Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

[Captaincatharsis]

Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Useast-Ladder, 2:00pm est.
A bored guy on his day off decides to start his first ever paladin (I've played extensively with every other class), inspired by the Dream/Dream/Dragon/HoJ auradin. He decides to actually playing through act 1, and does some tristruns, then goes through by himself and solos it.
For very low gear he swapped on a bloodfists, and a nozakan relic. (I have more stuff for later) Being a bit bored, this new palladin decides that Rocky really is as good as people say, and starts pummeling his foes with his fists while humming 'Eye of the Tiger'. Somehow, it actually works. Andariel fell quickly due to the fire damage from the relic and from holy fire (I have only used points in prereqs, so nothing is boosted and I have all my stats still).
Now he sits, brooding. Trying to find a way to actually make a zealpuncher a viable build. In skill points, I imagine it would be about the same as an auradin, utilizing conviction, and then the auras from items in conjuction with zeal and vengeance (depending on the situation). Now my Question is, how viable would this be?
Really the only difference from the main auradin item build would be that you can now choose whatever armor you want, (instead of dragon which kinda sucks besides the holy fire), and you now have no actual weapon. THe plus side is HoJ is absurdly expensive, and you look sweet beating everything to a pulp with your fists. The downside is you don't have a weapon. Ie. no...bonuses. I've thought around this somewhat, and have decided to use a demonlimb on swap(this will give me ten minutes of enchant, giving me decent AR and a huge fire damage bonus) In conjunction to level 30 holy shock, and a high level conviction, I feel I will still be able to do significant damage endgame. I also want to get dracs, mainly for the crushing blow, which I realize will be a godsend as well. I have no idea what my merc will be, but most likely a holy freeze or blessed aim(might won't boost fists too much) act2 merc.


I'd love to hear comments from more knowledgeable pally players. It gave me a slightly unnerving satisfaction to have beaten the first act boss with fists, but realize this will be harder later on.
Thoughts? Suggestions? 'lols'?

 

[ThomasJohnsen]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

I'd love to hear comments from more knowledgeable pally players. It gave me a slightly unnerving satisfaction to have beaten the first act boss with fists, but realize this will be harder later on.
Thoughts? Suggestions? 'lols'?

There are some pretty nice gloves in the set "Rocky's Sweaty Gym Clothes" that you may be able to use. But of course you aren't able to wield a toothbrush while using them, which will make prebuffing a.


...


Good idea for a pally :thumbup:.
It has been seen before though.
And you will run into problems later on.
But as long as it is fun :thumbup:.

 

[Captaincatharsis]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Now that I've done a bit more research and went back to clerv's Auradin guide (one I found a while back, and greatly enjoy), I thought I would put up a tentative Item and stat spread.

Weapon-FISTS OF FURY(ie. none)
Shield- dream sacred targe(hopefully with high base resists)
Helm- dream Bone visage
Armor-CoH (I'd say this is the best you can hope for, +damage, +skills, great resist, damage reduction, lifesteal... what does it now have?)
Gloves- you have alot of options, but crafted Blood Gloves, Drac's or Steelrend are the three I think fit best.
Belt-really up to you, cannot be frozen is crucial somewhere, so either on here or a ravenfrost
Boots-Goreriders, really can't say anything else would do.
Jewelry- fill in gaps. defensive stuff, with absorbs, cannot be frozen, life and manasteal, and resists are what you want.

Swap- demonlimb and either a spirit or lidless, to boot enchant

For skills, we are going to look at something along these lines.

20 Resist Lightning
1 Might
1 Thorns
1-Holy Fire
1-Holy Freeze
1- Sanctuary
15-20 Conviction (main aura)

1 Sacrifice
1 Holy Bolt
1 Smite
1 Charge
1 Zeal
~5 Holy shield
20 Vengeance

This right now is at 60 points. Things to consider are pumping up Vengeance syngergies, and Holy shield if needed. I'd actually choose to pump salvation over the base synergies for vengeance, to make your lightning stand out even more. (remember you are already getting fire damage from demonlimbs enchant)

Obviously this is not going to be some sort of insanely awesome build. It may not work at all (if demonlimb doesn't work on fists... haha). But either way, I think it's sweet.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

I did it, making a boxer a more than viable build, a Captain America of sorts. I made him a teslafist, punching lightning-enchanted punches. I didn't use Dream (not on ladder), but a 4-socket targe containing 2 ias jewels of fervor and 2 diamonds, making it 73 resist all and 30 ias.

My plan:
4 Zeal
20 Holy Shock
20 Salvation
20 lightning resist
20 Holy Shield

My gear:
Gloves: 10 ias 10 cb crafted backed up with Lava Gout
Belt:24 fhr 10 ow crafted
Boots: Gores
Shield: sacred targe as mentioned before.
Armor: Duress Wire Fleece
Helm: Guillaume's Face with a 15ias/58attack rating jewel.
Amulet: Eventually a Highlords/Atmas Scarab vs ubers
Rings: Raven and Carrion Wind.

