Smiter

Ok boys and girls
Fortitude or Chains of Honor?

Herald Of Zakarum or Exile

Guillaume's Face or 2 x

Ber

Crown of Ages


YOU ARE ALL LOVELY PEOPLE AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON

Here is an old link of mine but not too much has changed. I go with Enigma, Phoenix or Exile (I alternate but about the same), and CoA. I was going for 4k hp buffed so all res/life jewel with

Jah for more hp.

https://maxroll.gg/d2/d2planner/s4020omr. I got a video in here also if you are curious of the clear speed. trade/uber-service-t1361514.html

I prefer Fortitude, HoZ and Guillaume's.

Fortitude dmg is too good to pass up IMO.

HoZ skills + block chance + armor + extra socket is hard to beat. Higher dmg than Exile due to skills.

And guillaume's vs CoA is tough one.. I might prefer CoA if I could find a decent rolled one, but they are expensive and super rare. I went with Guillaume's due to low cost and also extra damage.

My version is using Enigma (for mini Ubers), Fortitude, Exile (on a 45 all res elite

Eth base), GFace, Gore R, Highlord's, Wisp, TGods, Grief and 1p into

Salvation (300+ lightning res) to go for Ubers.

Zero187 wrote: 4 months ago

HoZ skills + block chance + armor + extra socket is hard to beat. Higher dmg than Exile due to skills.

I would argue the "base defensive factors" more or less even out and are subject to personal preference.
HoZ certainly wins on block chance which in turn lowers your dex and hence raises your life pool instead. At the same time, Exile gives you higher max fire and cold res and significantly higher defense than even an

Eth. HoZ ever could, not only because of the inherently higher enhanced def on the shield but even more so due to the passive

Defiance aura which not only significantly boosts your own def but that of your merc and party, too.

Essentially, you end up with "more life vs. more res + def + party/merc def".

Beyond that, HoZ MAY offer higher damage but really only if you forego survivability pretty much entirely (or waste time using a

Wand which effectively also drops your dmg/time / run some odd build wasting your boot slot on

Marrowwalk). Thing is, if you run HoZ, you won't have

Life Tap unless you're also using drac's. And using drac's means you won't be using

Steelrend. That switch in gloves alone is just about enough to keep your damage output pretty much unchanged when moving from Exile to HoZ or vice versa. Beyond the base damage, drac's also gives you OW but you're likely to already have enough of that anyways so that doesn't matter much. Also beyond the base damage however, you actually lose 10% crushing by not having

Steelrend anymore which in turn means your actual damage output with HoZ is actually quite a bit lower, despite the extra skill points + socket.
And the only thing you have to show for that lower damage output...is lower quality of life/lower survivability for both you and your merc/party because drac's

Life Tap proc rate is also significantly lower than Exile's.

Personally, I would never use HoZ over Exile on a smiter. Ever. Yes, your total raw life pool will be lower (noticeably so) with Exile but beyond that, pretty much every aspect of your character (including overall survivability) will be significantly better imo, not even counting the benefit to your merc/party.

[All of that is assuming you optimize your overall gear for each build, be it HoZ or Exile - if you're still running around in lower tier gear, the impact of each may be quite different - much as I consider exile a critical piece for any smiter I make, it typically isn't the first piece I go for...or the second... // similarly, if you keep your str higher than it needs to be with HoZ + drac's (in turn dropping your life back down closer to exile levels), you will get slightly higher base dmg output (again before considering the drop in CB)]

Fort + Exile + CoA = win imo
Certainly no

Ber in the CoA though.

(though I certainly understand those going for gulli instead)

I am testing a double

Life Tap at the moment, one from drac's with 5% and the second one from Exile with 15%. it seems to work out really well so far.

will also test

Steelrend to see if the 10% cb make a big difference. or better feels like a big difference.

what is a big difference though, is an Exile over a hoz for a smiter. the sole fact that you sit at 31k def with an Exile + fort makes a big difference.

my hammerdin has a beautiful hoz which works pretty well with huge damage and huge def.
a smiter though, this one needs an Exile.

