1.
Introduction
If you are new to Protection, this is a great place to start to get an
understanding of how the spec works. On this page we will discuss what
abilities you have, what they are used for within the specialization, how they
interact with each other and also with important cooldowns. If you already
have experience with Protection and are comfortable with it in the current expansion, it is
recommended you skip this section and move on to the rest of the guide.
2.
Main Resource of Protection Paladins
Protection Paladins have two resources to manage: Mana and Holy Power. That
said, you do not have to manage Mana in any way. You will spend most of your
time dealing damage and using active mitigation abilities to help your healers
keep you alive.
3.
Baseline Protection Paladin Abilities
Ability |
Abbreviation |
Description/Effect |
Consecration |
Cons |
Consecration places an area-of-effect under your character which
deals
damage to every enemy in it. You can only have 1 Consecration active
at a time. For Protection, this also provides damage reduction from
Mastery: Divine Bulwark. |
Crusader Strike |
- |
Crusader Strike deals damage to your current target and generates 1
Holy
Power. |
Divine Shield |
Bubble |
Divine Shield will make you immune to all forms of damage for up to
8 seconds. Divine Shield will also apply the Forbearance
debuff for 30 seconds and cannot be used if you have the Forbearance
debuff active. Something to note for Protection Paladins is that this will
cause any targets hitting you to hit another player, as you are no longer a
valid target whilst Divine Shield is active. |
Flash of Light |
FoL |
Flash of Light is a quick casting healing spell, however Protection
Paladins
cannot Dodge/Parry/Block while they are casting this. |
Hammer of Justice |
HoJ |
Hammer of Justice stuns the target for 6 seconds. |
Hand of Reckoning |
Taunt |
Hand of Reckoning taunts the target forcing them to hit you for a few
seconds and increases the threat generated while they are fixated on you. |
Judgment |
Judge |
Judgment deals a moderate amount of Holy Damage to your target and
generates
1 Holy Power. |
Sense Undead |
- |
Sense Undead shows Undead creature types on your minimap. |
Shield of the Righteous |
SotR |
Shield of the Righteous deals Holy damage to all enemies in front of
you and increases
your armor based on the amount of Strength you have. It costs 3 Holy Power.
This should be your primary Holy Power spender for Protection. |
Word of Glory |
WoG |
Word of Glory is an instant cast heal and costs 3 Holy Power. For
protection
the amount of healing will be increased based on your missing Health. |
Redemption |
- |
Redemption is your standard resurrect spell. It can only be used
outside
of combat. |
Intercession |
CR (Combat Res) |
Intercession is new to Dragonflight. This is your combat
resurrection spell and
costs 3 Holy Power. |
4.
Baseline Protection Paladin Passives
Ability |
Abbreviation |
Description/Effect |
Mastery: Divine Bulwark |
- |
Mastery: Divine Bulwark increases your block chance and grants you
passive
damage reduction when you stand in Consecration. |
Aegis of Light |
- |
Aegis of Light increases your stamina by 45%, armor by 15% and 10%
passive damage
reduction. |
Riposte |
- |
Riposte converts your Critical Strike rating from gear to
Parry chance. |
5.
Protection Paladin Class Tree Abilities
Ability |
Abbreviation |
Description/Effect |
Lay on Hands |
LoH |
Lay on Hands heals the target for 100% of your maximum Health!
Lay on Hands will also apply the Forbearance debuff to the
target
for 30 seconds and cannot be used if they have the Forbearance debuff
active.
This talent is automatically learned for Protection Paladins. |
Blessing of Freedom |
Freedom/BoF |
Blessing of Freedom removes and grants immunity to all movement
impairing
effects for a few seconds. |
Hammer of Wrath |
HoW |
Hammer of Wrath can only be used on targets below 20% health but can
be used
freely while you have Avenging Wrath active. This generates 1 Holy
Power. |
Cleanse Toxins |
Cleanse |
Cleanse Toxins allows you to cleanse poison and disease effects.
|
Auras of the Resolute |
- |
Auras of the Resolute is automatically learned for Protection Paladins
and gives access to Devotion Aura and Concentration Aura. |
Auras of Swift Vengeance |
- |
Auras of Swift Vengeance gives access to Retribution Aura and
Crusader Aura. |
Turn Evil |
- |
Turn Evil is a crowd control ability that can only be used on
Demons,
Undead and Aberrations. Turn Evil will cause them to run away in fear.
