With Season 11, Blizzard has surprisingly introduced the Paladin in Diablo 4. The new class not only brings really strong builds but also playstyles that feel almost like a cozy “weekend simulator” for gamer dads.
Here’s what it means for the “gamer dads”: Diablo 4 has quickly earned a reputation for being the optimal game for fathers with little time. Those who have to juggle family, work, and other responsibilities find here an ARPG that is fun even in short sessions.
On Reddit, a player presents a Paladin build that is perfect for the audience who just wants to casually slice through monsters. With the build that the player names “The Weedwhacker,” you zoom across the map like a lawnmower and cut down monsters without much effort.
What kind of build is this? On December 12, the Paladin unexpectedly appeared in Diablo 4 and is playable for everyone who pre-orders the new expansion Lord of Hatred. The class brings various playstyles, some of which fans might recognize from previous Diablo titles. One of them focuses on a two-handed sword and on destroying everything around you without much interruption and at high speed.
The “Zeal Build” builds on the Fanaticism Oath. You can see more about the Paladin and his oaths in the trailer:
More Life = More Attacks
This is what makes the build so strong: The Zeal Build revolves around the skill “Zeal,” which allows you to attack enemies in a 360-degree radius around you at extremely high speed. Unlike many other Paladin builds, you won’t use a shield here. Instead, you rely on the two-handed sword “Red Sermon” to significantly increase the damage of Zeal. You can find an overview of all Uniques in Diablo 4 here.
The build is designed for high attack speed and high cooldown reduction. You deal constant damage, heal yourself in the process, and can easily handle practically all game content. At the same time, the Zeal Build is very beginner-friendly and enjoyable to play.
Key points of the build are:
- As a resource, you use life instead of faith. As long as you have enough life – or more precisely, can sacrifice – you attack.
- “Falling Star” serves as a mobility skill that allows you to quickly move between enemy groups. “Aura of Fanaticism” additionally increases your attack speed and critical hit chance.
- The defensive skill “Consecration” heals you and deals damage per second to enemies. “Aura of Resilience” also provides healing, enhances your armor, and makes you unstoppable. The Ultimate “Fortress” grants you immunity – especially helpful in boss fights.
- With the unique sword “Red Sermon,” Zeal deals more damage and has a chance to inflict double damage. Until you obtain the sword, you use “Legacy of the Fanatic” as an upgrade for Zeal. This expands the attack, seeks random enemies, and hits four more times.
This is how the build plays out: You spam Zeal to deal constant damage and tear through enemy groups. In the process, you accumulate fervor, which strengthens you further. You use your defensive skills, Aura of Resilience, Consecration, and Fortress, as often as possible. “Fortress” is especially useful in tougher encounters. To ensure your auras are always available and that you benefit from buffs continuously, it’s especially crucial to stack cooldown reduction.
You can find an extensive build guide with experts and theorycrafters from maxroll.gg. There is also an overview of the strongest builds in our Tier List for Diablo 4 Season 11.
To get even more out of your builds, you can also rely on the new seasonal crafting feature Sanctification. This allows your items to gain random effects that can make them even stronger. However, Sanctification is not available at all times and comes with a few important rules. You can find out exactly how Sanctification works and what to watch out for here: Diablo 4: Sanctification is the final improvement of your items – here’s how it works
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