So I haven't taken ZE on a paladin in a long time. My reason is...ZF and Charge benefit the entire group. But DR mostly just helps the frontline. What's DR and hit to graze do for a priest or cipher on the back line? Also imo on PoTD accuracy is king. Anyone have any compelling arguments for ZE?

Don't forget that it will also effect aggro determinations. PotD encounters like The Torn Bannermen will bypass your shieldwall to reach the unprotected, juicy spell casters. A range Pally in that back line with ZE helps both keeping the squishies healthy and more importantly possibly deterring the AI from bypassing the frontline altogether.

Edited July 5, 20178 yr by Blades of Vanatar

Don't forget that it will also effect aggro determinations. PotD encounters like The Torn Bannermen will bypass your shieldwall to reach the unprotected, juicy spell casters. A range Pally in that back line with ZE helps both keeping the squishies healthy and more importantly possibly deterring the AI from bypassing the frontline altogether.

The aggro determination could be a thing i get you but if the back liners are wearing say robes and padded armor and you are wearing plate well they will still have significantly less DR and will still get hit really hard...they wont be that much healthier then if they had ZF. Or am i way off here?

Edited July 5, 20178 yr by Torm51

I don't think I've ever used it. As you say, accuracy vs. deflection seems far more important than DR in Pillars.

I could see ZE being a thing in the group if you have 2 Paladins but even then I rather have the utility of movement speed for the entire group the DR for then front line.

Edited July 5, 20178 yr by Torm51

I use ZE as my Pally choice more often than not. My party builds tend to not have tanks. I usually build all low base deflection classes to be more durable as to not give the enemy AI an obvious target in every battle since they patched the game. I like light to med armor for the better speed so the DR helps.

I tend go for ZE, simply because I find that usually someone in my party will run out of useful talents and Gallant focus begins to look very attractive. And since ZF and Gallants do not stack, I find I get more use out of ZE + Gallants than simply the ZF.

I only use ZE when I have two paladins. It's not bad - but I like more ACC better in the early game and then I can't be bothered with retraining later.

 

But if you have party members with their own ACC buffs like Disciplined Barrage, Eldritch Aim or whatever you might be better off with ZE because ZF will not stack with those.