Paladin: Zeal, healing and Wisdom

A successful Paladin basic attack generates 1 Zeal, up to a maximum of 5. Several skills spend that resource, so a Paladin who has just used a finisher may need basic attacks before healing or stunning again.

Build Zeal before the emergency

Righteous Strike unlocks at hero level 3. It is a free action, costs no Zeal, improves the next basic attack and grants one extra Zeal from that attack. Rank 1 adds 15% damage. Use it while building, before the ordinary attack that ends the Paladin’s action.

Lay on Hands heals 3 HP per Zeal spent, but its rank caps how much Zeal it can consume. Rank 1 consumes at most one; rank 4 can consume four for 12 HP. Holding four Zeal with rank-1 Lay on Hands does not turn it into a 12-HP heal.

Stun Undead consumes all available Zeal and affects Undead only. Its chance is 20% per Zeal, reaching 100% at five before any relevant immunity. A living enemy is the wrong target even when the Paladin has a full resource bar.

Spending and holding support different passives

Divine Guard grants temporary Armor when Zeal is spent. Zealous Resolve instead increases melee damage for each point retained. A healing-heavy Paladin will repeatedly empty the resource that powers Zealous Resolve; a Paladin saving Zeal for damage has less immediate use for the spending trigger.

Consecrated Ground, available at level 5, costs three Zeal and ends if the party moves. Its party protection suits a fight you intend to hold in place. Judgment opens at level 6 and adds bonuses against Undead and Demons; it still requires a melee weapon or bare hands.

Wisdom is an equipment requirement

Patch 1.0.5 fixes the Paladin’s missing +1 Wisdom. Keep that correction in mind when comparing an older character-creation image with the current game.

Healing equipment also requires Wisdom: Amulet of Sun needs 4, Belt of Sun and Shield of Lethander need 5, and Gloves of the Sun need 6. Sacred Bulwark turns a portion of Wisdom into Armor. Minimizing Wisdom can therefore block equipment and weaken this defensive passive even on a Strength-based front-liner.

Use the skill reference for unlocks and equipment requirements before committing your attribute plan.