I'm using guillaume to reach at least 50% cb. if I change drac's for

Steelrend, I would have 60% cb. need to see if this changes anything in a big way.
also, I want to test Death for a smiter, because I then sit a 100% cb and 100% deadly strike for double damage.
I just don't know yet how this turns out, if this damage goes to the shield too.

Schnorki wrote: 4 months ago

Zero187 wrote: 4 months ago

HoZ skills + block chance + armor + extra socket is hard to beat. Higher dmg than Exile due to skills.

I would argue the "base defensive factors" more or less even out and are subject to personal preference.
HoZ certainly wins on block chance which in turn lowers your dex and hence raises your life pool instead. At the same time, Exile gives you higher max fire and cold res and significantly higher defense than even an

Eth. HoZ ever could, not only because of the inherently higher enhanced def on the shield but even more so due to the passive

Defiance aura which not only significantly boosts your own def but that of your merc and party, too.

Essentially, you end up with "more life vs. more res + def + party/merc def".

Beyond that, HoZ MAY offer higher damage but really only if you forego survivability pretty much entirely (or waste time using a

Wand which effectively also drops your dmg/time / run some odd build wasting your boot slot on

Marrowwalk). Thing is, if you run HoZ, you won't have

Life Tap unless you're also using drac's. And using drac's means you won't be using

Steelrend. That switch in gloves alone is just about enough to keep your damage output pretty much unchanged when moving from Exile to HoZ or vice versa. Beyond the base damage, drac's also gives you OW but you're likely to already have enough of that anyways so that doesn't matter much. Also beyond the base damage however, you actually lose 10% crushing by not having

Steelrend anymore which in turn means your actual damage output with HoZ is actually quite a bit lower, despite the extra skill points + socket.
And the only thing you have to show for that lower damage output...is lower quality of life/lower survivability for both you and your merc/party because drac's

Life Tap proc rate is also significantly lower than Exile's.

Personally, I would never use HoZ over Exile on a smiter. Ever. Yes, your total raw life pool will be lower (noticeably so) with Exile but beyond that, pretty much every aspect of your character (including overall survivability) will be significantly better imo, not even counting the benefit to your merc/party.

[All of that is assuming you optimize your overall gear for each build, be it HoZ or Exile - if you're still running around in lower tier gear, the impact of each may be quite different - much as I consider exile a critical piece for any smiter I make, it typically isn't the first piece I go for...or the second... // similarly, if you keep your str higher than it needs to be with HoZ + drac's (in turn dropping your life back down closer to exile levels), you will get slightly higher base dmg output (again before considering the drop in CB)]

Fort + Exile + CoA = win imo
Certainly no

Ber in the CoA though.

(though I certainly understand those going for gulli instead)

Thanks for the feedback! Exile is one of those runewords that is expensive enough and rolls vary enough where I have been really waiting on a worthy base for it. Unfortunately, even using my 0% MF Pally basefinder, I have yet to see a decent one after 2 years. Keep hoping for a chance to try it, but I refuse to make it in anything less than a near-perfect/perfect base. And don't want to pay for a base, so I am stuck farming endlessly for it, at the moment.

Good to know that it is indeed worth the continued farm, and that someday my smiter will be even stronger! I did find perfect 60% ED steelrends a month ago, so just need that damn base.. Best one I've found so far was

Eth Superior

Sacred Targe with 7% ED and 33 all res. Ugh. Close, but no cigar.

EDIT: I also use my smiter more as a Zealadin while leveling up, so maybe HoZ is better for that with the added attack rating? Then once I hit 99, I can convert to full

Smite with Exile + steelrends.

EDIT2: Another idea that came to mind was HoZ +

Steelrend and then put dual Last Wish on merc for that to be my source of lifetap. If I can figure out a way to get my merc to survive Ubers (without spamming rejuvs), that could be a worthy option.. Will have to do some testing soon.

Crispin wrote: 4 months ago

I am testing a double

Life Tap at the moment, one from drac's with 5% and the second one from Exile with 15%. it seems to work out really well so far.