For charms, I stack with several sharp and fine grand charms to boost my ar, some all-resist charms, and a couple of poison charms.

Problem with Vengeance is that damage is based on what you can do physically. Punches are just 1-2 physical damage, and no amount of strength can raise the damage that way.

I'm going to try make it an uber smiter build with either a Black Knout or Crescent Moon Phase Blade, or even Dom berzerker axe, not sure.

 

[Captaincatharsis]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Well, strength does raise the punch damage considerably as well as charms. I don't know how vengeance works with the charms though (ie does it calculate the damage first, or add the +1) I can see that being a problem. The simple tesladin seems much more feasable, and without dream, while you sacrifice the skill points, you do get better CB, and a better shield. Hmm.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

For some nasty fun, prebuff with the all-useful Treachery, for either Fade or Venom, depending on what you're doing at the time.

 

[mephiztophelez]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

It gave me a slightly unnerving satisfaction to have beaten the first act boss with fists, but realize this will be harder later on.

there have been several documented examples of people playing a NAKED sorceress, while spending NO SKILL OR STAT POINTS (naked merc too after Blood Raven) making it all the way to to the Normal Worldstone Chamber (i havn't heard of such a 'toon actually beating baal, but they can certainly make it that far).

the original was Irene the Infirm. i believe a "Suzy" has also done it (do some google searching).

from what i can gather, Duriel is by far the hardest encounter of the entire exercise.

so: do it naked, without spending a single stat or skill point, THEN i'll be impressed.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Update: in nightmare, level 72. Completing Holy Shock synergy with maxing Salvation. I do 678-6304 damage barehanded at 4 level zeal, with 4200 ar after lava gout Enchant kick in.

 

[lumpor]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Nice build.

I really recommend you to max salvation. Every little bit helps.

Also, an unsynergized lvl 23 enchant will add less than 100 damage...

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

I maxed salvation as well. Level 75, 667-5300 (subtracted a poison charm),2700 ar, up to 4600 with lava gout.

Now maxing HolyShield.

How ironic, now i have Crescent Moon Phase Blade muled on my pally, I glitch with it.

 

[sequoia]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

there have been several documented examples of people playing a NAKED sorceress, while spending NO SKILL OR STAT POINTS (naked merc too after Blood Raven) making it all the way to to the Normal Worldstone Chamber (i havn't heard of such a 'toon actually beating baal, but they can certainly make it that far).

the original was Irene the Infirm. i believe a "Suzy" has also done it (do some google searching).

from what i can gather, Duriel is by far the hardest encounter of the entire exercise.

so: do it naked, without spending a single stat or skill point, THEN i'll be impressed.

Unless I remember incorrectly, Mongojerry, the staffer who did the task, only got to Andariel before giving up.

 

[Captaincatharsis]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

The demon limb is not as much for damage as it is for attack rating. It quickly makes you a sureswinger, letting you use more points in strength to up your punch.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Another Update: Uber Diablo walked in my game. I went ot the Bishobsh area and smacked him nicely (I admit, with my Cresent Moon enhanced smiting). Got an 18/18/9 anni.

 

[Captaincatharsis]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

I am quite jealous of that anni.


Oh the joys of the smiter.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Sad I don't glitch Crescent Moon anymore, since I'm forced to mule the torch on my pally (snif).

 

[cyruseli]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

for an added bonus, you should really consider using Wirt's Leg as your primary weapon (its still kind of technically a limb right?)

Me and my buddies used to have single player challenges that we called "fight club" and you got no shirt (armor), no shoes (boots) and no weapon, but wirt's leg was allowed. A socketed wirt's leg was a godsend, lol. Nightmare mode was rough, believe me.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

I got a 3 sock Wirt's leg, filled with 2 20/2 poison jewels and a chipped topaz, as my 1st level weapon. I wish I could have used it as a Black runeword weapon later on (doesn't work!) Oh well, find another 3 os Wirt and make it into Crescent Moon.

Update: went to Hell Baal, and now-Patriarch Althuusar punched Baal to death. Got 10k and crappy weapons, but then he was all of 3 mf.

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Another update: traded my anni for Doom Cryptic Axe which I slapped on my Defiance merc. I'm becoming slowly an auradin!

 

[deadbeater]

Re: Gigaton Punch, a fun (viable?) build

Another update: Wait a minute, I traded for a Doom Berzerker Axe. Let me see how it works for him...Wow, he kills much much faster.

Wait...Beast! On an ettin. This is the way to go. Oh btw killed ubers.