Guide Hardcore Hammerdin

Attributes:
Strength, Enough to Wear gear (50 or so)
Dexterity, Enough for 75% block after using Holy Shield while Buffed (try to keep it below 90 base dext points)
Vitality, All Remaining Points
Energy, None

Skills: Max them in Order of the guide
20 Blessed Hammer
20 Blessed Aim
20 Vigor
20 Concentration
Remaining Points are used in Holy shield
Note: All skills should be maxed at level 97 (with all skill quests complete)

Gear: There is not cutting corners here sadly if u want to tank alot
Helmet: Crown Of Ages 2 Sox 2 Bers in them
Amulet: 2 Pala 20 Fcr And (optional) dext/str/life
Weapon: Heart Of The Oak
Armor: Enigma, Archon Plate/Wire Fleece/Great Hauberk (Higher Defense = lower chance for attack to hit you)
Shield: Spirit in a Sacred Targe w/ 40-45 all resistances
Gloves: Magefist (Fcr, Mana Reg)
Rings: Nature's Peace, 10 Fcr Ring w/Dext-Str-Res-Life
Belt: Arachnid Mesh
Boots: Waterwalks (Upped) Or Hotspur (Upped)

Inventory:
Upper 3 Rows Will be mostly small charms with life/res or Skillers with 30+ life, Lower 3 rows will be mostly clean/life skillers

Note: For this build and most others i push for maximum possible Dexterity over strength bugging as it is harder to reach max block than to strength bug items most times it just equip the items play with over 70 str for a few hours and then reset your stats (without Sandstorm treks equipped) most times that 15 str from treks is the reason items won't equip after re-spec tho i might be wrong when it comes to other characters, this is also a 125% fcr build most underestimate reaching that breakpoint on hardcore but rather out run the enemy than charge at it (i mean tomb vipers most others won't really deal much dmg unless your amplified or your res has been lowered)

This is my current build for hardcore and it has yet to disappoint me so far the only problem is lagging out and ofc Tomb Vipers (The Real End-Game Boss of Act 5) from Nihlathak tho the mercenary tanks 90% of the hits and if he doesn't move they don't deal any damage so try to tele stomp nihla instead of pull him out of the vipers or just don't kill him if he's surrounded honestly its probably not worth the risk.

Mercenary: Act 1 Cold Arrow

Helm: Andariel's Visage + 15 Ias Jewl
Armor: Treachery, this is mandatory to reach 89% ias for the breakpoint
Weapon: Insight, Diamond Bow
Gloves: LoH AKA Laying Of Hands
Ring: Raven Frost
Belt: Eth Razortail Or Eth Noseferatu's Coil
Boots: Gore Rider or Goblin Toe

Why Cold Arrow? Simple she will freeze every monster surrounding where you tele stomp 90% of the time (unless cold resistant) before u ask Yes she deals crap damage and No act 2 mercenary is not a bad option its the first option if your willing to wait for Amplify damage to run out before stomping any monsters

Edit: forgot to mention, she makes doing Nihlathak safer as normally the cause for the random amounts of charge/crushing blow damage applied to you is the act 2 mercenary moving in your entity/players pixels normally if you do not move only the poison damage would be applied i can go over it all day and the ways it happens other than the mercenary walking in your entity but thats if someone wants all the details about it and how to avoid it

 

Updated