Retadin: Owning faces as a Retribution Paladin.

What Uther did't tell you.
A guide to Paladin PVE/DPS in The Burning Crusade

We as Paladins of the Silver Hand are always lead to believe our only role in a raid is to stand back and heal the other party members, since the dawning of WoW back in 2004 that was always the case. Recently as we all know an expansion called The Burning Crusade changed all of that, Blizzard adopted the extremist way of engineering the Paladin for the game. Now if you are a Holy Paladin if gear/spec the right way you will only be great if not superb at healing, at the same time if you go for the Protection tree you will be awesome for tanking since now we share the same gear as a warrior therefore the stamina/defense issue we had before is gone. I will make a tanking guide in the future, for now we will focus on PVE/DPS as a RET/PVE Paladin.

NOTE: This in no way is intended for PVP, PVP involves many other aspects of the game which we will not cover here.

First off, to understand how a MELEE based class can DPS we must understand the mechanics of this same concept. The melee DPS thrives each time it lands a hit, landing a hit enables for any other ability, proc, etc to kick in, this being said the primary “PIPELINE” of melee dps is +HIT, look at it as a pipe, the thicker the pipe the more flow goes trough.

Now, as we all know there is a cap in hit, its 5% vs mobs of the same level and increases 1% each level, pay attention: players across the forums state that the highest level mobs including raid bosses is 73, if this is true then you only need 8% to hit at most with a 2 hander, therefore you can get it all in gear and not spec 8 points into prot for precision or get 5% and spec 8 points into prot for precision, i have my own conjurings in boss levels so i tend to stack more +hit than necesary, but this is a personal thing… Once you have ur 8% covered you then stack up AP and crit WITHOUT sacrificing the + hit ok?

Understanding this enables us to see how melee dps works, the more hits you land, the more procs/crits/specials you get in, this all applies to the RET/PVE paladin as well as to fury warriors, rogues, melee shammys etc.
I will list out the PRIORITY of stats in wich you need to gear yourself:

1.- +hit (5% is the cap vs a lvl 70 mob, 8% vs a lvl 73 mob)
2.- Attack Power (STR – Each STR = 2 Attack Power)
3.- Critical Strike (AGI – Each AGI at lvl 70 = 0.7 Critical Strike Rating)
4.- +Spell Damage (It is not as important as Attack Power but helps a bit NOTE: Do not sacrifice any of the other stats above this one for more +spell damage)
5.- Mana (INT – Granted the spec I will give you in this guide will help you a lot to conserve mana, it is always good if you can get extra mana WITHOUT sacrificing any of the top stats)
6.- Stamina (STAM – Yeah we wear plate, but having hp in case we pull agro “I almost always do :S” is good)
7.- Mana Regen (SPI/MP5 – Last but not as important is mana regen, again the spec I will give you will enable you to effectively dps with minor mana)


Now that you know what stats too look for in gear comes the spec…
CLICK HERE


What is the best weapon choice?
Obviously the 2 hander is the best choice for a RET/PVE paladin, If you are a Human make sure it’s a Mace or a Sword (The + to weapon skill increases crit rate and no longer is affected by glancing blow as the old formula.)


What to look for in a 2 hander? Simple!:
1.- Top end and Speed – A slower weapon with higher top en has been proven to hit harder on the long run as well as max out the procs in SoC.
2.- STATS – As noted above, look for the stats in order as I presented before.
3.- Equip abilities – These fall under the stat priority as well BUT if a proc is involved procs are always good… They can be activated from your specials and your SoC procs so it will be added DPS

As far as enchant goes for your 2H that’s entirely up to you, if you are lacking in AP go for savagery, of you are lacking in crit go for agility, if you like burst dps go for Crusader (some speculate it waqs fixed to reflect the actuall AP increased since last patch).


How do I want to grp in a raid if given the option?
This one is simple… The best classes they can stick in there with you in your party in a raid would be Shadow Priest and Melee Shaman, why? Simple. The Shadow Priest will keep your mana up so you can go all out (yes consecration, exorcism if undead or demon, etc.), the melee shammy will give you heroism (bloodlust in horde) and WINDFURY!!!
Why is Windfury so great for RET/PVE pallys? We use 2 handers as preferred dps weapon, the damage from a 2 hander scales A LOT in a crit, the more swings the more crits etc, it is amazing how much more output you can get with this and heroism together, not only that… SOC DOES PROC OF WINDFURY!!!
Now if you cant get this excellent party arrangement you will STILL do fine in the raid dps…


Should I use CONSUMABLES? 
For the first raids that you will have to prove yourself as a DPSER don’t… Because ignorant players will say it was the consumables even though mages, locks, etc always use consumables for added dps. After you are accepted as a DPSER go ahead and get some extra goodies just to smoke your mages some more lol.

