The paladin is a plate wearer of the Light who can do it all: heal, tank and fight in melee, and on top of that carries the best save-an-ally buttons in the game. The entry barrier is low, and the difficulty rests on spending Holy Power at the right moment and not burning cooldowns for nothing.
Specializations
| Spec | Role | Artifact | Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy | Healer | The Silver Hand | Intellect → Critical Strike → Haste → Mastery → Versatility |
| Protection | Tank | Truthguard | Stamina → Haste → Versatility → Mastery → Critical Strike |
| Retribution | Melee damage | Ashbringer | Strength → Haste → Critical Strike ≈ Versatility → Mastery |
The stat priority is a guideline for 7.3.5: with different talents and legendaries the order shifts, and the sim has the final word.
Holy
- A "sniper" healer: focused single-target healing with strong one-shot heals rather than smeared-out AoE healing.
- Key buttons: Holy Shock on cooldown, Light of Dawn on a clump of allies.
- Always keep Beacon of Light on the tank: part of your healing is copied onto him for free.
- Watch your mana and your Holy Shock procs — all of your fast healing is built on them.
- Lay on Hands is your main "save" button — don't hoard it.
Protection
- A tank with a heavy stream of self-healing and frequent blocks; it feels great in Mythic+.
- Key buttons: Avenger's Shield as you move in on a pack, Shield of the Righteous into incoming hits, Consecration under your feet.
- Watch your Holy Power first of all: it goes into Shield of the Righteous, which reduces the physical damage you take.
- Stand in your Consecration — outside the circle you lose both damage and mitigation.
Retribution
- Melee built on a combo resource: you build Holy Power with your basic strikes and dump it with finishers.
- Key buttons: Blade of Justice, Templar's Verdict on a single target and Divine Storm on a pack.
- Wake of Ashes is a strong burst — line it up with Avenging Wrath.
- Watch your Holy Power counter: sitting on 5 charges without spending them is lost damage.
Legendary items
- Chain of Thrayn — a belt that empowers Avenging Wrath. Good for all three specs, especially Retribution and Protection.
- Whisper of the Nathrezim — a Retribution cloak: your finishers empower the next finisher.
- Scarlet Inquisitor's Expurgation — a Retribution chest: it stacks up a huge buff for Divine Storm.
- Justice Gaze — a Protection helm that turns Hammer of Justice into a damage source with a short cooldown.
- Maraad's Dying Breath — a Holy cloak that ties Light of Dawn to the healing that follows it.
Until the spec legendaries drop, wear the all-purpose Prydaz, Xavaric's Magnum Opus and Sephuz's Secret — they are not useless in any spec.
Class Order Hall
The paladin order hall is the Sanctum of Light, the catacombs beneath Light's Hope Chapel in the Eastern Plaguelands. It is the headquarters of the Order of the Silver Hand: the artifact forge, champion missions, the class campaign and a quick portal back to Dalaran.
Tips for beginners
- Master protecting your allies: Blessing of Protection and Divine Shield save the raid more often than a few extra percent of damage.
- Level one artifact all the way — on 7.3.5 Artifact Knowledge lets a second spec catch up in a couple of evenings.
- Don't be afraid to switch roles: the paladin has three full specs and a single set of plate, so you barely need to change gear.