It will also instantly kill enemies it can hit if they are below 30% health.
|
Divine Steed |
Steed |
Divine Steed summons a mount which your character rides for 3
seconds.
While you are on the mount, you will move 100% faster. |
Rebuke |
- |
Rebuke is your interrupt ability. |
Avenging Wrath |
Wings |
Avenging Wrath increases your damage and healing done by 20% for
20 seconds. 2-minute cooldown. Avenging Wrath will also allow you to use
Hammer of Wrath
on any target regardless of their Health. Note: the increases only apply to
Paladin abilities. |
Blessing of Sacrifice |
Sac |
Blessing of Sacrifice transfers 30% of the targeted player's damage
taken
to you for 12 seconds. 2-minute cooldown. Blessing of Sacrifice will stop
before 12 seconds if the damage taken will reduce you below 20% health. |
Blessing of Protection |
BoP |
Blessing of Protection will grant immunity to all Physical attacks to
the
player for up to 10 seconds. Blessing of Protection will also apply the
Forbearance debuff to the target for 30 seconds and cannot be used if
they have the Forbearance debuff active. |
Divine Toll |
Toll/DT |
Divine Toll fires up to 5 Avenger's Shield's to targets
within
30 yards. Each Avenger's Shield cast will generate 1 Holy Power. |
5.1.
Auras Explained
Devotion Aura provides 3% damage reduction to all party and raid
members within 40 yards.
Concentration Aura reduces the duration of silence and interrupt
effects
by 30% to all party and raid members within 40 yards.
Crusader Aura increases mounted movement speed by 20% to all party
and raid members within 40 yards. This also works with
Divine Steed!
Retribution Aura provides a 5% damage buff to all players within 40 yards
when any player takes more than 30% of their Health in damage in a single hit. This decays
over 30 seconds and cannot be reapplied for 30 seconds.
6.
Protection Paladin Class Tree Passives
Ability |
Abbreviation |
Description/Effect |
Obduracy |
- |
Obduracy increases your speed and avoidance by 2%. |
Fist of Justice |
- |
Fist of Justice reduces the cooldown of Hammer of Justice by 1
second for each Holy Power spent. |
Greater Judgment |
- |
Greater Judgment adds an effect to Judgment where it will
leave a debuff on your target, which increases the damage of your next
Shield of the Righteous
to them by 20%. |
Cavalier |
- |
Cavalier adds an extra charge of Divine Steed. |
Seasoned Warhorse |
- |
Seasoned Warhorse increases the duration of Divine Steed by
1 second.
|
Holy Aegis |
- |
Holy Aegis increases your armor and critical strike by 2% per rank.
|
Justification |
- |
Justification makes Judgment deal 10% more damage. |
Punishment |
- |
When you interrupt a spell with Rebuke or Avenger's Shield
you will cast Blessed Hammer
or Hammer of the Righteous. This also generates 1 Holy Power. |
Golden Path |
- |
Golden Path adds a passive healing effect to Consecration
for yourself and up to 5 allies. |
Sanctified Plates |
- |
This will increase your armor, stamina and reduce damage taken from AoE effects
(this is in addition to any Avoidance rating you have). |
Unbound Freedom |
- |
Unbound Freedom increases the movement speed of targets with your Blessing of Freedom
Additionally, when you use Blessing of Freedom on an ally, it is also cast
on yourself! |
Lightforged Blessing |
- |
When you cast Shield of the Righteous you heal yourself and nearby allies
for 2% of your maximum Health. |
Seal of Mercy |
- |
Seal of Mercy modifies Golden Path to also heal the lowest
health player healed an additional time at 50% of the healing value. Increases to
100% at rank 2. |
Afterimage |
- |
Afterimage will make your next Word of Glory heal a nearby
player for 30% of the value after spending 20 Holy Power. |
Sacrifice of the Just |
- |
Sacrifice of the Just reduces the cooldown of your
Blessing of Sacrifice
by 1 minute. |
Recompense |
- |
Recompense converts 50% of the damage taken from
Blessing of Sacrifice
after the buff ends into either a damage buff to your next Judgment or
a healing bonus to your
next Word of Glory. |
Unbreakable Spirit |
US |
Unbreakable Spirit reduces the cooldown of Divine Shield,
Ardent Defender,
and Lay on Hands by 30%. |
Improved Blessing of Protection |