Now, here is a simple FACT of Paladins that most people (game ignorant people) tend to get mixed…
+spell damage IS NOT the main source of paladin RET/PVE dps, whoever said this is wrong (should be taken out the back and shot, j/k lol). +spell damage is for CASTERS… WE ARE NOT CASTERS… NEVER WHERE AND NEVER WILL BE, WE ARE A MELEE ORIENTED CLASS FOR DAMAGE, for healing yes we are casters, that’s another story… BUT FOR DPS WE ARE MELEE NOT CASTERS…
GET THIS IN YOUR HEADS PALADINS, WE ARE NOT CASTERS FOR DAMAGE, WE ARE MELEE PERIOD…

Sorry for stressing out this point a lot lol, its cause of ignorant paladins like the +spell damage ones that we look like a half assed dps class.

Follow my teachings and I am positive you will succeed in being great dps and give more utility than any other dps class in a raid, use this information to prove why having a paladin RET/PVE DPS is better than a straight DPS class that DOES NOT BRING ANY BENEFIT TO THE RAID (rogue/hunter LOL)
If they ask simply state:

1.- I can keep an extra 3% to crit on the target at all times for all types of dps, melee, ranged and caster.
2.- I have an aura that adds 10-12% to healing to any target in my group (scalable, its amazing how much it adds)
3.- I can keep all 3 essential seals on the target with crusader strike (wisdom, light and crusader improved)
4.- I wear plate and can off-tank if needed and don’t die as fast as a clothie if I pull agro
5.- I don’t have a casting time therefore I have a much more chance to cause damage.
6.- AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST! I CAN DO AS MUCH OR DECENT DAMAGE AS YOUR TOP DAMAGE CLASS/PLAYER

All these facts are TRUE and pretty simple to understand.

Have fun owning the “DPS Classes”


*By Hagrin of Nathrezim

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Tankadin: Paladin tanking durning The Burning Crusade.

In the days before the Burning Crusade, paladin raid tanks were absolutely unheard of. For the most part, they are still uncommon, possessing a niche in any guild that allows them to do any tanking at all. And even then, most of them do not have the opportunity to pit themselves head to head with real bosses. When it comes down to the nitty gritty, they are expected to strap on healing gear.
While paladins are and have always been excellent healers, it is no longer their sole role. It is possible for paladins to main tank some of the hardest bosses to date in World of Warcraft. Here's a history of how and why.


The Beginning

At the first annual BlizzCon, the development team of World of Warcraft admitted that, initially, paladins were meant to be a very simple class to play -- and that often, things evolve beyond their control in the course of testing and making content live. Paladins soon thereafter received a talent review, ostensibly in preparation for the Burning Crusade expansion.

The paladin was delivered into the hands of the Horde, and amidst much derision became an integral part of the PvE - player versus environment - portion of the game.

They came to those with only the experience of fighting paladins as annoying healer or melee units in the battlegrounds -- and soon, since the healing mechanism in PvE was so important, found a niche in Horde raids as spam-healers and blessing bots.

Most are content with this role. Most Horde paladins leveled their characters following behind a level 70 or two, never really learning the intricacies of the class. The supposed simplicity of it, as within the Alliance, attracted poor players, and as such tarnished the image of the paladin.

Unfortunately for them, the paladin is no longer the simplest class to play in the World of Warcraft. In some cases, it is one of the most involved.

In the first BlizzCon's character class panel, the developers, in nearly the same breath, said that paladins were intended as "a defensive class, not a hybrid, to be up there beating on the mob," and to be "holy warriors using plate armor."

In my experience as a paladin raid tank, I have come across many a warrior who told me to,"Leave the tanking to the real tanks, stand in the back and heal. It's your job. Live with it." With the recent talent changes as of patches 2.2 and 2.3, healing mechanics were changed; no longer can paladins spam heals with a full mana bar.

