Melee AOE skills?

[Jman5]

Melee AOE skills?

Hey guys, I was trying to come up with a possible 2 handed pole arm build and it got me thinking. Are there any skills out there that would add AOE damage whenever I attack with a pole arm class weapon? The only thing I could even think of might be zeal, but I don't even know if you can use pole arms for it. Something like Lightning strike would work. (too bad amazon can only use spears and javelins for this skill)

Anyways, I'd appreciate any help.

edit: just so everyone is on the same page AOE stands for Area of Effect. I want to find a melee skill that will allow me to take on multiple monsters at the same time close up.

 

[Antonio]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Whirlwind

10chr

 

[Kennoth]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Yea, that is mostly your only option. Thought werebear transform has a mass stun effect skill, and I dont know if it does any damage

 

[zionhuyga]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Rift Runeword: hit something, and CTC fireworks.

You'll need a lot of IAS though. I'm not sure what kind of speeds you can get with a polearm like that.

 

[lumpor]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Neither zeal nor whirlwind is aoe. Chain lightning is not aoe, lightning fury is not aoe, frozen orb isn't aoe. Blizzard, nova and firewall are aoe though.

Whirlwind does affect the area of the path which you take, but it doesn't damage all the enemies simultaneously. It does target monsters.

If you just mean owning groups with a polearm though, whirlwind does the job

 

[nicro tower]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Diablo AoE basicly is chain lightning, whirlwind, etc

 

[Kennoth]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

He meant melee attack. Anyway you can also use holy shock/freeze/fire (or even sanctuary on undead)

 

[zionhuyga]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

He meant melee attack. Anyway you can also use holy shock/freeze/fire (or even sanctuary on undead)

For those, their main damage isn't AOE and the pulse damage is too weak to be of any use in hell.

 

[Antonio]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Neither zeal nor whirlwind is aoe.

Bleh, the man asked the question and I gave him an answer that should point him in the right direction. I'm not interested in arguing is WW or not AoE because the "debate" won't lead into anything productive, I have better thing to do.

 

[Kennoth]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

For those, their main damage isn't AOE and the pulse damage is too weak to be of any use in hell.

Main damage isn't, yet the pulse damage is AoE. Now is it useful or not, that is not the point, point is that it deals AoE damage just as the thread poster asked. And you dont use holy freeze for damage anyway

 

[sweetalmonds]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Make Werewolf
Use Fury

Druids using polearm class weapons have very fast speed.

 

[Jman5]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Ok, thanks for your help everyone.

I'm actually trying out the paladin's zeal with Reaper's Toll. I do decent damage, and I have a something like 24% life steal. I just need a little bit more damage reduction and I am having some resistance problems. Anyways it's a pretty fun build, that gets a lot of head turns when I join the game.

Now I just have to figure out what the hell else I should spend points in...

I have fanaticism, zeal, and sacrifice maxed, but I'm not sure what I should put the rest into. Maybe charge?

 

[lumpor]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Holy shield.

Although I don't thin reapers is that good for a pally. try ebotd polearm (if you can afford it)

 

[Nimbostratus]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Holy shield.

Although I don't thin reapers is that good for a pally. try ebotd polearm (if you can afford it)

Can't really cast Holy Shield when you're not using a shield...


Anyway, for spare points:
-Charge = very very fun. SSoG has a good guide on using it effectively somewhere.
-The single resist auras. Each 2 points gets you +1 max resistance to that element.
-Maybe a few in Vengeance and Conviction to deal with phys immunes better
-A couple points in Conversion if you need more crowd control

 

[Kennoth]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

Or salvation for all resists (except poison). If you dont mind spending points anywhere, with Vigor you'll run very fast. And redemption is awesome for instant heal HP and MP

 

[Raskah]

Re: Melee AOE skills?

I have fanaticism, zeal, and sacrifice maxed, but I'm not sure what I should put the rest into. Maybe charge?

One point in vengeance and conviction for those annoying PI. One point in redemption too. Rest of points for Blessed Aim for passive AR.

As for the weapon reapers is good but I would use it on the merc, a act2 might aura, as the damage is a bit low and the best about reapers is ctc decrepify. For the weapon I would use a Obidience, a cheap and nasty piece of weapon - good ED, resists, crushing blow, ctc enchant, -% target defense. The only thing that misses is IAS but Fanatism compensates that. And you get massive style points for not using the "old 'n' must-have eBoTD" :wink: