Retribution Paladin DPS Guide in Battle for Azeroth (BfA) 8.0.1

Table of Contents

• ×Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 8.0.1 Changes for Retribution Paladins
  • 3. Strengths of Retribution Paladin
  • 4. Weaknesses of Retribution Paladin
  • 5. Contents
  • 6. Changelog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. Foreword
  • 2. The Basics of Retribution Paladins
  • 3. Talent Choice for Retribution Paladins
  • 4. Stat Choice for Retribution Paladins
  • 5. Basic Rotation for Retribution Paladins
  • 6. Azerite Traits
  • 7. Changelog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Main Resource of Retribution Paladins
  • 3. Basic Abilities for Retribution Paladins
    • 3.1. Utility for Retribution Paladins
  • 4. Cooldowns for Retribution Paladins
  • 5. Changelog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices for Retribution Paladin
  • 2. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 3. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 4. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 5. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 6. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 7. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 8. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents for Retribution Paladins
  • 9. PvP Talents (War Mode)
    • 9.1. Retribution Paladin War Mode Talents
      • 9.1.1. General PvP Talents
      • 9.1.2. Retribution Paladin PvP Talents
  • 10. Changelog
• +Azerite Traits and Armor
  • 1. Azerite Traits Details and Rotation Changes for Retribution Paladin
  • 2. Relative strength of Azerite Traits for Retribution Paladin
    • 2.1. Single Target Azerite Traits comparison for Retribution Paladin
      • 2.1.1. Outer Ring Trait Comparisons for Retribution Paladin on Single Target
      • 2.1.2. Middle Ring Trait Comparisons for Retribution Paladin on Single Target
    • 2.2. AoE/Cleave Azerite Traits comparison for Retribution Paladin
      • 2.2.1. Outer Ring Trait Comparisons for Retribution Paladin on AoE/Cleave
      • 2.2.2. Middle Ring Trait Comparisons for Retribution Paladin on AoE/Cleave
    • 2.3. Inner Ring Trait Comparisons for Retribution Paladin
      • 2.3.1. Inner Ring Traits for Raiding
      • 2.3.2. Inner Ring Traits for Raiding for Mythic+
  • 3. Outer Ring Traits for Retribution Paladin
    • 3.1. Retribution Paladin specific Outer Ring Traits
    • 3.2. Generic Outer Ring Traits
  • 4. Middle Ring Traits for Retribution Paladin
  • 5. Inner Ring Traits for Retribution Paladin
  • 6. Find Azerite Armor By Trait/Power
  • 7. Changelog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single Target Rotation for Retribution Paladins
    • 1.1. Additional Notes
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation for Retribution Paladins
  • 3. Cooldown Usage for Retribution Paladins
  • 4. Optional Read: Mastering Your Retribution Paladin
    • 4.1. Greater Blessings
  • 5. Opening Rotations for Retribution Paladins
    • 5.1. Inquisition
      • 5.1.1. With Divine Judgment
      • 5.1.2. With Consecration
      • 5.1.3. With Wake of Ashes
    • 5.2. Crusade
      • 5.2.1. With Divine Judgment
      • 5.2.2. With Consecration
      • 5.2.3. With Wake of Ashes
    • 5.3. Divine Purpose
      • 5.3.1. With Divine Judgment
      • 5.3.2. With Consecration
      • 5.3.3. With Wake of Ashes
    • 5.4. Abilities and Cooldowns from Talents
      • 5.4.1. Level 15 Talents
      • 5.4.2. Level 30 Talents
      • 5.4.3. Level 60 Talents
      • 5.4.4. Level 100 Talents
  • 6. Changelog
• +Mythic+ Tips
  • 1. Retribution Paladin in Mythic+
    • 1.1. Retribution Paladin Mythic+ Rotation
    • 1.2. Retribution Paladin Utility
  • 2. Mythic+ Talents
  • 3. Mythic+ Affixes
  • 4. Azerite Traits for Mythic+
  • 5. Outer Ring Azerite Traits for Mythic+
  • 6. Middle Ring Azerite Traits for Mythic+
  • 7. Inner Ring Azerite Traits for Mythic+
  • 8. Changelog
• +Common and Worst Mistakes
  • 1. Wasting Global Cooldowns
  • 2. Staying in Front of Your Target
  • 3. Overcapping Holy Power
  • 4. Prioritizing Crusader Strike
  • 5. Not using Shield of Vengeance
  • 6. Not using cooldowns
  • 7. Delaying Execution Sentence
  • 8. Delaying Judgment with Divine Judgment
  • 9. Using Inquisition with Low Uptime
  • 10. Not Knowing How to Sim Yourself
  • 11. Analyzing Your Mistakes as a Retribution Paladin
• +Frequently Asked Questions
  • 1. Battle for Azeroth Frequently Asked Questions
    • 1.1. Which Race Performs Best?
    • 1.2. What Piece is Better, X or Y?
    • 1.3. How Much of X Stat Should I Have?
  • 2. Changelog
• +Boss by Boss Strategies
  • 1. Disclaimer
  • 2. Retribution Paladin in Uldir
    • 2.1. Talent Cheatsheet
  • 3. Taloc
    • 3.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on Taloc
    • 3.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on Taloc
  • 4. M.O.T.H.E.R.
    • 4.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on M.O.T.H.E.R.
    • 4.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on M.O.T.H.E.R.
  • 5. Fetid Devourer
    • 5.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on Fetid Devourer
    • 5.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on Fetid Devourer
  • 6. Zek'voz, Herald of N'Zoth
    • 6.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on Zek'voz, Herald of N'Zoth
    • 6.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on Zek'voz, Herald of N'Zoth
  • 7. Vectis
    • 7.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on Vectis
    • 7.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on Vectis
  • 8. Zul, Reborn
    • 8.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on Zul, Reborn
    • 8.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on Zul, Reborn
  • 9. Mythrax the Unraveler
    • 9.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on Mythrax the Unraveler
    • 9.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on Mythrax the Unraveler
  • 10. G'huun
    • 10.1. Suggested Talents for Retribution Paladin on G'huun
    • 10.2. Retribution Paladin Playstyle on G'huun
  • 11. Changelog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. The Basics of Stats for Retribution Paladin
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding of Retribution Paladin Stats
    • 2.1. Stat Caps
    • 2.2. Statistics Priority
  • 3. Changelog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems for Retribution Paladins
  • 2. Enchants for Retribution Paladins
  • 3. Consumables for Retribution Paladins
  • 4. Changelog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Macros
    • 1.1. Generic Macros for Paladins
      • 1.1.1. Blessing Mouseover Macros
      • 1.1.2. Lay on Hands Mouseover Macro
      • 1.1.3. Cleanse Toxins Mouseover Macro
      • 1.1.4. Divine Shield
      • 1.1.5. Rebuke
    • 1.2. Specific Macros for Retribution Paladins
      • 1.2.1. Combined Consecration and Wake of Ashes Macro
      • 1.2.2. Hammer of Wrath Focus Macro
    • 1.3. War Mode Macros
      • 1.3.1. Hammer of Reckoning Focus Macro
      • 1.3.2. Blessing of Sanctuary Mouseover Macro
  • 2. Addons
    • 2.1. Generic Addons for Paladins
      • 2.1.1. ElvUI
      • 2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
      • 2.1.3. GTFO
      • 2.1.4. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 2.1.5. Recount / Skada / Details!
      • 2.1.6. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.7. TellMeWhen
      • 2.1.8. Omen Threat Meter
      • 2.1.9. Grid and GridClickSets (Optional)
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Retribution Paladins
      • 2.2.1. Hekili
  • 3. Changelog
• +Gear and Best in Slot
  • 1. Azerite Gear
    • 1.1. Azerite Head
    • 1.2. Azerite Shoulders
    • 1.3. Azerite Chest
  • 2. Evaluating Upgrades
  • 3. Weapons
  • 4. Trinkets
  • 5. Changelog
• +Simulations
  • 1. Disclaimer Page
  • 2. Retribution Paladin Weapon Enchants Patchwork Simulation
  • 3. Retribution Paladin Potions Patchwork Simulation
  • 4. Retribution Paladin Talents Pre Raid Patchwork Simulation
  • 5. Retribution Paladin Talents T22M Patchwork Simulation
  • 6. Changelog