- |
Improved Blessing of Protection reduces the cooldown of
Blessing of Protection
and Blessing of Spellwarding by 1 minute. |
Crusader's Reprieve |
- |
Crusader's Reprieve increases the range of Blessed Hammer/ Hammer of the Righteous
and auto attacks by 3 yards. You are also healed for 2% of your maximum Health
when you use Blessed Hammer/ Hammer of the Righteous. |
Strength of Conviction |
- |
Strength of Conviction increases the power of
Shield of the Righteous
and Word of Glory by 20% while you are standing in
Consecration. |
Judgment of Light |
JoL |
Judgment of Light allows Judgment to apply a debuff to the
target, which makes the next 5 attacks to that target heal the attacker. |
Seal of Might |
- |
Seal of Might increases your Mastery and Strength by 2% per rank. |
Divine Purpose |
DP |
Divine Purpose has a 15% chance to trigger when you use
Word of Glory
or Shield of the Righteous to make your next cast of Word of Glory
or
Shield of the Righteous free! |
Seal of Alacrity |
- |
Seal of Alacrity reduces the cooldown of Judgment by 0.5s
and increases your Haste by 2% per rank. |
Incandescence |
- |
Incandescence adds a 5% chance for each Holy Power spent to deal
damage to enemies in your Consecration. |
Touch of Light |
- |
Touch of Light adds an effect to your spells and abilities to deal
additional Holy damage or healing approximately 3 times per minute. |
Faith's Armor |
- |
Faith's Armor increases your armor by 20% for 4.5 seconds after using
Shield of the Righteous |
Of Dusk and Dawn |
- |
Of Dusk and Dawn adds two new buffs to maintain
Blessing of Dawn and Blessing of Dusk. |
Seal of the Crusader |
- |
Seal of the Crusader has a chance to be applied to the target when you
attack. This debuff increases the Holy damage they take by 5% per rank for 6
seconds. |
Seal of Order |
- |
Seal of Order adds additional effects to your Of Dusk and Dawn
buffs. |
Fading Light |
- |
Fading Light adds additional effects to your Of Dusk and Dawn
buffs. |
Divine Resonance |
DRes |
Divine Resonance will make Divine Toll fire an additional
Avenger's Shield every 5 seconds for 15 seconds. |
Quickened Invocations |
- |
Quickened Invocations reduces the cooldown of your
Divine Toll
by 15 seconds and Seraphim by 5 seconds. |
Zealot's Paragon |
- |
Zealot's Paragon increases the damage of Hammer of Wrath and
Judgment
by 10%. Additionally, they extend the duration of Avenging Wrath by 0.5
seconds per cast. |
6.1.
Of Dawn And Dusk Explained
Of Dusk and Dawn adds an incentive to spend your Holy Power.
Blessing of Dawn triggers when you spend Holy Power and
increases the damage of your next
Shield of the Righteous and the healing of
Word of Glory by 20%.
Blessing of Dusk triggers when you reach spend
Blessing of Dawn
and reduces your damage taken by 5% for 10 seconds.
Seal of Order grants additional effects when you trigger
Blessing of Dawn and
Blessing of Dusk.
Blessing of Dawn also increases the damage of
Shield of the Righteous and the healing of
Word of Glory by 10%.
Blessing of Dusk also increases your armor by 10%, and your Holy
Power-generating abilities cooldown 10% faster.
Fading Light grants additional effects when you trigger
Blessing of Dawn and
Blessing of Dusk.
Blessing of Dawn also increases the damage of
Shield of the Righteous and the healing of
Word of Glory by 10%.
Blessing of Dusk also causes your
Shield of the Righteous to provide
an absorb shield equal to 20% of the damage dealt, and
Word of Glory to provide a
an absorb shield equal to 20% of the healing done.
7.
Protection Paladin Spec Tree Abilities
Ability |
Abbreviation |
Description/Effect |
Avenger's Shield |
AS |
Avenger's Shield throws a shield at your target, which deals Holy
damage and
interrupts the target. The shield will then bounce to nearby targets dealing
Holy damage to each target. |
Hammer of the Righteous |
HotR |
Hammer of the Righteous replaces Crusader Strike.
Hammer of the Righteous
deals damage to your current target as Physical damage. If you are standing
in Consecration, it will fire a wave of light which will hit all
other targets in 8 yards. Generates 1 Holy Power. |
Blessed Hammer |
BH |
Blessed Hammer replaces Crusader Strike.
