S9 Gild's Builds: Crimson Champion (TANK)

Table of Contents
Section 1: Notes
Section 2: The Build
Subsection 2.1: Level 1
Subsection 2.2: Abilities you WANT
Subsection 2.3: Talents you WANT
Section 3: How it Plays
Section 4: TL;DRSECTION 1: NOTESCrimson Champion is a tanky build, with self healing, survivability and a metric boat load of damage. Relying heavily on block to make the core enchants function, it's capable of pushing solo manastorms, tanking dungeons and tanking raids. Relying on some rare cards, it's fairly difficult to get everything you want, but achievable with a bit of luck. It functions off Paladin abilities, focused on AOE and self healing to achieve a full combo. Unfortunately it's fairly rigid in abilities and talents, limited to one handed weapons, a shield and defensive things in general. While it benefits heavily from damage, you need to build a certain amount of defensives in both abilities and talents, to have a consistent block chance and endurance. Can be mixed with One with the Light for extra damage/healing off Divine Storm.

If you need information on where to find specific cards for abilities, feel free to check out S9 Card Drops for locations, or ideas on new cards you might want to collect.

This is a long form guide, meant to give proper explanation and information on the build. If you can't be bothered to read, check out the TL;DR at the bottom.

Things to remember:
- Crimson Champion is a tank first, damage dealer second.
- AMAZING Manastorm/prestige build, you can spam Divine Storm AOE to 60, and beyond.
- Rigid in card choices. Paladin and defensive focused doesn't give much leeway or room for extra.
- Has a few hard card requirements to get up and rolling, might not be an ideal "starter" build.SECTION 2: THE BUILDThe level 1 start is important, yet often seems to get skipped over in guides. What cards do you slot in if you dont have every perfect combination you need? Is there any abilities good for leveling, but not so great to keep the whole time? WHY do they suggest the abilities they do? We're going to cover these things, and more!

Primary Stat: Strength
Main stat is fairly obvious, strength based, Paladin styled gear and items will give us the extra edge to dish out damage and take the hits.

Gear: Strength > Spell Power/Int > Stamina (Manastorms/Solo DPS)
Defense Rating > Stamina > Spell Power/Int (Tanking)

Spell Power now gives flat weapon damage, making it an incredible secondary stat, especially when paired with Mental Quickness especially for Paladin styled builds. Dipping into multiple sources of damage and scaling all of it makes this a potent build with all your abilities scaling well with your gear.

Lawbringer or any other Paladin Sets you pick up.

Weapons: One hand weapon with a shield. A spellcaster mainhand like Aurastone Hammer and so on, with an enchant like Fel Infused Weapon or Flametongue.

Best shield you can get your hands on, grab a Defense Rating focused one for Tanking like Observer's Shield, and a spellcaster statted one for Manastorms/Solo stuff like Red Dragonscale Protector.

Subsection 2.1: Starting Abilities (Level 1)

• Crusader Strike

Bread and butter until level 60 and you roll Hammer of the Righteous.

• Shield of Righteousness

Shield go bonk, big heals, big damage.

• Righteous Fury

Paladin tank stance, increases spell damage by 30% of Stamina (Huge).

• Charge

You know why it's here. Melee charge everywhere, it's just a way of life.Subsection 2.2: Ability Cards and other Abilities you WANT

• Hammerstorm

Holy moly is this amazing, 100% uptime, Hammer of Wrath proc included. What more to say?

• Divine Storm

Absolute top tier ability. Some people dont card common abilities, but its so important that you simply can't RNG it.

• Hammer of Wrath

Hammers go bonk. Card it, dont rely on RNG.

• Free choice depending on cards, see below

MAKE NOTE: Now there's some choices to be made here. Not everyone has every card, whether it be a gold version, or a normal version. Some cards are mighty difficulty to obtain, some people don't have the greatest luck either. Therefor I will list a variety of cards that can be substituted in for USEFUL abilities. A variety of abilities are helpful and can flesh out the build, so it's often better to get these guaranteed as opposed to leaving it to luck (where possible). Each one will have a brief explanation of why it might have a place in the build and the general usage of it.