General Information

Welcome to our Retribution Paladin DPS guide for World of Warcraft Battle for Azeroth (BfA) 8.0.1. Here, you will learn everything you need to know about playing a Retribution Paladin in a raid environment and in Mythic+ dungeons.

About Our Author

This guide has been written by Urthearso, theorycrafter for Retribution Paladins. If you have any questions about the spec you can reach him on the official Paladin Discord, on Twitter, and during his streams on Twitch.

1. Class Overview

In single-target DPS, the Retribution specialisation is currently performing very well, compared to most other classes. The sustained AoE performance on the other side is rather weak.

2. Patch 8.0.1 Changes for Retribution Paladins

• Mastery: Hand of Light increases all Holy damage done by our abilities. Note that this does not affect Racials and Trinket effects.
• Avenging Wrath and Shield of Vengeance are now affected by the global cooldown.
• Avenging Wrath now grants 20% increased damage, healing, and Critical Strike chance.
• Judgment now generates 1 Holy Power and causes the target to take 25% increased damage from your next Holy Power spender.
• Art of War is a new passive, giving us the Legion version of Blade of Wrath with half proc rate at 2 procs per minute.
• Shield of Vengeance's absorb shield now equals 30% of your maximum Health. It will burst when the shield is consumed, or after 15 seconds, and deal Holy damage equal to the absorbed amount divided to nearby enemies. The absorb shield and damage do not get increased by any damage modifiers.
• Retribution's duration has been halved to 10 seconds.
• Crusader Strike's cooldown has been increased to 6 seconds, up from 4.5.

