D2R Season 9: Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin Build

Ben Author

Created - 10.12.2024 Updated - 11.12.2024

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The Holy Freeze aura in Diablo II: Resurrected is only looked at as a utility that slows enemies down. Most D2R Paladin players gravitate toward Holy Shock or Smite to deal the most damage possible. While we agree that those skills are better in terms of overall damage, one should never underestimate the power of Holy Freeze.

That is what we intend to do today. We are going to tell you how awesome a build that utilizes the said offensive aura is by providing you with some handy tips and gear recommendations.

If you want to step out of the conventional Tesladin and Dragon Paladin builds in D2R, then we encourage you to read further. This is our comprehensive build guide for the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin for Diablo II: Resurrected Season 9!

Why Choose the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin?

To understand why we love this particular D2R Paladin build compared to others, it is important to discuss its main skills and how they factor in.

Holy Freeze is an offensive aura that slows nearby enemies down while periodically dealing cold damage in the process. This particular aura scales well with skill levels. That is the reason why your equipment is composed of items that boost the level of Holy Freeze by at least one to three points.

Admittedly, Holy Freeze is not ideal for taking on tankier monsters and bosses. If you like to beat the formidable bosses in Uber Tristram, for example, you will need the aid of another skill called Zeal.

Zeal is a potent ability in the Paladin’s kit because it allows him to deliver five successive attacks that deal considerable amounts of damage. Since this is a physical damage skill, the Paladin can take advantage of life and mana leech for incredible sustain, which is pretty much mandatory in Hell Difficulty.

Moreover, Holy Freeze deals more damage the closer the enemies are to you. In fact, if you are in melee range, you effectively deal double damage! As you can see, Zeal and Holy Freeze are a perfect match because the former forces you to be in close proximity to the enemy to land attacks!

Now, we want to set your expectations straight. Our version of the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin in Diablo II: Resurrected is a bit more expensive than usual. That is mainly because of the items that are required for this build to go head-to-head with the greats, such as the Tesladin and Uber Smiter Paladin.

One of the things that you don’t do is go for the Doom runeword on this build. Why? The answer is very simple: the low-level Holy Freeze Aura it provides does not stack with skiller charms and items. If you are interested in knowing what replaces Doom in our version of the Holy Freeze Zealot, then read further to learn more!

Playstyle

When you are out on the field, set your eyes on the tougher enemies. Lesser monsters can easily get wrecked by the Holy Freeze aura itself. Remember that the higher the level of Holy Freeze is, the more devastating it becomes, so it should have enough power to defeat even the minions of Hell.

Thankfully, you have your single-target damage sorted out by utilizing Zeal. Even though you do not have Fanaticism, the periodic pulses from Holy Freeze will supplement the damage of Zeal, making this D2R build a true hybrid damage dealer!

It should also go without saying that Battle Command, Battle Orders, and Holy Shield are up at all times. This covers both your offense and defense.

Stats

• Strength: Depends on your gear
• Dexterity: 136 or more (depending on your shield)
• Vitality: Spend the rest of your points here
• Energy: None

The Holy Freeze Zeal Paladin D2R has a relatively low vitality allocation because of the attribute requirements of its gear. For instance, one of the ideal body armors for this build requires a hefty 165 points of STR. Additionally, if you decide to use the Vortex Shield as your base, you will need at least 148 strength for that as well.

Dexterity on the D2R Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin build is not only to cap block chance, but also as a means of equipping the Phase Blade.

As you can see, you only have a small amount of points left for VIT. Nevertheless, this build is pretty durable despite the relatively low HP, so survivability is not going to be a problem.

Skills

• 20 points on Holy Freeze
• 20 points on Zeal
• 20 points on Resist Cold
• 20 points on Salvation Aura
• 20 points on Sacrifice
• 4 points on Holy Shield
• Put 1 point on the following skills:
  • Might
  • Holy Fire
  • Smite
  • Holy Bolt
  • Blessed Hammer
  • Charge

Holy Freeze is not available until you are level 18. That’s why you get Might aura at level 1 and then Sacrifice in your next level up. As soon as you reach level 6, we recommend that you get Holy Fire aura leveled up until you are at level 12. By then, you will gain access to Zeal, which is one of your primary skills.

Holy Fire coupled with Zeal should make things a lot easier as far as leveling your D2R character is concerned. At level 18, you can allocate points to Holy Freeze and never look back!

Alternatively, if you are fine without the Holy Fire aura, you can just put points to Resist Cold until you have Holy Freeze. Don’t forget to put one point on Zeal at level 12 since that will be your main dealer early on.

