Character Skills and Equipment
Base Stats
Strength: 100 (enough for equipment, using this number for calculation purposes)
Dexterity: D (enough for max block, 136+ with equipment when using a Phase Blade)
Vitality: remaining stat points
Skill Points
Mandatory
20 Smite
3 prerequisites
20 Holy Shield
3 prerequisites
20 Fanaticism
1+ Salvation (+ is optional)
Optional (recommended)
10 Resist Fire
10 Resist Lightning
3 prerequisites
1 Vigor
1 Sacrifice
1 Zeal
Assuming this distribution, at level 90 with all skill quests completed, we have 8 points left. Options ? Sanctuary, Meditation, and Redemption, or all in Resist Fire (max at level 92). There is no reason whatsoever to spend any points in Resist Cold, as Raven Frost and Thawing Potions already handle any problems we might have against cold-based attacks.
Equipment
Guillaume's Face (Winged Helm)
35 % Chance of CB, +30 % FHR, +15 to Strength
Highlord's Wrath (Amulet)
+1 to All Skills, +20 % IAS, +35 % LR
Duress ('ShaelUmThul')
15 % Chance of CB, 33 % Chance of OW, +10-20 % off-weapon ED, +15 % FR + LR + PR, +45 % CR, +40 % FHR, +150-200 % Enhanced Defense
Fortitude ('ElSolDolLo')
+300 % off-weapon ED, All Resistances +25-30, +1-1.5 to Life per Character Level, +5 % to MLR, +200 % Enhanced Defense
Herald of Zakarum (Gilded Shield)
+2 to Paladin Skill Levels, +2 to Combat Skills (Paladin Only), +30 % ICB, All Resistances +50, +20 to Vitality, +20 to Strength
Smite Damage: 20 to 28 {46 to 46, upgrade: Zakarum Shield}
Dwarf Star (Ring), Raven Frost (Ring)
(15 % Fire Absorb, 12-15 MDR, +40 to Life), CBF, 20-(40) % Cold Absorb, +15-20-(30-40) to Dexterity
Dwarf + Raven or 2 x Raven
Dracul's Grasp (Vampirebone Gloves)
5 % CtC Level 10 Life Tap on striking, 25 % Chance of OW, +10-15 to Strength
Thundergod's Vigor (War Belt)
+10 % to MLR, +20 Lightning Absorb, +20 to Vitality, +20 to Strength
Goblin Toe (Light Plated Boots)
25 % Chance of CB
Gore Rider (War Boots)
15 % Chance of CB, 10 % Chance of OW
Sandstorm Trek (Scarabshell Boots)
+20 % FHR, +10-15 to Vitality, +10-15 to Strength
Waterwalk (Sharkskin Boots)
+5 % to MFR, +45-65 to Life, +15 to Dexterity
Assuming +15 to Strength on Dracul's in the calculations. Using Sandstorm Trek (+15 to Strength) with Last Wish; the obvious alternative is Waterwalk. As you read along, it should become apparent exactly why I chose the above equipment.
Weapon modifiers and use of sockets are covered in the following section.
Smite Damage
Modifiers that do NOT apply to Smite
Weapon's base damage
+% Enhanced Damage on the weapon
+ to Minimum/Maximum Damage *)
+% Damage to Demons/Undead
% Critical/Deadly Strike
% Life/Mana Stolen per Hit
Magic, Fire, Lightning, Cold, and Poison Damage
Cold and poison length
ow is Smite Damage calculated ?
Take the shield's Smite Damage
Add bonus Smite Damage from Holy Shield (HS)
Add X from Damage +X (Grief, Astreon's Iron Ward, The Redeemer, Stone Crusher)
Add the sum of Enhanced Damage bonuses from the following sources
+% ED from Strength (in a 1:1 ratio, regardless of weapon used)
+% ED from skills (Smite, Might, Concentration, Fanaticism)
+% ED which is off-weapon (e.g. Fortitude
mite Speed Modifiers
Weapon Speed Modifier (WSM), the base weapon speed
Increased Attack Speed (IAS) from equipment
Effective IAS (EIAS) from Fanaticism
Black (club, hamm, mace)
The fastest of the allowed weapon types with 3-socket potential are Flail, Knout, and Scourge (-10 WSM). We pick the Flail below, as it is usually the easiest to obtain.
Grief (swor, axe)
Phase Blade (-30 WSM) is the fastest base weapon available (and it is even indestructible by default).
Last Wish (swor, hamm, axe)
Phase Blade (-30 WSM), by the same reasoning.