Retribution Paladin DPS Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities - 12.1 - World of Warcraft

On this page, you will learn how to optimize the rotation of your Retribution Paladin in both single-target and multi-target situations. We also have advanced sections about cooldowns, procs, etc. in order to minmax your DPS. All our content is updated for World of Warcraft Patch 12.1.

Table of Contents

1. Retribution Paladin Gameplay and Rotation Guide 2. Midnight Season 2 Tier Set 3. Class and Spec Mechanics Explained 4. Important Cooldowns for Retribution Paladin

Retribution Paladin Gameplay and Rotation Guide

Welcome to our Rotation page for Retribution Paladins. Here you will find out more about your rotational priorities in both single-target and multi-target situations, which you will apply in both Raiding and Mythic+ scenarios.

Each of the sections below explain the rotation for different environments. Click the boxes to switch to the desired situation. Currently, there are no rotational differences between single-target and Mythic+ builds.

Herald of the Sun

Raid & Mythic+

Templar

Raid & Mythic+

best choice

Holy Power Talents

Cooldown Talents

Crusading Strikes

Templar Strikes

Empyrean Power

Execution Sentence

Radiant Glory

OpenerSingle-TargetAoE

1.1.

Opener for Retribution Paladin

For your opener, you will want to cast the abilities in the order listed here before moving on to the regular rotation priority. Your opener is the same in both single-target and AoE scenarios.

Cast Blade of Justice.
Cast Avenging Wrath.
Use Potion of Recklessness and any on-use trinkets.
Cast Execution Sentence.
Cast Wake of Ashes.
Cast Hammer of Light.
Cast Final Verdict.
Cast Final Verdict.
Cast Divine Toll.
Continue with the regular priority.

Your goal in your opener should be to start generating Holy Power before your cooldowns and then begin your burst window.

Retribution follows a priority for its rotation, as listed below. Start from the top and work your way down the list until you reach an ability with all criteria met, and that will be the best one to cast for the situation.

Cast Avenging Wrath.
Cast Execution Sentence.
Cast Hammer of Light if it is castable from using Wake of Ashes.
Cast Hammer of Light with a Light's Deliverance proc, under any of the following conditions:
- Avenging Wrath or Execution Sentence is active and will end shortly.
- The Undisputed Ruling buff is not active and Avenging Wrath isn't about to come off cooldown.
- The proc's duration will expire soon or your target will die.
Cast Divine Storm with a Divine Arbiter proc from Final Verdict and 5 Holy Power.
Cast Final Verdict if you have 5 Holy Power.
Cast Wake of Ashes.
Cast Divine Toll.
Cast Blade of Justice with 2 stacks of Art of War.
Cast Blade of Justice with 2 stacks of Art of War and Avenging Wrath not active.
Cast Divine Storm if you have both an Empyrean Power and Divine Arbiter proc.
Cast Divine Storm with a Divine Arbiter proc from Final Verdict.
Cast Final Verdict.
Cast Hammer of Wrath.
Cast Blade of Justice.
Cast Hammer of Wrath.
Cast Judgment.
Cast Templar Strikes or Templar Slash.
Cast Crusader Strike.

For Divine Arbiter Icon Divine Arbiter procs from the Season 2 Tier Set, they are worth using actively on single-target for Herald of the Sun by casting Divine Storm Icon Divine Storm, but are not worth using on single-target for Templar.

Cast Avenging Wrath.
Cast Execution Sentence.
Cast Hammer of Light if it is castable from using Wake of Ashes.
Cast Hammer of Light with a Light's Deliverance proc, under any of the following conditions:
- Avenging Wrath or Execution Sentence is active and will end shortly.
- The Undisputed Ruling buff is not active and Avenging Wrath isn't about to come off cooldown.
- The proc's duration will expire soon or your target will die.
On between 2 and 4 targets only: Cast Final Verdict with a Divine Arbiter proc from Divine Storm and 5 Holy Power.
On 2 targets only: Cast Final Verdict with a Divine Arbiter proc from Divine Storm and 5 Holy Power.
Cast Divine Storm if you have 5 Holy Power.
Cast Wake of Ashes.
Cast Divine Toll.
Cast Blade of Justice with 2 stacks of Art of War.
Cast Blade of Justice with 2 stacks of Art of War and Avenging Wrath not active.
Cast Final Verdict if you have Empyrean Legacy active.
On between 2 and 4 targets only: Cast Final Verdict with a Divine Arbiter proc from Divine Storm.
On 2 targets only: Cast Final Verdict with a Divine Arbiter proc from Divine Storm.
Cast Divine Storm.
Cast Hammer of Wrath.
Cast Blade of Justice.
Cast Hammer of Wrath.
Cast Judgment.
Cast Templar Strikes or Templar Slash.
Cast Crusader Strike.