In my experience, once you get Exile (and OW on some other piece..e.g. gores), you can just ignore the idea of drac's as Exile by itself procs more than often enough to never worry about it.

Crispin wrote: 4 months ago

what is a big difference though, is an Exile over a hoz for a smiter. the sole fact that you sit at 31k def with an Exile + fort makes a big difference.

You could push well beyond 50k def if you really wanted to but that'd pretty much require an

Eth. Exile which I for one just don't like (exceptionally unlikely as it is, you can in fact still break those...f that...also, style! ^^)

Crispin wrote: 4 months ago

also, I want to test Death for a smiter, because I then sit a 100% cb and 100% deadly strike for double damage.

100% cb is pretty glorious. Deadly however doesn't work with

Smite.
If Death had attack speed, it'd actually be pretty baller though.

Zero187 wrote: 4 months ago

I refuse to make it in anything less than a near-perfect/perfect base. And don't want to pay for a base

What base are you looking for? Big fan of zakarum shields myself (mainly for the 0pt dmg spread). Even with 45 res, those tend to still go fairly cheap since most folks jump on the s.

Targe train instead.

Zero187 wrote: 4 months ago

EDIT: I also use my smiter more as a Zealadin while leveling up, so maybe HoZ is better for that with the added attack rating. Then once I hit 99, I can convert to full

Smite with Exile + steelrends.

Depends on the weapon I suppose. Though even leveling you tend to

Zeal trash mobs but

Smite bosses meaning something like ITD on Grief will take care of all of your AR needs as the only mobs it doesn't work on are the ones you end up smiting instead of zealing anyways. No AR needed.

Zero187 wrote: 4 months ago

EDIT2: Another idea that came to mind was HoZ +

Steelrend and then put dual Last Wish on merc for that to be my source of lifetap. If I can figure out a way to get my merc to survive Ubers, that could be a worthy option.. Will have to do some testing soon.

Exile's

Defiance helps with that.
The downside of relying on your merc for it via LW is that he overrides it himself, both with the LW blind and with his stupid

Taunt. So while it still works on bosses/ubers themselves, your merc (and potentially you) end up getting overwhelmed by trash instead as LT gets immediately overwritten on that.
Tried it for a while, couldn't help but hate how it played out.

Wow, had no idea you can break

Eth exiles.. That would certainly put a damper on things.

As for the base I was looking for, pretty much just whatever drops that has 10%+ ED and 40+ all res. Really wanted

Eth, but maybe I should reconsider..

Well, it is extremely unlikely to the point of being unrealistic in any normal play. You'd normally never even see it get low because the auto-repair is quick enough.

But theoretically it is possible and I did have to abort an experiment because of it..that's the last time I used an

Eth base for anything that doesn't turn fully indestructible (or is just for my merc).

Zero187 wrote: 4 months ago

Wow, had no idea you can break

Eth exiles.. That would certainly put a damper on things.

As for the base I was looking for, pretty much just whatever drops that has 10%+ ED and 40+ all res. Really wanted

Eth, but maybe I should reconsider..

Just checked another website and

Eth

Zakarum Shield with 45 all res goes around 2-4

Jah where

Eth

Sacred Targe with 45 all res goes for 10-15. This is really weird since these 2 are the best bases. I'm considering to trade my

Eth ST to change it with ZS.

On the other hand, if you plan to use Exile only for torch farm then I say you can go with non-

Eth base. I did it so many times with my

Kurast Shield and mostly without tiniest of problem (Well, once Schnorki saved my ars but that was my own fault).

Schnorki wrote: 4 months ago

In my experience, once you get Exile (and OW on some other piece..e.g. gores), you can just ignore the idea of drac's as Exile by itself procs more than often enough to never worry about it.

I thought so! I will go the to the steelrends and test it.

Schnorki wrote: 4 months ago

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You could push well beyond 50k def if you really wanted to but that'd pretty much require an

Eth. Exile which I for one just don't like (exceptionally unlikely as it is, you can in fact still break those...f that...also, style! ^^)

yeah, that's nice. did you push with skillers +

Defiance merc?
ZAKARUM SHIELDS FTW!

