Lightning Strike Melee Templar (HELP!)

This is my current build:







I'm having issues in Act 3 Cruel. Game has been tough since the end of Act 2 Cruel....I died about 6-7 times trying to kill Vaal.


I'm running clarity and determination auras, and I use lightning strike as my main attack. I also have decoy totem which has been useful when I'm getting hit hard...but even with the totem, act 3 is just too much.

I'm planning on going for Eldritch Battery so I can run discipline to get loads of mana, so I can run more auras (namely wrath, anger, and hatred.....MAYBE purity but I don't think it'll wo rk having two 40% auras)

I've worked out an 111 point build just to sketch out a possible end game build:

This is the plan I have for my build:



Any suggestions?


Thanks.

I've made a video of my character in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfnhZaNwooY

I'm fighting all white mobs in this video, and you can see how hard they're hitting me and how many potions I have to go through. I can take some elite mobs but it gets REAL dicey...


Can anyone tell me what I need to improve on?

Is it my build, gear or skill gems?

My character seems pretty weak in Act 3 Cruel....what can I do to improve?

Thanks.

Maybe loh, or invest in larger energy shield pool, sacrificing a bit of armor.

Melee is tough in this game :( Your build looks pretty good, though if you are able, drop some damage passives and grab those Life passives from the Mara starting area.

A few (maybe crappy) tips:

1)HP rings / belt / gear will help, especially because it scales with your passives
2)Grab even a level 1 movement gem such as Leap Slap, Shield Charge, or Lightning Warp (troll). The ability to GTFO is a MUST for melee. "He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day"
3)When things are getting really rough and I just want to plow through I spam Leap Slam with a life-on-hit support. It's not the most elegant solution, but it'll help you brute-force yuor way through massive packs.

My next few points will be the 4 life nodes to the right of Trolls blood (Marauder starting area)


I think ill go for Eldritch battery next (8 more points) so I can run discipline which hopefully will increase my mana enough that I can run wrath/anger as well as clarity/determination.


I might look into whirling blades for running out of tight spots...


I kind of want to switch to lightning arrow (or power siphon) but not until I get chain + LMP. I don't know how long it'll be until I find those, and I don't have a life on hit gem either :(

I'm really only running lightning strike until I can find chain + LMP and a good ranged weapon (either a good bow or wand)...then i'll be switching to lightning arrow or power siphon