Cataclysm Classic Retribution Paladin Guide (2024)

Last updated on Apr 28, 2024 at 00:00by Sellin

Welcome to our Retribution Paladin guide for Cataclysm Classic, tailoredfor PvE content. Here, you will learn how all you need to know to playRetribution Paladin proficiently. Click the links below to navigate the guideor read this page for a short introduction.

This page contains all relevant information needed for Retribution Paladinbefore the release of Cataclysm Classic. Be sure to check back as we get closerto the release date, as this page will be updated with the latest informationas it becomes available.

Yes! Retribution Paladin is incredibly powerful in Cataclysm due to their ability todeal both great single target and AoE damage while also providing powerfulbuffs for their group in the form of Communion, as well as various Blessingsand Hands. Paladin is now also able to interrupt with the addition of Rebukemaking them even more desirable as they were one of few melee DPS without a reliableinterrupt until Cataclysm.

Tauren are now able to be Paladin, while Tauren start with more Strength rating theDPS difference between Tauren and Blood Elf is extremely small so I would recommended choosingwhichever you prefer the look of though both races offer great unique utility. As a Tauren youhave access to War Stomp which can act as an emergency AoE stun. As a Blood Elf youhave Arcane Torrent which is an AoE interrupt that also restores a considerable amountof mana.

As Alliance there is not a specific Race that stands out among your choices, thoughHuman maintaining their racial weapon specializations makes them a great choice. Expertise canbe difficult to come by especially in earlier phases of gearing.

Retribution provides quite a few buffs that are importantto your groups success:

• Blessing of Kings;
• Blessing of Might;
• Concentration Aura reduces your chance at being impacted by spell push backfrom incoming damage;
• Devotion Aura greatly increases your groups Armor rating reducingincoming Physical damage;
• Resistance Aura greatly increases your groups Resist rating againstFire, Frost and Shadow types of damage;
• Hand of Protection provides complete immunity to incoming Physicaldamage for 10 seconds to any member of the group while still allowing them tocast damage spells or heal. This can be used to both mitigate incoming damageor sometimes completely avoid a mechanic;
• Hand of Sacrifice transfers 30% of the damage taken on a friendly targetback onto the Paladin providing a great tool to mitigate incoming damage on anygroup member who is likely to take a high amount of incoming damage;
• Hand of Salvation reduces the threat of a party member by 20%over 10 seconds;
• Communion increases the damage dealt by your group by 3% and provides Replenishment each time you cast Judgement;
• The ability to remove Poison and Disease from friendly targets with the Cleanse ability.
• Rebuke is a short cooldown melee range interrupt.

At Level 80 we have access to all of the core talents for Retribution Paladin, missing onlya few smaller damage increases that we would have otherwise been able to take in talents like Blazing Light, which we will gain access to at 85. There is some flexibility in this treeif you find yourself running a lot of dungeon content or even when the time comes to level youcan consider switching one of the points found in Seals of the Pure or Judgements of the Pureinto Repentance for the extra crowd control.

Glyphs exist mostly to increase damage you are dealing with your existingrotation. None of the Glyphs alter our DPS rotation, but simply allow you to deal more DPS while doingwhat you were already doing. In a situation where you are taking large amounts of Magic damage, considerswapping the Glyph of Divine Protection into a different glyph like Glyph of Rebukeor even Glyph of Holy Wrath.

Make sure you have one of your Blessings active on all of your party members at all times.Keep Seal of Truth active.

As a Retribution Paladin your DPS rotation acts much more as a list of priorities as opposed to a strict DPS rotationthe goal is generating as much Holy Power as possible to maximize the amount of Templar's Verdict casts.

Guardian of Ancient Kings should be cast on the pull, after 10 seconds cast your Avenging Wrathability to maximize the benefit from Guardian of Ancient Kings. It takes 10 seconds for your Guardian of Ancient Kingsto stack to fully so instead of spending the first 10 seconds of your Avenging Wrath waiting for the buff to stackyou will get its full duration with the stacked guardian buff. Try to stack Zealotry with Avenging Wrathwhenever possible but especially towards the beginning of a fight to get them on cooldown:

When Zealotry is active your ability usage will be a bit different as you are now generatingthree Holy Power every time you cast Crusader Strike. As a result will have much moreHoly Power to spend on Templar's Verdict. The list of priorities below remains the samebut keep in mind you will gain three Holy Power every time Crusader Strike is castwith Zealotry active so it is even more crucial to be pressing it on cooldown. Templar's Verdict should only be cast when you have three Holy Power:

