✪ Shield Throw Paladin from scratch ✪
build journal and guide
✪ Introduction
You wanna play Captain America in 
? You came to right place! This build started as I joined @rorschach’s mission to make a shield throw (Aegis of Menhir) paladin from scratch - Paladin from zero. Battle diary. The main skill is that you throw a shield that bounces on monsters dealing massive damage to them. Then we also use some devotion procs to set the world of Cairn in flames. The shield throw skill it self is in Oathkeeper mastery. The second mastery Inquisitor is for supportive purpose.
This thread will be about a summary of my journey and will provide many tips and tricks for newer players that have dreamt of making shield throw build from scratch. Note, this is a build guide - I will assume you know about basics of game, quests and some mechanics. If not, then feel free to ask 
I will focus on skills, devotions, items and how to get them. This is a “budget” version of end-game build using either Virtue set or Octavius set.
Much text are hidden inside spoilers, click them if you wanna read certain topic.
These are marked with a ► and orange text.
Hope you enjoy this thread, I wish you all best and lucks in throwing shields! 
Why shield throw?
When Forgotten Gods expansion was about to be released, "everyone" was hyped for the Oathkeeper skills. In particular shield throwing "Aegis of Menhir". That skill was CRAZY strong, the most broken OP skill ever almost. That meant, it was doomed to get nerfs and balancing. Today, not that many people on forums posts and plays shield throw builds.Nevertheless, it is still strong skill imo and also fun. And game is about having fun
Pros: You deal high damage, there is good item support outside purple legendary sets. You play ranged, meaning we can avoid getting hit and therefore survive.
Cons: Has cooldown, require you to always upgrade shield because uses shields damage.
Why paladin?
Paladin is Oathkeeper + Inquisitor. As mentioned above, Aegis of menhir skill is an Oathkeeper skill and we choose Inquisitor as support.What does inquisistor bring to the table? Well first of all skills that increases %fire/elemental damage. Also a heal button (Word of renewal) and also an Aura (Aura of censure) as exclusive skill that reduces monster damage and their fire resistances. Inquisitor also has nice fire skill in Rune of Kalastor. Finally inquisitor has one of the most strong defense skill in game - the inquisitor seal! I did not choose to use it because I focused to be mobile.
Two other very viable options for fire shield throw is sentinel (Occultist) which also makes acid version of aegis of menhir a very viable option (perhaps better than fire as a “beginner”?). Second option is shieldbreaker (Demolitionst) who has many good passive and active fire boost and fire damage skills.
It should be easy for you I think to change to one of these options if you wanna explore. I will make comment further down in the end of guide.
✪ My “final” build
GrimTools link: https://www.grimtools.com/calc/lNkmQE6V
Video of sample gameplay https://vimeo.com/483191221
Shattered Realm boss room 20 done. Stupid Dragon said it was decent goal for beginner/budget builds.
More stats, with Word of Renewal up.
✪ Summary of build journal
In each box, you can read about my progression and some tips and tricks about what might be relevant around those stages of game.
Level 1 - 19
I started in normal, because I have played this game maaany many times. I just wanna get to Ultimate asap. If you are newish to game, I advice you play veteran because it will force you to focus on resistances and playing skills.This build killed Krieg (level 19) make sure to adjust in upper left corner “normal” for proper resistance showings.
Try to put one point in a skill node and two points in mastery bar when you level up. Try to have buffer of about 10 attribute points non spent. I did not follow this advise my self as you can see, but I am good and played in normal 
If you play veteran, try to follow my advice 
Avenging shield, try to just hit “break points” for extra targets, which is rank 4, 7, 10 and 18. Having say 5 or 8 points is useless at this stage of game.
NOTE the fastest way to level paladin is to choose Inquisitor first and go with Word of Pain skill as damage… but I wanted to stick to Aegis of Menhir from the birth
Another important early level detail that I forgot about is to use either the “Fireblast” skill from Searing Ember or “Greater Fireblast” from Flintcore bolts (you can craft by default as soon as you have a blacksmith). These are very good early on as “filler” skill before you get devotion procs and secondary skills. Please consider one of these to make life a bit easier early on
Items too look for:
- Shield with as high damage as possible, and some resistances (physical res prio). Overlord prefix is BiS.
- Gun with +% fire damage or just use https://www.grimtools.com/db/items/7173
Also look in the shops for gear. Make sure to use Enchanted flint weapon component in the shield for the aura skill “Burning weapons” as buff once you get to level 20. The blacksmith can make it for you.
