Introduction
Skills
Stats
Gear
Merccenary
Strategy

Introduction

This is really an extension of my previous Shockadin/Crushplosive Ranger cross post...
By the time I got to clvl70, I had all the targetted skills maxed, so I started fiddling with FoH, to see if I could take advantage of the Holy Shock to FoH synergy. Since I'm posting this, obviously I could :)

It's also one of my 2 concurrent pally ladder builds right now, and I'm currently thinking that he'll be the designated D-Clone character, just like my off-ladder one.

Skills:

20 Resist Lightning
20 Holy Shock
10+ Conviction*
20 FoH**
4 Zeal
1+ Holy Shield
1+ Sacrifice
11 Prerequisites
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87 Skill Points - clvl76 to complete

* You only need slvl25 conviction with items, so plan number of skill points you're willing to invest into it accordingly.
**Vengeance will do more damage, but FoH provides the added safety of being able to stand on the other side of magma river and other such areas while dealing thousands in lightning damage.

Actually, complete build arrives at clvl55 or so, since FoH + pre-req's aren't really needed until you decide to duel. Max Resist Lightning + Holy Shock first, they'll get you to hell. Then work on Conviction, which will allow you to cruise through hell, and finally max FoH. If you will be and avid dueler, I suggest also putting a point or two into Meditation for mana recovery - Redemption won't work in that scenario.

Stats:

Strength - enough for gear
Dexterity - enough for blocking
Life - lots and lots and lots
Energy - very little

Gear:

Ladder/Cheap Build:
Since I don't play enough to obtain godly equipment on the ladder (took me 3+ years to collect all the stuff for off-ladder play), here's the equipment on the ladder (clvl86) . Everything except HoZ can be obtained for a few perfect gems... Not bad for never having to die :)

Armor - Upgraded Duriel's Shell (perf topaz)
Helm - Orphan's Call Set (open socket)
Gloves - Laying of Hands
Belt - T-God's Vigor
Boots - Gore Riders
Ring 1 - Ravenfrost
Ring 2 - Crafted LL ring
Amulet - Rising Sun
Shield - Hearald of Zakarum (socket with Perfect Diamond)
Weapon - Nord's Tenderizer / Crescent Moon Phase Blade
Shield 2 - Rare +2 pally skills shield
Weapon 2 - Rose Branded WS (+3 combat, +3 FoH, +3 Conviction, w/2 light facets socketed)
Inventory -6 offensive GC's, Unique Charm, bunch of elemental damage charms.

Off - Ladder (Setup at clvl88)
Armor - Chains of Honor runeword
Helm - Orphan's Call Set (15ias jewel)
Gloves - Crafted IAS blood gloves (LoH if going after clone)
Belt - String of Ears
Boots - Gore Riders
Ring 1 - Ravenfrost
Ring 2 - Crafted LL ring
Amulet - Highlord's Wrath (Rising Sun if going after clone)
Shield - HoZ (Perf Diamond)
Weapon - Beast Berserker Axe
Shield 2 - HoZ (open socket)
Weapon 2 - Rose Branded WS (+3 combat, +3 FoH, +3 Conviction, well worth 1.7m I paid for it :)
Hand of Blessed Light is a good alternative (+2 skills, +2 FoH).
Inventory - 4 Combat GCs, 4 Offensive GCs, Unique Charm

Holy Shock: slvl29
Conviction: slvl29/32
Zeal: slvl 11
FoH: slvl 38

Resists:
75 to all
95 to lightning

Damage:
Zeal w/ Holy Shock - ~8k max, 4500 avg damage
Zeal w/ Conviction - ~2k max, 1500 avg damage (used only for large packs of lightning immune monsters)
FoH w/ Conviction - ~3k max, 3k avg damage

Not sure if FCR really matters when it comes to FoH, since there's a 1 second casting delay.

Mercenary:

I use Defiance mercs, though other people have had success with Holy Freezers.

Strategy:

There are really no "troublesome" areas. Sure, if an act 4 Oblivion Knight casts Iron Maiden on you and you don't see it in time to switch to FoH, until they curse you with something else, you will die. Tthat's about it. Even the Black Souls in act 5 Hell are no match: lightning absorb and 95 resists takes care of that.

PvM General
Zeal everyone in your path with Holy Shock as your primary aura. Given the amount of lightning damage applied with each swing, physical immune monsters will not be an issue.

PvM Lightning Immune Packs
Switch to Conviction as your primary aura, keeping Zeal as primary attack.

PvM Lightning Immune Boss
FoH with Conviction (removes immunity to allow FoH to deal full amount of lightning damage)

PvM Lightning + Physical Immunes
Yes, there are a few of these around. Use the same strategy as if they were just lightning immune. Conviction lowers their defense to almost nothing, and allows you to either Zeal or FoH them, depending on how many critters you have to deal with.

PvP Melee
This group includes Melee Paladins, Barbs, Weredruids, MA-Assassins and other off-the wall melee builds. Both Zeal w/ Holy Shock or FoH w/ Conviction will do just fine here.

PvP Ranged
Sorceresses, Amazons, Eluminers, and Hammerdins are part of this group. FoH's auto-target makes it very easy to deal with this group. Just make sure you don't stay in one place. Having an item (amulet or armor) with teleport will help as well.

PvP Necro
Use Zeal w/ Holy Shock, since they can spam a bunch of minions and bonewalls for your FoH to go astray on.

PvP Lightning Absorb
This can get somewhat tricky. Full lightning absorb gear barb could have up to 90% absorb (2xLightsabre + 2xWisp Projector) + 40 hp absorb (Thundergods Vigor + Blackhorn's Mask).
Problem is, that type of setup would weaken any of barb's attacks and leave him w/o a shield, where Zeal + Conviction would rip him to shreds.

Amazons
A Zon could have 40% + 40hp absorb, which won't be enough to offset 3k Lightning Damage with Conviction - with PvP and absorb penalties comes out to about 100 points of damage / cast, so prepare to be patient and just run around casting FoH.

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*lazbear@west and @east
*lpb
*OrneryA (LADDER)
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