Smite/Zealer Question

[Mystic]

Smite/Zealer Question

I am making a Smite/Zealer Hybrid build. (aka. Smealer) The gear I am using is as follows:

Helm: Guillame's Face (socketed with 38%ED Jewel)
Armor: Shaftstop (until i can upgrade to Fortitude)
Belt: String of Ears
Gloves: Dracul's Grasps
Boots: Gore Riders
Weapon: Black Runeword (until I can upgrade to Greif)
Ring 1: Dwarf Star
Ring 2: Raven Frost
Amulet: Highlords Wrath

My skill acumulation is also as follows:

Zeal (20)
Smite (20)
Fantacisim (20)
Holy Shield (20)
Defiance (20)

I chose Defiance over Sacrafice because I am building this char defencivly and Greif will add enough damage to be boosted by Zeal's and Fant's ED bonuses.

My question is: Which shield should I use? At first i thought HOZ would be the best choice. But before i trade off all my mal's um's and pul's, i wanted to ask for advice. Right now it's a toss up between HOZ and an ethreal Sacred Targe with Exile Runeword.

Here's my predicament. An um'ed HOZ gives +72 to all resistances (which is well needed) but exile adds another 15% chance of life tap. Exile can't be un'ed because it is a runeword. Defence would work out to about the same. Shield Base Smite Damage would be almost trippled. Oh, and does Life Tap even stack? meaning with Dracul's and Exile i would get 25% chance to cast Life Tap?

But what do you guys think? HOZ or Exile?

 

[SnickerSnack]

Re: Smite/Zealer Question

HoZ. +skills and res are good. You could put a lifetap wand (they can be shopped) on switch if you have trouble with tap not procing soon enough.

The two procs won't stack since they cast tap at different skill levels. Each will roll separately.

Also, the knockback on the Black runeword is detrimental since you intend to zeal a lot. If you have a mind to rebuild at any time, I'd also recommend trading 10 or so points from smite to sacrifice. Smite really doesn't need to be maxed to be effective, especially if you intend to get Grief. In fact, once you get Grief, you really don't need to max any of your attack skills.