This ring is good to get Slith Primal Ring is a quest reqard item that you get pretty early once you pass wightmire rift gate. Go north east and find a small Rover encampment.
Level 20 - 30
This is me at level 30 (still normal of course).https://www.grimtools.com/calc/vNQ1YMjN
After kill of Krieg, I often go to Forgotten god area and make some quests for them.
I selected Solael because I aimed to get their rings in the end. Also I picked up a movement augment to make our progress even faster:
In main game I just came to smuggler pass. Did kill the priest in Step of torment quest.
As you can see we have good investment in Aegis line, and also gotten bat (that will heal us later, now we just have it bound to skill so it can level up).
Next step will be to get Guardians of Empyrion up and get Fiend devotion so we can bind that proc to them.
Items to look for:
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Shoulder and helmet from Cronley gang, those always rolls with +% fire damage
Incendiary Shoulderplates
Incendiary Casque
They roll also with one random prefix and one random suffix. And there are several tiers, these are the lowest tiers. I happened to find two items for the explorer set that gave me nice total speed Running fast is nice early on! -
Amulet Ronaprax’s Sting drops from boss in this cave
does not drop 100% of the time, but it is easy and fast to farm this boss and those bee/wasps give good experience! Same as with the helm and shoulders mentioned, can get affixes and also have several tiers. -
Relic, talisman. I like to use these as first relics. They provide nice buff for energy regen and damage against bosses. You get one of these per difficulty, each one is more powerful. You get them by doing the lost elder quest and when you get back to camp say “No I did not find the talisman (lie)” and you will get it
Level 31 - 36
Still normal difficulty.https://www.grimtools.com/calc/q2mmPQo2
Just killed Amalgamation and Swarm Queen Ravna. Aegis damage is around 5.9k. Will get 1 point inquisitor mastery bar every level and remaining points spend alternating in guardians, celestial presance and divinde mandate.
Devoions will be to get volcano devotion proc and after that try to get elemental storm.
Regarding gear, just make sure to keep resistances high and armor rating. Use armor that is around your level. Should have tried to find another shield here if I was playing in veteran. The creatures around homestead can drop these shields that can be quite good Fleshwarped Defender then you can get some points in judgment skill and get some damage reduction going.
Level 37 - 46
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/b28mjkDV
Normal, just made it to Coven camp.
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Here we have started to put points in Inquisitor bar, aiming to get Word of renewal skill.
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The gun is mandatory, for bonus to Aegis of Menhir. You just need one, the rolls does not matter. And you do not need to upgrade it either because Aegis of menhir uses shield damage. You can farm gun in this area and in the highlighted caves:
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I still use a level 20 shield, not very good of me but damage was sufficient on normal. On veteran you need to change shield that has higher base damage.
Level 47 - 49
Normal level 49https://www.grimtools.com/calc/D2p961LV
Came to Malmouth sewers. Not that much progression in terms of skills or so, but there are two kind of items to look out for when you are doing quests in the ugdenbog area.
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Basilisk Fang good bonus to aegis. Drops from the basilisks. You can find them here and there. Do a couple of runs to get at least one, almost anyone will do.
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Vine Ring these ones drops from the blooms in the ugdenbog areas. +3 to aegis is pretty strong
I did not find one that gave me decent resistance etc and I did not look for them specifically. Strong item nevertheless!
Level 50 - 58
We are done with normal and are now in Elite act 2 actually, just came to Old Arkovia rift. Level 58 grim tools:https://www.grimtools.com/calc/D2p96a1V (change to elite)
Once we saved Hyram, we looked at his inventory to get a good aegis shield:
In order to reset Hyram inventory, you first click on him and the armor tab. Then you rift back to Coven camp and open the faction vendor and regular vendor screens. After this, open rift gate and go back to steelclap district and visit hyram again and his inventory has changed. You can not do this process too fast, stay in coven for like 30 seconds before you rift back to steelclap. I got this shield I use on the 6th attempt. This is not very fun farming but you do what you have to do
We also found some legandaries that was useful.
Finally, before entering Elite make sure to do Hidde Path quest for attribute and skill point!
Level 59 - 63
Level 63 Elite grim tools:https://www.grimtools.com/calc/8NK1dxJV
We arrived at Rotten corpseland rift. All devotion points are complete. See further down for how to make devotion tree. These will change when we get Blazeheart dagger in Ultimate
Notice that we only use Guardians of Empyrion for resistance reductions and casting Fiend proc.
Realized we have no Gargoyle Girdle - will go back to Normal and run the Astral Fields until we get one.
