Since this is the first version of the guide, if there is anything you believe I have missed or forgotten, please let me know.
I tried to cover as much as I could, there is a lot to say about the level 30 zealot since there are many variations and many points that are often overlooked.
I hope you will/have enjoyed it and I would really appreciate any feedback available.
The Many Faces of the Level 30 Zealot – by Weaj
Early warning, this guide is rather long, if you don’t feel like reading it, you may as well stop here. If you are reading this far I suppose that means we can begin, please enjoy the tour.
Over that last couple of years, there have been quite a few questions asked regarding a level 30 zealot so I believe that this is a guide that has been long overdue. It is often considered such an easy build that it doesn’t require a guide for it, however, I believe that because there are many ways to build a zealot that there is a need for one. There is no one way to make a zealot, since the skills can be customized to suit the different tastes of the player, there are many factors that are involved when trying to decide how to build a zealot. These are some of the different factors that one should think upon while trying to make one: type of aura, budget, damage type, jewels, charms, alternate items.
Type of Aura: There are basically three main auras that are used for a zealot, Fanaticism, Defiance, and Concentration.
Fanaticism: This is the most common, and the most balanced aura, giving increased damage, increased attack rating, and the most important of all, the increased attack speed.
Defiance: For those players, who like to avoid being hit, be nearly untouchable, and/or similar to a concentration barbarian, this aura is the one for you. Increasing your defense greatly, one could achieve a massive 10k+ defense, though at the cost of damage and attack rating.
Concentration: Although this aura has the potential to add the most damage, it really isn’t used all that often since it does not add attack rating nor increased attack speed. However, this aura works well for very low budget zealots who would use a Twitchthroe rather than an artisan’s plate of the squid.
Holy Shock: Why would I bother with such an aura you may ask? For those who feel like making a cheap zealot for fun that can also utilize Fist of the Heaven’s you may want to try it out. This type isn’t the most effective since all its damage is elemental and can be reduced a lot by resistances, it can still be a fun character to fool around with.
Other: This is unexplored territory, though I don’t recommend using another aura, maybe apart from might on a charger using a scepter with +Zeal but then it’s not really a zealot to begin with.
]Budget: This can sometimes restrict players from making a zealot, and/or from using certain items because of how difficult to collect/expensive an item may be. Later on in the guide I will come back to mentioning about budget on some of the examples of different zealots builds.
Damage Type: What do you mean damage type? Seems simple doesn’t it? Of course it does, maximum damage all the way! Well, not quite, and here’s why: although maximum damage is the most common, and in most cases is it the best option, it also depends on the type of zealot, the aura, budget, and whether you intend on fighting casters.
Maximum Damage: By far the most common and is generally the most effective form of damage, there isn’t much else to be said, maximum damage rocks.
Minimum Damage: There will be a much longer explanation on minimum damage because I would like to mention a few things about it as some people disregard minimum damage as being useful what-so-ever. Although it is less overall average total zeal damage comparing against a maximum damage build, this is my personal favourite. Minimum damage offers what maximum damage doesn’t, consistency. This is where minimum damage may be preferred by some players, as there really isn’t ever a “low hit.” This becomes extremely useful while duelling casters; when you need to land a hit a high minimum damage makes the hit count. With a higher minimum damage, it is much easier and more likely for your hits to place an opponent into hit recovery allowing more zeal hits to hit your target. But wait, there’s more! If you call now we’ll double our offer, that’s right! Maybe not, but here’s more of an explanation: with the most amount of minimum damage possible on a jewel being 12, it is the same amount of average damage as a 24 maximum damage jewel. While a 24 maximum damage jewel can only appear on magic jewels, 12 minimum can appear on rare jewels with the chance of having more attributes of either strength, dexterity, resistances, maximum damage, or whatever else you may feel is useful on the same jewel. Minimum damage jewels also seem to be more common than maximum damage jewels and as well are usually less expensive. When considering minimum damage, keep in mind that the more sockets used with minimum damage, the better.
Other: Elemental damage such as lightning on a holy shock build should be a no brainer, though trying to increase elemental damage through charms and jewels aren’t as effective as physical damage on a zealot. Cold damage can help by slightly slowing your opponent down but will have no effect if they have cannot be frozen.
Jewels and Charms: The zealot’s main source of damage comes from jewels and charms, the more sockets for jewels and the higher the damage on the jewels and your charms, the better. Ideally, a full inventory of 3/xx/15life small charms should be used, players on a low budget could use 10x 10/xx/(20-25life/6strength/6dexterity) grand charms. Holy shock zealots on a really low budget could use plain 15life small charms, though maximum damage will still benefit. Depending on what your zealot build is, damage isn’t the only thing you should use for charms, mana and resistances may be used in some of your charm slots depending on whether you would like to duel casters or not.
Types of Builds: Finally, down to the good stuff, the boring rambling above is over. Here I will show some examples of the different builds that could be made, the gear they would use, alternate items, and a brief description about its strengths and weaknesses. As with all builds, skill placement and items do not have to be exactly like the guide, be creative if you wish, try some other combinations to the balance of damage, attacking rating, life etc… Charge is not necessarily needed on a zealot if you only want to duel melee with it you may choose to use those skills elsewhere. For most builds, Holy shield doesn’t need to be skilled, it can be gained by a +2+ Holy shield scepter on your switch with a spirit shield.
Concentration Build: For those who are either just starting out or if you just want an inexpensive character to fool around with, this one isn’t that bad. This build is inexpensive, easy to make, can have a nice life pool and has potential for a lot of damage but that could come at a price for sacrificing skills in zeal to place more into concentration and sacrifice, lowering attack rating.
