This season I picked a Paladin, thinking: Man, this class is so badass—swinging a huge hammer, one-shotting mobs, and healing myself too. I started out super confident, sure I could breeze through hard modes.
The result? I got utterly crushed in the first week.
I grabbed a few early-game drops and charged into the dungeon, swinging my “Holy Hammer” skill around in circles to smash enemies. It worked fine against regular mobs, but when I encountered an elite monster, one hit knocked me flat.
Not just crippled—instantly dead. No time to react.
That’s when it hit me: skills alone aren’t enough. Without the right gear, even the most powerful class won’t survive.
I wasn’t fighting monsters—I was feeding them experience.
I started searching online for reliable strategies
After getting beaten senseless, I decided to stop winging it.
I fired up my computer and searched for “best paladin builds” and “top gear setups right now.”
The results shocked me—the web was flooded with clickbait headlines: “One-Shot the Entire Map!” “Easily Clear 100 Floors!”
But clicking through revealed either outdated content or overly complex guides I couldn’t make sense of.
Later, I found a few newer guides and discovered everyone was using a six-piece set called the “Hero’s Shield.”
This gear set works like this: when you cast “Heaven’s Fist,” it summons three massive spears of holy light from the sky, smashing enemies to bits.
It sounded awesome, and crucially—it also made you incredibly durable.
I decided right then: I’d grind for this set!
The Grind for Gear Was Torturous
I had my goal, but completing this set was no walk in the park.
Each piece relied on random drops from dungeons. With bad luck, you could grind a hundred times and still come up empty.
I started with the easiest: grinding Small and Large Cracks. I took every piece of gear I got to the merchant Kadala to disenchant, trading them for Blood Soul Shards to roll for parts.
The first piece to drop was the Boots—I was overjoyed.
Then I pulled the Gloves and Shoulders, feeling success was within reach.
But the hardest pieces—the Helmet and Chest—just wouldn’t drop no matter how much I farmed.
I grinded for nearly two weeks straight, logging in daily just to run dungeons over and over until I was numb.
Back then, I was still using my old gear, making every fight a struggle.
Every death frustrated me: Why wouldn’t those last two pieces drop?
But I knew—without the final piece, the full set bonus wouldn’t activate. No matter how hard I tried, it was useless.
Finally got the full set… only to find it still wasn’t enough
When I finally equipped all six pieces, I nearly jumped for joy.
I quickly switched into the set, activated the “Fist of the Sky” skill, and prepared to dominate the battlefield.
But in actual combat… it was nothing like I expected.
My damage was pitifully low. Clearing mobs was a struggle, and fighting elite monsters left me getting chased relentlessly.
I was wearing the strongest set—how could I be weaker than before?
Later I figured it out: Just having the set isn’t enough—you need to pair it with legendary weapons.
The most crucial one was a hammer called Fallen Fate.
Its effect: Cast one skill, and it automatically splits into three, doubling the damage.
Without it, Fist of the Sky was just a regular skill—no burst damage at all.
I had to grind again.
This time my goal was clear: farm exclusively for that hammer.
Still relying on the Kadala lottery, still relying on luck.
After waiting forever, I finally pulled it.
The moment I equipped it, the effect was immediate—three holy spears rained down from the sky, vaporizing the entire mob.
That was when I truly understood what it meant to feel “so good it makes you fly.”
Late-Game Adjustments for a More Stable Build
Even with increased damage, I still died frequently.
The issues were twofold: fragility and lack of Rage.
First, Addressing “Too Fragile”
I was wearing a damage-boosting ring, which meant I’d go down instantly if hit by a mob.
Later, I switched to a ring called “Heart of Unity,” which allows both you and your followers to share damage.
This way, I’m no longer the sole target, significantly boosting my survivability.
Solving the “Not Enough Rage” Problem
Many Paladin skills consume Rage.
I used to run out of mana (actually Rage) after a few hits, forced to stand idle waiting for it to regenerate.
Later, I discovered certain gear allows “Basic Attacks” to restore Rage.
I specifically hunted down a pair of bracers with this property, and since then, I’ve never lacked Rage again.
I also equipped a ring called Elemental Pact, which periodically boosts skill damage.
I learned to wait until it shifted to the “Holy” attribute before unleashing my ultimate—doubling the damage.
Gems and Details Matter Too
The game features “Legendary Gems” that enhance gear attributes when socketed.
I selected three most practical ones:
- Prisoner’s Curse: Deals more damage the more enemies you defeat, perfect for clearing maps;
- Crippling Curse: Inflicts bleeding on enemies after critical hits, causing sustained damage;
- Tai Chi Rune: Significantly boosts damage for a short time after taking damage.
These gems level up slowly and require a lot of materials, but once upgraded, they make a noticeable difference in combat power.
Now I Can Easily Tackle High-Tier Content
With full gear and optimized stats, I breeze through high-difficulty dungeons now.
- Elite mobs get one-shot with three Holy Spears;
- Mowing down minions is effortless, clearing entire waves in seconds;
- I also added the “Warhorse Charge” skill, making map traversal lightning-fast—no more slow walking.
I used to tremble facing the 80th layer of the Great Rift, but now I breeze through it.
Of course, I still need to dodge skills and avoid reckless charges.
But overall, I finally feel like I’m no longer that noob getting chased by monsters—I’m a true Paladin who can carry the entire team.
My Final Thoughts
This journey has been incredibly tough.
I wasted a lot of time, died countless times, and even considered quitting.
But if you’re considering playing a Paladin, remember these key points:
- Prioritize the “Shield of the Valiant” six-piece set—it’s essential.
- Must equip the “Fallen Fate” hammer—otherwise, you lack burst damage.
- Don’t just stack damage; survival and resources (Rage) matter more.
- Grind gear patiently—if luck’s bad, just try again; don’t rush;
- Late-game success hinges on details—pay attention to rings, gems, and skill timing.
Mastering a game isn’t about starting strong—it’s about growing stronger.
You might still be getting beaten by monsters now, but keep tweaking your build. One day, you’ll stand on the battlefield, swing your hammer, and make the world tremble.