The philosophy behind the rotation for AoE is essentially the same as it is for single-target. You will want to swap to the AoE rotation at 2 or more targets.

For Divine Arbiter Icon Divine Arbiter procs from the Season 2 Tier Set, they are worth using actively on exactly 2 targets for Herald of the Sun by casting Final Verdict Icon Final Verdict, and are worth using on between 2 and 4 targets for Templar. The damage gain from using these is extremely small on AoE, so they can be ignored for a minor damage difference.

Midnight Season 2 Tier Set

The Season 2 Tier Set bonus increases the proc rate of Divine Purpose Icon Divine Purpose and increases the damage of other Holy Power spenders after consuming a proc. To use it optimally you'll want to weave in Divine Storm Icon Divine Storm casts after consuming Divine Purpose on single-target for Herald of the Sun. If you dislike this gameplay, when playing Templar you can ignore this aspect entirely and will lose no damage, since Hammer of Light Icon Hammer of Light will also consume them passively.

Class and Spec Mechanics Explained

Resource Management Apex Talents

3.1.

Resource Management

You need to manage two resources when playing Retribution, Holy Power and time. Most of your damage comes by generating and spending Holy Power, and increasing the efficiency of this loop will increase your damage in turn. To optimize Holy Power generation, you need to consider both the cooldowns of generators and periodic effects that provide it, like Crusading Strikes Icon Crusading Strikes.

Minimizing wasting Holy Power should be kept in mind at all times. You do not want to continue to generate Holy Power when you already have 5 just to put an ability on cooldown, and you need to consider whether you will gain Holy Power within a GCD before you use a generator to reach 5. With current design, waste is unavoidable, especially with effects like Walk Into Light Icon Walk Into Light, so try to minimize avoidable waste while being aware that some kinds of waste are inevitable.

Currently Retribution is willing to spend Holy Power at a higher priority than it has historically, due to high rate of passive Holy Power generation. Other than keeping abilities like Wake of Ashes Icon Wake of Ashes on cooldown as fast as possible and spending an Art of War Icon Art of War proc at 2 stacks, you can simply spend Holy Power as soon as possible.

3.2.

Apex Talents

The Apex Talent for Retribution, Light Within Icon Light Within, increases the power of Art of War Icon Art of War procs. You will want to use Blade of Justice Icon Blade of Justice as soon as possible with two stacks of Art of War, even at 4 Holy Power, but should spend first at 5.

Retribution Paladin - Knowing how to play your rotation is only half the battle. Make sure to grab the
best talent build for every situation, and check out which trinkets and other items are
worth getting ASAP!

Combat Information

Talents and Gear

Knowing how to play your rotation is only half the battle. Make sure to grab the best talent build for every situation, and check out which trinkets and other items are worth getting ASAP!

Talents Gear

Important Cooldowns for Retribution Paladin

Avenging Wrath Execution Sentence Icon

Execution Sentence Trinkets

4.1.

Avenging Wrath

Avenging Wrath Icon Avenging Wrath increases damage and Critical Strike chance of all abilities, so it should be used before other cooldowns. It also converts Judgment Icon Judgment into Hammer of Wrath Icon Hammer of Wrath, upgrading its effects. With Crusade Icon Crusade, it provides a stacking Haste buff, but stacking this doesn't need to be prioritized over all other abilities as it used to be, since the damage and Crit bonuses remain flat.

4.2.

Execution Sentence

Execution Sentence Icon Execution Sentence deals initial AoE damage, then after 10s deals damage to the primary target based on damage done to all initial targets hit. On AoE, you should continue using AoE abilities as normal for its duration. You should use this before other cooldowns that deal significant damage like Wake of Ashes Icon Wake of Ashes.

4.3.

Trinket Usage

There are two types of on-use trinkets that you will use, trinkets that just deal damage and trinkets that provide a stat bonus. For trinkets that provide a stat bonus, usage is straightforward; you should use them with Avenging Wrath Icon Avenging Wrath unless the encounter will end before Avenging Wrath will come off cooldown if their cooldowns do not naturally line up. You can use multiple on-use stat trinkets by simply using them with alternating cooldown sets.

For on-use damage trinkets, usage can depend on the trinket. Avenging Wrath Icon Avenging Wrath does not buff trinket damage, but it does increase the critical strike chance of the damage. For instant on-use damage from trinkets you will want to make sure you use it inside Avenging Wrath.

Bolas

Guide Author

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This guide has been written by Bolas, a long time Retribution Paladin enthusiast, theorycrafter, and high-end raider in the #1 Oceanic guild Honestly. You can find him in the Paladin Discord as bolas.ret.