Schnorki wrote: 4 months ago

100% cb is pretty glorious. Deadly however doesn't work with

Smite.
If Death had attack speed, it'd actually be pretty baller though.

yes, indeed. Death is a baller weapon by itself. huge damage with a zealer. I'm gonna try a fana aura with the smiter and see how it turns out. my hope is that I can burst down uber bosses before they do any real damage.

Crispin wrote: 4 months ago

yeah, that's nice. did you push with skillers +

Defiance merc?
ZAKARUM SHIELDS FTW!

Defiance from Exile. Merc is might for dmg, as it should be.

Schnorki wrote: 4 months ago

Crispin wrote: 4 months ago

yeah, that's nice. did you push with skillers +

Defiance merc?
ZAKARUM SHIELDS FTW!

Defiance from Exile. Merc is might for dmg, as it should be.

I was fearful and took a

Holy Freeze merc, but will change to might.

fun fact: silly me forgot to put 20 points into

Defiance.

@Schnorki;

Have a question: With

Steelrend, how do you compensate the lack of 20 ias from LoH?

basicnecromancy wrote: 4 months ago

@Schnorki;

Have a question: With

Steelrend, how do you compensate the lack of 20 ias from LoH?

Personally, my goal with a smiter is to generally be at max attack speed across everything I encounter in uber runs (which by extension is basically everything everywhere, except for

Decrepify but mweh..that's not worth pushing the last frame on again imo).

As a result,

Duriel is really the driving force behind the needed IAS as his freeze not only cancels out your fana but pushes beyond it, leaving you in need of 89 IAS to keep a 6 frame

Smite speed. Ideally, in theory, you'd go for 99 as that gives you the earlier

Smite hit frame as well (albeit still at 6 frames/attack) plus it would still keep even your

Zeal capped.

Since I don't

Zeal on or around

Duriel though while he's still up and the earlier frame doesn't exactly matter in any noticeable way there (no mechanics to worry about coming in earlier, literally only 0.04s saved over the entire kill), I'm calling 89 my overall goal for a smiter. Though depending on your other gear choices and hence final level of

Fanaticism, that number may change by a couple points. Similarly, if you choose to not go with a

Phase Blade (though...why?! ^^) then that number would change significantly.

89 though is easy enough to reach simply by combining for example highlord's, 2x whateveraffixyouprefer/IAS jewels in CoA and a 39+ IAS Grief. There's other perfectly viable, equally simple ways to get there, depending on preference.

Schnorki wrote: 4 months ago

basicnecromancy wrote: 4 months ago

@Schnorki;

Have a question: With

Steelrend, how do you compensate the lack of 20 ias from LoH?

Personally, my goal with a smiter is to generally be at max attack speed across everything I encounter in uber runs (which by extension is basically everything everywhere, except for

Decrepify but mweh..that's not worth pushing the last frame on again imo).

As a result,

Duriel is really the driving force behind the needed IAS as his freeze not only cancels out your fana but pushes beyond it, leaving you in need of 89 IAS to keep a 6 frame

Smite speed. Ideally, in theory, you'd go for 99 as that gives you the earlier

Smite hit frame as well (albeit still at 6 frames/attack) plus it would still keep even your

Zeal capped.

Since I don't

Zeal on or around

Duriel though while he's still up and the earlier frame doesn't exactly matter in any noticeable way there (no mechanics to worry about coming in earlier, literally only 0.04s saved over the entire kill), I'm calling 89 my overall goal for a smiter. Though depending on your other gear choices and hence final level of

Fanaticism, that number may change by a couple points. Similarly, if you choose to not go with a

Phase Blade (though...why?! ^^) then that number would change significantly.

89 though is easy enough to reach simply by combining for example highlord's, 2x whateveraffixyouprefer/IAS jewels in CoA and a 39+ IAS Grief. There's other perfectly viable, equally simple ways to get there, depending on preference.

Thank you!