy: None




The easiest way to figure out Strength requirements is to obtain all the gear you'll be using, then putting them on one at a time according to Strength requirements. This usually was a pain for people who didn't have the gear prior to making the build, but the 1.13 patch allows respec of skill/attribute points with relative ease. As a general rule of thumb, if you're using Enigma, logic dictates that you'll probably only need as much Strength as what the base armor requires.

Max Block: http://www.baronsbazaar.invisionzone...lock_calc.html


Quote:




Paladin Hellfire Torch

Annihilus (essential to every build, right?)

20 life small charms (w/extra mods) (I don't know what those are)

20 Lion Branded grand charms (w/extra mods) (I don't know what those are either, thats just what a friend said)




A Lion Branded Grand Charm is a Grand Charm that gives +1 to Combat Skills on any Paladin's skill tree. And it being a Grand Charm, the maximum number you'll need will be 10, 9 if you need to carry the Hellfire Torch as well.

As for starting with some easy to obtain equipment--most Hammerdins won't be that much fun to play until you can at least reach level 65 (which is the level requirement for Enigma).

FCR: With your current ideal setup, you will have 10-frame casting (75FCR). While some people stress this is enough, the other option is to reduce damage output slightly and aim for 9-frame casting (125FCR). Easily do-able if you switch your gear around (and possibly much cheaper).



-Kinky|||I realize that what I put down is the most expensive, it's more of a long-term goal. I think Viper-magi will be reasonably easy to get, and I assume wizardspike it too.

Thanks for the information!

Kinky, thanks for the link, that's awesome. Is there a way to increase my Cast Rate with some not so rare rune-words or items?|||vipermagi

wizardspike

magefist gloves

Trang Ouls gloves

rare rings - gamble with gold

spirit shield

plus more that i've probably forgotten|||The build is simple. Just like you explained above but I would rather use mp enigma than ap due to str req. Use vipermagi until you get rich enough for enigma.|||Awesome! I looked up the stats, and those should be able to carry me through whatever I need. Thanks Shanskie.


Quote:




...use mp enigma than ap due to str req.




What is "ap enigma" and "mp enigma"?|||Also, I assume that to cast Blessed Hammer will cost mana, is this usually an issue finding gear that boosts enough, or do you just cary a ton of mana pots?|||archon plate / mage plate

/edit

leveling up, max BH last (well 2nd last before Holy Shield), that way the mana cost doesn't go up.

And ofc the 1 point in redemption|||Okay. Where do you go to reset your Characters stats and Skills. I was told that you receive all the points back to use, I just don't want to get too far into the build if I actually can't do it.