Crusader

Blessed Shield Crusader Build

No set · Crusader

  • Tier A in Season 40
  • 1,077 views
  • 3 variants

Legacy gem build Blessed Shield for the Crusader: tier A, Season 40, with gear, cube powers, gems and 3 variants.

As of Season 40 · by eRnstl · updated

Changes since Season 39

  • Tier: B → A
  • Kanai's Cube: Weapon: Akkhan's Leniency → Akkhan's Leniency
  • The fourth cube slot is gone (Season 39 only).

Active Skills

  1. L Blessed Shield Rune: Combust Fire
  2. R Provoke Rune: Hit Me
  3. 1 Iron Skin Rune: Flash
  4. 2 Condemn Rune: Vacuum Holy
  5. 3 Laws of Valor Rune: Critical
  6. 4 Akarat's Champion Rune: Prophet

Passive Skills

  • Fervor
  • Finery
  • Towering Shield
  • Hold Your Ground

Equipment

1 set piece · 12 legendary items

  • HelmLeoric's CrownLegendaryDiamond
  • ShouldersPauldrons of the Skeleton KingLegendary
  • AmuletSquirt's NecklaceLegendaryBane of the Stricken
  • ChestAquila CuirassLegendaryDiamondDiamondDiamond
  • GlovesStone GauntletsLegendary
  • BracersAkkhan's ManaclesLegendary
  • BeltThe Witching HourLegendary
  • PantsBlackthorne's Jousting MailSetDiamondDiamond
  • BootsIce ClimbersLegendary
  • Ring 1Justice LanternLegendaryLegacy of Dreams
  • Ring 2Convention of ElementsLegendaryBane of the Trapped
  • Main HandGyrfalcon's FooteSanctifiedLegendaryEmerald
  • Off HandJekangbordLegendary

Kanai's Cube

  • WeaponAkkhan's LeniencyLegendaryEach enemy hit by your Blessed Shield increases the damage of your Blessed Shield by 40% for 6 seconds. Stacks up to 100 times.
  • ArmorStrongarm BracersLegendaryEnemies hit by knockbacks suffer 30% increased damage for 6 seconds.
  • JewelryUnityLegendaryAll damage taken is split between wearers of this item.

Gear Stats

  • Leoric's Crown

    Helm

    Diamond
    • +626–750 Strength ancient +825–1,000
    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 4.5–6%
    • Increases Blessed Shield Damage by 10–15%
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    • Socket
  • Pauldrons of the Skeleton King

    Shoulders

    • +416–500 Strength ancient +550–650
    • +416–500 Vitality ancient +550–650
    • Chance to Deal 10–20% Area Damage on Hit.
    • Reduces cooldown of all skills by 5–8%.
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    When receiving fatal damage, there is a chance that you are instead restored to 25% of maximum Life and cause nearby enemies to flee in fear.
  • Aquila Cuirass

    Chest Armor

    Diamond Diamond Diamond
    • +416–500 Strength ancient +550–650
    • +91–100 Resistance to All Elements ancient +110–130
    • Reduces damage from elites by 10–11%
    • Reduces damage from melee attacks by 6–7%
    • Socket
    While above 90–95% primary resource, all damage taken is reduced by 50%.
  • Stone Gauntlets

    Gloves

    • Critical Hit Damage Increased by 26–50%
    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 8–10%
    • Chance to Deal 10–20% Area Damage on Hit.
    • Reduces cooldown of all skills by 5–8%.
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    Getting hit increases your armor by 50%, but reduces your movement speed by 15% and attack speed by 20%. This effect stacks up to 5 times.
  • Akkhan's Manacles

    Bracers

    • Fire skills deal 15–20% more damage.
    • +416–500 Strength ancient +550–650
    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 4.5–6%
    • Reduces damage from melee attacks by 6–7%
    Blessed Shield damage is increased by 400–500% for the first enemy it hits. This bonus continues and is reduced by 50% for each subsequent non-Shattering Throw target.
  • The Witching Hour

    Belt

    • +416–500 Strength ancient +550–650
    • +416–500 Vitality ancient +550–650
    • Increases Attack Speed by 5–7%
    • Critical Hit Damage Increased by 26–50% ancient 51–100%
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    • Life per Hit
  • Blackthorne's Jousting Mail

    Pants

    Diamond Diamond
    • +416–500 Strength ancient +550–650
    • Fire skills deal 15–20% more damage.
    • +416–500 Vitality ancient +550–650
    • +91–100 Resistance to All Elements ancient +110–130
    • Life per Hit
    • Socket
  • Ice Climbers

    Boots

    • +416–500 Strength ancient +550–650
    • +416–500 Vitality ancient +550–650
    • +91–100 Resistance to All Elements ancient +110–130
    • Increases Blessed Shield Damage by 10–15%
    Gain immunity to Freeze and Immobilize effects.
  • Squirt's Necklace

    Amulet

    Bane of the Stricken
    • +71–80% Extra Gold from Monsters
    • Critical Hit Damage Increased by 51–100%
    • Fire skills deal 15–20% more damage.
    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 8–10%
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    • Socket
    While not taking damage, damage dealt is increased by up to 100% and damage taken is increased by up to 50%.
  • Justice Lantern

    Ring 1

    Legacy of Dreams
    • Critical Hit Damage Increased by 26–50%
    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 4.5–6%
    • Reduces cooldown of all skills by 5–8%.
    • Socket
    Gain damage reduction equal to 45–55% of your Block Chance.
  • Convention of Elements