...But we can take hits as well as, if not better than an equally geared warrior - and we buff the raid - and we are the AoE kings.

That's right. I said it.
If your guild is not grooming a protection-specced paladin main tank, you are behind the curve.



The Basics

Before patch 2.3, paladins were want for stamina as compared to druids and warriors. This was their main downfall - after all, in order to main tank, you need health, avoidance and mitigation in large amounts.

Fortunately, talents were added in the paladin review that allowed the paladin to make up the difference. "Combat Expertise" not only gives plenty of +hit (after all, if your melee swings aren't connecting, your Seals are not either) - but also, 10% additional overall stamina, on top of the talent that gives a bonus of 6%.

This brings to light the paladin's single most valuable statistic - the one that stacks with talents, Blessing of Kings and Prayer of Fortitude: stamina.

If you have designs upon becoming a paladin main tank for any guild, you'll need lots and lots of stamina. After all, if you have 1000 total stam with gear, you'll get an additional 16% over that - and the numbers do add up quickly.

Of course, stam alone does not a great tank make. For paladins, threat comes from spell damage (either from enchants or from weapons or a combination of the two). And avoidance is difficult to come by. 490 Defense is easy; that makes you uncrittable in a player versus environment situation. Uncrushable, however? That is not a walk in the park.



More Advanced Stuff

Statistical priority for a paladin main tank should be as follows:

Health(Stam)

Defense (490 minimum)

Avoidance (Dodge, Parry, Block)

Armor

Spell Damage

You need a minimum of 102.4% combined avoidance - dodge plus parry plus block plus your natural miss chance - in order to be uncrushable. Warriors have it easy; all they really need to do is stack up 25% shield block rating and their Shield Block ability makes them uncrushable - well, for one or two charges.

Paladins only get 30% additional shield block from Holy Shield. However, they can maintain that uncrushable status for far longer. If you're just starting out, you will definitely want to put priority on block for avoidance after you're capped for defense.

Unlike warriors, too, a paladin needs spell damage rather than melee damage or strength in order to tank effectively. Since the best tanking gear is made for warriors, covered in stamina, agility and other statistics, a paladin should find a good spell damage sword or mace. The best options there are the Continuum Blade from Keepers of Time reputation - or the Crystalforged Sword, a rare drop from Ogri'la dailies. Both blades have a healthy amount of stamina and spell damage to start with.

For a paladin to begin main tanking in raids, such as the ten-man Karazhan, he or she should have 10,000 to 12,000 life unbuffed, uncrushable status, and 160 spell damage.



The Endgame

The paladin tank suffers through tier four content with very little in the way of gear upgrades. Justicar helm and shoulders are excellent. Badge of Justice gear offers more options. Tier five content is much the same. Aside from trinkets and off-set pieces, there are few upgrades.

Mount Hyjal and Black Temple are where a paladin main tank shines.

After a certain point in the gear curve, a paladin main tank sees a dramatic shift in defensive statistics, spell damage and overall avoidance...and, of course, a massive amount of health. It is not uncommon to see paladins breaking 16,000 unbuffed life. Properly socketed, with all applicable stamina enchants, I have 18,700 unbuffed life as of the end of May.

As a paladin, I have main tanked every boss throughout Hyjal and Black Temple - yes, including Kaz'rogal, the infamous mana draining boss, Archimonde, and the hardest-hitting mob in World of Warcraft to date: Teron Gorefiend.

In Hyjal, the waves of ghouls and other undead are a non-issue. Consecrate catches all of them and holds them in place for mages and warlocks to obliterate. In Black Temple, DPS classes are actually allowed to do so instead of focusing on crowd control.

The trick to being able to take hits from these bosses - and being able to maintain threat - is to not say no to dodge, parry and spell damage. Your shield block rating will dip low - probably below 20% in some cases. The sheer amount of avoidance your armor will have, however, in the form of dodge and parry, more than makes up for the loss.

In order to compensate for the loss of shield block threat from Holy Shield, stack plenty of spell damage. My character, fully raid buffed, boasts about 600 spell damage. Between several pieces of Tier Six armor and the Hammer of Judgement from Hyjal trash, this cap is easily attainable.

Proof positive - a paladin can do it. Keep that in mind if one of the warriors in your guild wants to go Fury...if you have a protadin, you have a capable MT.

*Originally Published by Stephanie Berthiaume

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