Level 64 - 69
We approched the best level! ;)https://www.grimtools.com/calc/nZoQ78v2 level 69
Killed Loghorrean in Elite. We fixed the belt from Astral Field, not good roll but better than possibly any other belt for the + skills and converting bats pierce damage to fire.
Aegis damage is 36,6k for me here.
Level 70 - 75
Level 75 update with major gear changes! (still elite)
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/RZR1kErV
Did like 10 bounties with devil crossings in elite to get revered to get armor augments.
Also did the barrowholm quests for elite and normal to get their shop up and bought a writ for them.
Get new shield from hyram and fettan mask level 75 version. Also a new amulet I think. Just farm that wasp boss each game you make.
Nice double rare ring too, found in a shop costed about 140k iron bits and was worth it
For ultimate, bleed and aether resistance are shit but can always get second node in vulture and increase steel resolve or get aether soul in amulet or something.
Soon nemesis with beast, not looking good for ultimate… need to keep an eye out on the minimap when I am in ugdenbog regions in ultimate.
Ageis damage is 45k
what to do next? I will finish coven quests on elite, then go for FG quests for solael.
Level 76 - 84
Level 84 (ultimate)https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2Em3p82
Killed korvaak in elite and master of flesh at level 77 and 80. Aegis damage is 45k. Switched exclusive to Aura of Censure finally.
Bought yet another new shield from Hyram costed 440k iron … but juicy double rare!
Revered with: Devils crossing, malmouth, homestead, black legion. Revered with Malmouth faction means EXPERIENCE POTIONS!
Just finished act 1 ultimate and got the eye from the lightning priest temple (I just grabbed it and exit game lol)
Level 85 - 94
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/O2G1OR5Z ultimate level 94 grim tools.
Spended points in ranged expertice for damage (pierce is converted big chunk from our gear to fire and we get +fire%) will spec out of it later when get Blazeheart which is a dagger.
Got to vanguard of the three in ultimate, and to darkvale gate.
Goal now is to get Blazeheart, respec devotions, then go back to Elite and farm better monster infrequents (belt and medal) and maybe shatter realm for getting iron maiden shoulders. Also pick up some faction gear.
Also I will do some ultimate totem farmings and farming MI amulet.
Is nemesis with beasts so Coven area will be sketchy in ultimate I guess
Level 95 - 100
First update at level 100 https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2Emknn2
Have changed skills and devotions a bit, need to figure out what “best” devotion is.
Perhaps hawk instead of raven at least. And get rid of Fiend. Also the points in vulture is just for bleed resistance lol.
Bought a highest tier shield from Hyram. Aegis damage is 68,9k.
What I am gonna do now is to farm totems and stuff to upgrade at least the chest armor to something better lol can’t run around with 1,3k armor now. Or - just get a faction chest.
Also want better glove. Maybe farm better shoulder. I think I can get better there, at least higher level version.
When I get chest and gloves - I can start “optimizing” augments and components and continue with campaign in ultimate. I have come to Korvan city and Steelclap district. So only the hardest part remaining!!!
Level 100 - end of journal
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/8NK1gMWV
Made new endurance, crafted some gloves and components. These gloves was the first that had anything with +%fire & burn damage. Crafted 34 in total! Bad luck. Got one pair double rare, tempest of fallen skies which is dope but not for this build…
Have done all in main campaigns main quests, save for master of flesh, father kymon and korvaak on ultimate.
SR 20 Ultimate done, can go higher but I decided this was good place to call “mission complete”!
Aegis damage is around 77k.
✪ How to get devotion trees
Playing with a gun
This not 100% exact how I did it, but nevertheless here is a process:Red cross road
Fiend (bind proc to whatever, later you want it on the guardians of empyrion)
Bat (bind proc to whatever, later you want it on word of pain)
Solael witchblade (bind to whatever, I bound it on demon breath from gun component skill)
Remove red cross road
Mantis
Empty Throne
3 nodes in Rhowan crown (bind proc to whatever)
Hydra
Magi (bind proc to whatever)
Ghoul 4 nodes for the proc (bind to a permenent toggle skill)
Raven
Ulzuin torch (bind proc to whatever)
you now have one point left to spend where you want/need
Note, there are many procs now, one you can bind to guardians. But then you have 5 other ones. You just need them to level up, so just bind to a skill on your toolbar - no need in using it devotions get experience anyway as long as skill is binded and is on toolbar.