Resist Cold and Salvation Aura are maxed out due to their synergy with Holy Freeze. Sacrifice is also at level 20 to make Zeal attack harder. The rest of the points are simply to get the prerequisites, with the exception of Holy Shield, which is set to level 4 for an improved chance to block.

Breakpoints

D2R Paladin builds generally do not have a lot of breakpoints to attain in order to become successful at slaying demons and the undead. That is why you do not need FCR for this build since you’re not going to use Enigma anyway.

The only two breakpoints that you need to take care of are Increased Attack Speed (IAS) and Faster Block Rate (FBR).

IAS is a bit tricky to calculate because it largely depends on the weapon you will use. For instance, if you opt for the Phase Blade, you have to reach 24% or 54% to reduce the Frames Per Attack (FPA) to 9 or 8, respectively.

On the other hand, if you use the Caduceus, you have to achieve either 35% or 60% increased attack speed to lower the attack frames to 10 and 9. Refer to this handy IAS calculator for more information.

For Faster Block Rate, you only need 86% FBR to achieve that ideal 1-frame block animation.

Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin Gear Recommendations

If you want to take the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin to the top of the Season 9 ladder, you have to have plenty of jewel sockets to accommodate Rainbow Facet: Cold jewels. These jewels not only increase the damage of Holy Freeze by up to 5% each, but they reduce the enemy’s cold resistance by the same amount as well.

On top of that, this D2R build utilizes the quintessential Paladin Set, Griswold’s Legacy. If you are going to opt for the set items that make up this collection, we highly recommend that you wear the full four-piece set. This is so that you gain additional Paladin skill levels, 30% FHR, 50 all resistances, and a 200 attack rating, among others.

It goes without saying that this build does require a bit of an investment. If you need assistance with that, our D2R store is ready to serve you!

Helmet

The Nightwing’s Veil is the perfect helmet for the D2R Holy Freeze Zealot build if you are not going to wear the Griswold’s helm. This unique item improves the damage of Holy Freeze by up to 15%.

Although this might not get talked about a lot, the +20 DEX granted by the Nightwing’s Veil is quite helpful in helping you attain the 86% FBR without spending that many attribute points. This allows you to put those points to Vitality and improve your HP instead!

Now, if you still have Larzuk’s mission in Act 5, have him put one socket on the Nightwing’s Veil. This is so that you can insert one Rainbow Facet: Cold jewel, raising the cold skill damage modifier to 20%!

Griswold’s Valor might not have the bonuses that can wow you, but it is pretty decent as a defensive choice. The reason why this is a good alternative to Nightwing’s Veil is that it comes with two sockets, which enables you to put a couple of Rainbow Facet: Cold jewels. And oh, it is also a mandatory set piece to complete the whole Griswold’s Legacy set.

Body Armor

This next body armor is not known for its defense, but it’s definitely worth considering if all you care about is offense. Ormus’ Robes are a staple among D2R Sorceress builds that want to reach high damage numbers. However, the Holy Freeze Zealot can utilize its 15% cold skill damage as well!

If you are quite bothered by the relatively low HP pool of this D2R build, then Arkaine’s Valor is a good way to address that. Even though it has been nerfed quite a bit, this unique body armor is still good at providing you with a hefty life boost. Arkaine’s Valor can roll with either +1 or +2 to skill levels, so we recommend that you obtain the latter to improve the damage of the Holy Freeze aura considerably.

There is nothing astounding about Griswold’s Heart other than it comes with three sockets for the Rainbow Facet: Cold jewels. Besides that, you could wear this thing as early as level 45, which makes it a viable option for improving your defense at this stage of Diablo II: Resurrected.

Weapon

Compared to the Dragondin and the Tesladin, the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin is often overlooked because most players do not know how to increase its damage effectively.

Well, one of the things that bring so much power to this particular D2R build is the Grief runeword, specifically with a five-socket Phase Blade as the weapon base.

The reason for using the Phase Blade in this scenario is that it boasts the highest base attack speed among one-handed swords. In fact, it even rivals some Assassin weapons like the Runic Talons in this regard!

Having said that, the Grief Phase Blade has all of the damage bonuses that every melee build in Diablo II: Resurrected could ask for! On a perfect roll, you get a 400 flat damage boost, which is pretty insane!

On top of that, Grief can roll up to 40% increased attack speed and deal tremendous damage against demons. If you are thinking about fighting the Uber Bosses, this is the weapon that you should be looking at!

Other top-notch bonuses that this weapon runeword provides are a 20% chance to deal a Deadly Strike, ignore the target’s defense, and prevent monster healing, among others.

Heaven’s Light is a good second option for the D2R Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin, assuming that you’re not going to wear the full Griswold’s Set. This thing has three noteworthy modifiers, including 300% Enhanced Damage, 33% of Crushing Blow, and -33% to target defense.

