WotLK Classic Retribution Paladin Stat Priority

1. Hit Chance (To cap);
2. Expertise;
3. Strength;
4. Agility
5. Attack Power;
6. Crit Chance;
7. Haste;
8. Armor Penetration;

Hit rating is your most important stat as a Retribution Paladin. Ensuring you are Hit-capped is important because it helps maintain both your personal buff — Vengeance — as well as whatever seal you happen to be applying to the boss. Missed abilities deal zero damage and getting to Hit cap is the only way to guarantee your abilities will never miss. There are other abilities in the game that are less common that can help you reach Hit cap but it is important to gear in a way that you will always be Hit-capped when outside sources may not be available.

Expertise reduces your chance to be dodged. If you are behind the mob you are fighting they cannot block or parry you but they can still dodge. Removing your chance to be dodged is a significant damage increase, but it is extremely difficult to get Expertise capped — especially early on — so do not worry if you are not able to achieve it.

Strength increases your damage by being the single largest source of Attack Power. Assuming you are talented in Divine Strength, each point of Strength will grant 2.2 Attack Power.

Crit and Agility both have very marginal benefits for Ret but are damage increases either way. They also synergize well with talents like Vengeance and Righteous Vengeance.

Attack Power increases the damage of your abilities and auto-attacks.

Haste increases the rate at which you attack. It synergizes extremely well with your seals as the more attacks you are doing the seal will be applied more frequently.

Armor Penetration increases the damage of your auto-attacks and crusader strike abilities. Retribution Paladin's damage comes both from magic and Physical sources so Armor Penetration loses some value compared to other stats.