Retribution Paladin DPS Spec, Builds, and Talents — 12.1

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Retribution can choose between Crusading Strikes and Templar Strikes for different types of Holy Power generation in its builds. Currently, Crusading Strikes is significantly stronger than Templar Strikes, so all builds recommended on this page will be using Crusading Strikes, but if you want to play the alternative style then no additional talent swaps are needed.

For Hero Talents, Templar tends to be the default choice for most content with strong performance on all target counts and better defensives. Herald of the Sun does still have some niches where it performs well, with stronger burst inside Avenging Wrath and better cleave on 2 and 3 targets.

• Single Target - Templar has very slightly better single-target damage, so it is the default choice, but Herald of the Sun can be worth playing on short fight lengths or with Power Infusion.
• AoE - Herald of the Sun performs better on low target cleave, but the difference is very small on large target counts. For burst AoE, Templar is always much stronger.

In practice it is optimal to play both Hero trees depending on the specific situation, but the default builds recommended here use Templar because of its stronger short duration burst and better defensives.

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The builds listed above are popular recommendations, covering various different loadouts suited to each style of endgame content. Each Talent Build will have its own rotation, and can also be manipulated further for specific types of content and to better benefit your group.

Combat Information

Rotations and Mythic+

Want to dive deeper? These guides will teach you how to utilize our Talent Builds in endgame content!

RotationMythic+

The Omnium Folio is a system introduced in Midnight's Patch 12.0.7, and offers some minor performance-enhancing customization options after a multi-week quest series. Some of these bonuses affect your damage output, while others are more defensive in nature.

We recommend the following bonuses for each rank:

• Tier 1: Rune of Unleashed Fire
• Tier 2: Rune of Void-Tainted Shell
• Tier 3: Rune of Lingering
• Tier 4: Rune of Masterful Cunning
• Tier 5: Rune of Overload

The Apex Talent for Retribution is Light Within. This provides bonus effects to Art of War or Righteous Cause, increasing the damage of the next Blade of Justice cast and causing it to also deal additional AoE damage. It also increases Holy Power spender damage during Avenging Wrath. Prioritizing using Blade of Justice when at 2 stacks is a sizeable damage increase.

Retribution has two Hero Talent trees, Templar and Herald of the Sun. These each have different visuals and gameplay, augmenting the core Retribution talents and abilities.

Templar gives you access to Hammer of Light after casting Wake of Ashes, which is a separate Holy Power spender that does significant AoE damage. It also has extra bonus effects such as Divine Hammer and Empyrean Hammer that do additional AoE damage passively.

Herald of the Sun procs Dawnlights when Wake of Ashes is cast, which are powerful DoT effects that grant extra bonuses while active. It also significantly increases the power of Hammer of Wrath through talents like Walk Into Light.

"War Mode" is an opt-in feature that enables cross-faction PvP combat in the open-world. Enabling War Mode provides the following benefits:

• PvP talents enabled in the outdoor world.
• 10% increase in World Quest rewards at maximum level.
• 10% more experience gained while leveling.
• Earn Conquest Points, which can reward gear every week.

With the benefits of enabling War Mode for leveling and PvE content, it is recommended enabling the feature to maximize your leveling and rewards at maximum level. However, you will make yourself available for open-world PvP, and the possibility of being "ganked" while leveling or doing World Quests exists.

No War Mode talents have any impact on open-world PvE content for Retribution. For PvP talents, see the guide above.

Bolas

Guide Author

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This guide has been written by Bolas, a long time Retribution Paladin enthusiast, theorycrafter, and high-end raider in the #1 Oceanic guild Honestly. You can find him in the Paladin Discord as bolas.ret.

In The Same Category

Retribution Paladin StatsRetribution Paladin GuideRetribution Paladin EnchantsRetribution Paladin Easy ModeRetribution Paladin RotationRetribution Paladin Mythic+