This mighty scepter also has increased attack speed and deals 50% increased damage against undead minions. If the Grief runeword is still out of reach for you, then grab the Heaven’s Light scepter, preferably one that has +3 to Paladin skill levels and two sockets.

Among the set pieces in Griswold’s Legacy, only Griswold’s Redemption is quite respectable if looking at the modifiers of each item in the entire collection.

This unique Caduceus deals a whopping 250% increased damage against the undead, solidifying the Paladin’s status as the Warrior of Light. More importantly, its 240% Enhanced Damage coupled with its insane 40% increased attack speed makes quick work of any monster you come across.

While those are incredible bonuses indeed, Griswold’s Redemption is one of the only D2R set items that can roll up to four sockets. Inserting several Rainbow Facets can boost the damage of Holy Freeze significantly!

Shield

Griswold’s Honor completes the entire Griswold’s Legacy set. However, that is not the only thing that’s noteworthy about it. This shield boasts an impressive 65% Faster Block Rate! When you have this equipped, you only need 21% FBR to attain that one-frame block animation with Holy Shield enabled!

If you do not find the entire Griswold’s Legacy set attractive and you want a competitive shield that is deserving of this gear slot, then the Herald of Zakarum is quite good for the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin.

Aside from its 200% defense, 30% increased chance to block, and 30% Faster Block Rate, HoZ boosts your resistances by 50% as well. Additionally, it provides you with 20 VIT, which this build sorely lacks.

However, the headlining feature of the Herald of Zakarum is that it can raise the levels of Zeal and Holy Shield by four points (+2 to Holy Freeze is a nice consolation).

When you choose HoZ to be your trusty shield in Diablo II: Resurrected, have Larzuk add a socket to it in order for you to insert a Rainbow Facet: Cold jewel.

If you have the D2R runes to trade for this next shield, then we highly recommend that you do so! Sure, the Herald of Zakarum is nice, but a Jeweler’s Sacred Targe of Deflecting (aka JSTOD) provides more bang for the buck offensively. You should know by now what those four jewel sockets are for!

Switch Weapon

• Call to Arms (Crystal Sword): Primarily for casting Battle Orders and Battle Command
  • Requires the following runes: Amn, Ral, Mal, Ist, and Ohm

Shield Swap

• Spirit Shield: Utilized for its +2 to all skills and 35% Faster Cast Rate
  • Requires the Tal, Thul, Ort, and Amn runes

Gloves

Quite popular among D2R Zealer builds, you’ll find great value from Laying of Hands as well. You only need these gloves for the 20% IAS, but that huge 350% increased damage to demons is just too hard to ignore! Do you want to go boss-killing with the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin in Diablo II: Resurrected? Look no further than the Laying of Hands for the gloves!

Boots

Best known for providing you with the means of inflicting Crushing Blow, Deadly Strike, and Open Wounds, the Gore Rider is the best-in-slot boots for this D2R build, or any melee build for that matter.

If you don’t know what those three terms are, Deadly Strike is basically double damage in Diablo II: Resurrected. Crushing Blow works quite similarly to Static Field in that it removes a chunk of the enemy’s HP based on their current life.

How about Open Wounds? Monsters affected by this condition suffer from bleeding, making them lose health over time. Plus, Open Wounds cannot be resisted by any means. Once you’ve applied it, the enemies will suffer from the said condition with no way of removing it!

Amulet

Zeal is going to be your main tool against tougher monsters. To ensure that every hit is painful, you will wear Highlord’s Wrath for the amulet slot. This thing not only has a 20% increased attack speed but also provides you with +1 to all skills.

Aside from that, this amulet grows in power as you level up. The higher your level is, the better your chance of landing a Deadly Strike for more damage!

Highlord’s Wrath has a relatively high level requirement. In case you are not level 65 yet, you could wear The Cat’s Eye instead. At level 50, you have an amulet that grants 20% IAS, 30% FRW (Faster Run/Walk), and 25% DEX. What more could you ask for?

Rings

Cannot Be Frozen (or CBF) is one thing that you definitely need to achieve at some point in Diablo II: Resurrected. This is even more so when you reach the Hell Difficulty because monsters that can freeze you are rampant at this difficulty level.

That said, Raven Frost is a quick solution to your CBF problem. Besides that, this thing gives you a considerable boost in attack rating, DEX, and cold damage. It reduces the cold damage you receive as well!

Bul-Kathos’ Wedding Band is reserved for the other slot. This unique ring is needed for its +1 to all skills and 3% life leech.

