Paladins in Diablo 4 are a versatile class capable of wielding both Core and Basic Skills effectively. While Core Skills like Arbiter of Justice often steal the spotlight, Basic Skills such as Advance can form the foundation of highly mobile and high-damage builds when paired with the right equipment. One of the standout Diablo 4 Items for enhancing Advance is the March of the Stalwart Soul, a Unique pair of boots designed to make this skill endgame viable. In this guide, we'll explain where to find this powerful item, its Unique effects, and how to maximize its potential in your Paladin builds.

What Is March of the Stalwart Soul?

March of the Stalwart Soul is a Unique pair of boots that directly improves the Paladin's Advance skill. Advance is a mobility-focused Basic Skill that allows Paladins to close gaps quickly and deal sustained damage while repositioning in combat. On its own, Advance can be useful for low- and mid-level content, but without proper equipment, it struggles in high-difficulty Torment levels.

The boots enhance the Advance in several ways:

·Bonus Ranks to Advance: Provides three additional skill ranks, boosting the base damage and scaling of Advance.

·Damage Multiplier: Increases Advance damage by over 100%, making each strike more impactful.

·Double Lunge Distance: Allows Paladins to cover more ground, increasing mobility and tactical positioning.

Additional affixes include:

·+Movement Speed

·+Chance for Advance to Deal Double Damage

·+Cooldown Reduction

·+Ranks to Advance

Combined with Basic Skill Aspects like Rapid Aspect, Aspect of the Moonrise, and Aspect of Adaptability, March of the Stalwart Soul enables Advance to clear high-level content comfortably, turning a simple mobility skill into a reliable damage dealer.

How to Get March of the Stalwart Soul in Diablo 4

Farming March of the Stalwart Soul requires defeating minor lair bosses and collecting specific treasure hoard materials. Currently, the two most reliable sources are Varshan near the Tree of Whispers and Grigoire, located south of Ked Bardu.

Varshan Route

To open Varshan's treasure hoard, players need 12 Malignant Hearts. These drop from:

·Tree of Whispers caches

·Grotesque Debtors

The most efficient way to farm Malignant Hearts is by completing Tree of Whisper bounties in active Helltide areas. Each bounty usually rewards a cache, which counts as five Grim Favors, meaning completing just two dungeons marked by the Tree of Whispers is enough to earn a Malignant Heart cache.

Grigoire Route

Grigoire's treasure hoard requires 12 Living Steel, which can be obtained from:

·Helltide chests

·Bosses during Helltide events

Helltide zones are dynamic, so players can farm multiple Living Steel efficiently while also gaining other valuable loot, including additional Diablo 4 Items.

For Paladins who want to focus solely on obtaining March of the Stalwart Soul, concentrating on the Tree of Whispers dungeons or Helltide zones for the respective materials is the fastest route. Additionally, buying or trading for Diablo 4 materials can speed up the farming loop, allowing quicker access to Varshan or Grigoire treasure hoards.

March of the Stalwart Soul Unique Effect Explained

March of the Stalwart Soul dramatically transforms Advance into a high-impact skill for endgame content. Its effects include:

·Bonus Ranks: Three extra ranks to Advance, amplifying its damage and scaling potential.

·Damage Multiplier: Over 100% increased damage to enemies struck, making it highly effective in Torment-level content.

·Double Lunge Distance: Extends mobility and allows Paladins to engage or disengage more effectively.

While there is a reported bug where only one of the bonus ranks applies at a time, the boots still offer significant value for Advance-centric builds. The combination of cooldown reduction, movement speed, and chance for double damage makes these boots indispensable for maximizing Advance performance.

Is March of the Stalwart Soul Worth Using?

For builds centered around Advance, the answer is an emphatic yes. While it may not reach the raw damage output of high-tier Judgement builds, March of the Stalwart Soul ensures that Advance remains viable on Torment 3 and above.

It is particularly effective when paired with the Judicator Oath, which allows all Basic Skills to apply Judgment to enemies. Although Advance cannot trigger the Zealot Oath effect, its synergy with other Basic Skill enhancements ensures reliable crowd control, mobility, and damage. Players who invest in March of the Stalwart Soul, along with complementary gear and Paragon Nodes, can create a Paladin capable of clearing most Diablo 4 content efficiently.

Tips for Maximizing March of the Stalwart Soul

1. Combine with Basic Skill Aspects: Rapid Aspect, Aspect of the Moonrise, and Aspect of Adaptability enhance Advance's damage and mobility, making the boots even more effective.

2. Farm Efficiently: Focus on Tree of Whispers dungeons for Malignant Hearts or Helltide zones for Living Steel.

3. Use Diablo 4 Materials Wisely: Buying or trading for needed materials can save time and reduce RNG frustration during farming sessions.

4. Optimize Movement: Advance benefits from positioning; combine the boots' double lunge distance with skill rotations to maximize damage output.

Conclusion

March of the Stalwart Soul is a must-have Diablo 4 Item for Paladins who want to build around Advance. By boosting damage, lunge distance, and skill ranks, these Unique boots make a simple mobility skill highly effective in high-level content.

Farming Varshan and Grigoire for their respective treasure hoard materials is the most reliable method, while trading or buying Diablo 4 materials can further streamline the process. Even with minor bugs affecting rank application, March of the Stalwart Soul remains a cornerstone for mobility and damage-oriented Basic Skill Paladin builds, proving that even simple skills like Advance can dominate Torment-level challenges when paired with the right gear.

Whether you're optimizing a speed-clear setup or pushing for high-tier endgame content, March of the Stalwart Soul ensures your Advance build is strong, mobile, and deadly.