Blessed Hammer
will toss a hammer that spins away from your character, hitting every target (up
to
3 times) for a small amount of Holy damage. Each time an enemy is hit, their
a small amount reduces the next hit on you. Generates 1 Holy Power. |
Ardent Defender |
AD |
Ardent Defender reduces all damage you take by 20% for 8 seconds. If
you take lethal damage while Ardent Defender is active, it will heal
you to
20% Health instead. 2-minute cooldown. |
Blessing of Spellwarding |
Spellward |
Blessing of Spellwarding will grant immunity to all Magical attacks
to the
player for up to 10 seconds. Blessing of Spellwarding will also apply the
Forbearance debuff to the target for 30 seconds and cannot be used if
they have the Forbearance debuff active. |
Bastion of Light |
BoL |
Bastion of Light makes your next 3 casts of
Shield of the Righteous
or Word of Glory free. 2-minute cooldown. |
Guardian of Ancient Kings |
GoAK |
Guardian of Ancient Kings reduces all damage taken by 50% for 8
seconds.
5-minute cooldown. |
Eye of Tyr |
EoT |
Eye of Tyr deals damage to all enemies in 8 yards and reduces the
damage
they deal to you by 25% for 9 seconds. 1-minute cooldown. |
Moment of Glory |
- |
Moment of Glory reduces the cooldown of Avenger's Shield by
75%
and increases its damage by 20% for 15 seconds. Additionally, 25% of the damage
you deal with Avenger's Shield will convert into an absorption shield.
1.5-minute cooldown. |
8.
Protection Paladin Spec Tree Passives
Ability |
Abbreviation |
Description/Effect |
Holy Shield |
HS |
Holy Shield increases your block chance by 20% and allows you to
block direct magical attacks. Successful blocks will deal a small amount
of damage to the target that hit you. |
Redoubt |
- |
Redoubt will apply a buff which increases your Strength &
Stamina
by 2% for 10 seconds each time you use Shield of the Righteous.
Redoubt
can stack up to 3 times. |
Inner Light |
- |
Inner Light will increase your block chance by 10% and reflect a
small
amount of damage to all attackers for 4 seconds after using
Shield of the Righteous. |
Grand Crusader |
GC |
Grand Crusader will have a 15% chance to reset the cooldown of
Avenger's Shield
when you avoid an attack (Dodge/Parry/Miss) or cast Crusader Strike/
Blessed Hammer/ Hammer of the Righteous. |
Shining Light |
- |
Shining Light applies a stacking buff when you use
Shield of the Righteous.
When this buff reaches 3 stacks, your next Word of Glory will be free.
|
Improved Holy Shield |
- |
Improved Holy Shield increases the chance for Holy Shield to
block spells by 10%. |
Sanctuary |
- |
Sanctuary adds effect to reduce your damage taken by
5%
while standing in Consecration (in addition to
Mastery: Divine Bulwark). |
Inspiring Vanguard |
IV |
Inspiring Vanguard increases the chance for Grand Crusader
to
trigger to 20% and provides 2% Strength for 8 seconds when it triggers. |
Barricade of Faith |
- |
Barricade of Faith increases your block chance by 10% for 10 seconds
when you cast Avenger's Shield. |
Consecration in Flame |
CiF |
Consecration in Flame increases the duration of Consecration
by 2 seconds and the damage by 20%. |
Consecrated Ground |
ConsG |
Consecrated Ground increases the size of Consecration by
15% and
slows all enemies inside of it by 50%. |
Tirion's Devotion |
- |
Improved Lay on Hands reduces the cooldown of your Lay on Hands
by 1 second for every Holy Power spent. |
Bulwark of Order |
BoO |
Bulwark of Order adds an additional effect to
Avenger's Shield.
Avenger's Shield provides you with a damage absorption shield for 8
seconds
for 30% of the damage dealt per rank. This cannot be more than 30% of
your
maximum Health. |
Improved Ardent Defender |
- |
Improved Ardent Defender increases the damage reduction from
Ardent Defender
by 10%. |
Light of the Titans |
LotT |
Light of the Titans adds a heal over time to Word of Glory
which increases
per rank. This heal over time is increased by 50% if cast on yourself and you
are taking periodic (DoT) damage. |
Strength in Adversity |
- |
Strength in Adversity gives you 2% Parry for 15 seconds per target
hit with Avenger's Shield. Maximum 10% Parry. |
Crusader's Resolve |
- |
Crusader's Resolve reduces damage by enemies hit by your
Avenger's Shield
by 2% for 10 seconds. Maximum 6% damage reduction. |
Tyr's Enforcer |
- |
Tyr's Enforcer adds AoE damage effect to
Avenger's Shield
which increases per rank. |
Relentless Inquisitor |
RI |
Relentless Inquisitor gives you 1% Haste each time you spend Holy
Power.
