Retribution Paladin Pre-Patch Guide for WotLK Classic
The Pre-Patch period of Wrath of the Lich King Classic is a time to allow players to level or gear up characters while experiencing some of the class changes of the coming expansion before its official launch. Here you will find recommended talents, gear, and some rotation tips for a Retribution Paladin when you can only reach a maximum level of 70.
Overview
While Retribution Paladin in The Burning Crusade had a very unique playstyle thanks to sealtwisting, in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion Retribution becomes a much more complete and more powerful spec, consistently placing among the top melee DPS specs while still providing the amazing class utility that Paladin is known for. This page will go over how to play your Retribution Paladin, gear you should seek out during the pre-patch, how you should spend your talent points, and what consumables you should use if you are considering tackling some of the Burning Crusade raid content while waiting for Wrath to officially start!
Talent Calculator
There are many great talents in the Retribution tree that will keep us mostly focused there as opposed to branching out to some smaller gains that can be found in the other two trees. This build is primarily focused on dealing maximum DPS.
Stat Priority for Ret Paladins
- Hit Chance (To cap);
- Expertise;
- Strength;
- Agility
- Attack Power;
- Crit Chance;
- Haste;
- Armor Penetration;
Rotation
The Retribution Paladin rotation at Level 70 is very similar to that at Level 80, with the only main difference being the lack of Divine Plea which allows you to remain entirely Mana positive while doing your rotation. Due to much shorter fight lengths in the Wrath of the Lich King pre-patch and the addition of replenishment through Judgements of the Wise, Mana should be no issue.
Single-Target Rotation
As opposed to a set rotation Retribution Paladin follows a strict list of priorities. Following such order will lead to your maximum possible single-target DPS output.
- Apply Seal of Vengeance to the target if fighting in single-target; use Seal of Command if you will be consistently hitting 2 or more targets;
- Crusader Strike;
- Judgement of Wisdom;
- Divine Storm;
- Hammer of Wrath;
- Consecration;
- Exorcism; (Only with The Art of War procs active)
- Holy Wrath should be the lowest in your priority and only used when you are fighting an Undead or Demon mob type.
AOE Rotation
Similar to single-target, as a Retribution Paladin you will be using a list of priorities when AoEing as opposed to a rotation. The AoE rotation is extremely similar except with an emphasis on getting Consecration down.
- Apply Seal of Command;
- Consecration;
- Divine Storm;
- Judgement of Wisdom;
- Holy Wrath should only be used when you are fighting an Undead or Demon mob type.
- Crusader Strike;
- Hammer of Wrath;
- Exorcism; (Only with The Art of War procs active)
Early Upgrades
Listed below will be a list of some items that are very powerful and require a relatively low time investment to get to help you get a bit more powerful during the Wrath of the Lich King pre-patch as you prepare to head to Northrend and continue your journey through WoW classic.
Slot | Item | Source |
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Helm | ||
Back |
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Wrist | ||
Gloves | ||
Belt | ||
Pants |
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Ring | ||
Ring |
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Trinket | ||
Trinket |
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Weapon |
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Consumables
Spicy Hot Talbuk is your best well-fed buff if you are not hit-capped, Roasted Clefthoof if you are hit capped, as your goal is to maximize your Strength.
Flask of Relentless Assault is your typical go-to against most mobs. The exception to this is that when fighting Demons, Elixir of Demonslaying by itself is stronger than any flask and can be paired with a Guardian Elixir of your choosing.
Haste Potion is our best choice as the added Haste allows for more melee swings to maximize damage.
Changelog
- 23 Aug. 2022: Page added.
This guide has been written by Sellin, a former top 10 US raider and several time Gladiator, long time WoW Player and passionate about all things Warcraft and Theorycrafting. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him on Twitch.
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