I’m a lvl 73 Pally zealot build Hell level, and i’m getting stuck when i run into those that have immunity to physical attacks. Can’t proceed when sandwiched between two beetles that have this in maggot lair for example.
Is there something I can do here, or am I at the point where I have to play with others to get anywhere?
If you have a point in vengeance, you can whittle them down. However, that is slow. You can replace whatever merc you are using (make sure to grab his equipment and store it) and hire an Act 3 Fire Merc from the previous difficulty. He will cast Fireball (no immunities that I recall to fire down there) and he will Enchant you as well, adding both fire dmg to your swings and more attack rating.
Whatever +skills equipment you have, will help him out too. Spirit Sword is cheap runes, Lidless Eye is probably his best shield on a budget, peasant crown for helm or Lore runeword, Vipermagi for armor if you have. You can also shop for a teleport wand (google it, I have never done it myself), and use teleport charges to skip past beetles towards exit. Recharge using the horadric cube formula.
You can also build a Lawbringer for on swap to deal cold ele damage and chance to cast decrepify to remove the immune.
Switch to Vengeance and Holy Shock/Holy Fire to do elemental damage. Use a weapon that adds elemental damage. I have a 6 socket sword with 6 ort runes that adds 300 lightning damage that then gets multiplied by Vengence.
A zeal Paladin doesn’t need alot of skill point investment besides a few hard points in Zeal and 20 in Fanaticism. The rest can be dumped into Holy Shock, which when fully synergized can deal 3k+ lightning damage.
Act 2 is a pain, Maggot Lair being the worst for a physical damage dealer.
Zeal Paladin benefits greatly from using a simple Gimmershred on swap (which coincidentally, only has a level 70 requirement). Add on something like a Tiamat’s Rebuke shield, and you’re weapon swap can take care of any physical immunes with relative ease. Baranar’s Star is also a popular choice (though not as good as Gimmershred, imo, unless you have the Str), as is Azurewrath (though this requires a higher level requirement). Of course, you could even use something like a Lawbringer on swap to get Decrepify out, or even something like a Voice of Reason runeword I remember taking care of physical immunes alright (unless they’re also cold immune). So yeah, I think on my Uber Zealer, he just uses a Gimmershred swap with a Tiamat’s Rebuke, along with Hellfire Torch and whatever else, phys immunes become a true non-issue.
Other thing I could suggest is using a Spellsteal/Naj Staff/Teleport Circlet/amulet and just teleporting the maggot lair, that’s what I did on my FoH’din, in fact having a way to teleport before Enigma I now consider a must especially for something like a Paladin who can hit brick walls.
An A2 merc with Reaper’s Toll or an A5 merc with Lawbringer will solve this problem. You can always use Lawbringer yourself on switch.
There are many options as noted above. You can use a weapon with a high level of elemental like Azurwath or Lighsaber. You can get a source of amp/decrep like Reapers Toll on a A2, Witchwild on A1 or get yourself a Lacerator. You can also get a A3 merc to give your ‘team’ a source of elemental damage.
If you are ‘poor’ I’d go with the A3 cold merc. He freezes targets making you talk less damage while you are fighting. Fire merc is nice for the AR bones but I have found more Physical/Fire Immune than anything else.
My preferred option is to have 1 hard pt into Vengeance and Conviction. When you move away from Zeal your AR will drop thus conviction makes it easier to hit things and increases the elemental damage on Vengeance. Rouge mercs are great as Fanat can make them spit out arrows. If you get a bow with a chance to proc Amp, you are golden. The Rouge also has an occasional elemental attack.
Buy a staff of teleport from norm a3
Not sure what you have available, but if you can make a Lawbringer you can put that on W, or if you use act 5 merc with frenzy give it to him.
It’s quite cheap AmnLemKo and goes into Swords, Hammers and Scepters, since it doesn’t add to base damage faster weapons are better than high damage ones (phase blade would be number 1).
Deals some elemental damage, negates the Phys Immune on undead, but more important will constantly cast decrepify on the enemies (you can switch back if this is cast and just do normal zeal).
This. Helps you keep your sanity in the maggot lair playing solo.
I discovered a “duress,” runeword that seems to be helping. Maybe the crushing blow and open wounds bypasses the physical immunity?
That’s correct, and as a Zealot you deal plenty of strikes per second, therefore generating many chances for triggering CB/OP.
Btw, look for items that trigger spells “on strike” or “on attack”, you’ll cast them very often.
this game in hell mode is supposed to be hard. try adding some elemental damage to your attacks, like the gimmershred.
or you can just find an item that will cause Amplify damage on striking, it will remove those immunities so you can kill them.
Buy a teleport staff
consider putting 5 points in blessed hammer, with max blessed aim you get the AR for zeal and bonus dmg to hammers. magic damage has the least number of immunes
Yes, sanctuary aura against undead phys immunes
Weapons with elemental damage
Vengeance
Open wounds effect
Hmmmm, let’s see … [after 2 seconds of thought] … a mercenary capable of attacking other than physical? Points in an additional skill tree to help counter physical immunes? Gear that supports elemental attacks to counter physical immunes?
That’s just 3 things off the top of my head after 2 seconds of thought …
How much effort have YOU put into your character to correct this issue?
HAHAHAHAHAHA … You know, LMFAO, one of the premises of this game is “group” play and/or “team” play to advance through the game a lot easier. Now, another concept, playing alone, requires a little more effort on your part than coming on here and whining!
LOL @ “have” to play with others. OMFG!
Let’s not disencourage newbies to ask for help, from the community. Don’t be the toxic guy.
Yeah, point taken. So used to the BS rhetoric, didn’t consider he might just be new. So much agenda and multi account posts on these forums these days, it gets frustrating. Then throw in the millennial “give me” attitude.
Are you simply a zealot? No other aspects used? Therein my be your problem. Such a narrow field of skills severely limits you. Branch out some to help yourself. Add some additional skills that can help you in these types of situations. Get a merc that compliments your playstyle as well as deals with situations your char cannot handle.
Level 73, Hell level, limited skills … that’s the issue. In Hell, there are many physical immunities. Some have 3 or 4 immunities. Build your char to adjust for this possibility and you’ll overcome it before you even encounter it.
Gear needs to be adjusted so that it reflects not just the skill ability you want, but also the possibility of these immunes. There are sooo many options. You also have the ability to re-skill 3 times in the game by quest and then more with tokens.
Do not rule out mutual gameplay with others to help you progress. Team work can be very beneficial. Plus as you play and talk with others and ask questions, you learn about the game and your build.
Check out Arreat Summit. There is 3 tons of information there to help you out. Educate yourself a little more.
[ 2 seconds of thought ] Have you ever got your mercenary to stand perfectly by you in The Maggot Lair? Unless you have teleport, you are on your own…