Underkeep Paladin Guide: Build and Spend Zeal

The Paladin uses Zeal rather than simply sharing a caster’s mana routine. Successful basic attacks build that resource, and several major abilities spend it. Plan the build-up before relying on a finisher or a heal.

Read the resource loop

The developer confirmed the Paladin’s Zeal system during development, and the current player guide explains how attacks and finishers use it. Check the resource indicator after a successful basic attack. Before selecting a major action, read whether it spends the available Zeal and which targets it can affect.

Avoid copying a fixed attack count from an older build. Your immediate question is whether enough resource is available for the action you need now.

Decide what the next spend is for

1. At the start of a round, check the party’s health and the Paladin’s resource.
2. If someone is at risk, inspect Lay on Hands before committing to offense.
3. If recovery can wait, compare the available offensive actions with the enemy type.
4. Read Righteous Strike’s free-action description before combining it with a basic attack.
5. After spending, reassess the next resource-building round instead of assuming the same finisher is immediately ready.

This is a resource-management framework, not a guaranteed sequence for a specific boss.

Choose compatible passives

The player guide describes Divine Guard as rewarding Zeal spending and Zealous Resolve as benefiting from held Zeal. Those incentives pull in different directions. Decide which rhythm fits your job rather than taking both names as unconditional upgrades.

Equipment and limitations

Do not ignore Wisdom merely because the Paladin fights in front. Check equipment requirements and healing-related descriptions before assigning future upgrades. This page avoids numerical item requirements and final damage claims that have not been independently verified against the installed build.