Build Guide
The general idea of this build is to add the Focus & Restraint ring set to the wonderful Hammerdin build (Seeker of the Light set) and use Justice in order to activate the set bonus. This will result in an overall higher damage output compared to the Convention of Elements / Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac build (you can still use one of these in the Kanai's Cube jewelry slot, although the latter is strongly recommended).
This build is meant for groups, but you can easily do higher greater rifts on your own with some small alterations (see below).
Active Skills
Blessed Hammer: Use for primary damage. It may take some time to get used to it; positioning is very important. You don't want to be to far away from your enemies but at the same time you can move on when they are low and let the spinning hammers finish the work. Despite being an AoE, the skill deals decent single target DPS as well since you don't spend Wrath any more on three or less targets (Gabriel's Vambraces). The rune Limitless will increase your damage output significantly.
Falling Sword: Use to relocate and to get 50% incoming damage reduction, but keep in mind that its usage means a huge DPS loss, so use it rarely and rather defensively. Even if it may sometimes crit higher than Blessed Hammer it takes just too much time to deliver the damage, so don't try to use it as damage dealer. You can however move around with it and even dodge some effects like frozen without moving away (or if you are stuck within walls), if timed correctly. The Flurry rune helps to reduce damage done to you even further and of course triggers Bane of the Trapped.
Provoke: This skill is what keeps you going. You should generate Wrath with it whenever possible; if only four enemies are around you it will replenish half your Wrath! The first set bonus of Seeker of the Light allows you to use it rather often and thus will enable you to spam Blessed Hammer. Too Scared to Run gives you more crowd control, reduces enemy attack speed and is the best option when using holy damage.
Laws of Valor: Greatly increase your damage output. Try to use it as often as possible but keep an eye on your Wrath. If you can't throw the maximum amount of Blessed Hammers while the law is active you will waste potential damage. The Critical rune further increase your DPS but. If you are having resource problems, use Unstoppable Force instead.
Passive Skills
Fervor: Must-have when using a one-handed weapon (Johanna's Argument). Increases your attack speed and cooldown reduction for Akarat's Champion. If you are carrying a two-handed weapon like The Furnace, use Heavenly Strength instead (I actually found my damage to be higher this way since the cooldown reduction is already high enough due to Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac and the extra attack speed - but it really depends on the weapons you are finding. Carry the better one and put the worse one in the Cube, obviously.)
Indestructible: The mandatory cheat death skill. Also increases your damage when triggered.
Finery: This increases your Strength by 16.5% if you have the maximum amount of sockets in your gear adding damage and survivability to your hero. Most interchangeable passive though; if you really want to use something else.
Blunt: 20% damage increase to your primary damage skill? Yes, please!
Items
You need the full Seeker of the Light set for this build. Get Blessed Hammer damage where you can, focus on critical hit chance/damage and cooldown reduction as well as holy damage on the other items. For your Hellfire Amulet, Holy Cause is the most desirable passive to have.
There is only room for alternatives in two slots here: waist and amulet. If you die a lot, equip String of Ears and Eye of Etlich for more survivability.
Legendary Gems
Bane of the Stricken - must have; increases damage against guardians immensely
Gogok of Switfness - provides much needed cooldown reduction
Taeguk - gives you damage and armor and excels Bane of the Trapped (which would be the alternative here)
Alternatives for Kanai's Cube
Armor:
Hexing Pants of Mr. Yan: Using these can increase the damage of this skill against groups of enemies even further if you optimize your stutter stepping. This will however decrease your single target DPS which relies on spamming Blessed Hammer. You should try both options and see what fits your play style best.
Strongarm Bracers: Synergizes with the Flurry rune from Falling Sword, increasing your damage output to affected enemies and will be even more effective if you have more knockback abilities in your team.
St. Archew's Gage: This will give you much more survivability against elites.
Jewelry:
Convention of Elements: This one will increase your damage by 200% for 4 seconds every 12 seconds. In my opinion this cannot compete with the 100% bonus you get from Focus & Restraint. Even more so since the Cube enables you to have the Obsidian Ring of the Zodiac in addition.
Controls
I put Blessed Hammer on my left mouse button since its the ability I use most and it makes stutter stepping much easier. For this I have the force hold command on my spacebar. With a setup like this you can hold LMB to move around and press space whenever you want to cast Blessed Hammer without having to press any other button. Release space to continue moving; repeat this and you get a very effective method of moving your hero around while dealing damage.
Alternatives for solo
When advancing to higher solo greater rifts (55+) you will notice that the toughness of this build is not enough.
If this happens, simply swap
Convention of Elements and Unity for Focus & Restraint
Blessed of Haull for String of Ears
Justice for Iron Skin (with Steel Skin rune).
Feel free to leave your comments, questions and suggestions below!
Thanks man, works quite well. I will do some GR's later today and see how it is.
Will be good if you mention in your guide that this is a GR PARTY build and not solo. Solo is a bit different with a few other rings and skills.
There you go - http://www.diablofans.com/builds/57651-bane-of-the-hammerdin
Hi.. That's a great build . even in group. I did 63 in 4 players. Just changed falling sword by steed charge for mobility. Just to stay ahead of the monk at the begging of a fight. Otherwise I cannot trigger forcus and restraint. Then keep the buffer on. It seems when monk is on the top of the mobs it hard to keep the buffer on. Would you know why? Am I doing something wrong? I feel like I could much better . thnks
Just as a referance: I did GR 55 solo with this build and think I can even go further (was really close at getting GR 57 done).
It belongs a bit on the rift and the cdr of Akkarats Champion. Because I use Unity in the cube, I swapped Blessed of Haull with Leorics Crown.
I like this build really much, because stutter-stepping with the Hexing Pants is really no fun at all (at least for me).
Thanks for the reply. In fact we have a healing monk a!ong us which does a very nice job. But indeed falling sword much better. Thanks. Now, problem with focus & restraint sometimes does not show in the anymation. One ring color keeps poping up but the 2nd most of time not. Even if i press the generator. Not quite sure that's because too many spells on the screen bar. Trying to catch with the damage output display, but that's hard. Maybe the healing monk? Any help much appreciated.