Playing with Blazeheart
Refund all devos with a potion, then do this:Green crossroad
Bat
Ghoul
Viper
Hawk
Solael witchblade
Scolars light
Magi
Refund Scolars light
Lantern
Purple cross road
Empty throne
Refund green and purple cross road
Chariot
Ulzuin torch
3 nodes in Rhowans crown
Note: you can remove the node in Ulzuin torch that gives burn damage and put it in Rhowans crown if you need elemental resistances (I did that).
You can see in my final build what the devo bindings was.
✪ Leveling tips
Early levels
What +%damage you get on gear early one does not really matter. Physical or fire is kinda like equal until you manage to get this shield from Hyram:But try to get more +%fire damage even early on, because some physical damage will be converted to fire due to your weapon/shield components.
Should I play in normal or veteran? Normal is faster and makes you come to the more interesting parts of the build making which occur in ultimate. However, you get better prepared for the transition into elite by playing veteran and also you get more drops because there are more hero spawns on veteran than on normal.
Grab as many devotion shrines as possible early, and bind each proc to a skill. If it is a “on attack” skill bind it to a skill on your toolbar. You do not need to use the skill just have it on toolbar. This way devotion proc can level up. Otherwise it wont. Devotion procs like ghoul you need to bind to something that you have toggled on.
Do as many side quests as you can to get reputation. However outcast I skip doing quests for you get good reputation otherwise just by killing aethereials and chthons. Also the shrine of mogdrogen quest for rovers I skip.
Deaths vigil or Kymons choosen? If you side with deahts vigil, you can get nemesis with Kymons making you able to hunt and farm these nice shoulders in main campaign Iron Maiden’s Shoulderguard. But these can also drop in crucible (like from wave 150 and upwards) and in shattered realm (like shard 50+) on all difficulties. Kymons choosen has nice auguments and faction gears like shoulders with +skills to Aegis of menhir. No idea what is “best” but here you have the arguments for what to choose
Make sure to put 1 skill point in skill node and 2 skill points in mastery bar as you level up until you are about level 50. Then you can start to do like 2 skill points in node and 1 in mastery bar every “odd” level up and vice versa every “even” level up. Keep about 10 attribute points unspent. You can only reset attributes using a special potion that is quest rewards here and there.
Use components in all gear if possible, check blacksmith for what you can craft and the faction shops for certain blueprints now and then.
Mid levels
When you get honored with a faction, buy a writ for them and right click on it! This will boost faction reputation gain. You might need to go back to previous difficulty to get access to faction vendor. No big deal, just do it.Also if you manage to get new reputation status with a faction, you get access to new quests. Also go back to previous difficulty and make those quests there too for more reputation gains.
Save items that have loads of resistances, this will be important transitioning into ultimate. You have to have very good resistances also in Elite. 80% on all and also some “overcap” like 20%. Change gear now and then to make sure you have resistances and high armor.
High levels
Once you are done with Devils Crossing quests up to killing Krieg in ultimate, you might not be revered with them yet. I suggest you go to Elite after this and do some bounties. When you get revered you can buy armor augments that can boost your resistances. This also makes changing out other gear to match resistances easier and easier the more factions you are revered with.✪ Farming tips for early progression beyond this budget build
- Do as many monster totems as possible, good source for gear and blueprints.
- Also do all Desecrated devotion shrines, even if you have 55 devotion points. They drop loot and you get heroes to kill that also drop loot.
✪ Build variations and prospects
Tankier devotions (blue and yellow path)
On this devotion map, we get Light of Empyrion instead of ulzuin torch basically (note the damage reduction will NOT stack with Aura of Censure but the proc looks fun so why not take it?)
Purple cross road
Quill
Red cross road
Viper
Jackal
Hawk
Solael witchblade
Refund Jackal & Hawk
Yellow Cross road
Panther
Eel
Lion
Phoenix
Solemn watcher
Refund yellow and Green cross road
Blue cross road
Empyion
Rhowans crown
2 nodes in obelisk
This is how devotion map will look like https://www.grimtools.com/calc/xZyQJvnZ
note, you need less skills to proc stuff with so you can ditch Word of Pain.
Ideas for Sentinel budget fire aegis variation
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/gZwlX4bN
same gear as my paladin, but other skills (and augments & components)
Ideas for Shieldbreaker budget fire aegis variation
https://www.grimtools.com/calc/bVAme31V
same gear as my paladin, but other skills
Endgame builds
Example of fully geared https://www.grimtools.com/calc/a2EmBGv2 based on [1.1.7.2] There's some light in Virtue! Aegis fire Sentinel CR+/SR75
Thanks to
Stupid_Dragon for many good insights and tips along the way and for nice guides
rorschach for nice company and idea with SSF paladin
nery for helping me with format
fordprefect for good company on forum