1. Cast Crusader Strike to generate Holy Power on cooldown;
2. Cast Templar's Verdict as Holy Power/ Divine Purpose procs allows;
3. Cast Exorcism if you have a The Art of War proc;
4. Cast Hammer of Wrath on cooldown (only usable against an enemy below 20% health);
5. Cast Judgement on cooldown to reapply Replenishment;
6. Cast Holy Wrath.
7. Cast Consecration;

Doing AoE DPS as a Retribution Paladin is actually extremely similar to what youwould be doing in a single target situation which was highlighted above, the main difference beingyou will substitute Crusader Strike for Divine Storm but otherwise should stillbe focusing on maximizing your Holy Power generation and your Templar's Verdict casts.It is important to note that Divine Storm only generates Holy Power when hittingfour or more targets. Consider how high a priority it is for you to switch to this AoErotation when fighting 2-3 mobs:

1. Cast Divine Storm to generate Holy Power on cooldown;
2. Cast Templar's Verdict as Holy Power/ Divine Purpose procs allows;
3. Cast Exorcism if you have a The Art of War proc;
4. Cast Hammer of Wrath on cooldown (only usable against an enemy below 20% health);
5. Cast Judgement on cooldown to reapply Replenishment;
6. Cast Consecration;
7. Cast Holy Wrath.

You will mostly be using the same gear as was recommended for Wrath Classic Phase5. As a Retribution Paladin we have often times wore pieces of Leather or Mail butwith the addition of Plate Specialization increasing your Strength by 5% it isnow required that all gear you are wearing is Plate.

Reforging is now available and allows you to swap 40% of a secondary stat foranother not already present in the gear piece. Allowing you to maximize the amountof your preferred secondary stat with the gear you have available.

Strength > Mastery > Hit Rating (to cap 8%) > Expertise (to cap 26) > Critical Strike > Haste

Slot	Item	Reforging	Source
Helm	Sanctified Lightsworn Helmet	Haste → Mastery	1100 Justice Points (251) + normal (264) and heroic (277) Conqueror's Mark of Sanctification — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Neck	Penumbra Pendant	Haste → Mastery	The Ruby Sanctum 25-Man HM
Shoulders	Sanctified Lightsworn Shoulderplates	Haste → Mastery	695 Justice Points (251) + normal (264) and heroic (277) Conqueror's Mark of Sanctification — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Back	Shadowvault Slayer's Cloak	Haste → Mastery	Gunship — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Chest	Sanctified Lightsworn Battleplate	Haste → Mastery	1100 Justice Points (251) + normal (264) and heroic (277) Conqueror's Mark of Sanctification — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Wrists	Polar Bear Claw Bracers	Critical Strike → Mastery	Gunship — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Hands	Fleshrending Gauntlets	Haste → Mastery	Festergut — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Waist	Coldwraith Links	Haste → Mastery	Valithria Dreamwalker — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Legs	Sanctified Lightsworn Legplates	Critical Strike → Mastery	1100 Justice Points (251) + normal (264) and heroic (277) Conqueror's Mark of Sanctification — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Feet	Apocalypse's Advance	Critical Strike → Mastery	The Ruby Sanctum 25-Man HM
Rings	Might of Blight Ashen Band of Endless Might	Haste → Mastery	Festergut — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM Reward from Path of Might at Ormus the Penitent — The Ashen Verdict Exalted
Trinkets	Tiny Abomination in a Jar Sharpened Twilight Scale	Critical Strike → Mastery	Professor Putricide — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM The Ruby Sanctum 25-Man HM
Weapon	Shadowmourne	Haste → Mastery	The Lich King — Icecrown Citadel 25-Man HM
Libram	Libram of Three Truths	Haste → Mastery	347 Justice Points

Slot	Enchantment
Head	Arcanum of Torment
Shoulders	Greater Inscription of the Axe
Back	Enchant Cloak - Greater Speed
Chest	Enchant Chest - Powerful Stats
Wrists	Enchant Bracer - Greater Assault
Hands	Hyperspeed Accelerators or Enchant Gloves - Precision
Belt	Eternal Belt Buckle and (if Engineering) Frag Belt
Legs	Icescale Leg Armor
Feet	Nitro Boosts, or Enchant Boots - Icewalker
Main-hand	Enchant Weapon - Berserking

With Primary stats becoming increasingly powerful in Cataclysm there is amuch larger focus on maximizing the amount of Strength as a Retribution Paladin. This has greatlysimplified the process of gemming and the general rule to follow is keep yourMeta Gem active and maximize the amount of Strength you can get:

Relentless Earthsiege Diamond is the best overall Meta Gem forFrost making your Critical Strikes 3% more potent.

Put Bold Cardinal Rubys into Red Gem slots on your gear, Etched Dreadstone on Blue Gem slots, and Fierce Ametrineon Yellow Sockets.