    Ring 2

    Bane of the Trapped
    • Critical Hit Damage Increased by 26–50%
    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 4.5–6%
    • Reduces cooldown of all skills by 5–8%.
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    • Socket
    Gain 150–200% increased damage to a single element for 4 seconds. This non-static effect rotates through the elements available to your class in the following order: Arcane, Cold, Fire, Holy, Lightning, Physical, Poison.
  • Gyrfalcon's Foote

    Main Hand

    Emerald
    • +(981–1,199)–(1,175–1,490) Damage ancient +(1,318–1,560)–(1,609–1,940)
    • +6–10% Damage
    • Increases Attack Speed by 5–7%
    • Chance to Deal 16–24% Area Damage on Hit.
    • +8–10 Maximum Wrath
    • Socket
    Removes the resource cost of Blessed Shield and increases its damage by 275–350%.
  • Jekangbord

    Off Hand

    • Critical Hit Chance Increased by 8–10%
    • Chance to Deal 10–20% Area Damage on Hit.
    • Reduces cooldown of all skills by 5–8%.
    • Increases Blessed Shield Damage by 10–15%
    • +141–160 Physical Resistance ancient +176–210
    Blessed Shield ricochets to 6 additional enemies and has its damage increased by 300–400%.
Enchantress

Enchantress

Eirena

Equipment

  • HelmCain's Insight
  • ShouldersHoming Pads
  • Chest ArmorTal Rasha's Relentless Pursuit
  • GlovesGloves of Worship
  • BeltThe Witching Hour
  • PantsCain's Habit
  • BootsIce Climbers
  • AmuletThe Flavor of Time
  • BracersNemesis Bracers
  • Ring 1Unity
  • Ring 2Oculus Ring
  • Main HandThunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker
  • Off HandEmpty
  • Enchantress FocusEmpty

Skills

  1. Level 15
    • Betören
    • Temporaler Impuls (selected)
  2. Level 20
    • Prophetische Harmonie (selected)
    • Verstärkung
  3. Level 25
    • Energieschild (selected)
    • Erosion
  4. Level 30
    • Konzentrierter Geist (selected)
    • Aufschub des Schicksals

Gameplay

The configuration

This setup is stored as a complete build — gear, skills, runes and cube powers work together and are not assembled from individual statistics.

  • Set: no class set — Legacy gem build
  • Rating: tier A across all classes
  • Kanai's Cube: Akkhan's Leniency, Strongarm Bracers, Unity
  • Skills: Blessed Shield (Combust), Provoke (Hit Me), Iron Skin (Flash), Condemn (Vacuum), Laws of Valor (Critical), Akarat's Champion (Prophet)
  • Passives: Fervor, Finery, Towering Shield, Hold Your Ground
  • Variants available: Torment 16 / Nephalem rifts, Speed farming, GR push
Use the variant switcher above to move between the versions. What changes between them is spelled out below — read it before you rebuild.

How the variants differ

Measured against the push version. Anything not listed here stays the same:

  • Torment 16 / Nephalem rifts: swaps in skills Blessed Shield (Shattering Throw), Provoke (Flee Fool), Steed Charge (Endurance), Laws of Hope (Wings of Angels), Akarat's Champion (Hasteful); cube Krelm's Buff Belt, Convention of Elements; gems Bane of the Powerful, Boon of the Hoarder.
  • Speed farming: swaps in skills Laws of Hope (Wings of Angels); cube St. Archew's Gage; gems Molten Wildebeest's Gizzard.

Sockets and gems

The 3 legendary gems (Bane of the Stricken, Legacy of Dreams, Bane of the Trapped) belong in the jewellery slots (rings and amulet). Urshi can upgrade them after a Greater Rift whether they are socketed, in your inventory or in your stash.

The remaining 7 sockets are filled with regular gems: Diamond (6) and Emerald (1).

On the season theme

In Season 40, Angelic Crucibles sanctify a legendary item: perfect Ancient-level stats plus one of three powers of your class at random. You can only wear one Sanctified item at a time. None of your class's three powers boosts a skill of this build directly. The Fist of the Heavens power works regardless of your skill bar. This build sanctifies Gyrfalcon's Foote, marked in the gear above. Since the power is rolled at random, a Sanctified item can be sanctified again with another Crucible. All powers are listed on the Season 40 page.

FAQ

How good is the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set in Season 40?

Good: it is rated tier A across all classes, just behind the top. It ranks #3 of our 8 Crusader builds this season.

Which skills does the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set use?

The skill bar holds Blessed Shield, Provoke, Iron Skin, Condemn, Laws of Valor.

What goes into Kanai's Cube for the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set?

Weapon: Akkhan's Leniency, Armor: Strongarm Bracers, Jewelry: Unity.

Which legendary gems does the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set use?

The legendary gems are Bane of the Stricken, Legacy of Dreams, Bane of the Trapped.

Which variants of the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set are there?

3 variants: GR push, Speed farming, Torment 16 / Nephalem rifts. Switch between them with the variant selector above; the differences are listed in the gameplay section.

Which follower suits the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set?

Recommended follower: Enchantress, equipped with Cain's Insight, Gloves of Worship, Homing Pads, Cain's Habit.

Which stats matter for the Blessed Shield Crusader build without a set?

Prioritize these stats: Strength, Critical Hit Chance, Physical Resistance, Critical Hit Damage, Cooldown Reduction, Area Damage.

What are the alternatives for the Crusader?

Other builds of the same class, ranked by tier: Fist of the Heavens Crusader Build: Tier S; Condemn Crusader Build: Tier A; Sweep Attack Crusader Build: Tier B.