Paladin Class Overview

In Wrath of the Lich King, Paladins can be Draenei, Dwarf, or Human if you are playing Alliance. Blood Elf is the only race for Paladin if you are Horde. Paladins are masters of all things holy and one of only two classes in the WoW Wrath of the Lich King expansion that can tank, heal, and DPS.

Yes! All three Paladin specializations are very strong in Wrath, as many class adjustments have been made to fix the Mana issues with Retribution and Protection, while Holy still remains the dominant tank healer.

Yes! Protection Paladin has received a lot of love going into Wrath, fixing a lot of the issues that existed for them in Classic and TBC. In particular, the addition of Hand of Reckoning, which gives them a conventional taunt, and the rework of Spiritual Attunement, which gives the Paladin Mana based off of how much they are healed for help immensely. Beyond that, the addition of Divine Plea makes Mana a much more abundant resource and allows you to use your abilities more freely to maximize threat, which was one of the big issues in Classic and TBC.

It depends on your goals and faction choice. If you are Horde, Blood Elf is the only option and by default the best. As Alliance, you can choose from Draenei, Human, and Dwarf. Draenei is the best if you are focused entirely on PvE, as the added Hit rating from Heroic Presence is extremely powerful compared to other available racial bonuses. If you are looking mostly for PvP, Dwarf is your best option because of how prominent Poisons are in The Wrath PvP. Stoneform is a great cooldown that could help you survive some situations you may otherwise not be able to.

Paladins are able to choose from 3 specializations: Retribution, Protection, and Holy.

• Retribution — Focuses on dealing damage with close range and melee attacks bolstered by the Light.
• Protection — Focuses on survivability, protecting your allies by tanking, and mitigating incoming damage.
• Holy — Focuses on healing; Holy Paladins are extremely powerful single-target healers and widely considered the best tank healer in the game.

Paladins are able to wear Cloth, Leather, and Mail armor right away, and are able to wear Plate after reaching Level 40.

Paladins are able to use both One-Handed and Two Handed Axes, Maces, and Swords, as well as Polearms.

Addons and Macros can greatly improve your quality of life in Azeroth, Outland, and Northrend. Listed below are some of our recommendations on Addons and Macros to help get the most out of your time playing the game.

Listed below are guides filled with information to help you play your Paladin optimally in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion.

• Paladin Leveling Guide
• Holy Paladin Leveling Guide
• Protection Paladin Leveling Guide
• Retribution Paladin Leveling Guide

You might also want to check out our full class guides, which teach you how to play your class at the new Level 80 cap!

• Holy Paladin Guide
• Protection Paladin Guide
• Retribution Paladin Guide