Retribution Paladin PvP Guide (Season 4)
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to play Retribution Paladin in a PvP environment. The guide will cover everything from talent choices, PvP talents, gameplay and rotation, and useful racial bonuses. It is most applicable to Arena content, but most talents and racial bonuses will work in Rated Battlegrounds and skirmishes.
If you were looking for TBC Classic content, please refer to our TBC Paladin PvP guide.
Retribution Paladins in the Current Meta
Following the launch of 10.2.5 Retribution, Paladin received some minor hotfix damage buffs. Combined with small nerfs to other competitive melee classes such as Outlaw Rogue and Havoc Demon Hunter, Ret finds itself fairly competitive in most melee cleave matchups in Season 4 and is also a strong Solo Shuffle specialization.
Retribution Paladin Strengths and Weaknesses
- Strong burst damage
- Great consistent and cleave damage
- Multiple ways to support teammates via blessing spells
- Nearly the entire damage kit can be done from mid-range
- Limited mobility
- Target of choice for most teams
- No Mortal Wounds effect limits compositions
Notable 10.2.6 Changes
- No changes to Retribution in PvP
- Updated gear list for Dragonflight Season 4
Changelog
- 25 Apr. 2024 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.6 Season 4 Gear Updates
- 22 Apr. 2024 (races): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (macros): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (comps): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.6 Season 4
- 22 Apr. 2024 (talents): Reviewed for Season 4.
- 22 Apr. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.6 Season 4
- 22 Apr. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.6 Season 4
- 19 Mar. 2024 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (gear): Reviewed for Dragonflight 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.6
- 19 Mar. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.6
- 15 Jan. 2024 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (gear): Reviewed for Dragonflight 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.5
- 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2.5
- 23 Nov. 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2 Meta Changes
- 06 Nov. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (comps): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.2
- 04 Sep. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (gear): Reviewed for Dragonflight 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.7
- 10 Jul. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.5
- 01 Jun. 2023 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 10.1
- 21 May 2023 (talents): Updated for Patch 10.1
- 19 May 2023 (macros): Updated for Patch 10.1
- 19 May 2023 (comps): Updated for Patch 10.1
- 19 May 2023 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight 10.1
- 18 May 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.1
- 18 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1
- 18 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1
- 09 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 09 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Patch 10.1.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (races): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 30 Jan. 2023 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (races): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (playstyle): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (comps): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (gear): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (talents): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (races): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (macros): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (comps): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (gear): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (talents): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 22 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight Pre-patch.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (races): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (playstyle): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (comps): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (gear): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (talents): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 01 Aug. 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Shadowlands Season 4.
- 31 May 2022 (races): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 31 May 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.5.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (races): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.2.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (playstyle): Updated for Patch 9.2.
- Updated all Damage Rotations.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (comps): Updated for Patch 9.2.
- Updated Best 3v3 Compositions.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (gear): Updated for Patch 9.2.
- Updated Recommended Gear.
- Added Tier-Sets section.
- Removed Shards of Domination section.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (talents): Updated for Patch 9.2.
- Updated Talent Table.
- Updated Tier 7 Regular Talent.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.2.
- Added Notable Changes section.
- 28 Feb. 2022 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.2.
- Added Notable Changes section.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (races): Updated Best Races.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.5.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (talents): Updated PvP Talents.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.1.5.
- 10 Nov. 2021 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.1.5.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (races): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.1.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (comps): Updated Best 2v2 Compositions.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (gear): Updated Recommended Gear.
- Added Shards of Domination section.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (talents): Updated PvP Talents.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.1.
- 02 Jul. 2021 (this page): Updated for Patch 9.1.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (races): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (macros): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (playstyle): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (comps): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (gear): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (talents): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 08 Mar. 2021 (this page): Reviewed for Patch 9.0.5.
- 17 Feb. 2021 (playstyle): Updated all rotations with new talent.
- 17 Feb. 2021 (talents): Updated Tier 1 Regular Talents.
- Updated PvP Talents.
- 17 Dec. 2020 (playstyle): Removed old spells.
- 06 Dec. 2020 (gear): Added BiS gear list for Shadowlands.
- 05 Dec. 2020 (playstyle): Updated Damage Rotations to include Covenant Ability.
- 30 Nov. 2020 (gear): Removed outdated Traits and Essences.
- Removed outdated gear.
- Added gems section.
- 30 Nov. 2020 (this page): Added Covenant page, removed old Azerite mentions, and updated gear section.
- 30 Nov. 2020 (this page): Added Covenant page, removed old Azerite mentions, and updated gear section.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (races): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (macros): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (playstyle): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (comps): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (gear): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (talents): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 14 Oct. 2020 (this page): Updated for Shadowlands pre-patch.
Other PvP Guides
This guide has been written by Lvladen, a Ret Paladin Multi-Gladiator PvP Player, Streamer, and Content Creator. You can find him on his stream on Twitch, or his YouTube Channel
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