Belt

You have two objectives that you want to fulfill in order to maximize the damage of the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin. First, you have to raise the level of Holy Freeze above level 20 so that it can kill enemies with tremendous cold damage. Second, stack attack speed as high as you can in order to quickly dismember the minions of Hell with Zeal.

To satisfy the second objective, you can take advantage of Nosferatu’s Coil. This belt provides 10% IAS, which is quite a rare stat for a belt in Diablo II: Resurrected.

Nosferatu’s Coil goes in line with the main mechanics of this build as it also slows enemies down, albeit by a small percentage. Still, you don’t want to give the minions of Hell any chance to escape, right?

Charms

• Annihilus: +1 to All Skills and +20 Attributes/Resistances
• Hellfire Torch: +3 to Paladin Skill Levels and +20 Attributes
• Gheed’s Fortune: Magic Find
• Sunder Charm—Cold Rupture: To break monster cold immunity
• Small Charms: + attack rating, min/max damage, and life
• Grand Charms: + to Defensive Auras, Combat Skills

Mercenary

Unlike most D2R builds, the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin can actually utilize mercenaries other than the Act 2 Desert Hireling. If you are tired of going for the same old formula, hire an Act 1 Mercenary and have her wield a bow with the Faith runeword on it.

Faith, for those who don’t know, is a D2R runeword that grants up to a level 15 Fanaticism Aura. Most Zealer Paladin builds in this game have the said offensive aura, but since the Holy Freeze Zealot is different, you’d have to get it somewhere else. Hence, the Act 1 Mercenary with Faith for the best results.

Here is a rundown of the best D2R items for your A1 Mercenary:

• Helmet: Giant Skull with a Shael Rune for that 20% IAS. This unique helmet has that special “Knockback” effect, which helps keep enemies away, preventing them from coming close to the mercenary. Once you have enough currency, replace Giant Skull with Andariel’s Visage for its inherent 20% IAS and life leech.
• Body Armor: Treachery is an incredible body armor for the A1 Mercenary due to its level 15 Fade buff. The 45% increased attack speed is also amazing at keeping monsters at bay. If you do not have problems with currency, Chains of Honor is definitely a viable alternative due to its 8% life leech and additional damage to demons.
• Weapon: Faith for the Fanaticism Aura. This is a bit of an expensive runeword in Diablo II: Resurrected but if you can afford it, aim for that level 15 aura for that 288% damage boost and a 33% increase in attack speed!

Tips and Strategies

• Act 2 Mercenary Ain’t Bad: If you want the tried-and-tested route, hire an Act 2 Mercenary with the Might Aura for damage. Also, have him use the Infinity runeword for that Conviction Aura, which reduces the resistances of nearby enemies by 85%! This makes Holy Freeze deal even more damage!
• Opt for Exile: If you don’t like Herald of Zakarum that much or you don’t have several Rainbow Facets on hand, then the Exile runeword is an amazing alternative. This is an excellent defensive shield that raises the level of Holy Freeze by two and provides Zeal with the ability to take life from enemies via the runeword’s level 5 Life Tap.
• Cold Rupture is Handy: This D2R sunder charm substantially reduces the cold resistance of nearby enemies, so much so that it even breaks monster immunities to cold damage! This is a key addition to the build, especially if you go for the A1 Mercenary over the Desert Hireling.
• Does This Build Work with Enigma? Almost every build in Diablo II: Resurrected can utilize Enigma. It has some incredible bonuses that make it one of the most popular D2R runewords to this day. However, the reason why we did not include this in our gear section is that it’s quite expensive and is not really needed for what you’re trying to accomplish with the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin. If you want the ability to Teleport in and out of maps, then go for this runeword without a problem!

Final Thoughts

The Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin should not be overlooked. Although there are meta Paladin builds out there that can potentially deal more damage, what this build specializes in is utility and ease of use.

Holy Freeze ensures that enemies are slowed down to a crawl, making them easier to pick apart with Zeal. Furthermore, the said offensive aura deals considerable damage once you have the recommended pieces of gear mentioned in this D2R build guide.

While it does not have the Fanaticism Aura that most Zealers have in Diablo II: Resurrected, the combination of Zeal and Holy Freeze should take care of most, if not all, monsters in the game! This is arguably one of the best hybrid damage dealers in D2R and is one that you must try in the new ladder season!

So, are you going to try the Holy Freeze Zealot Paladin in D2R Season 9? If so, what are the reasons why? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

PROS

• One of the best hybrid damage builds in D2R
• Amazing single-target damage via Zeal which is supplemented by Holy Freeze
• Holy Freeze is being utilized for both offense and defense on this build

CONS

• Requires plenty of Rainbow Facet jewels for maximum damage
• Higher budget compared to those that use the Doom runeword
• Lower HP compared to other D2R Paladin Builds