These are all useful abilities to end up rolling, whether you card them or not.

• Fel Infused Weapon

Weapon enchantment, self explanatory.

• Crimson Champion

Free 10% block chance and holy thorns. 10/10

• Hammer of the Righteous

Amazing damage ability, even better with Pious Strikes

• Power Word: Shield

Nice ability even without the Crimson Defense effect, top tier with it.

• Avenger's Shield

Same as before, nice ability even without the Crimson Defense effect, top tier with it.

• Blessing of Sanctuary

Healing increase, blocking gives mana. Boy do you need mana.

• Emanating Light

Consecration that moves with you.

• Last Stand

20% health for 20 seconds on a 2 minute cooldown.

• Shield Block

25% block chance, 50% block value for 10 seconds. I prefer this over Holy Shield.

• Holy Shield

Use this or Shield Block. (I prefer Shield Block).

• Evasion

Dodge half the hits, block the ones that even make it through.

• Combat Readiness

If you do get hit, enjoy even more DR.

• Shield Wall

60% DR for those spicy moments.

• Carnage Incarnate

More DR, self healing, AND damage? Whew lad.Subsection 2.3: Talent Cards and other Talents you WANT

MAKE NOTE: Always aim for the full version of talents if you can. Substitute in what you have, when you can.

• Crimson Defense

Makes your whole build. You need this.

• Fiery Fervor

8% damage reduction for using things you already use.

• Consecrated Strikes

Damage, AOE, Strength buff. Nice.

• One with the Light

Extra damage on Divine Storm, not really a huge deal on this build.

• Pious Strikes

Big heals, damage, super loud noise that announces your arrival.

• Shield of the Emperor

30% DR and 15% extra phys damage dealt; chance after using Shield of Righteousness.

• Mental Quickness

Absolutely amazing, powerhouse of a talent that Paladin styled builds absolutely LOVE.

• Ward of Light

10% Periodic Magic DR and a chance to reset Divine Storm. Amazing.

• One-Handed Weapon Specialization

Damage and block chance.

• Divine Blademaster

Armor, Holy spell power based on 200% of Strength.

• Redoubt

Block chance, Strength buff, and DR.

• Anticipation

Block chance, block value.

• Critical Block

Damage Reduction from blocked hits.

• Blessed Life

10% chance for 50% DR.

• Twin Disciples

Damage, healing, crit strike chance.

• Shield Cover

DR, block value, works well with Shield Block.(Take anything that increases survivability, DR% or % increased damage. Dodge, Parry and Block are all useful stats. Block only needs to reach 50% or so, then you can focus on the other mitigation.)Sub these in if you need to fill a Talent Card slot, or happen to roll it:
Unbounded Deathhealer
Unbounded Deathbringer
Amal'thazad's Malediction
Amal'thazad's Curse
Seething Flames
Overheated Strikes
Stormbringer
Purification By Light
Righteous Zealot
Harbinger of FlameSECTION 3: HOW IT PLAYS
How does it feel? Whats the rotation? Manastorm? Macros? HELP!

Some useful macros:

• #showtooltip
  /castsequence reset=2 Hammerstorm, Hammer of Wrath

Hammers within hammers.

• #showtooltip
  /castsequence reset=2 Hammer of the Righteous, Shield of Righteousness

Bonk into bonk, can reverse order if you prefer.

• #showtooltip
  /castsequence reset=2 Hammer of the Righteous, Shield of Righteousness, Divine Storm, Exorcist's Slash
  /cast Heroic Strike

Current all in 1 macro in combination with Hammerstorm one.

Rotation:
1. Hammerstorm
2. Hammer of Wrath
3. Shield of Righteousness
4. Hammer of the Righteous
5. Anything else if you need a second before Hammerstorm is off CD.
6. Repeat

Manastorm:
1. The exact same as above.

SECTION 4: TL;DR
Hammers go bonk