Skills: 1 Smite, 1 Charge, 1 Sacrifice, 19 Zeal, 1 Might, 1 Blessed Aim, 17 Concentration
Helm: Peasant Crown, 3 socket crown, 2 socket visionary
Armor: Twitchthroe
Weapon 1: Honor Knout, +Concentration and/or +Zeal Divine Scepter
Shield 1: 4 socket 60+ed/100+ar Aerin/Crown Shield
Weapon 2: +Holy shield scepter
Shield 2: Spirit
Gloves: Death’s/IK
Belt: Death’s/IK
Boots: Sander’s, Goblin Toes
Ring 1: Angelic, (Rare with ar mana and other such as str/dex/life/res)
Ring 2: Angelic, (Rare with ar mana and other such as str/dex/life/res)
Amulet: Angelic, (Rare with +Skills life mana and other such as str/dex/res)
Charms: 10x 10/xx/20-25 life or 6str or 6dex gcs, 10x 15life scs
Jewels: 15+ max dmg, 8+min dmg
Holy Shock Build: Holy shock deals lightning damage with each attack, this build is also inexpensive. This build uses a lot of +skills and uses FoH to help damage the opponent from a distance. It may not be the most effective build, but it is fun. It is also very similar to a holy shock charger.
Skills: 1 Smite, 1 Charge, 1 Holy Bolt, 1 Blessed Hammer, 1 Holy Shield, 1 Sacrifice, 5 Zeal, 1 Might, 1 Holy Fire, 1 Holy Freeze, 7 Holy Shock, 19 Resist Lightning, 1 Salvation
Helm: Peasant Crown
Armor: Twitchthroe
Weapon 1: +3 Holy Shock Honor War/Divine Scepter, +3 Holy Shock Holy Thunder War Scepter(+6 Holy Shock), +3 Holy Shock 5x Shael War Scepter
Shield 1: 45 All Reist Spirit Aerin/Crown Shield
Weapon 2: +Foh +Conviction scepter
Shield 2: 45 All Reist Spirit Aerin/Crown Shield
Gloves: Death’s
Belt: Death’s
Boots: Sander’s, Goblin Toes
Ring 1: Soj
Ring 2: Soj
Amulet: (Rare with +Skills life mana and other such as str/dex/res)
Charms: 10x 10/xx/20-25 life or 6str or 6dex gcs, 10x 15life scs
Jewels: 15max dmg, Perfect Ruby, Perfect Skull
Defiance Build: The tank of the zealot builds; defiance can achieve incredible defense protecting the paladin from harm. Defiance builds may have lower damage than the others but the defense easily makes up for that in melee combat. The main focus of the defiance build is to get as much defense as possible; you can however balance out your defense and damage with the charms you use. Charge is not needed on this build because it is solely a melee dueller.
Skills: 2 Sacrifice, 19 Zeal, 20 Defiance
Helm: (Rare Ethereal Grand Crown/Grim Helm with 80+edef, repair, 2 sockets)
Armor: (Rare Ethereal Ornate Plate with 80+edef, repair, -reqs)
Weapon 1: Honor Divine Scepter, (Rare Naga 100+ed 40+ias, others such as eth/rep ctc amp)
Shield 1: (Rare Ethereal Grim Shield/Akaran Rondache 30/20 block, 80+edef, 2Os, repair), 60+ed 100+ar 4 socket Akaran Targe/Akaran Rondache/Crown Shield
Weapon 2: +Holy shield scepter
Shield 2: Spirit
Gloves: IK
Belt: IK
Boots: Sander’s, Upgraded Goblin Toes
Ring 1: Angelic
Ring 2: Angelic
Amulet: Angelic
Charms: 40x 3/xx/15 scs or 40x 15life/15+defense scs
Jewels: 15+max dmg, 8+min dmg
Fanaticism Build: The most common build and definitely the best offensive build. It can become pricy sometimes, but can also be made at moderate expense. This build will usually always have charge as it is the most effective zealot type against ranged/casters compared to the others. Depending on the types of weapons the player will use, fanaticism may or may not need to have a base point; this is usually with the common build for the players who can find a +3 fanaticism Honor Divine Scepter. There are a few variations on the fanaticism build that can be made, usually the skill placement is the same it is the items that are used that are different. One of the benefits for fanaticism is the speed, it can allow for 4fps zeal, which is the fastest. Surprisingly, 4fps zeal isn’t very common. It is best coupled with a ctc amp weapon and peace for up to 4x the damage, the speed makes up for the lower initial damage compared to 5fps.
Skills: 1 Smite, 1 Charge, 1 Might, 1 Blessed Aim, 1 Concentration, 1 Fanaticism, 16 Sacrifice, 19 Zeal
Helm: 3 socket 20life Crown, (Rare Circlet with +Skills visionary, 2sockets, life)
Armor: 3 socket 80life Light Plate/Mage Plate, Peace Light Plate/Mage Plate, (Rare Ethereal Ornate Plate with 80+edef, repair, -reqs)
Weapon 1: +3 Fanaticism Honor Divine Scepter, (Rare Knout/Cutlass 100+ed 70+ias, others such as eth/rep ctc amp)
Shield 1: 60+ed 100+ar 4 socket Aerin/Crown Shield, 45 All Reist Spirit Aerin/Crown Shield
Weapon 2: +Holy shield scepter
Shield 2: Spirit
Gloves: Bloodfist, Death’s, IK
Belt: String of Ears, Death’s, IK
Boots: Sander’s, Goblin Toes
Ring 1: Angelic, (Rare with ar mana and other such as str/dex/life/res)
Ring 2: Angelic, (Rare with ar mana and other such as str/dex/life/res)
Amulet: Angelic, (Rare with +Skills life mana and other such as str/dex/res)
Charms: 40x 3/xx/15 scs, some 15/5res or 15/mana may be used if desired
Jewels: 15+max dmg, 8+min dmg