Blessed Hammer Paladin (Hammerdin) Build for Diablo 2 Resurrected

Besides its versatile damage type, Blessed Hammer boasts both high damage output and fair area of effect. This combination makes the Hammerdin a very competitive build in virtually all aspects of the game, though never as efficient at any given task as some of the more specialised builds. Still, the unmatched versatility of the Hammerdin has earned it its rightful place as the top build in Diablo 2, a trend that is likely to continue in Diablo 2: Resurrected. Popularity comes at a price however: Paladin items have been historically expensive, so be prepared to trade for Hammerdin items at a premium.

You can check the viability of this build in PvM by consulting our PvM Tier List.

The following section shows the core skills for the Hammerdin. For a detailed breakdown of all core and optional skills as well as the recommended order for allocating skill points, refer to the Skills section of this guide.

1. 1 point to all prerequisites
2. 20 points to Blessed Hammer (primary skill)
3. 20 points to Vigor (mobility and synergy for Blessed Hammer)
4. 20 points to Blessed Aim (synergy for Blessed Hammer)
5. 20 points to Concentration (damage for Blessed Hammer while active)
6. 20 points to Holy Shield (defense and block chance)

Note that since Blessed Hammer is only available from level 18 onward, playing as a Hammerdin from the start of the game is not possible. For a smoother leveling experience, we recommend using a generic melee Paladin build and respecializing upon reaching level 18. For more information, refer to the Early Leveling section of this guide.

The following section discusses how many attribute points should be allocated to each of the primary stats.

103 Strength total, or enough to equip your heaviest piece of gear. For a typical Hammerdin, this 103 Strength target allows you to meet the Strength requirement for an Enigma Archon Plate. In practice however, you may only need to reach around 40 base Strength, with your gear providing the remainder of the Strength needed.

Note that allocating any more attribute points to Strength than what is necessary for your gear is superfluous, as the damage of the Hamemerdin does not scale with Strength.

Between 130 and 170 Dexterity total, or enough to reach the 75% maximum chance to block. For a typical Hammerdin wearing the Herald of Zakarum and using a fairly high level Holy Shield, 130 Dexterity should be enough.

Note that the total Dexterity needed to reach a 75% chance to block depends on your character level, gear, and Holy Shield level. To calculate the exact amount of Dexterity needed to maximise the chance to block of your planned Hammerdin, use an online calculator such as this one. To view your current chance to block, hover the Defense field in your character sheet.

Allocating any more attribute points to Dexterity than is necessary to maximise your chance to block is not recommended.

250+ Vitality. Every excess attribute point should be allocated to Vitality, as long as you can meet the Strength requirements of your items by the time you wish to equip them. Omitting Strength, you can allocate your attribute points to a mix of Vitality and Dexterity while leveling to maximise your survivability. An approximate 5:3 ratio of Vitality to Dexterity should keep both your life and chance to block at a reasonable level until you reach your Dexterity target.

0 Energy. Allocating stat points to Energy is universally considered sub-par for the Paladin due to the widespread availability of Mana Potions.

The following section shows some of the most important items for the Hammerdin. For a detailed per-slot breakdown of all Hammerdin items and alternative builds, refer to the Gear section of this guide.

• Weapon: Heart of the Oak
• Shield: Herald of Zakarum
• Body Armor: Enigma
• Helm: Harlequin Crest
• Belt: Arachnid Mesh

We also have a video guide that goes over the build, if you prefer that instead of or in addition to our written guide.

You can either hire a Defensive (Holy Freeze) or Offensive (Might) Desert Guard Mercenary in Act 2, Nightmare difficulty, depending on whether you want to slow monsters for added safety or improve the overall damage of your Mercenary.

For a detailed per-slot breakdown of Hammerdin Mercenary gear, refer to the Gear section of this guide.

The following section features a generic melee Paladin skill point progression meant to make leveling a Hammerdin smoother. This section assumes that you will respecialize towards your final Hammerdin skills upon reaching level 18, where Blessed Hammer becomes available.

1. 1 Point to Might
2. 1 Point to Sacrifice
3. 3 Points to Resist Fire until Level 6
4. 6 Points to Holy Fire from Levels 6-11
5. 1 Point to Zeal at Level 12
6. All remaining Points to Holy Fire until Level 18
7. Respec to Hammerdin at Level 18

For more comprehensive leveling advice, please refer to our Paladin Fastest Leveling Build.