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[Matt_S]

I think my topic title is a good summary of what I'd like to discuss: any attempt at a conqueror run is pretty much forced to do a melee build, unless you're just hoping for some lucky drops or planning a knife throwing fight (which also forces Hellrunner most likely).  Now, I don't mind Vampyre builds and melee in general, but I like mixing things up rather than picking the same traits each game.  I also enjoy killing everything and doing all the special levels.  For a regular, non-challenge game, every other special level is doable by pretty much any build, though obviously some builds have an easier time with certain levels.  The Unholy Cathedral is the one level that forces a certain build, and the funny thing is, it's also one of the easier special levels if you do have an all-out melee build.  I mean, it says something that there's a diamond badge for doing the level without Brute.

So what would I suggest?  Well, I don't have a concrete idea, but I'm thinking maybe a new artifact that spawns in an earlier special level that does something (maybe allowing some ranged combat, or maybe doing something to temporarily boost your melee combat for the purposes of fighting with the angel so you can do it without Brute), like how the arena master staff allows one to clear the vaults without getting some lucky phases.  It's also sort of like how the arena gives you the rocket launcher and rockets that you need to clear the Wall.  I think a conqueror run should build upon itself, giving you what you need to clear the later special levels, even if it won't make it easy.  This is generally the case, with the exception of the Unholy Cathedral (but the guaranteed chainsaw certainly helps for the melee build).

What are your opinions on the matter?  Is it okay that not every build can clear the Unholy Cathedral?

[Zarin]

Shielded Armor+piercing blade or a hatred skull+chainsword/chainsaw solve it pretty easily. In the latter case, any armor with melee resistance (duelist, ballistic, etc.) will make it even easier. Since you are visiting every special level, including Hell's Armory, you should have a decent chance to find what you need...

[Matt_S]

Is the berserk from a hatred skull enough to kill the angel with only 50% to hit in melee?  A piercing blade certainly helps, but I've had times where I've gone practically the whole game without seeing a power mod.  Lucky unique/exotic armor drops can certainly make it easier, but the point is without the lucky drops I don't think there's much of a chance to beat the angel.  With red armor, the angel can kill a marine without Ironman/TaN in 5 hits if he's not supercharged or berserk, potentially 4 for other classes, and he has high accuracy.

If you did have a guaranteed hatred skull, then I think I'd agree that it'd be doable.  I'd have to do the math to see how it actually affects the odds, but I think it'll still take one or two large medpacks, and your armor would take a beating.  Eagle eye would help, but I like Army of the Dead builds so I personally rarely get it nowadays.

(A hatred skull is a much better solution than a new artifact just for this.  Though it also means you can't just lure the demons through the lava.)

[raekuul]

There are people that don't use the doors as a natural choke point when dealing with the demons?

Although, no, that wouldn't help with the Hatred Skull's damage...

[IronBeer]

3 primary methods of killing the Angel of Death that I've identified.

1. Traditional Berserker-based melee tactics. Old news, we know how this works.

2. Malicious Blades. Yes, it's that good- I just tried it a couple runs ago. Chainsword and/or a piercing knife is required; it'll be a really long fight with the AoD's 10 armor otherwise. (shit, it might be a pretty long fight anyways) MMB will easily let you go toe-to-toe with him, and while it is scary to have the screen flash red after every hit, only losing 2HP per hit is nothing short of awesome.

3. Items. Piercing Chainsaw + ridiculously stacked anti-melee armor. Shielded Armor is probably the absolute best, since it won't take damage, but there are a few other options. The AoD's frighteningly strong melee abilities limit the armor pool substantially; going off of the wiki, here's what I think'll work:
   *Ballistic Shield
   *Shielded Armor
   *(Duelist Armor)
   *(Ballistic Vest)
The first 2 armors will give you at least as much protection as Malicious Blades, and while your offense will be a bit weaker (single attack/turn, and you DID grab Brute at some point, did you?), they should make you tough enough to slug it out. Duelist Armor and Ballistic Vest offer much weaker melee resists, and they honestly probably aren't enough.

Hatred Skull sounds like a rather dodgy option, actually. No corpses from the Lost Souls, and a good chance of not getting many Demon corpses (do corpses actually stack?). Course, I'm salting those words now; I'd wager some loony like Tormuse is gearing up to get Longinus Diamond in exactly that fashion.

Yeah, I wouldn't say that the Unholy Cathedral forces aspiring Conquerers into melee builds, but the situation there does everything but forcing melee consideration. Planning ahead and getting lucky is the only real way to do it without a melee-based build. ....well, you really only need Berserker, trait-wise.

[AlterAsc]

2nd soultion is a melee build, kinda obvious that it works in melee fight.

2TS: 3 traits(Bru2, Ber) isn't much, and even if you don't normally use melee, Ber still is very helpful against barons,mancubi and revenants.
And second point:you easily get one of the best weapons in the game.Just because you took 3 traits and managed to get to UC.