3. Strengths of Retribution Paladin

• Strong single-target sustained damage
• Good single-target burst damage
• Can switch targets without downsides
• Many utility spells such as Greater Blessing of Wisdom, Blessing of Protection, and Blessing of Freedom
• Strong defensives like Divine Shield, Eye for an Eye, and Shield of Vengeance

4. Weaknesses of Retribution Paladin

• Low sustained AoE damage
• Low mobility
• Uptime-reliant

5. Contents

To make it easy to navigate the guide, we have split it into 14 pages:

• Easy Mode: Simple breakdown and build for those just getting started;
• Spell Summary: see a summary of all your useful spells;
• Builds and Talents: learn how to choose your talents;
• Azerite Traits and Armor: discover your best azerite traits and the gear that sports them;
• Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities: master your rotation and your cooldowns;
• Mythic+ Tips: learn how to adapt your playstyle for Mythic+;
• Common and Worst Mistakes: avoid making common mistakes;
• Frequently Asked Questions: find the answers to the most common questions for your spec;
• Boss by Boss Strategies: find out how to defeat current content bosses;
• Stat Priority: read up on the respective values of your statistics;
• Gems, Enchants, and Consumables: choose the best gems, enchantments, etc.;
• Macros and Addons: step up your game with useful macros and addons;
• Gear and Best in Slot: find the best gear you can wear;
• Simulations: if you are interested in simulations results from SimulationCraft.

6. Changelog

• 19 Sep. 2018 (gear page): Updated to adjust Geti'ikku value.
• 19 Sep. 2018 (simulations page): Updated all simulation results for the recent tuning pass.
• 19 Sep. 2018 (FAQ page): Updated all simulation results for the recent tuning pass.
• 12 Sep. 2018 (FAQ page): Updated all simulation results for Uldir Mythic opening.
• 12 Sep. 2018 (simulations page): Updated all simulation results for Uldir Mythic opening.
• 07 Sep. 2018 (azerite traits and gear page): Increased Relentless Inquisitor duration after hotfix.
• 06 Sep. 2018 (simulations page): Updated for Geti'ikku change.
• 06 Sep. 2018 (gear page): Updated for Geti'ikku change.
• 05 Sep. 2018 (easy mode page): Updated talents for Uldir.
• 05 Sep. 2018 (talents page): Updated tier 1, 2, 4, and 5 talent sections slightly.
• 05 Sep. 2018 (simulations page): Updated all simulation results for Uldir.
• 05 Sep. 2018 (enchants page): Updated potion for Uldir.
• 05 Sep. 2018 (FAQ page): Updated all simulation results for Uldir.
• 04 Sep. 2018 (mythic+ page): Major update to the page.
• 03 Sep. 2018 (bosses page): Added content for Uldir release.
• 27 Aug. 2018 (azerite traits and gear page): Updated rankings.
• 27 Aug. 2018 (gear page): Added Azerite Gear rankings.
• 27 Aug. 2018 (FAQ page): Updated all simulation results.
• 27 Aug. 2018 (simulations page): Updated all simulation results.
• 26 Aug. 2018 (enchants page): Added Battle Potion of Strength recommendation for cleave.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (simulations page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (gear page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (enchants page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (stats page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (FAQ page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (rotation page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (azerite traits and gear page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (talents page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (this page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (easy mode page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 13 Aug. 2018 (spells page): Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.
• 02 Aug. 2018 (rotation page): Updated Wake of Ashes + Divine Purpose opener.
• 25 Jul. 2018 (talents page): Fixed Divine Punisher description.
• 25 Jul. 2018 (talents page): Removed Blade of Wrath note.
• 23 Jul. 2018 (enchants page): Updated Haste food.
• 21 Jul. 2018 (easy mode page): Changed recommended targets for Divine Storm to 3.
• 21 Jul. 2018 (rotation page): Updated Wake of Ashes + Inquisition and Wake of Ashes + Crusade opener.
• 21 Jul. 2018 (talents page): Removed Divine Storm at 2 targets recommendation with Divine Judgment.
• 20 Jul. 2018 (addons page): Added War Mode talent macros.
• 19 Jul. 2018 (addons page): Added Consecration + Wake of Ashes macro.
• 18 Jul. 2018 (rotation page): Fixed some typos.
• 18 Jul. 2018 (enchants page): Removed Strength gem.
• 17 Jul. 2018 (talents page): Updated for the Battle for Azeroth pre-patch.
• 17 Jul. 2018 (enchants page): Updated for the Battle for Azeroth pre-patch.
• 17 Jul. 2018 (this page): Updated for the Battle for Azeroth pre-patch.

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