Maximum 3% Haste. |
Avenging Wrath: Might |
- |
Avenging Wrath: Might increases your Critical strike chance by 20%
when
you use Avenging Wrath. |
Sentinel |
- |
Sentinel replaces Avenging Wrath. Sentinel will
start
with 15 stacks of Divine Resolve. Each stack gives you 1% maximum Health and
reduces
your damage taken by 2% for 20 seconds. After 5 seconds, you will lose 1 stack
per second,
but spending 3 Holy Power will prevent a stack from being lost. You retain the
other
bonuses of Avenging Wrath with Sentinel (increased damage and
the ability to cast Hammer of Wrath at any target). |
Seal of Clarity |
- |
Seal of Clarity will add an extra 50% heal to yourself when you use Word of Glory
on another player. This pairs well with Hand of the Protector. |
Faith in the Light |
- |
Faith in the Light increases your block chance by 5% per rank for
5 seconds when you cast Word of Glory. |
Seal of Reprisal |
- |
Seal of Reprisal increases the damage of your
Blessed Hammer/ Hammer of the Righteous by 20%. |
Hand of the Protector |
HotP |
Hand of the Protector allows the Protection Paladin only bonus for
increased healing on Word of Glory to lower health targets to work on any
player. |
Crusader's Judgment |
CJ |
Crusader's Judgment adds an additional charge to Judgment
and
allows the cooldown of Judgment to be reset when you trigger
Grand Crusader. |
Focused Enmity |
- |
Focused Enmity will make Avenger's Shield only hit 1 target
but
deal 100% more damage. |
Soaring Shield |
SS |
Soaring Shield will allow Avenger's Shield to hit 2
additional targets. |
Gift of the Golden Val'kyr |
- |
Gift of the Golden Val'kyr reduces the cooldown of
Guardian of Ancient Kings
by 0.5 seconds per rank when you use Avenger's Shield. Additionally
Guardian of Ancient Kings will automatically trigger when you go below
30% Health for 4 seconds. The automatic trigger has a 45-second internal
cooldown. |
Uther's Counsel |
Uthers |
Uther's Counsel reduces the cooldown of Lay on Hands,
Divine Shield,
Blessing of Protection and Blessing of Spellwarding. |
Sanctified Wrath |
SW |
Sanctified Wrath increases the duration of your
Avenging Wrath
by 25%, and whilst you have the Avenging Wrath buff active, your
Judgment's
will generate an additional Holy Power. |
Ferren Marcus's Fervor |
- |
Ferren Marcus's Fervor increases the damage of Avenger's Shield
to the first target hit by 10% per rank. |
Resolute Defender |
- |
Resolute Defender reduces the cooldown of your
Ardent Defender
and Divine Shield by 1 second for every 3 Holy Power spent. |
Bulwark of Righteous Fury |
Bulwark |
Bulwark of Righteous Fury causes Avenger's Shield to increase
the damage of your next
Shield of the Righteous based on targets hit. Stacks up to 5 times. |
Inmost Light |
- |
Inmost Light increases the damage of Eye of Tyr by 3000% and
reduces the cooldown of it by 15 seconds. |
Final Stand |
- |
Final Stand adds an AoE taunt to Divine Shield. Additionally
this will taunt enemies all enemies within 15 yards for the entire duration of
Divine Shield when they move in of the 15-yard area. |
Righteous Protector |
RP |
Righteous Protector reduces the cooldown of Avenging Wrath
and
Guardian of Ancient Kings by 0.5 seconds for each Holy Power spent. |
9.
Changelog
- 06 Nov. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.2
- 04 Sep. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 10 Jul. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5.
- 01 May 2023: Updated spells for Patch 10.1 Changes.
- 20 Mar. 2023: Updated spells for Patch 10.0.7 Changes.
- 24 Jan. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 11 Dec. 2022: Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 28 Nov. 2022: Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
- 23 Nov. 2022: Updated to be in tables. Separated out Auras & of Dusk and Dawn into their own sections.
- 24 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
Show more
Show less