The Zealot uses physical melee attacks and magic skills to deal damage and can shapeshift into a powerful ranged caster.
Background
| Diablo III Class [e] | |
|---|---|
| |
Zealot
 Fan-made Class | |
| Role: | Melee, Caster |
| Primary Attributes: | Dexterity |
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Skills and Traits | |
| Origin: | Lut Gholein |
| Affiliation: | None |
| Friends: | None |
| Foes: | None |
War of the Gods
Long ago, a war between the forces of heaven and hell was waged over the rulership of sanctuary. Human acolytes - ancestors of the zealot order fought on the side of the angels and the forces of heaven. Dark heretics from the north fought alongside the demons. It was these heretics who would scour the battlefield capturing the essences of the fallen angels in soulstones denying them death. The war ended with niether side claiming our world, as the gates between sanctuary and the greater planes were sealed by a small band of human freedom fighters.
Discovery of the Angel Soulstones
A thousand years pass and a band of acolytes led by Shia Koran discover a cache of soulstones while raiding the derelict stronghold of the dark heretics. Unaware of the torment endured by the angels over the last millenium, Koran decided to free his trapped masters. Selecting a large soulstone, he opened himself as a channel for the soul to pass through. The being that was once an angel manifested fully within Koran, with chaotic fury clearly etched on its celestial features. Carnage ensued as the acolytes sought to banish the creature with full knowledge that doing so would also destroy their leader. Few acolytes survived the banishment ritual amidst the creature's devastation. Augus Moriden anounced himself the new leader of the acolytes, and selecting a very small soulstone, tentatively attempted to draw a small amount of the angel essence into himself. The resulting form scorched his left arm with an intense white fire and burned his eyes, but with a strong willpower he found he could control the form.
Formation to Present Day
Through this discovery, the acolytes became what we now know as the zealots. Warrior monks fighting with sword and sorcery, and when necassary - the chaotic powers of insane angels!
Class Design
There are several key builds for Zealots, and combinations are also viable.
These are:
- Melee Zealot
- Mana Burn Zealot
- PvM Zealot
Melee Zealot
Typical melee zealots weild 2-handed-swords (or dual-wield) as a shield is unnecessary. This is because zealot's are not afraid of using the maimed left arm they recieve from manifesting, and will even use it to block enemy attacks! The bandages they use to staunch the bloodied wounds and burns are usually wrapped thick, thus giving a decent protection against physical attacks and replacing a shield. When combined with a zealot's already high dexterity, this will gives a good block rate.
Mana Burn Zealot
Mana burn zealots, or "Mage Slayers" specialize in skills like "Mana Burn"(Passive) and "Mana Blast" to deliver damage to enemies based on their current mana minus their maximum mana. This build is also the most viable for PvP, especially against Witchdoctors and Wizards who rely on a relatively large mana pool.
PvM Zealot
This build is best suited for single player or soloing, where you want all your bases covered in case you run up against (inevitable) immunes. This build puts more skill points in the Soul skill tree and less into Body and Mind, especailly the Manifest skill, and skills which increase your survivability while in this state. Good solid damage output is the key.
Attributes and Skills
Zealots rely on dexterity for damage unlike other melee classes which rely on strength. Strength still plays a minor role in base damage and also increases health, but not as much as increasing vitality would. Strength should only be increased enough to equip the heavy two-handed-swords zealot's seem to love so much. Next important is willpower for mana - which acts like health while you are in manifest form and obviously allows casting of spells. And then there is vitality, which should definatly get a stat point or two every time you level up.
Attributes
Starting Attributes
Attribute Increase Per Level
Zealot Skills
Zealot skills can be describes as eclectic, with a vast array of skills to choose from. Some work well together, others don't. The skills are what make this class so fun, especially manifest and the skills which enhance it. There are skills for begginer players, such as the passive skills and defensive skills in the Body skill tree. Then there are skills for more strategic players, such as those in the Mind skill tree, which do more damage when the target is low on mana and/or has a large maximum mana pool, and offensive elemental skills for blowing stuff up.
The Zealot skills are arranged into to three distinctive skill tree categories:
All three trees have a combination of active and passive skills. Active skills are used in combat, while the passive skills boost or change the behaviour of the active skills.
Soul Skills
The Soul tree skills are drawn from the crystal the Zealot wears on a chain around his neck. These crystals are actually soulstones containing the tortured souls of angels trapped for all eternity. Through training and discipline the Zealot learns to draw out just enough of the angel's essence to empower himself without being fully posessed by the chaotic being trapped within.
Body Skills
The Body tree skills are dervied from the fact that Zealots are trained under the harshest conditions in the desert wastelands south of Lut Gholein. The harsh sun, the cruel night and the unpredictable sandstorms are just a few of the daily struggles a lesser man would not expect to survive.
Mind Skills
The Mind tree skills are learned in the Lut Gholein monastary through years of training. For the most part they are offensive magic skills dealing different elemental damage types. Some of the more unique mind skills involve the enemy's current mana in the damage calculation, dealing more damage when the target is low on mana and/or has a large maximum mana.
Female Zealot
Male Zealot
